Key takeaway

There is no single right answer. Agencies suit businesses without AI search knowledge. Freelancers work best for targeted projects. DIY tools let you test cheaply. Your budget, internal capability, and timeline should drive the decision.

Three routes to AI search visibility

Businesses wanting better visibility in ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity have three options. Each has real strengths and real limitations. Here is how they compare on cost, expertise, and fit.

The comparison

Factor	Agency	Freelance Consultant	DIY with Tools
Monthly cost	£1,500 - £10,000	£500 - £3,000	£25 - £200
Expertise depth	Team with cross-platform knowledge	Individual specialist, often deeper in one area	Your own learning curve
Platform coverage	Multiple AI platforms simultaneously	Usually focused on 1-2 platforms	Depends on tools chosen
Time from you	Low - they manage the process	Medium - you collaborate closely	High - you do the work
Flexibility	Structured retainers, harder to scale down	Flexible scope, easy to adjust	Complete control
Accountability	Formal reporting, SLAs	Personal relationship, less formal	You hold yourself accountable

When an agency makes sense

Choose an agency if your team has no AI search knowledge and needs full-service support across multiple platforms. Agencies bring team expertise, established processes, and the ability to handle technical work, content strategy, and monitoring at once. The trade-off is cost. Expect to pay £1,500 to £10,000 per month depending on scope. For a deeper comparison, see our agency vs tool breakdown.

When a freelance consultant works better

Freelance AI search consultants charge £500 to £3,000 per month. They offer specialist focus with personal attention. They work well for businesses that want targeted help. That might mean optimising for a specific AI platform or building entity architecture. The limitation is bandwidth. A freelancer cannot cover every platform and every content need at once.

When DIY is a viable option

If your marketing team has technical skills, DIY tools costing £25 to £200 per month can get you started. Tools like Otterly, Semrush's AI features, and others let you track AI citations and spot gaps. The trade-off is your time and the learning curve. See our best AI search tools guide for current options and pricing.

Verdict by business size

Business type	Recommended route	Why
Solo or micro business	DIY with tools	Budget-friendly, learn the fundamentals first
SME (10-50 staff)	Freelance consultant	Targeted expertise without agency costs
Mid-market (50-250 staff)	Agency or senior freelancer	Needs cross-platform strategy and execution capacity
Enterprise (250+ staff)	Agency	Scale, reporting requirements, multi-stakeholder management

The honest answer

Most businesses new to AI search optimisation benefit from starting with a freelance consultant or a short agency engagement. Build the foundations first. Then move to in-house capability supported by tools. The worst option is doing nothing while your competitors get cited and you do not.

AI SEO Agency vs Freelance Consultant vs DIY