Contested vs AthenaHQ
Facts about AthenaHQ checked on 14 October 2026 from its own pages (sources below). Prices and plans change; check theirs before you decide.
The short answer
Pick AthenaHQ if you want the widest set of AI models, content optimization agents, and integrations with Shopify, Webflow and GA4, and you are comfortable with credit-based usage. Pick Contested if you want a flat monthly price per brand, five major engines on every plan, and tickets that quote what an engine said, point to the probable source page and give the fix, with a check after each audit, honest head-to-head verdicts and a brief for your team.
Side by side
- Price
- Contested$99 a month for one brand; $399 a month for up to 5 brands; Enterprise priced with you. Billed monthly in US dollars.
- AthenaHQFree Essential plan (300 credits); Starter $295 a month (3,600 credits a month, 17% off yearly); Enterprise priced on request. One credit is one AI response.
- AI engines covered
- ContestedChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Claude and Google AI Overviews, on every plan. Asked through each engine's API with its web search on (AI Overviews read from Google's results page).
- AthenaHQStarter: 11 models, including ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews and AI Mode, Gemini, Claude, Copilot, Grok, DeepSeek, Meta AI and Mistral.
- How often it checks
- Contested8 audits a month per brand on the Brand plan (about two a week). Each audit asks about 12 buyer questions plus 4 about your brand, reviewed by you first (up to 18 in total with your own), on every engine.
- AthenaHQAs often as your credits allow (one credit per AI response); Starter covers a single region.
- Comparing you with competitors
- ContestedHead-to-head against each competitor you name, a leaderboard of every brand the engines recommend, and a 2x2 map of where you stand that shows how each brand moved since the last audit. It says plainly when a lead is too close to call.
- AthenaHQSources and competitor insights.
- What to fix
- ContestedEvery ticket starts from something an engine said: it quotes the answer, points to the page it probably came from and gives the fix, with how strong the evidence is. Ticked tickets are checked after the next audit. Community evidence is limited to Reddit and LinkedIn pages cited by an engine and checked to mention your brand.
- AthenaHQContent recommendations and a content optimization agent with on-page and off-page actions.
- Getting work to your team
- ContestedSend tickets to Trello, Asana or monday.com; Jira by export (CSV, Markdown or a link).
- AthenaHQIntegrations with Shopify, Webflow and GA4/Google Search Console; CSV export; API as a paid add-on on Starter.
- Report to share
- ContestedAn 8-page PDF brief for your team or client, plus the full report online.
- AthenaHQDashboards; an executive dashboard with Tableau, Power BI and Looker on Enterprise.
- Getting started
- ContestedCreate an account, set up your brand in a few minutes, and choose a plan.
- AthenaHQA free Essential plan with 300 credits.
- Security and sign-in
- ContestedEmail and password or Google sign-in. No SSO or SOC 2 report yet.
- AthenaHQSAML and OIDC SSO and an audit log on Enterprise.
Choose Contested if
- You want a flat price you can plan around: $99 a month per brand, no credits to count.
- You want every ticket to start from something an engine said: the quote, the probable source page and the fix, with a check after each audit.
- You want a clear verdict on each competitor you name: ahead, behind, or too close to call.
- You report to a team or a client and want an 8-page brief ready to send.
Choose AthenaHQ if
- You want the widest set of AI models, including Grok, DeepSeek, Meta AI and Mistral.
- You want an agent that rewrites and optimizes your content.
- You run on Shopify or Webflow and want those connected.
- You prefer paying for usage in credits.
- You need SAML or OIDC SSO and an audit log, which AthenaHQ lists on Enterprise.
See a full Contested report
A complete sample audit: scores, competitors, sources, the Action Plan and the PDF brief.
Questions
Is Contested an AthenaHQ alternative?
If you are looking for an AthenaHQ alternative that gives your team tickets with the fix attached and a flat monthly price instead of credits, yes. If you want up to 11 models, a content optimization agent or Shopify and Webflow connections, AthenaHQ is the better fit.
Which costs less, AthenaHQ or Contested?
AthenaHQ has a free plan and a Starter plan at $295 a month (3,600 credits). Contested's Brand plan is $99 a month for one brand, and Agency is $399 a month for up to 5 brands. Check both pricing pages, as prices change.
Does Contested write content like AthenaHQ's agent?
No. Contested tells you what to publish or fix and why, with ready-made files such as llms.txt and structured data for your site; your team or agency writes the content.
Sources
- AthenaHQ pricing (read 14 October 2026)
AthenaHQ is a trademark of its owner. This page is written by Contested; tell us if anything here about AthenaHQ is out of date and we will correct it.