Merlin

What they do well

Merlin has built massive reach through its browser extension (1M+ Chrome users, 4.8★ from 8.8K ratings) and a strong mobile footprint (Android 500K+ installs, iOS 4.6★). They’ve cloned the “one plan, many models” promise almost word-for-word, giving access to GPT-4/4o, Claude, Gemini, and more, all in one interface. Their toolkit is broad (70+ AI tools) covering summarization, translation, YouTube/PDF parsing, image generation, and writing help, making them appealing to a wide range of casual and power users. Growth is fueled by aggressive $5/mo promos, affiliate pushes, and social ads. Their messaging is benefits-first (“work anywhere, best models in one place”) and speed-focused.

Where they’re weaker

Even though they support many models, Merlin’s UX is about switching between them, not true side-by-side comparisons. That means users still need to manually judge which answer is better, a gap Ayno can fill. Pricing and credits are confusing, promos, IAPs, and caps vary across platforms, which creates user frustration and negative review sentiment. This complexity can hurt trust and makes upselling harder. They also spread focus across many tools, which dilutes the “multi-model” positioning.

What’s working for Merlin in marketing

Merlin has nailed extension-led growth, its Chrome listing is a conversion engine thanks to huge reach, strong ratings, and clear “many models in one” messaging. They’re also smart with aggressive promo pricing to hook budget-conscious users, plus affiliate/social campaigns to push awareness. The wide toolkit broadens their audience and gives influencers multiple use cases to showcase.

What Ayno can learn

• The extension store is a high-ROI channel, it’s where casual and power users are already looking for AI helpers.
• Price perception can drive adoption fast, even if the product is broad rather than deep.
• Multi-use toolkits appeal to a wide audience, but they also dilute focus, there’s room for a sharper, more authoritative positioning.

How Ayno can do better

• Beat them on clarity, one plan, one wallet, all platforms, no confusing credit systems.
• Use pricing strategically: don’t undercut to the floor, but offer high-perceived-value free trials (e.g., Compare Packs) to hook users.
• Pair broad awareness with deep trust features (Echoes verification, source citations) to shift the conversation from “cheap access” to “confident decisions.”

ChatHub

What they do well

ChatHub leans heavily into the parallel comparison story, users can run up to 6 models at once and see answers side-by-side. They offer 20+ models (GPT-5/4, Claude, Gemini, DeepSeek, etc.) without needing API keys. Pricing is mid-range (Pro $14.99/mo annual, Unlimited $24.99/mo annual), making them attractive for heavy users without the “enterprise” price tag. The Chrome extension is their main growth channel, backed by a blog that publishes comparison content and “best AI tools” roundups to capture high-intent search. They target professionals, researchers, and creators who value efficiency.

Where they’re weaker