Perplexity AI Review: The Best AI Search Engine? (2025)
Perplexity AI Review: Is It the Best AI Search Engine?
Perplexity combines AI conversation with real-time web search and source citations. After extensive use, here is whether it replaces Google for research.
TL;DR: Perplexity is the best AI search tool for research and learning. It does not replace Google for quick lookups, shopping, or local search. The free tier is excellent. Pro ($20/mo) is worth it for heavy researchers. Think of it as “AI-powered research assistant” rather than a Google replacement.
What Perplexity Does Well
- Cited answers: Every response includes numbered source citations you can verify
- Follow-up questions: Conversational search — ask follow-ups to dig deeper
- Focus modes: Search the web, academic papers, YouTube, Reddit, or Wolfram Alpha
- Collections: Organize research into shareable collections
- Pro Search: Multi-step research that checks multiple sources before answering
What It Does Not Do Well
- Not great for quick factual lookups (Google is faster)
- Shopping and product search is limited
- Local business search is weak
- Image/video search is basic
Perplexity Pricing
| Plan | Price | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Unlimited basic, 5 Pro searches/day |
| Pro | $20/mo | 600+ Pro searches/day, file upload, Claude/GPT-4 |
When to Use Perplexity vs Google vs ChatGPT
- Perplexity: Research questions, academic topics, comparing options, cited answers
- Google: Quick facts, local businesses, shopping, navigation, images
- ChatGPT: Creative tasks, coding, data analysis, generating content
- Claude: Long document analysis, nuanced writing, complex reasoning
Comparison: Perplexity vs Google vs ChatGPT. Search: AI assistants compared. Students: AI for students.
Ready to get started?
Try Perplexity Free →Find the Perfect AI Tool for Your Needs
Compare pricing, features, and reviews of 50+ AI tools
Browse All AI Tools →Get Weekly AI Tool Updates
Join 1,000+ professionals. Free AI tools cheatsheet included.