Question 1

What is Perplexity AI?

Accepted Answer

Perplexity is an AI answer engine that combines search with conversational responses and linked sources. It supports research and, depending on access, document analysis and creation tools.

Question 2

Is Perplexity free?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Its Free plan offers core search with limited advanced usage. The official comparison checked October 9, 2026 lists three Pro Searches per day and one Research query per month; allowances can change.

Question 3

How much does Perplexity Pro cost?

Accepted Answer

The US list price checked October 9, 2026 is $20 per month or $200 per year. Annual billing is paid upfront. Regional prices, taxes, and promotions can differ.

Question 4

What is the difference between Perplexity Pro and Max?

Accepted Answer

Pro expands research, file uploads, creation tools, and model access. Max offers higher usage and newer capabilities. Its listed price is $200 monthly or $2,000 annually, with annual billing available through the web.

Question 5

Are Perplexity citations always accurate?

Accepted Answer

No. A citation can be outdated, irrelevant, or insufficient to support the accompanying claim. Open important sources and check that summaries agree with the evidence and calculations.

Question 6

Can Perplexity analyze PDFs?

Accepted Answer

Yes, it can work with uploaded documents within plan limits. Ask it to use only the file and identify supporting sections. Independently verify calculations and summary conclusions.

Question 7

Does Perplexity use my data for AI training?

Accepted Answer

Its documentation says AI Data Retention is enabled by default on Free, Pro, and Max. You can disable it in Account settings under Preferences for future collection. Enterprise has a separate no-training commitment.

Question 8

Is the Perplexity API included with Pro or Max?

Accepted Answer

No. API usage is billed separately, and a consumer subscription does not include complimentary API credits. Check the developer pricing and rate limits for your chosen endpoint.

Starting Price	Free $0/month · Pro from $20/month
Free Plan	Standard Free: practically unlimited basic searches; 3 Pro searches/day, 1 Research query/month and limited file uploads
Usage Limits	Free: 3 Pro searches/day, 1 Research/month; Pro: weekly Pro-search and monthly Research limits; Max: higher allowances; usage policies may change

Primary Use Case	AI answer engine with real-time, cited web research
Best For	Web research / Fact-finding / Market intelligence / Students / Analysts
Platforms	Web / iOS / Android / Comet browser / API

AI Models	Multiple frontier models from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and others; catalog rotates
Model Selection	Automatic model routing; Pro and Max can select preferred advanced models
Context Window	Not disclosed as a single app-wide token limit; varies by model, search mode and plan
Knowledge Cutoff	Varies by selected model; current web search supplies newer information
Real-time Web Access	Real-time web retrieval and grounded answers with inline source citations

General Chat	Conversational answers with cited web research and follow-up questions
Advanced Reasoning	Advanced reasoning models available on Pro/Max; higher limits on Max
Web Search	Basic web search on Free; extended Pro Search on paid plans with citations
Deep Research	Research performs multi-step investigations and cited reports; Free 1/month, higher paid allowances
Citations / Sources	Inline citations and clickable links to sources in search answers and Research reports
Conversation Memory	Personalization and memory vary by plan; Max Brain preview builds project/file context in Perplexity Computer
Custom Instructions	Space-level instructions and saved context for focused research workflows

Image Understanding	Image upload and analysis supported; attachment limits depend on plan
Image Generation	Image generation on Pro, Education Pro, Max and Enterprise; not included on Standard Free
File Analysis	File upload and analysis; limited on Free; Pro supports up to 50 files per project; higher Enterprise allowances
Voice Input	Voice-based query input in supported mobile experiences; availability varies by platform
Voice Conversations	Voice assistant experiences available on supported Perplexity apps; availability and limits vary
Video Understanding	Video upload/analysis availability depends on current app and plan; exact general limits not disclosed

Perplexity

About Perplexity

Specifications

Pricing

Overview

AI & Models

Chat & Reasoning

Multimodal

Productivity

Customization

Developer & Business

Languages

Compare Perplexity

Compare before you choose

Similar AI models

Claude

ChatGPT

Microsoft Copilot

Mistral Le Chat

Grok

Meta AI

Google Gemini

Poe

Reviews & Guides

Perplexity AI: A Professional Guide to Search and Research (2026)

Coding Assistance	Code explanation, generation and technical research with selectable advanced models on paid plans
Data Analysis	Research and Create files and apps workflows can analyze information and generate spreadsheets or dashboards; limits vary
Document Creation	Create files and apps can produce reports, presentations, spreadsheets and web apps on eligible plans
Canvas / Workspace	Create files and apps workspace for reports, dashboards, spreadsheets, presentations and web apps
Projects / Workspaces	Spaces/Projects with saved research threads, files and shared knowledge; Pro up to 50 uploads per project

Custom Assistants	Custom research workflows through Spaces instructions; not a dedicated GPT-style assistant marketplace
Extensions / Apps	Comet browser and connected app/file sources; catalog and permissions vary
Integrations	Connected app sources and file connectors; Enterprise centrally governs internal knowledge access

API Access	Perplexity API Platform: pay-as-you-go, separate billing; no complimentary subscription API credits
Team Plan	Enterprise Pro from $40/seat/month or $400/seat/year; shared Projects and centralized administration
Enterprise Plan	Enterprise Pro and Enterprise Max with higher Research, file, model and agent allowances
Enterprise Security	Enterprise: SOC 2 Type II, SAML SSO, SCIM, retention controls and data excluded from model training; feature access varies by tier

Multilingual Support	Search and chat support multilingual questions and answers; quality depends on language/model
Supported Languages	Multiple languages supported; definitive current interface-language count not disclosed