Our verdict · 8.2/10 Excellent
The best AI tool for research where sources matter. Less suited to long-form drafting or deep integration into office tools.
Key takeaways
- Best for: Research and fact-finding.
- Strongest area: Ease of use (9.0/10). Weakest: Integrations & ecosystem (7.4/10).
- Price: Free; Pro around $20 / month; Enterprise from around $40 / user — free plan available.
- Watch out for: Citations still need checking.
What is Perplexity?
Perplexity combines AI models with live web search, returning answers with numbered citations. Pro and Enterprise plans let you choose between several leading models, upload files and organise research into Spaces, with admin and data controls on business plans.
Perplexity is made by Perplexity AI and is reviewed here as a AI assistant. It is priced on a freemium basis, and our editorial score is 8.2 out of 10, calculated from six weighted criteria.
Who it’s for — and who should skip it
Choose Perplexity if
- Research and fact-finding
- Market and competitor research
- Teams that need citations
Not for you if
- Long-form drafting workflows
- Deep Microsoft or Google integration
Key features
Every answer links to its sources.
Switch between leading models on Pro.
Upload documents for analysis.
Shared research collections.
- Chrome extension
- Slack
- Zapier
Pros & cons
What we like
- Answers with citations
- Choice of models on paid plans
- Fast and easy
- Spaces for team research
Watch out for
- Citations still need checking
- Fewer integrations
- Less suited to writing long documents
Pricing & true cost
| Plan | Indicative price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | — |
| Pro | ≈ $20 / user / mo | Monthly |
| Enterprise Pro | ≈ $40 / user / mo | Monthly |
Pricing watch-out: Enterprise Pro adds admin controls and data protections.
True cost at 5, 10 and 25 seats
Cheapest paid plan that fits each team size, from indicative list prices checked October 31, 2026. Excludes tax, add-ons, onboarding fees and promotional discounts.
Pricing watch-outs
- Steep tier jump. Moving from Pro to Enterprise Pro raises the per-user price from $20 to $40 (2.0×). Check which features force the upgrade.
Contract questions to ask before you sign
- Does the plan auto-renew, and how many days’ notice do you need to cancel?
- Is the advertised price for annual billing? What is the month-to-month price?
- Is the first-year price a promotion? What will renewal cost, and is it capped?
- Is there a minimum number of seats, or a charge for inactive users?
- Are onboarding, implementation or premium-support fees extra?
- How do we export all our data if we leave, and in what format?
General questions for any vendor — not findings about this product. Build a full checklist with our requirements builder.
Indicative USD pricing, last checked October 31, 2026. Vendors change prices and promotions often — always confirm on their website. Model your own numbers with our SaaS TCO calculator.
Score breakdown
| Criterion | Weight | Score | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Features & fit | 25% | 8.4 | 2.10 | |
| Ease of use | 15% | 9.0 | 1.40 | |
| Value for money | 15% | 8.2 | 1.20 | |
| Support & reliability | 10% | 7.6 | 0.80 | |
| Security & privacy | 20% | 8.0 | 1.60 | |
| Integrations & ecosystem | 15% | 7.4 | 1.10 | |
| Overall | 100% | Weighted for AI tools products | 8.2 | |
Security & compliance facts
| Item | Status | Question to ask Perplexity AI |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-factor authenticationStops most account takeovers from reused or phished passwords. | Not verified by us | Can admins enforce MFA for every user, on every plan? |
| Single sign-on (SAML/OIDC)Lets you remove a leaver’s access everywhere from one place. | Not verified by us | Is SSO included on the plan we are buying, or only on enterprise tiers? |
| SOC 2 Type II reportIndependent audit of the vendor’s security controls — often required by larger customers. | Not verified by us | Can we see your current SOC 2 Type II report (under NDA if needed)? |
| ISO/IEC 27001 certificationInternational standard for running an information-security programme. | Not verified by us | Which legal entity and services does your ISO 27001 certificate cover? |
| GDPR data processing agreementNeeded if you handle personal data of people in the EU/UK. | Not verified by us | Do you offer a signed DPA and list your sub-processors? |
| HIPAA business associate agreementRequired before US healthcare businesses store protected health information. | Not verified by us | Will you sign a BAA, and on which plans? |
We have not yet verified these items for Perplexity against a primary source, so we don’t claim them either way. Check Perplexity AI’s trust or security page and ask for documents in writing.
Before you buy any AI assistant
Check Perplexity against the same list we use for every AI assistant — and confirm each point on the plan you intend to buy, not the top tier.
- Data is excluded from training on your plan
- Admin console and usage controls
- File and document analysis
- Integration with your office suite
- Predictable per-seat pricing
See every ranked option in AI Assistants.
Perplexity alternatives
Pick an alternative by what matters to you
- Cheaper
Google Gemini≈ $140/mo vs $200/mo at 10 users (cheapest paid plans, indicative) - Better integrations
Microsoft 365 CopilotIntegrations score 9.0 vs 7.4 - Stronger on securityMicrosoft 365 CopilotSecurity & privacy score 8.6 vs 8.0
- Higher overall score
ChatGPTOverall 8.6 vs 8.2
Computed from our published scores and indicative pricing for tools in the same category as Perplexity. Scores are editorial; see the methodology.
Editor’s picks
The most widely used AI assistant, with a broad set of tools and integrations.
Google's AI assistant, built into Workspace apps like Gmail, Docs and Sheets.
A thoughtful AI assistant known for long documents, nuanced writing and coding.
Head-to-head comparisons
Featured in: Best AI Assistants for Business
Review history
- Scored under methodology v2.0 (six weighted criteria, computed overall score).
Perplexity FAQ
Is Perplexity accurate?
It cites sources, which makes verification easier, but answers can still contain errors — check the cited sources.
Does Perplexity train on business data?
Enterprise plans state that data is not used for training; check current terms.
Does Perplexity have a free plan?
Yes. Perplexity offers a free plan. Paid plans start at Pro around $20 / month; Enterprise from around $40 / user (indicative — check the vendor for current pricing).
Who is Perplexity best for?
Perplexity is best for: research and fact-finding; market and competitor research; teams that need citations.
How much does Perplexity cost for a team of 10?
On indicative list prices, the cheapest paid plan that fits 10 users (Pro) works out at roughly $200 per month, or about $2,400 per year, before tax, add-ons and discounts.
How is the Perplexity score calculated?
The 8.2/10 overall score is a weighted average of six sub-scores — features & fit, ease of use, value, support & reliability, security & privacy, and integrations — using the published weights for AI products. Affiliate relationships have no input. See our methodology page for the full rubric.
What are the best alternatives to Perplexity?
Popular alternatives include ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Claude. See our comparisons for side-by-side verdicts.