What Perplexity is
Perplexity is a search tool that writes. It is made by Perplexity AI, an American company founded in August 2022. According to Wikipedia, it uses large language models to read web pages and write one answer with the sources it relied on. A classic search engine hands you a list of pages and leaves the reading to you.
You use it in a browser at perplexity.ai, in the iOS and Android apps, or in Comet, the Chromium browser Perplexity launched in July 2025. Wikipedia says the web version is free to use without registration, with a paid Pro plan on top.
What Perplexity is good for
- Quick cited answers: ask a how-to or factual question and read a short answer with the pages it came from, instead of opening ten tabs.
- Research reports: Research mode runs many searches and writes a longer report, and Perplexity says it completes most research tasks in under 3 minutes.
- Product and travel questions: ask for options and read the sources behind each pick, from restaurants to which laptop to buy.
- Questions about a file: upload a PDF and ask about it. File uploads are basic on the free plan.
- Browsing with an assistant: Comet is Perplexity's AI browser, free to download since October 2025.
- Multi-step projects: Computer, launched in February 2026, splits a goal such as a presentation or a dashboard into steps. Perplexity's own video explains it.
When to use Perplexity, and when to pick another
| Your job | Use Perplexity? | Or try |
|---|---|---|
| Look something up and see the pages behind the answer | Yes. Every answer lists its sources | ChatGPT or Gemini, which also search the web |
| A long report on one topic | Yes, in Research mode, with a small free allowance | Gemini Deep Research, which has a daily free allowance |
| Answers only from your own documents | Not first. File uploads are basic on the free plan | NotebookLM |
| Write, rewrite or brainstorm | Not its main job | ChatGPT or Claude |
| Write code inside your editor | No | Cursor, GitHub Copilot or Claude Code |
How to use Perplexity, step by step
These steps are the ones that stay the same from one version of the app to the next.
- Open Perplexity. Go to perplexity.ai in a browser, or install the app on your phone. You can ask a question without an account.
- Ask in plain words. Type your question in the search box and press Enter. Add what the answer is for and the dates you care about.
- Open the sources. The answer lists the pages it used. Select a source to read the passage, and drop one you do not trust if the page lets you remove it.
- Ask a follow-up. Type under the answer to narrow it, such as "only sources from this year".
- Pick a deeper mode. Open the mode selector in the search box and choose Research for a longer report. The free plan lists 3 Pro Searches a day and 1 Research a month.
- Add a file. For a question about your own document, upload a PDF and ask about it.
- Make a free account. Sign up when you want your settings kept, such as short, direct answers.
Type your question in the Ask anything box in the middle of the home page, then press Enter to send it.
Read the answer, then look at the Sources row under the question. Select a source to read the passage it came from.
Type in the Ask a follow-up box under the answer to narrow it, such as "only sources from this year".
Open the mode menu in the search box and choose Research for a longer report.
AI-made illustrations of Perplexity's screens, drawn on 6 November 2026 to match these steps. They are not screenshots, so the real app may look different: follow what you see.
The tutorials at the top of this page show these steps on screen.
An example to try
Pick a topic where you can check the facts. Paste this into the search box.
What is the difference between a heat pump and a gas furnace for heating a home?
Answer in two short paragraphs, then give me three sources I can open to check the claims.- A good answer is short, answers the question in its first lines and lists sources you can open.
- Open each source. If a page does not support the sentence it is attached to, the answer is wrong there.
- Run the same question in Research mode once and compare how many sources each one used.
Tips for better results
- Put the context in the question: your country, the dates, and what you will do with the answer.
- Ask for sources from the last 12 months when the topic moves fast.
- Group related questions in a project, which 2025 tutorials call a Space.
- Keep Research for questions that need a report, because the free plan gives you one a month.
Limits to know
Free allowances move. Perplexity announced Deep Research on X in February 2025 with up to 5 free queries a day. Its plan page now lists 1 Research a month on the free plan, and Pro's limit is monthly, for average use. The mode itself is now called Research.
Citations show where a claim came from, not that the claim is right. Wikipedia records that Dow Jones and the New York Post sued Perplexity, alleging among other claims that it attributed hallucinated quotes to articles that did not contain them.
Learn more about Perplexity
- 5Best AI for research in 2026: deep research tools, paper search and notebooks comparedCompare ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini Notebook, Microsoft Researcher and Elicit for research: free plans, prices, limits and what each reads.
- 2How to use AI for research and check what it findsLearn how to use AI for research: choose web search or a research mode, ask for sources, open every link and check each claim before you rely on a report.
- 3AI hallucinations: why chatbots make things up and how to checkAI hallucinations are fluent answers that are false. See why models make things up, five steps to check an answer and how much checking each task needs.
- 2Which AI model should I use for my task?Which AI model should I use? Pick the assistant by your task and where your files live, then a fast or deep-thinking model, and test two on your own work.
Frequently asked questions
What is Perplexity AI?
It is an answer engine that searches the web and writes an answer with the sources it used. Perplexity AI, an American company, founded it in August 2022.
Is Perplexity free?
Yes, to start. The web version works without registration, and the free plan lists 3 Pro Searches a day and 1 Research a month. A paid Pro plan adds a choice of AI models and more.
Do I need an account to use Perplexity?
No, not to ask a question on the web. A free account is for keeping your settings, such as short, direct answers, and for the free plan's allowances.
Is Perplexity better than Google?
They do different jobs. Perplexity gives one written answer with its sources, and a search engine is quicker when you want a specific site or a map.
Is Perplexity Research the same as Deep Research?
Yes. Perplexity launched it as Deep Research in February 2025, and the mode is now called Research in the mode selector.
What is Comet?
Comet is Perplexity's AI browser, built on Chromium. It launched in July 2025 for the top plan and has been free to download since October 2025.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Perplexity AI https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perplexity_AI
- Perplexity: What is Research mode? https://www.perplexity.ai/help-center/en/articles/10738684-what-is-research-mode
- Perplexity: Which subscription plan is right for you? https://www.perplexity.ai/help-center/en/articles/11187416-which-perplexity-subscription-plan-is-right-for-you
- Perplexity (@perplexity_ai) on X: Deep Research launch https://x.com/perplexity_ai/status/1890452005472055673
- YouTube: Parker Prompts, Master 95% of Perplexity In 16 Minutes (Full Guide) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHfbBEuE6Rs
- YouTube: Kevin Stratvert, How to Use Perplexity AI: The UNDERRATED Search AI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOHfJZ4DVqE
- YouTube: Perplexity, What Is Perplexity Computer? | Perplexity Academy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoD6LUiTuH8