Review platform citation analysis: ChatGPT, Perplexity, AI Overviews, and Copilot
Review platform citation analysis: ChatGPT, Perplexity, AI Overviews, and Copilot
New research reveals which review platforms are most cited by AI platforms in answers.
Which review platforms are most cited in conversational AI?
Research from Hall reveals the most cited review platforms in AI responses across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, and Microsoft Copilot.
Conversational AI reshapes purchasing journeys for consumers and companies. Users now rely on ChatGPT and similar platforms to evaluate solutions, compare alternatives, and make buying decisions.
While this shift has reduced traffic from traditional search, AI-driven referrals convert at higher rates due to increased buyer intent and product knowledge.
AI platforms need to seek out referenceable perspectives and opinions of real people on the web, naturally turning to user-contributed review platforms such as G2, Capterra, and TripAdvisor.
Key points
- GetApp commands nearly half (47.6%) of all B2B software review citations in ChatGPT, significantly outperforming established players like G2 (8.2%).
- Clutch maintains overwhelming dominance in digital services across all AI platforms, capturing 84.5% of citations in ChatGPT and over 95% when combined with GoodFirms.
- TripAdvisor demonstrates the strongest platform dominance of any vertical, achieving up to 94.2% of travel citations in Google AI Overviews.
- Review platforms split into three camps regarding AI crawler access: complete blocking (Yelp, Trustpilot), selective access (G2, Capterra), and full access (Clutch, SourceForge).
Methodology
We analyzed 456,570 citations from answers across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, and Microsoft Copilot from 18 May 2025 to 18 June 2025 for the United States.
To uncover granular insights into the top performing review platforms across verticals, we segmented questions into three categories: B2B software and SaaS, Digital services and agencies, and Travel, hospitality, and local services.
B2B software and SaaS
Our data reveals platform-specific preferences across AI search engines, with GetApp emerging as the dominant force while traditional leaders like G2 show varied performance.
ChatGPT
GetApp commands nearly half of all review platform citations in ChatGPT (47.65%).
Perplexity
GetApp maintains its leadership position with 39.74% of citations.
Google AI Overviews
Slashdot’s notable 16.62% presence highlights the platform’s strength in technical community discussions.
Microsoft Copilot
Copilot presents distinctive citation patterns, with SourceForge leading at 21.33%.
Digital services and agencies
In this vertical, there is remarkable consistency across AI platforms, with Clutch establishing unprecedented dominance in agency discovery.
ChatGPT
Clutch commands an overwhelming 84.5% of citations.
Perplexity
Clutch maintains strong leadership with 66.0% of citations.
Google AI Overviews
Clutch shows slightly reduced dominance at 77.6%.
Microsoft Copilot
Clutch leads with 72.0% while GoodFirms captures 24.3%.
Travel, hospitality, and local services
This category demonstrates how specialized, industry-focused review platforms maintain overwhelming authority.
ChatGPT
TripAdvisor commands 87.9% of citations.
Perplexity
TripAdvisor maintains strong leadership with 72.9% of citations.
Google AI Overviews
TripAdvisor achieves its highest dominance at 94.2%.
Microsoft Copilot
TripAdvisor leads with 80.4%.
Which review platforms encourage AI crawlers?
This analysis reveals a clear divide in the industry. Platforms like Yelp and Trustpilot block AI crawlers entirely, while others like G2, Gartner, and Capterra allow AI access for search purposes but prohibit model training.
| Review Site | AI Crawler Policy |
|---|---|
| G2 | Allows AI crawlers for search, disallows model training on user-generated content |
| Clutch | Allows all AI crawling |
| TripAdvisor | Allows AI crawlers for search, disallows model training on all content |
| Yelp | Disallows all AI crawling |
| Trustpilot | Disallows all AI crawling |
| GoodFirms | Allows all AI crawling |
Key takeaways
The data reveals clear patterns for marketers deciding where to concentrate their review efforts.
- Industry-specific platforms consistently outperform generalist sites.
- AI crawler policies directly impact visibility.
- Different AI platforms favor different sources.
- Citation trends remain highly dynamic.
As AI reshapes how customers discover and evaluate solutions, understanding which sources AI systems reference becomes crucial for influencing purchase decisions.