LLM Providers
Compare the four major LLM providers integrated into AEO/GEO Analytics and understand their unique citation behaviors.
Provider Overview
AEO/GEO Analytics supports four leading LLM providers:
- Claude (Anthropic)
- GPT-4 (OpenAI)
- Gemini (Google AI)
- Perplexity
Each has distinct characteristics, costs, and citation patterns.
Claude (Anthropic)
Overview
Model: claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929
Developer: Anthropic
Training Cutoff: April 2024
Real-Time Search: No (base model only)
Citation Characteristics
Citation Rate: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Highest)
- Average: 6-10 citations per response
- Consistent across query types
- Explicit URL formatting
Citation Style:
"According to Family Handyman (https://familyhandyman.com/...),
the first step is to turn off the water supply..."
Source Preferences:
- Educational how-to sites
- Expert guides
- Established authorities
- Tutorial content
Best For:
- High-quality citation analysis
- How-to query testing
- Educational content validation
- Comprehensive source coverage
Performance
Strengths:
- Highest citation rate
- Clear source attribution
- Detailed, thorough responses
- Strong reasoning
Limitations:
- Higher cost ($0.003/query)
- No real-time web access
- Training data cutoff (older content only)
When to Use:
- Primary testing provider
- Quality over quantity
- Authority building analysis
- Comprehensive research
Cost
Pricing: ~$0.003 per query Per 100 Queries: ~$0.30 Best Value: For high-quality citations
GPT-4 (OpenAI)
Overview
Model: gpt-4-turbo-preview
Developer: OpenAI
Training Cutoff: April 2023
Real-Time Search: No (base model)
Citation Characteristics
Citation Rate: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (High)
- Average: 4-8 citations per response
- Varies by query complexity
- Mix of URLs and source names
Citation Style:
"Several sources recommend starting with these steps:
- Home Depot's guide suggests...
- This Old House recommends...
(Sources: homedepot.com, thisoldhouse.com)"
Source Preferences:
- Review sites
- E-commerce guides
- Comparison articles
- Mainstream authorities
Best For:
- Balanced citation analysis
- Comparison query testing
- Product recommendation validation
- Industry-standard benchmarking
Performance
Strengths:
- Industry-standard LLM
- Balanced responses
- Good citation diversity
- Widely adopted
Limitations:
- Highest cost ($0.010/query)
- Older training cutoff
- Sometimes verbose
When to Use:
- Industry benchmark comparison
- Premium analysis
- Client reporting (recognizable name)
- Comprehensive testing
Cost
Pricing: ~$0.010 per query Per 100 Queries: ~$1.00 Best Value: For recognizable brand authority
Gemini (Google AI)
Overview
Model: gemini-1.5-pro
Developer: Google
Training Cutoff: Varies (ongoing updates)
Real-Time Search: Sometimes (Google Search integration)
Citation Characteristics
Citation Rate: ⭐⭐⭐ (Medium)
- Average: 3-6 citations per response
- Lower than Claude/GPT-4
- Google properties sometimes favored
Citation Style:
"Based on information from multiple sources including
educational sites and DIY guides, here's what you should do..."
Source Preferences:
- Educational sites
- Google-indexed content
- Recent publications
- Established authorities
Best For:
- Free tier testing
- Volume testing
- Google Search integration
- Recent content discovery
Performance
Strengths:
- Free tier (60 requests/minute, 1500/day)
- Google Search integration
- Regular updates
- Fast responses
Limitations:
- Lower citation rate
- Less explicit URL formatting
- Variable quality
- Rate limits on free tier
When to Use:
- Budget-conscious testing
- High-volume testing
- Initial research
- Google ecosystem analysis
Cost
Pricing: Free (with limits) Paid Tier: Similar to Claude pricing Best Value: For volume testing
Free Tier Limits
Rate Limits:
- 60 requests per minute
- 1,500 requests per day
- 1 million requests per month
Good For:
- Up to 1,500 queries/day
- Testing and exploration
- Budget-constrained projects
Perplexity
Overview
Model: llama-3.1-sonar-large-128k-online
Developer: Perplexity AI
Training Cutoff: N/A (real-time search)
Real-Time Search: ✅ Yes
Citation Characteristics
Citation Rate: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (High)
- Average: 4-7 citations per response
- Search-optimized
- Fresh content cited
Citation Style:
"According to recent sources [1][2], the recommended approach is...
Sources:
[1] https://familyhandyman.com/plumbing/faucet-repair/
[2] https://thisoldhouse.com/plumbing/21015078/how-to-fix-a-leaky-faucet
Source Preferences:
- Current/recent content
- News articles
- Blog posts
- Updated guides
Best For:
- Fresh content testing
- Real-time citation tracking
- News and trending topics
- Timely content validation
Performance
Strengths:
- Real-time web search
- Fresh content citations
- Low cost ($0.001/query)
- Search-specific optimization
Limitations:
- Different citation format
- Less established brand
- May favor recency over authority
When to Use:
- Testing fresh content
- Cost-conscious analysis
- Current events/trends
- Supplementing base models
Cost
Pricing: ~$0.001 per query Per 100 Queries: ~$0.10 Best Value: For fresh content and cost efficiency
Provider Comparison
By Citation Rate
| Provider | Avg Citations | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Claude | 6-10 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| GPT-4 | 4-8 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Perplexity | 4-7 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Gemini | 3-6 | ⭐⭐⭐ |
By Cost
| Provider | Per Query | Per 100 | Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gemini | Free | Free | Best |
| Perplexity | $0.001 | $0.10 | 2nd |
| Claude | $0.003 | $0.30 | 3rd |
| GPT-4 | $0.010 | $1.00 | Most Expensive |
By Use Case
| Use Case | Best Provider | Why |
|---|---|---|
| High-quality citations | Claude | Highest rate, best formatting |
| Budget testing | Gemini/Perplexity | Free tier or lowest cost |
| Fresh content | Perplexity | Real-time search |
| Industry standard | GPT-4 | Most recognized |
| Volume testing | Gemini | Free tier limits |
| Competitive analysis | All Four | Comprehensive view |
Multi-Provider Strategy
Why Test Multiple Providers
Provider Diversity:
- Different training data
- Different source preferences
- Different citation styles
- Different audiences use different LLMs
Comprehensive Coverage:
- Claude may cite sources GPT-4 doesn't
- Perplexity finds fresh content others miss
- Gemini has Google-specific insights
Statistical Confidence:
- One provider = one data point
- Four providers = pattern validation
- Consensus citations = strong signals
Recommended Combinations
Budget Tier (Free - $0.10):
- Gemini (free) + Perplexity ($0.10)
- Good coverage, minimal cost
- Volume testing possible
Standard Tier ($0.30 - $0.40):
- Claude ($0.30) + Perplexity ($0.10)
- High quality + fresh content
- Best balance for most users
Premium Tier ($1.30 - $1.40):
- All four providers
- Comprehensive analysis
- Maximum confidence
- Client reporting
Sequential Testing
Week 1: Execute 50 queries with Claude
- Establish baseline
- Identify top domains
- Understand citation patterns
Week 2: Same 50 queries with GPT-4
- Compare to Claude
- Identify differences
- Validate patterns
Week 3: Same 50 queries with Perplexity
- Check fresh content citations
- Identify new sources
- Cost-effective expansion
Week 4: Same 50 queries with Gemini
- Complete picture
- Final validation
- Google-specific insights
Provider-Specific Insights
Content Type Preferences
Claude Favors:
- How-to guides
- Educational content
- Step-by-step tutorials
- Expert authorities
GPT-4 Favors:
- Review sites
- Comparison articles
- Product guides
- E-commerce content
Gemini Favors:
- Educational institutions (.edu)
- Google properties (YouTube)
- Recent publications
- Broadly indexed content
Perplexity Favors:
- Current/recent content
- News articles
- Trending topics
- Time-sensitive information
Query Type Performance
How-To Queries:
- Best: Claude (8-12 citations)
- Good: GPT-4, Perplexity (6-8)
- Medium: Gemini (4-6)
Comparison Queries:
- Best: GPT-4 (7-9 citations)
- Good: Claude, Perplexity (5-7)
- Medium: Gemini (4-6)
Problem-Solving:
- Best: Claude (8-10 citations)
- Good: All others (5-7)
Educational:
- Best: Claude, Gemini (5-7)
- Good: GPT-4, Perplexity (4-6)
Provider Selection Guide
By Project Phase
Research Phase:
- Provider: Gemini (free tier)
- Why: Explore broadly, low cost
- Volume: High (1000+ queries)
Validation Phase:
- Provider: Claude + Perplexity
- Why: Quality validation, fresh content
- Volume: Medium (100-500 queries)
Production Phase:
- Provider: All four
- Why: Comprehensive, reportable
- Volume: Ongoing (50-100/week)
By Budget
$0/month:
- Gemini only (free tier)
- 1,500 queries/day limit
- Good for testing
$10/month:
- 50 queries/week × 4 weeks = 200 queries
- Perplexity (200 × $0.001 = $0.20)
- Claude (200 × $0.003 = $0.60)
- Total: $0.80
$50/month:
- 250 queries/week × 4 weeks = 1,000 queries
- All four providers (250 each)
- Comprehensive monthly analysis
$100+/month:
- 500+ queries/week
- All providers
- Weekly analysis
- Multiple industries
By Industry
E-commerce/Retail:
- Primary: GPT-4 (product citations)
- Secondary: Claude (how-to content)
- Supplement: Perplexity (trends)
SaaS/Technology:
- Primary: Claude (technical docs)
- Secondary: GPT-4 (comparisons)
- Supplement: Gemini (Google ecosystem)
Home Services:
- Primary: Claude (DIY guides)
- Secondary: Perplexity (local services)
- Supplement: GPT-4 (reviews)
Content/Media:
- Primary: Perplexity (fresh content)
- Secondary: Claude (educational)
- Supplement: All (comprehensive)
Provider Updates and Changes
Staying Current
Model Updates:
- Providers release new models regularly
- AEO/GEO Analytics updates automatically
- Check changelog for updates
Behavior Changes:
- Citation patterns may shift
- Cost structures may change
- Feature additions (real-time search, etc.)
Best Practice:
- Re-test quarterly with all providers
- Compare new vs old model behavior
- Adjust strategy based on changes
Next Steps
- AEO/GEO Overview → - Understand the bigger picture
- Query Types → - Optimize query selection
- Configuration Guide → - Set up API keys