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Perplexity
Answer engine that searches the web and cites sources in real time.
Verified August 9, 2026
- 8.7/10 Editor score
- Free tier, then $20/mo Freemium
- Yes Free tier
- Verified 2 months ago Listing
- Text
- Web
- iOS
- Android
- Browser extension
- API
Best for
Researchers and operators who want answers with links, not chat essays.
Not for
Deep private corpus Q&A over internal docs only.
Use this when
- You need cited answers faster than opening ten tabs
- You are comparing vendors, pricing or recent news
Top alternatives to Perplexity
View allClosest substitutes on the axes that actually differ — coverage, pricing model, hosting, and human-in-the-loop — not every tool that shares a task tag.
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C ChatGPT
Adds SOC 2, DPA available
-
C Claude
States it does not train on your data
-
G Google Gemini
Adds SOC 2, DPA available
-
N Notion AI
States it does not train on your data
-
G Grok
Cheaper entry price
Verdict
Best everyday research interface for most people. Still double-check citations on high-stakes claims.
Pricing & trust
Model
Freemium
Starts at
Free tier, then $20/mo
Free tier
Available
Tiers
- Free — limited Pro searches
- Pro $20/mo — higher limits + file uploads + model choice
Security and data
Compliance
GDPR
HIPAA
Not stated
Trains on your data
Opt-out available
About
Best everyday research interface for most people. Still double-check citations on high-stakes claims.