# Perplexity review, pricing and alternatives

Source: https://listme.name/software/perplexity
Website: https://www.perplexity.ai/

AI answer engine that searches the web and cites its sources

Perplexity is an AI answer engine: you ask a question, it searches the web and replies in prose with numbered source links. It has a free plan and paid Pro and Max plans, with apps for iOS, Android and Mac.

Perplexity combines web search with a language model. Each answer is written from the pages it found and carries numbered citations, so you can open the sources and check them. Paid plans add a choice of underlying models and longer research tasks, and the company also ships its own browser, Comet.

It behaves more like a search engine than a general chat assistant: answers are built around sources, and follow-up questions keep the thread. The free plan covers everyday questions with limits on the heavier research modes. As with any AI answer tool, a citation shows where a claim came from, not that the page said it correctly, so important facts are worth confirming in the source.

- Free plan, paid upgrades | Web, iOS, Android, macOS
- Price: Free plan with limits; paid Pro and Max plans add models and research tools
- Checked: 2026-10-10

## Strengths

- Answers carry numbered links to their sources
- Free plan covers everyday questions
- Choice of underlying models on paid plans

## Limits

- Heavier research features need a paid plan
- A citation does not guarantee the source was read correctly

## Rankings

- #1 of 10 in [best AI search engines](https://listme.name/best/ai-search-engines), score 90.5: Built around cited answers rather than chat, so every claim links to a page you can open. The free plan is limited and the heavier research modes need a paid plan, unlike Brave Search's free AI answers.
- #5 of 10 in [best AI chatbots](https://listme.name/best/ai-chatbots), score 83.5: Chat-style answer engine with numbered citations on each answer, free for everyday questions and paid for model choice and longer research. It ranks below the general assistants here because it is built around search.

## Alternatives

- [ChatGPT](https://listme.name/software/chatgpt), score 94.0
- [Gemini](https://listme.name/software/gemini), score 91.0
- [Claude](https://listme.name/software/claude), score 92.5
- [Microsoft Copilot](https://listme.name/software/microsoft-copilot), score 85.5
- [Brave Search](https://listme.name/software/brave-search), score 86.0
- [Kagi](https://listme.name/software/kagi), score 84.0
- [Grok](https://listme.name/software/grok), score 82.0
- [Mistral Vibe](https://listme.name/software/mistral-vibe), score 81.0