Perplexity
AI-powered answer engine that searches the web and cites its sources
Founded
2022
Starting Price
Free
Category
AI Chatbots & Agents
Last updated April 6, 2026
About Perplexity
Perplexity is an AI-powered search and answer engine that combines large language models with real-time web search to deliver comprehensive, source-cited responses to any query. It goes beyond traditional search engines by reading and synthesizing information from multiple sources, providing inline citations you can verify instantly. With features like Pro Search for multi-step reasoning, Deep Research for exhaustive analysis, and access to leading AI models including GPT-5.2, Claude Sonnet 4.6, and Gemini 3.1 Pro, Perplexity serves as a research companion for professionals, students, and curious minds alike.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Inline source citations on every answer let you verify claims instantly
- Pro Search with multi-step reasoning delivers significantly more thorough results than basic search
- Deep Research autonomously synthesizes hundreds of sources into comprehensive reports
- Access to multiple leading AI models (GPT-5.2, Claude, Gemini) in one subscription
- Generous free tier with real utility for casual research needs
Key Features
AI-Powered Search
Ask questions in natural language and receive comprehensive answers synthesized from real-time web sources with inline, numbered citations
Pro Search
Advanced multi-step reasoning search that pulls from 3x more sources than basic search, delivering thorough, well-organized research results
Deep Research
Autonomously performs dozens of searches, reads hundreds of sources, and reasons through material to deliver comprehensive research reports
Multi-Model Access
Pro subscribers get access to leading AI models including GPT-5.2, Claude Sonnet 4.6, Gemini 3.1 Pro, and Mistral Large
File & Document Upload
Upload PDFs, documents, and files to ask questions about their content, enabling AI-assisted document analysis
AI Image Generation
Generate images directly within the platform using integrated AI image generation models
Collections & Threads
Organize research into collections and maintain conversation threads to build on previous queries
Pricing
Free
Free/month
- Basic AI-powered search
- Source citations on every answer
- Limited daily search quota
- Standard AI model access
- Thread history
Best For
Academic & Professional Research
Quickly synthesize information from multiple sources with verifiable citations for papers, reports, and presentations
Market & Competitive Analysis
Use Deep Research to generate comprehensive market reports by analyzing hundreds of sources autonomously
Technical Problem Solving
Get code explanations, debugging help, and technical answers with links to official documentation and Stack Overflow threads
Current Events & News Synthesis
Get up-to-date summaries of breaking news and trending topics with citations to original reporting sources
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