About Perplexity
Ask Perplexity a question and it combines web research into a cited answer. You can follow up in the same conversation, add files for context, or use deeper research tools when available. Open the citations to check the original evidence before relying on the result.
Main features
- Search the web and show inline source links
- Use follow-up questions to refine an investigation
- Analyze uploaded files on eligible plans
- Use Research for more detailed reports
- Select advanced models and create files or apps where included
Inputs, outputs and access
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| What you can provide | Paid-plan file analysis supports text, files, images, audio and video; Free has separate allowances. |
| What you can create | Answers with citations, research reports, images, files and apps, depending on the selected tools and plan. |
| Account access | Accounts can be created with email or Google sign-in and are used for subscriptions and conversation history. |
| Connection | An online service that searches web sources. |
Capabilities in practice
Steer research while it is running
Advanced Deep Research can ask clarifying questions before broad tasks. During the run, you can add follow-up questions and inspect source-reading progress. Key findings appear before the final report, so the research can be reviewed as it develops.
Combine documents, calculations and web evidence
The research workflow can analyze uploaded documents and use a code sandbox for calculations. It cross-checks web findings and writes results into a report file that you can edit and share, supporting tasks such as a market study or an academic investigation.
Platforms and access
Web, iOS and Android apps, and the Comet browser; API access is a separate offering.
Pricing and plans
Pro costs USD 20 monthly or USD 200 annually. Max costs USD 200 monthly or USD 2,000 annually; Max annual billing is available only on the web. Web subscriptions can use USD or a supported local currency. API usage is billed separately.
Open source and deployment
Perplexity is a hosted search and answer service. Its API is a separate developer offering.
Data and privacy
Individual paid users can opt out of AI training. Enterprise content is not used for model training, and Pro and Enterprise queries are not used to train third-party models.
Frequently asked questions
Is Perplexity free?
A free plan is available for core search, with limits on advanced searches, uploads, and other tools.
What does Pro cost?
USD 20 billed monthly or USD 200 annually. Monthly and annual billing are separate choices.
How does it show sources?
Answers include direct source links. Open the original pages and check whether they support the specific claims.
Does a subscription include API use?
No. Perplexity’s API is a separate usage-based offering; consumer or enterprise subscriptions do not provide complimentary API credits.
What if I redeem a promotional trial?
A valid payment method is required. Unless canceled before the trial ends, it renews at the selected plan’s standard rate.
Demos and tutorials
Product updates
Product and provider
Product scope
Perplexity hosted search, research and project experience; developer API metering is a separate offering.
Provider and service
Perplexity is provided by Perplexity AI (Perplexity AI, Inc.). The product is available as an online service.
| Tagline | An AI answer engine that searches the web and returns answers with source links. |
| Contact channels | Search the help center for setup, account and billing support. |
Access and help
Official website · Launch url · Pricing url · Documentation url · Support url · Policy url · Terms url
| Legal urls | Service terms, privacy and applicable organization agreements. |
Working style
Interaction and review
Use natural-language conversation to generate, analyze and retrieve information. Editable working surfaces are available for supported deliverables; review the final result before use.
| Primary category | Assistants |
| Product forms | website; mobile app |
Tasks and preparation
A reusable project workspace
A Project keeps searches, tasks, files, instructions and connected tools together. Instructions can contain up to 8,000 characters. Projects are restricted to invited people by default; viewers can read files and editors can modify them.
People and tasks
The assistant covers general research, writing and file work. It can fit individual, small-team and enterprise workflows, with the relevant plan and organization controls.
| Problems solved | Combine source material, reuse context and prepare a reviewable first draft. |
| Primary jobs | Explore a topic with links to original sources; Compare products or competing businesses; Summarize papers and uploaded documents; Prepare a research-backed report |
| Target roles | Students and researchers; Analysts and knowledge workers; People who need cited web answers |
| Experience level | Basic chat uses natural-language instructions; connected workflows also require permissions and result review. |
| Prerequisites | Prepare the task, relevant files and permission to use them. Sign in for saved or paid features. |
| Value proposition | Reduce manual collection and first-draft assembly while keeping a review step. |
| Unsuitable scenarios | Answers include source links that open the original pages. Research, file uploads, and advanced tools have plan-specific limits. Your account shows your current Pro usage allowance. |
| Manual alternatives | The corresponding manual workflow is to read sources, organize findings and edit the final document. |
Files and results
Search spoken content in recordings
Perplexity accepts text, code, PDF and images, plus audio and video formats such as MP3, WAV, FLAC, MP4, MOV and WebM. Audio and video are transcribed with speaker labels; video scenes are not indexed for visual search.
Session uploads versus project storage
Ordinary session uploads are limited to 40 MB per file and a rolling weekly allowance. Project storage is a separate scope: up to 5,000 files and 2.5 GB per project, with a 100 MB limit per project file.
Download documents, sheets and apps
Paid asset-creation plans can download DOCX/PDF documents, XLSX spreadsheets, PPTX/HTML presentations and HTML apps. Documents, slides and spreadsheets can also be sent to a connected Google Drive. Follow-up prompts and version history support revisions.
From a task to a result
Understand upload-limit prompts
An upload-limit prompt means the weekly allowance is used, not that the feature was removed. Uploads become available as earlier files leave the rolling window. Search file uploads do not consume Computer credits.
Example task: Build a sourced comparison document
Compare the three fictional project proposals in these files. Put criteria and evidence into a table and create a DOCX report; separate missing information.
Get started
Open Perplexity on the web or in an official app. Ask a focused question; add files or choose a research mode if available. Read the citations, ask follow-up questions, and verify the final conclusions.
Example steps
Prepare sample materials you have permission to use. Compare the three fictional project proposals in these files. Put criteria and evidence into a table and create a DOCX report; separate missing information. Review the draft and save the result.
Platforms and availability
| Support languages | English product documentation is available. |
| Payment constraints | Web billing: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Cash App, Google Pay, Apple Pay and ACH; USD and supported local currencies. |
Subscriptions and billing
Manage renewal and trial conversion
Web subscriptions are managed under Account > Subscription > Manage Plan. Cancellation stops renewal and the account returns to Free after the current billing period. Promotional trials require a payment method and renew at the selected regular rate unless canceled.
Refund timing
Refund windows depend on location and purchase channel: the stated windows are 14 days in the EU/UK/Turkey and 7 days in South Korea/Brazil; other monthly purchases have a 24-hour request window and annual purchases 72 hours. App-store purchases follow their channel-specific request process.
| Access model | freemium; subscription |
| Free tier | Free plan available. |
| Free | USD 0 · per account. Uploads use a rolling weekly allowance; capacity returns as earlier uploads leave the window. |
| Pro monthly | USD 20/month · per account. Uploads use a rolling weekly allowance; capacity returns as earlier uploads leave the window. |
| Pro annual | USD 200/year · per account · equivalent to USD 16.6667/month. Uploads use a rolling weekly allowance; capacity returns as earlier uploads leave the window. |
| Max monthly | USD 200/month · per account. Uploads use a rolling weekly allowance; capacity returns as earlier uploads leave the window. |
| Max annual | USD 2000/year · per account · equivalent to USD 166.667/month. Uploads use a rolling weekly allowance; capacity returns as earlier uploads leave the window. |
Choosing and using the tool
| Key takeaways | An AI answer engine that searches the web and returns answers with source links. Free; Pro USD 20/month or USD 200/year; Max USD 200/month or USD 2,000/year. Answers include source links that open the original pages. |
| Pros | Search the web and show inline source links; Use follow-up questions to refine an investigation; Analyze uploaded files on eligible plans |
Apps, integrations and development
Connected project sources
Google Drive can provide file copies and receive generated assets. Slack and Microsoft Teams can supply connected project-channel context for Computer queries.
Ownership and deployment
Using generated outputs
Upload content you have the rights to use. When publishing generated outputs, identify Perplexity as their source and do not present AI-generated work as human-generated. Third-party model terms can also apply to outputs; Enterprise and API use have separate agreements.
Hosted product and generated files
Perplexity runs as a hosted product. Installing its official client does not deploy the full service on your own server. Generated files and scripts can be used separately where export is supported.
Keep generated assets
Download DOCX, PDF, XLSX, PPTX or HTML results to continue working elsewhere. HTML apps can be downloaded as files. Downloaded files do not preserve live connector permissions or synchronization.
| Third party rights | Outputs may be subject to the terms of the third-party model used. Identify Perplexity when publishing output and do not misrepresent its AI origin. |
Privacy and organization controls
Training controls and privacy requests
Personal plans provide a setting to opt out of model training. Enterprise content is excluded from training. Account privacy requests can cover access, deletion and, where available, a portable machine-readable copy.
Data handled during use
Using the service can involve account details, prompts, files, generated outputs and device or usage information. Paid services also process billing details; optional app connections bring in the information you authorize.
Retention and privacy requests
Personal data is kept for the purposes of the service and applicable legal or business obligations. Requests for deletion or a portable copy can be sent through the privacy request form or support@perplexity.ai, with identity verification.
Project roles and enterprise data
Projects start with restricted access and Owner, Can edit and Can view roles. Enterprise administrators can restrict external invitations. The enterprise DPA and subprocessor list describe processing arrangements; its 30-day post-termination period applies to covered customer input data.
Where data can be processed
Data can be processed in the United States and other countries where Perplexity or its providers operate.
Working limits
Files, video and presentation templates
Long documents may be searched by relevant sections. Audio from video is transcribed, while visual scenes are not indexed. Asset creation does not apply an arbitrary preset slide layout directly.
Export, migration and alternatives
Keep project sources current
Files copied into a Project from a connector are snapshots. Editing or deleting the original does not update the stored copy. Fetch the latest version again when a report must use current source material; keep downloaded deliverables for work outside Perplexity.
A related option
Gemini is a partial alternative for sourced research and reports. Its working environment and connected-app ecosystem differ. Compare the output you need and required permissions; this is a workflow comparison for 2 October 2026.
Sources and further reading
Information checked: 2026-10-02
Perplexity official product overview and FAQ
View source · Perplexity AI
Topics: Name · Record scope · Tagline · Vendor name · Lifecycle status · Official website · Launch url · Documentation url · Support url · Contact channels · Primary category · Secondary categories
What is Pro Search?
View source · Perplexity AI
Which Perplexity Subscription Plan is right for you?
View source · Perplexity AI
Topics: Summary · Free tier · Training opt out · Training use
Perplexity pricing
View source · Perplexity AI
Topics: Pricing url · Access model · Free tier · Checked at
Billing FAQ for Pro Plan Subscribers
View source · Perplexity AI
Topics: Renewal cancellation · Payment constraints
Getting started with Perplexity
View source · Perplexity AI
Perplexity API quickstart
View source · Perplexity AI
What is new in Advanced Deep Research
View source · Perplexity AI
Perplexity Terms of Service
View source · Perplexity AI
Topics: Terms url · Legal urls · Product open source status · Self host status · Ownership terms · Third party rights · Authentication methods
Perplexity Privacy Notice
View source · Perplexity AI
Topics: Training opt out · Policy url · Legal urls · Vendor legal name · Deletion process · Data export process · Retention policy · Storage regions · Data categories
Perplexity Data Processing Addendum
View source · Perplexity AI
Topics: Legal urls · Retention policy · Subprocessors · Enterprise agreements
File Uploads
View source · Perplexity AI
Topics: Input modalities · Input formats · Limits · Troubleshooting · Known limitations · Example prompts · Use cases · Problems solved · Value proposition · Manual alternatives
Creating assets with Perplexity: Overview
View source · Perplexity AI
Topics: Output modalities · Export formats · Export scope formats · Generated code export · Batch and workflow · Editability · Portability lock in · Export exit options · Known limitations · Example prompts · Use cases · Problems solved
What are Projects?
View source · Perplexity AI
Topics: Limits · Batch and workflow · Customization · Portability lock in · Export exit options · Access controls · Integration ecosystems · Integrations
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