Three of twelve models named Surfer SEO first on the direct prompt; zero named Frase. Both were named by all twelve models and Surfer SEO carries 56 labels and Frase 41, so the shares are not directly comparable.
Named in three categories this edition.
Named in three categories this edition.
Share is the count of first choices across the direct, paraphrase, budget and scale prompts over all twelve models, for a mid-market B2B company; rank is within the category; every quote names the model and the prompt it came from. Both figures come from the SEO and content optimization platforms page.
Across every category in the September 2026 Edition, Surfer SEO and Frase were named in the same answer eighty-eight times, of the 164 answers naming Surfer SEO and the 113 naming Frase. In those answers Frase took the first choice ten times and Surfer SEO twenty-six.
| Model | Direct | Paraphrase | Comparative | Budget-constrained | Scale-constrained | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claude Haiku 4.5 | ||||||
| GPT-5.4 mini | ||||||
| Gemini 3.5 Flash | ||||||
| Perplexity Sonar | ||||||
| Grok 4.1 Fast | ||||||
| Mistral Small | ||||||
| DeepSeek V4 Flash | ||||||
| Llama 4 Maverick | ||||||
| Qwen 3.7 Flash | ||||||
| Kimi K2 | ||||||
| GLM 4.7 FlashX | ||||||
| MiniMax M2.5 |
Bold names in an answer are the products the judge labeled a first choice; a model naming several gives each of them that label. The full answer text for every row is in the record.
Every negative label with a quote, up to three, then the highest-weighted positives, up to three. Six of eight in this category shown.
“Surfer SEO — entry plan is $49/mo, but AI tracking requires pricier tiers; more expensive than Frase” DeepSeek V4 Flash · budget prompt · hard negative
“Content optimization platforms like Surfer SEO, Clearscope, Frase, or Rankability... they are highly dangerous when misused” Gemini 3.5 Flash · negative prompt · soft negative
“premium content editors (like Clearscope or Surfer SEO) often start around $100 to $140+ per month” Gemini 3.5 Flash · budget prompt · soft negative
“Ahrefs + Surfer SEO provides the best balance of comprehensive research capabilities and content optimization at $298/month” MiniMax M2.5 · direct prompt · first choice
“The Best All-Rounder: Surfer SEO ... Surfer is widely considered the market leader for real-time content optimization.” Qwen 3.7 Flash · paraphrase prompt · first choice
“Choose Surfer SEO if you want the most mature real-time optimization experience and produce content at volume” Kimi K2 · comparative prompt · first choice
Every negative label with a quote, up to three, then the highest-weighted positives, up to three. Six of six in this category shown.
“Frase - Low-cost option with user reports of inaccurate recommendations” Mistral Small · negative prompt · hard negative
“Criticized as "dead" in 2026—doesn't account for LLMs” GLM 4.7 FlashX · negative prompt · hard negative
“excellent tools when used correctly, but they are highly dangerous when misused” Gemini 3.5 Flash · negative prompt · soft negative
“Frase gives you content briefs and optimization at a fraction of the cost... it offers the most functionality per dollar” Claude Haiku 4.5 · budget prompt · first choice
“Frase is the best starting point for most small companies” GPT-5.4 mini · budget prompt · first choice
“Budget-conscious | Frase | $15/month” Kimi K2 · negative prompt · first choice
Comparisons are drawn for the top eight products in each category, each against each. The output is the models' output; nothing here is a recommendation by the index.