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Perplexity AI

Free Tier

AI-powered search engine with citations

4.6/ 5

Based on 5,430 reviews • Last updated February 8, 2026

What is Perplexity AI?

Perplexity AI is an AI-powered answer engine that provides direct answers to questions with cited sources. Unlike traditional chatbots, Perplexity searches the web in real-time and synthesizes information from multiple sources, making it ideal for research and fact-checking.

Best for:

Researchers, journalists, and anyone who needs accurate, sourced information

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Always cites sources
  • Real-time information
  • Clean, focused interface
  • Multi-model support
  • Great for research

Cons

  • Less creative than ChatGPT
  • Limited conversation depth
  • Can miss nuanced queries
  • Pro searches limited on free tier

Key Features

Real-time web search
Source citations
Multi-model (GPT-4, Claude)
File analysis
Collections
API access
Chrome extension

Use Cases

Academic researchFact-checkingMarket researchNews synthesisQuick answers

Frequently Asked Questions

How is Perplexity different from Google?

Perplexity provides direct, synthesized answers with citations instead of a list of links. It uses AI to read and summarize multiple sources in real-time.

Is Perplexity AI accurate?

Perplexity is generally accurate because it cites its sources, allowing you to verify claims. However, like all AI tools, it can occasionally misinterpret sources.

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