Perplexity AI Review 2026: Features, Pricing & How to Use It

Perplexity AI is used for research and finding accurate, up to date information fast. It searches the live web, pulls answers from multiple sources, and shows citations so you can check where the facts came from.

Yes, Perplexity AI has a free plan with unlimited standard searches and a limited number of Pro searches each day. You don't need a credit card to sign up and start using it.

Perplexity Pro costs $20 a month, or around $16.67 a month if you pay yearly. It gives you unlimited Pro Search, file uploads, and access to multiple AI models in one subscription.

It depends on what you need. Perplexity is stronger for cited, real time research, while ChatGPT is better for writing, coding, and creative tasks. Many people use both together.

Mostly yes, since every answer comes with source links you can check. That said, there are cases where citations don't fully match the claim, so it's smart to double check important facts yourself.

Spaces let you organize your research by topic in one place. You can keep related chats, uploaded files, and saved answers together instead of losing them in your chat history.

Yes, Perplexity's Comet browser became free for everyone in late 2025. It has AI research built right into the browser, so you can search and get answers without switching tabs.

Perplexity Max costs $200 a month and suits heavy daily users who run into search limits on Pro. It offers the highest usage limits and early access to new features.

Yes, verified students and educators can get Perplexity Education Pro for $10 a month. It's the same Pro plan but priced lower for people who qualify academically.

Perplexity AI isn't meant to replace Google completely. It works best as a research layer for quick, source backed answers, while Google is still useful for general browsing and shopping.