AI tool overview

Perplexity

AI search engine with real-time citations

4.0/5 Editorial score
Free Starting price
โœ“ Free tier

Editorial score based on official product information, public pricing, and user feedback. This is not a hands-on test score.

Free plan available

Checked July 15, 2026 Official pricing
Bottom line Our concise take

Best AI tool for research with citations. Free tier is genuinely useful, Pro is worth it for serious researchers.

Best for
Researchers Students Fact-checkers Journalists
Not for
Creative writing Code generation Long-form content

Information basis: Official product information, public pricing, and user feedback. View methodology →

Core capabilities

Key Features

5 capabilities

Real-time web search

Source citations

Follow-up questions

Focus modes

File upload analysis

Pricing

Starting

Free
Start Free
โœ“ Free tier available

Checked: July 15, 2026 ยท View official pricing

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Always cites sources
  • Real-time information
  • Generous free tier
  • Clean, fast interface

Cons

  • Not ideal for creative tasks
  • Limited customization
  • Pro needed for GPT-4
  • Can miss niche sources

FAQ

Is Perplexity free?

Yes, free tier includes unlimited basic searches. Pro at $20/month adds GPT-4 and file uploads.

Ready to take the next step?

Ready to get started with Perplexity?

AI search engine with real-time citations

Free plan available

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