Perplexity review

Perplexity is built for questions where you need to see the source. Every answer includes inline citations, so checking a claim takes one click. The free tier is a fair test, and Pro, at $17 per month when billed annually, adds deep research, more usage and memory, and a model picker that spans OpenAI, Google, Anthropic, Moonshot AI, Z.ai and xAI. Pro also expands access to Computer, Perplexity's agent that creates documents, apps and tools, with 4,000 bonus credits. On the Mac, the Perplexity app lets Computer read local folders, operate apps such as Mail and Notes and drive the Comet browser. Max at $167 per month is aimed at people who run research all day. The downsides: the plan page only shows annual equivalents, plans are for personal use, and general writing and coding are less of a focus than at ChatGPT or Claude.

Who it is for

Researchers, students and analysts who want answers with citations they can check.

Price

Free plan; Pro $17 per month billed annually; Max $167 per month billed annually.

$17 /month or equivalent, when billed annually
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 6, 2026.

Key features

• Inline citations from sources in every answer
• Choice of models from OpenAI, Google, Anthropic, Moonshot AI, Z.ai and xAI on Pro
• Deep research on Pro and expert level research on Max
• Computer agent that builds documents and apps, with 4,000 bonus credits on Pro
• Mac app that can operate native apps and local files

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Citations make answers easy to verify
• Strength: One subscription gives access to several vendors' models
• Strength: Comet browser and Mac app extend it beyond search
• Weakness: Pro price shown only as an annual equivalent on the plan page
• Weakness: Max jumps to $167 per month billed annually
• Weakness: Plans are for personal use only under Perplexity's policies

Key facts

• Pro: $17 per month equivalent billed annually, 4,000 bonus Computer credits
• Max: $167 per month equivalent billed annually, 10,000 monthly credits
• Models on Pro: GPT-6.1 Sol, Gemini 3.8 Flash, Claude Sonnet 5.5, Kimi K3, GLM 5.3, Grok 4.7
• Mac app: Requires macOS 15 Sequoia or later

Where it ranks

Perplexity is No. 5 in our Best AI Assistants verdict.