Surfient vs F:SEO
Surfient vs F:SEO
F:SEO is a traditional Shopify SEO app — images, meta, speed, basic Schema. Surfient is AI indexing for ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity.
- F:SEO is a traditional Google-focused Shopify SEO app.
- Surfient is AI indexing — llms.txt, ai-sitemap, NDJSON, answer blocks.
- Run both — they solve different jobs on the same store.
Surfient vs F:SEO
Capability scorecard
Surfient
F:SEO
Honest Verdict
F:SEO covers Google SEO hygiene plus image/speed. Surfient covers AI answer retrieval.
Choose Surfient when
- AI indexing is the gap, not page speed.
- You need llms.txt and ai-sitemap generated weekly.
- You want per-URL GEO auditing.
Choose F:SEO when
- Page speed and image optimisation are the priority.
- You want a free-tier traditional SEO app.
- AI visibility isn't a priority yet.
Side-by-side
Every row lists what each side ships in production. Winner column flags where one of us does the job meaningfully better — ties marked honestly.
| Feature | Surfient | F:SEO | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Category | |||
| Primary job | AI indexing | Traditional SEO + page speed | Tie |
| Files | |||
| llms.txt / ai-sitemap / NDJSON | Weekly | Not offered | Surfient wins |
| Schema | |||
| Schema.org injection | Product + FAQ + HowTo + Article with answer blocks | Basic Product + Organization | Surfient wins |
| Perf | |||
| Image optimisation + speed boost | Not offered — different job | Yes — core feature | Competitor wins |
| Visibility | |||
| AI citation tracking | 6 assistants weekly | Not offered | Surfient wins |
| Audit | |||
| Per-URL GEO audit | Every URL, weekly | Traditional SEO audit | Surfient wins |
| Fix | |||
| Hallucination Guard | Yes | Not offered | Surfient wins |
What F:SEO does well
The honest list — where we don't have an advantage
- F:SEO bundles image optimisation and page-speed tuning in one app, which Surfient doesn't offer.
- Established Shopify App Store product with a free tier and broad install base.
Where Surfient is ahead
The parts of the job F:SEO doesn't cover
- Purpose-built for AI indexing — llms.txt, ai-sitemap, NDJSON served from your domain.
- AI citation tracking across 6 assistants weekly.
- Hallucination Guard.
- Per-URL GEO scoring.
Surfient is the right pick when
Pick Surfient when AI indexing is the gap — llms.txt, Schema.org for AI retrievers, answer blocks, AI citation tracking.
F:SEO is the right pick when
Pick F:SEO when page speed and image optimisation alongside basic SEO are the priority.
Migration notes
Don't migrate — run both. F:SEO handles speed and traditional SEO; Surfient adds the AI indexing layer.
Frequently asked
Do F:SEO and Surfient conflict?
No — different files and different JSON-LD fields. They coexist cleanly.
Can F:SEO replace Surfient?
No — F:SEO doesn't generate llms.txt, track AI citations, or audit for AI indexing.
Can Surfient replace F:SEO?
No — we don't handle image compression or page speed tuning.
Should I run both?
Yes — most merchants do. Different jobs, same store.
Want to see Surfient on your store?
Every comparison on this page reflects what we ship on day one — not a roadmap slide. Install once, run the audit, and decide.