Perplexity
AI search that answers with sources — now with the Comet browser.
What is Perplexity?
Perplexity is an AI answer engine that researches the web and cites its sources, making it great for quick, trustworthy research.
Its Comet browser (2.0, August 2026) adds an agentic mode that can research across tabs, compare prices and fill forms for you — asking for your confirmation before anything final.
Perplexity is built for questions where the source matters as much as the answer. It searches the web and shows its citations inline, which makes checking a claim a click away — useful for research, study and fact-checking. Its Comet browser extends that into multi-step tasks across tabs.
The sources it finds are often blogs and secondary coverage rather than primary material, so a citation is where checking starts, not where it ends. The deeper research and agentic features need a paid plan.
For writing and editing rather than research, ChatGPT or Claude. For a developer-focused search engine, Phind. For answers strictly from your own documents, NotebookLM.
Pros
- Cited, sourced answers
- Good free tier
- Fast research
- Comet browser automates multi-step tasks
Cons
- Pro features need a subscription
- Comet's deeper agent tasks need Perplexity Pro
Frequently asked questions
What is Perplexity?
AI search that answers with sources — now with the Comet browser.
Is Perplexity free?
Perplexity offers a free tier with premium features available on paid plans.
What are alternatives to Perplexity?
Check our AI tools directory for alternatives to Perplexity.
What platforms does Perplexity support?
Perplexity is available on Web, iOS, Android, Desktop (Comet browser).