Search & research · Perplexity
Perplexity
An AI answer engine that searches the live web and replies in plain language with citations you can open and check, instead of handing you a page of blue links to read yourself.
Visit Perplexity →What it does
Answers with citations
Ask a question the way you would ask a colleague and it searches current sources, writes a direct answer, and footnotes each claim with a link back to where it came from.
For work Fast research where you need the source, not just the summary: market checks, background reading and fact-finding.
Research mode
A longer, multi-step mode that runs many searches, reads across sources and returns a structured report with references, for questions a single answer cannot cover.
For work Competitor scans, literature-style reviews and briefing documents that would take an afternoon by hand.
Choice of models
On paid plans you can choose between advanced models from providers such as OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and NVIDIA, alongside Perplexity's own Sonar model.
For work Matching the model to the job, and cross-checking a tricky answer against a second model.
Comet browser and assistant
Comet is Perplexity's own web browser with the assistant built in, so you can ask about the page you are on and have it act across your tabs.
For work Research that lives inside your browsing, and multi-step tasks across websites.
Create files and apps
On the higher plans, turn a research answer into a document, spreadsheet, dashboard or simple web app inside Perplexity.
For work Going from 'what does the research say' to a first draft deliverable in one place.
Best for
Anyone who researches for a living and needs answers with sources they can open and check, faster than searching and reading pages one at a time.
Not for
Long creative writing, confidential material you would not want sent to a search service, or any answer you plan to publish without opening the sources yourself.
Real work with it
A consultant or analyst
Background research with sources you can defend
- Ask the question the way you would ask a colleague, and add the context that matters.
- Read the cited answer, then open the two or three sources it leans on hardest.
- Pull the answer and the links into your own notes or brief.
Human checkpoint Open the sources before you trust the answer: check each one is credible, current and actually says what the summary claims.
A founder or marketer
A first-pass market or competitor scan
- Run the research mode over the market, category or competitor you need to understand.
- Skim the structured report and its references for the claims that surprise you.
- Verify the surprising claims against the primary source before you act on them.
Human checkpoint Treat the report as a lead list, not a conclusion: a confident summary can still rest on a weak or outdated source.
The part that stays yours
A cited answer is a starting point, not a verdict. Opening the sources, judging whether they are trustworthy and current, and deciding what the evidence actually supports stay your job. The tool finds; you weigh.
Plans and pricing
Free
US$0
Everyday questions with citations, with limited deeper research.
Pro
US$20/mo
Deep research, a choice of top models and more usage: the plan most people want.
Max
US$200/mo
Heaviest research, higher limits, and creating dashboards and apps.
Enterprise
Custom
Teams needing admin controls, security and pooled usage.
Free tier for everyday questions, then Pro at about US$20/month for deeper research and model choice, and Max at about US$200/month for the highest limits. Enterprise plans are custom.
When to pick something else
ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini with search
You are already in one assistant for writing or analysis and want web-grounded answers without a second tool.
Google or a traditional search engine
You want to browse many results and judge them yourself, rather than read one synthesised answer.
Consensus or Elicit
Your research is specifically academic and you want answers grounded in peer-reviewed papers.
Watch-outs
- A cited answer can still be wrong: the model can misread a source or cite one that does not support the claim, so open the links.
- Sources vary in quality. It will happily cite a forum post or a marketing page next to a primary source, and the confidence reads the same.
- It is a web service: do not paste confidential, personal or client-privileged material into a public search assistant.
- The free tier limits the deeper research modes and model choice; heavy research needs a paid plan.
- Answers reflect what is on the web now, which can be out of date, contradictory or gamed for a given topic.