Perplexity
An AI search engine. Ask a question and get a short answer with links to where the information came from.
Our take
It's Google with the homework done. You ask, it answers in a paragraph, and every claim has a link so you can check it. Click those links, though. It still gets details wrong sometimes.
The quick breakdown
- Good for
- Quick answers with links to sources, so you can check where facts came from.
- Not great for
- Analyzing your own files. NotebookLM is better for that.
- Watch out
- Click the source links. AI can still get details wrong.
- What people say
- Students and researchers often use it to find sources, then read them closely elsewhere.
Based on DEV: NotebookLM, Elicit, Consensus and Perplexity, r/perplexity_ai: tools for academic research, izzedo: Claude vs ChatGPT vs Gemini vs Grok (2026). Checked Oct 13, 2026. Prices change, so confirm before you pay.
Quick facts
- What it is: Perplexity is a research & learning tool. An AI search engine. Ask a question and get a short answer with links to where the information came from.
- Where it was found: Added by ShipRadar editors as a well-known tool in Research & Learning.
- Tags: Free tier.
- Official link: www.perplexity.ai
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