Automate Basics

Perplexity: pricing, features and alternatives

AI answer engine that replies with cited sources from the web

Chat assistantsResearchFree plan · from $17/mo

What is Perplexity?

Perplexity is an AI answer engine that searches the web and replies with inline citations. It picks from models by several providers, runs deep research and offers Perplexity Computer, which carries out multi-step work such as building documents and apps, with more access on paid plans. Businesses can buy Enterprise seats, and developers can use a pay-per-use API.

Good for

  • Getting a sourced answer to a factual question
  • Researching a market or competitor with cited sources
  • Comparing products or prices across the web

Key features

  • Answers with inline citations
  • Choice of models from OpenAI, Google, Anthropic and others on paid plans
  • Deep research
  • Perplexity Computer for multi-step work, documents and apps
  • 400+ app connectors on paid plans
  • Premium data sources such as PitchBook and Statista on paid plans

Limitations to know about

  • The Free plan has limited daily usage and basic models
  • Among individual plans, monthly Computer credits (10,000) are included only in Max
  • Individual plans are for personal use only

Perplexity pricing

Perplexity has a free plan. Pro and Max cost $17 and $167 a month billed annually, or $20 and $200 billed monthly. Enterprise Pro and Enterprise Max cost $34 and $271 per seat a month billed annually, or $40 and $325 billed monthly. Additional security and governance is priced on request.

PlanPriceWhat you get
Free$0Limited daily usage, basic AI models, citations in every answer
Pro$20/month, or $17/month billed annuallyDeep research, top models with model choice, Computer access, 400+ app connectors, video generation
Max$200/month, or $167/month billed annually10,000 Computer credits a month, frontier models, the highest usage limits
Education Pro$10/month with SheerID verificationPro for verified students and educators
Enterprise Pro$40/seat/month, or $34/seat/month billed annually500 Computer credits per seat a month, no training on your data, SSO, SOC 2 Type II
Enterprise Max$325/seat/month, or $271/seat/month billed annually15,000 Computer credits per seat a month, SCIM, audit logs, data retention settings
Additional security and governanceCustom pricingRole-based access control, custom enterprise domain, data retention controls, volume discounts

Free plan limits: Limited daily usage, basic AI models and citations in every answer; limited web answers, file uploads and asset generation; no video generation, app connectors or Computer credits

What a team pays: For a team of five on Enterprise Pro: $170 a month billed annually ($2,040 a year), or $200 billed monthly.

Costs on top of a plan

  • Computer credits: $1 per 100 credits (used only by Computer tasks; one-time or auto-refill; bought credits expire after a year without Computer use)

Prices in US dollars as published on Perplexity's pricing page on 16 October 2026. Vendors change prices often; check theirs before you buy. Current prices

Perplexity alternatives

ChatGPT

OpenAI's AI chat assistant for writing, research, images, voice and coding

Chat assistantsFree plan · from $8/mo

Google Gemini

Google's AI assistant app, with paid Google AI plans for higher limits

Chat assistantsFree plan · from $4.99/mo

Microsoft Copilot

Microsoft's free consumer AI assistant, with more use in Microsoft 365 plans

Chat assistantsFree plan · from $9.99/mo

Claude

Anthropic's AI assistant for writing, analysis, research and coding

Chat assistantsFree plan · from $17/mo

Grok

AI assistant from xAI, now part of SpaceX, with real-time web and X search

Chat assistantsFree plan

Meta AI

Meta's AI assistant inside WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and its own app

Chat assistantsFree plan · from $7.99/mo

Compare Perplexity with these side by side

Head to head: Perplexity vs ChatGPT

Guides that use Perplexity

Frequently asked questions

Is Perplexity free?

Perplexity has a free plan. Limited daily usage, basic AI models and citations in every answer; limited web answers, file uploads and asset generation; no video generation, app connectors or Computer credits. Paid plans start at $17/mo billed annually.

How much does Perplexity cost?

Pro and Max cost $17 and $167 a month billed annually, or $20 and $200 billed monthly. Enterprise Pro and Enterprise Max cost $34 and $271 per seat a month billed annually, or $40 and $325 billed monthly. Additional security and governance is priced on request. There is also a free plan. On Pro: $200 a year on annual billing; the developer API is billed separately, per token and per request. Prices as published on Perplexity's pricing page on 16 October 2026.

How much does Perplexity Enterprise cost?

Enterprise pricing is per seat, on a monthly or yearly subscription. Enterprise Pro costs $40 per seat a month or $400 a year, and Enterprise Max costs $325 per seat a month or $3,250 a year. An organization can mix both tiers. Discounts may be available for teams of 250 or more, schools, universities, non-profits and government agencies. There are no self-serve Enterprise trials, and API usage is not included.

Does Perplexity have a student discount?

Yes. Perplexity's help centre lists Education Pro, which gives verified students and educators everything in Pro for $10 a month, with eligibility checked through SheerID. Pro itself costs $20 a month, or $17 a month billed annually.

What is Perplexity used for?

Perplexity is an AI answer engine that searches the web and replies with inline citations. People use it for getting a sourced answer to a factual question, researching a market or competitor with cited sources and comparing products or prices across the web.

What are the alternatives to Perplexity?

Tools that do a similar job include ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, Claude and Grok. Each has its own page here with its plans, limits and prices.

Who makes Perplexity?

Perplexity is made by Perplexity AI, based in San Francisco, California, US. The company was founded in 2022.

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from the pages below, read on the dates shown: Perplexity AI's own pages first, and a named public reference where they are silent.

  1. perplexity.ai/hub/pricing (plans and prices (annual billing), plan features, free plan) read 16 October 2026
  2. perplexity.ai/pro (annual-billing prices for Pro and Max, personal-use note (read in a browser)) read 23 September 2026
  3. docs.perplexity.ai/getting-started/pricing (API pricing model) read 23 September 2026
  4. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perplexity_AI (company founded and headquarters) read 23 September 2026
  5. perplexity.ai/hub/pricing?p=enterprise (Enterprise plans and prices (annual billing)) read 16 October 2026
  6. perplexity.ai/help-center/en/articles/12167980-using-the-connector-for-slack (monthly and yearly prices for Pro, Max and Enterprise plans) read 16 October 2026
  7. perplexity.ai/help-center/en/articles/10352986-enterprise-pricing-and-billing-frequently-asked-questions (Enterprise pricing per seat, discounts, no self-serve trial) read 16 October 2026
  8. perplexity.ai/help-center/en/articles/11187416-which-perplexity-subscription-plan-is-right-for-you (plan comparison, Education Pro price) read 16 October 2026
  9. perplexity.ai/help-center/en/articles/13838041-how-credits-work-on-perplexity (Computer credits pricing) read 16 October 2026

Compiled by from the sources above. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.

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