IRAs AI Visibility Ranking Trends - November 2026

Answer capsule

The November 2026 IRAs benchmark compares 10 companies across 501 AI answers that met its inclusion rules. Fidelity leads with 453 recommendations (90.42% of answers). At least one tracked company was recommended in 459 answers; some answers recommended several companies.

The rankings distinguish being mentioned from receiving an affirmative recommendation, then examine placement and the wording used about each company. Earlier monthly results show how counts and rates changed, with each month using its own answer total. These results describe the answers reviewed, not product quality or customer satisfaction. Differences between monthly samples limit comparisons and do not establish why a result changed.

For the strategic interpretation of this benchmark, read CiteWorks Studio's analysis of How AI Search Is Recommending IRAs

Industry leaderboard

Questions This Section Answers

• How do IRAs rank by recorded AI recommendations in November 2026?

The leaderboard orders companies by how many reviewed AI answers contained an affirmative recommendation. That count reflects appearance plus endorsement, not customer adoption or product quality. Two companies can sit close together in count while differing sharply in how often they are mentioned at all, so the recommendation rate and mention rate deserve separate reading. Ties in recommendation count would share a rank; near-ties do not. Placement columns describe where a recommendation appeared, not additional wins.

Key findings

Tracked-company answer coverage

Questions This Section Answers

• How often did the November 2026 IRAs answer sample recommend any tracked company?

459 distinct answers recommended at least one tracked company. Counting each company recommendation separately gives 2213, because an answer can recommend several companies. Answers with no tracked recommendation may still have recommended companies outside this comparison.

Nearly every reviewed answer mentioned at least one tracked company, and most recommended at least one. Because a single answer can name several firms, company-level totals exceed the number of answers, so they should not be summed as if each answer belonged to one company. Answers recommending only untracked firms fall outside this comparison and are not evidence of absence in the wider market.

Reach and affirmative recommendation

Fidelity ranks 1 by recommendation count. Mentions: 500 (99.80%); recommendations: 453 (90.42%). Top 3 placements: 419 (83.63%); first-place placements: 307 (61.28%).

Wording about the company: 459 positive, 37 neutral, 4 negative mentions. The proportion of mentions that also included a recommendation was 90.6%. The net framing score was 0.91 (defined in Methodology).

47 mentions had no recorded recommendation. Of recorded recommendations, 92.49% were Top 3 and 67.77% were first-place.

Fidelity's near-total mention presence shows it was named in almost every reviewed answer, while its recommendation rate is slightly lower, meaning some appearances carried no affirmative endorsement. Mention is appearance; recommendation is endorsement. The gap between the two is the space where a company was discussed without being put forward, and it is a wording result rather than a measure of demand.

Recommendation order and placement

Top-three and first-place figures are subsets of recommendations, not separate achievements to add on top. A company can be recommended often yet rarely placed early, which the placement columns capture. These positions describe ordering within recorded answers, not consumer preference or conversion. Where recommendation counts are equal, placement ordering should be treated as a tie rather than a decisive gap.

Classified framing in context

Framing classifies the wording surrounding each mention as positive, neutral or negative; it is not customer sentiment or a verdict on company quality. Most mentions here skew positive, with neutral wording forming the second group and negative wording rare. A favorable framing score does not explain why a recommendation was or was not recorded, and it should not be read as reputation.

Company results in detail

Fidelity

Questions This Section Answers

• What do the November 2026 AI answer results show about Fidelity mentions, recommendations and placement?

Fidelity ranks 1 by recommendation count. Mentions: 500 (99.80%); recommendations: 453 (90.42%). Top 3 placements: 419 (83.63%); first-place placements: 307 (61.28%).

Wording about the company: 459 positive, 37 neutral, 4 negative mentions. The proportion of mentions that also included a recommendation was 90.6%. The net framing score was 0.91 (defined in Methodology).

47 mentions had no recorded recommendation. Of recorded recommendations, 92.49% were Top 3 and 67.77% were first-place.

From October 2026 to November 2026, Fidelity's mention count fell from 532 to 500, while its recommendation count fell from 467 to 453. The recommendation rate was 87.45% and 90.42% respectively.

Fidelity leads on recommendation count and appears in nearly every reviewed answer, with most mentions also carrying an endorsement. Its placements concentrate heavily in the top three and, unusually, at first place, so its recommendations tend to arrive early rather than late. Framing is overwhelmingly positive with few negative mentions. The prior-month comparison shows lower counts alongside a higher rate, a pattern the evidence does not explain.

Charles Schwab

Questions This Section Answers

• What do the November 2026 AI answer results show about Charles Schwab mentions, recommendations and placement?

Charles Schwab ranks 2 by recommendation count. Mentions: 496 (99.00%); recommendations: 450 (89.82%). Top 3 placements: 407 (81.24%); first-place placements: 96 (19.16%).

Wording about the company: 456 positive, 36 neutral, 4 negative mentions. The proportion of mentions that also included a recommendation was 90.7%. The net framing score was 0.91 (defined in Methodology).

46 mentions had no recorded recommendation. Of recorded recommendations, 90.44% were Top 3 and 21.33% were first-place.

From October 2026 to November 2026, Charles Schwab's mention count fell from 531 to 496, while its recommendation count fell from 462 to 450. The recommendation rate was 86.52% and 89.82% respectively.

Charles Schwab sits just behind the leader in recommendation count and mention presence, and its recommendation-to-mention ratio is similarly high. Its distinctive feature is placement: most recommendations land in the top three, yet first-place appearances are comparatively uncommon, so it is often shortlisted without being ranked first. Framing is strongly positive. The month-over-month counts fell while the rate rose, a combination left unexplained.

Robinhood

Questions This Section Answers

• What do the November 2026 AI answer results show about Robinhood mentions, recommendations and placement?

Robinhood ranks 3 by recommendation count. Mentions: 471 (94.01%); recommendations: 399 (79.64%). Top 3 placements: 109 (21.76%); first-place placements: 11 (2.20%).

Wording about the company: 406 positive, 61 neutral, 4 negative mentions. The proportion of mentions that also included a recommendation was 84.7%. The net framing score was 0.85 (defined in Methodology).

72 mentions had no recorded recommendation. Of recorded recommendations, 27.32% were Top 3 and 2.76% were first-place.

From October 2026 to November 2026, Robinhood's mention count fell from 494 to 471, while its recommendation count fell from 410 to 399. The recommendation rate was 76.78% and 79.64% respectively.

Robinhood is mentioned in most reviewed answers and recommended in a large majority of them, but its placements are thin relative to its recommendation volume. Few recommendations reach the top three and very few reach first place, so it is endorsed more often than it is ranked early. Framing is mostly positive with a notable neutral share. Counts eased from the prior month while the rate edged up, which the evidence does not interpret.

Vanguard

Questions This Section Answers

• What do the November 2026 AI answer results show about Vanguard mentions, recommendations and placement?

Vanguard ranks 4 by recommendation count. Mentions: 400 (79.84%); recommendations: 339 (67.66%). Top 3 placements: 180 (35.93%); first-place placements: 6 (1.20%).

Wording about the company: 346 positive, 48 neutral, 6 negative mentions. The proportion of mentions that also included a recommendation was 84.8%. The net framing score was 0.85 (defined in Methodology).

61 mentions had no recorded recommendation. Of recorded recommendations, 53.10% were Top 3 and 1.77% were first-place.

From October 2026 to November 2026, Vanguard's mention count fell from 405 to 400, while its recommendation count rose from 336 to 339. The recommendation rate was 62.92% and 67.66% respectively.

Vanguard is mentioned in roughly four of five reviewed answers and recommended in about two-thirds, a reach below the top trio. Its placements are moderate: a meaningful share of recommendations reach the top three, but first-place appearances are rare. Framing is largely positive with a modest neutral group. Unlike most peers, its recommendation count rose slightly from the prior month while mentions dipped, a mixed movement without a stated cause.

SoFi

Questions This Section Answers

• What do the November 2026 AI answer results show about SoFi mentions, recommendations and placement?

SoFi ranks 5 by recommendation count. Mentions: 284 (56.69%); recommendations: 258 (51.50%). Top 3 placements: 32 (6.39%); first-place placements: 4 (0.80%).

Wording about the company: 264 positive, 19 neutral, 1 negative mentions. The proportion of mentions that also included a recommendation was 90.8%. The net framing score was 0.93 (defined in Methodology).

26 mentions had no recorded recommendation. Of recorded recommendations, 12.40% were Top 3 and 1.55% were first-place.

From October 2026 to November 2026, SoFi's mention count rose from 265 to 284, while its recommendation count rose from 234 to 258. The recommendation rate was 43.82% and 51.50% respectively.

SoFi appears in a little over half of reviewed answers and is recommended in most of those, giving it a high recommendation-to-mention ratio on a smaller base. Placements are sparse: few recommendations reach the top three and first place is rare. Framing is strongly positive with almost no negative wording. Both mentions and recommendations rose from the prior month, and the rate climbed, though the evidence does not attribute the change.

Betterment LLC

Questions This Section Answers

• What do the November 2026 AI answer results show about Betterment LLC mentions, recommendations and placement?

Betterment LLC ranks 6 by recommendation count. Mentions: 107 (21.36%); recommendations: 100 (19.96%). Top 3 placements: 8 (1.60%); first-place placements: 0 (0.00%).

Wording about the company: 101 positive, 6 neutral, 0 negative mentions. The proportion of mentions that also included a recommendation was 93.5%. The net framing score was 0.94 (defined in Methodology).

7 mentions had no recorded recommendation. Of recorded recommendations, 8.00% were Top 3 and 0.00% were first-place.

From October 2026 to November 2026, Betterment LLC's mention count fell from 129 to 107, while its recommendation count fell from 123 to 100. The recommendation rate was 23.03% and 19.96% respectively.

Betterment LLC is mentioned in about a fifth of reviewed answers and recommended in most of them, so its ratio is high on a modest base. Placements are minimal, with a small number of top-three appearances and none at first place. Framing is almost entirely positive with no negative mentions. Counts and rate both declined from the prior month; the recorded comparison does not establish why.

Merrill Edge

Questions This Section Answers

• What do the November 2026 AI answer results show about Merrill Edge mentions, recommendations and placement?

Merrill Edge ranks 7 by recommendation count. Mentions: 124 (24.75%); recommendations: 79 (15.77%). Top 3 placements: 4 (0.80%); first-place placements: 0 (0.00%).

Wording about the company: 79 positive, 34 neutral, 11 negative mentions. The proportion of mentions that also included a recommendation was 63.7%. The net framing score was 0.55 (defined in Methodology).

45 mentions had no recorded recommendation. Of recorded recommendations, 5.06% were Top 3 and 0.00% were first-place.

From October 2026 to November 2026, Merrill Edge's mention count rose from 103 to 124, while its recommendation count rose from 74 to 79. The recommendation rate was 13.86% and 15.77% respectively.

Merrill Edge is mentioned more often than it is recommended, and its recommendation-to-mention ratio is the lowest among tracked firms, reflecting a large neutral and some negative wording. Placements are very sparse, with a handful of top-three appearances and none at first. Its framing score is the weakest in the set. Mentions and recommendations both rose from the prior month, a movement the evidence does not explain.

E*TRADE

Questions This Section Answers

• What do the November 2026 AI answer results show about E*TRADE mentions, recommendations and placement?

E*TRADE ranks 8 by recommendation count. Mentions: 68 (13.57%); recommendations: 54 (10.78%). Top 3 placements: 9 (1.80%); first-place placements: 0 (0.00%).

Wording about the company: 58 positive, 7 neutral, 3 negative mentions. The proportion of mentions that also included a recommendation was 79.4%. The net framing score was 0.81 (defined in Methodology).

14 mentions had no recorded recommendation. Of recorded recommendations, 16.67% were Top 3 and 0.00% were first-place.

From October 2026 to November 2026, E*TRADE's mention count fell from 314 to 68, while its recommendation count fell from 246 to 54. The recommendation rate was 46.07% and 10.78% respectively.

E*TRADE shows a marked contrast with the prior month: both mentions and recommendations are far lower, and the recommendation rate dropped sharply. In the current sample it is mentioned in a modest share of answers and recommended in most of those, with a small number of top-three placements and none at first. Framing is mostly positive. The size of the change is recorded, not explained.

Wealthfront Corporation

Questions This Section Answers

• What do the November 2026 AI answer results show about Wealthfront Corporation mentions, recommendations and placement?

Wealthfront Corporation ranks 9 by recommendation count. Mentions: 48 (9.58%); recommendations: 44 (8.78%). Top 3 placements: 0 (0.00%); first-place placements: 0 (0.00%).

Wording about the company: 44 positive, 4 neutral, 0 negative mentions. The proportion of mentions that also included a recommendation was 91.7%. The net framing score was 0.92 (defined in Methodology).

4 mentions had no recorded recommendation. Of recorded recommendations, 0.00% were Top 3 and 0.00% were first-place.

From October 2026 to November 2026, Wealthfront Corporation's mention count fell from 64 to 48, while its recommendation count fell from 58 to 44. The recommendation rate was 10.86% and 8.78% respectively.

Wealthfront Corporation is mentioned in under a tenth of reviewed answers and recommended in most of them, a high ratio on a sparse base. It records no top-three or first-place placements at all, so its recommendations never appear early in the ordering. Framing is positive with a small neutral group and no negatives. Counts and rate both eased from the prior month, a comparison the evidence leaves uninterpreted.

M1 Finance

Questions This Section Answers

• What do the November 2026 AI answer results show about M1 Finance mentions, recommendations and placement?

M1 Finance ranks 10 by recommendation count. Mentions: 47 (9.38%); recommendations: 37 (7.39%). Top 3 placements: 1 (0.20%); first-place placements: 0 (0.00%).

Wording about the company: 39 positive, 8 neutral, 0 negative mentions. The proportion of mentions that also included a recommendation was 78.7%. The net framing score was 0.83 (defined in Methodology).

10 mentions had no recorded recommendation. Of recorded recommendations, 2.70% were Top 3 and 0.00% were first-place.

From October 2026 to November 2026, M1 Finance's mention count fell from 57 to 47, while its recommendation count fell from 44 to 37. The recommendation rate was 8.24% and 7.39% respectively.

M1 Finance is mentioned in under a tenth of reviewed answers and recommended in most of them, though its ratio is lower than several peers on a similar base. Placements are nearly absent, with a single top-three appearance and none at first. Framing is mostly positive with a modest neutral share. Counts and rate both declined from the prior month, and the evidence does not attribute the change.

Earlier ranking snapshot context

Questions This Section Answers

• How do the available IRAs snapshots from July 2026 to November 2026 differ in recommendation coverage and measurement scope?

Only months with verified results are shown. Monthly sample coverage is listed in Methodology.

Each month is a separate sample of AI answers, so counts and rates are comparable in form but not drawn from identical questions or answer sets. A company's rank can shift because its own results moved, because peers moved, or both. The table shows recorded results across months; it does not establish rank stability, sampling equivalence or the reasons behind any change.

What the November Rankings Show

These measures answer different questions. Mention asks whether a company appeared at all; recommendation asks whether the answer affirmatively endorsed it; placement asks where within the ordering that endorsement fell; framing describes the surrounding wording. A firm can be widely mentioned yet rarely recommended, or frequently recommended yet seldom placed first. Reading the columns together gives a fuller picture than any single count, while none of them measures customer behavior or product merit.

Methodology

Questions This Section Answers

• How were the November 2026 IRAs AI visibility measures counted, and what do they not establish?

This benchmark has partial coverage: 3 of 3 planned question categories contributed usable observations; 0 contributed none. This describes question-category coverage, not demonstrated platform outages. Findings apply to the available answer set.

The month in the title is the reporting period. The exact dates when the original AI answers were collected have not been verified.

Each company is counted at most once in each answer that meets the benchmark rules. A recommendation requires both an affirmative endorsement and positive wording. Mention, recommendation, Top 3 and first-place rates use the full benchmark answer total. Top 3 and first-place results are included within recommendations, not added to them.

The recommendation-to-mention ratio divides recommendations by mentions. It describes AI answer wording, not customer conversion. Net framing is positive minus negative mentions, divided by all mentions, on a scale from -1 to +1. It does not measure customer satisfaction or company quality.

Market: US; 10 tracked companies. AI services represented: ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, Google AI Mode, Google AI Overviews, Perplexity.

Research screening totals (answer observations can include repeated questions):

The source does not provide a reader-facing definition of “reserved”; that screening label is reported without inferring a reason for exclusion. Only the included benchmark answers form the rate denominator.

One answer can mention or recommend several companies. Adding company totals would therefore count some answers more than once. The results describe the AI answers reviewed, not independently verified facts about the companies or their products.

Monthly sample coverage:

July 2026 measured a different set of companies, so it is excluded from this comparison. August 2026 measured a different set of companies, so it is excluded from this comparison.

The answer samples differ between months. These comparisons show how the recorded results changed; they do not establish why they changed.

Coverage is partial: usable observations came from all planned question categories, and findings apply only to the reviewed answer set. The reporting month labels the period, but exact collection dates are unverified. Each company counts at most once per answer, and recommendation requires both endorsement and positive wording. Top-three and first-place results sit inside recommendations rather than beside them. Ratios describe answer wording, not conversion, and framing is not customer satisfaction. Monthly samples differ, so comparisons show recorded change without explaining it.