No. 14 / Choosing your path
Product Comparison / Decision Guide
Two products. One goal. Which is right for your business?
Brain Buddy AI offers two ways to grow: a fully managed search and lead capture service run by our team, and Studio, a self-serve AI chatbot platform you run yourself. Managed covers SEO, AEO and GEO plus a managed chatbot. Studio covers the chatbot only. Here is how to choose.
The overview
What are the two products?
Brain Buddy AI is built around two products that solve different problems for different budgets. The managed service is a done-for-you offering that covers the full funnel: getting your business found in traditional and AI search, then capturing those visitors as leads with a managed chatbot. Studio is a self-serve AI chatbot platform you configure and run yourself. Both products share the same underlying technology. The difference is who does the work and how much of the funnel is covered.
Managed Services
Done-for-you plan
Done for you. Full funnel. From search to leads.
- SEO + AI search optimisation + content + chatbot
- Named account manager and monthly strategy calls
- A senior SEO approves every change before it ships
- Plans scoped to your business after a free audit
Studio
Self-serve subscription
Self-serve chatbot. You configure it. You run it.
- Self-serve AI chatbot platform
- You configure, train, and maintain it yourself
- Ideal for agencies managing multiple sites
- Simple self-serve monthly subscription
The decision
Which path is right for you?
Choose managed if...
- You want someone else to handle your search strategy from start to finish
- You need SEO, AI search optimisation (AEO and GEO), and content working together
- You want a named account manager and regular strategy calls
- You are ready to invest in a managed monthly plan
- You want the full funnel: get found in search, then capture leads with a managed chatbot
- You do not have the time or team to manage search optimisation yourself
Choose Studio if...
- You want to deploy your own AI chatbot on your website
- You are comfortable configuring and maintaining it yourself
- You need lead capture, not search optimisation
- You want an affordable self-serve subscription
- You want to manage multiple chatbots across different sites or clients (ideal for agencies)
- You already have traffic and just need a better way to convert it
The comparison
How do they compare, side by side?
Here is how the two products compare across the areas that matter most when making a decision.
| Feature | Managed | Studio |
|---|---|---|
| What you get | SEO + AI search optimisation + content + chatbot | Chatbot only |
| Who does the work | Our team handles everything | You configure and maintain it |
| Pricing | Scoped to your business, discussed after your free audit | Self-serve monthly subscription |
| Time required from you | One onboarding call, then hands-off | You set it up and keep it running |
| Best for | Businesses that want more leads from search | Businesses that already have traffic and want to capture it |
| AI chatbot included | Yes, one fully managed chatbot | Yes, you set it up yourself |
The overlap
Can I use both?
Yes. Every managed service plan includes a fully managed chatbot as standard. If you also want additional self-serve chatbots (for example, across different websites or for agency clients), you can hold a Studio account at the same time.
The two products work independently, so there is no conflict. Agencies can use a managed plan for their own business while running Studio chatbots for their clients.
The next step
How do you decide?
If you are not sure which product is the right starting point, run the free AI visibility audit. It takes about sixty seconds and shows you exactly where your business stands across every major AI search engine.
If the audit reveals gaps in how AI models find and cite your business, managed services are likely the right fit. Our team handles the optimisation work, and Studio shows you every change we ship each month.
If your search visibility is already strong and you simply need a smarter way to capture leads on your site, Studio is the faster and more affordable path. You can be live within minutes.
Honest answers
The questions we actually get asked.
If yours is not here, send it across. We will answer it honestly.
Yes. You can start with a Studio chatbot and move to a managed plan when you are ready to invest in search visibility. Your chatbot configuration and training data stay with your Studio account, so nothing needs rebuilding.
Chapter 07 / The closing word
Not sure which is right for you?
Run a free 60-second audit. We will show you where your business stands and recommend the best path.