Perplexity
Creation Perplexity AI · USASource-backed search and answer service; the web product, Sonar model, and Agent API are not the same thing and must be evaluated separately.
| Creator | Perplexity AI |
|---|---|
| Access type | Closed service or model; access via the provider's authorized paths |
| Product / Family Launch | 2022 |
| Current names and versions | Perplexity/sonar search model; Agent API with multi-creator models; web/app environment has plan-dependent choices |
| Input and output | Text, Image (input), File and document |
| Access method | Website, Mobile and Desktop App, Comet Browser, API |
| Cost | Consumer product and API are priced separately; model, compute effort, and tools affect API usage. |
| Website | https://www.perplexity.ai |
Strengths
- Searching and working with sources in a research workflow
- Multi-model options in the API
Limitations
- The presence of a citation does not guarantee the accuracy of the claim or the quality of the source.
- API capabilities and models should not be assumed to be the same as web subscription options.
Best applications
Service vs. Model
Perplexity is an answering and research environment. The official developers list offers models from other creators in the Agent API in addition to the Sonar search model.
Important Change for Developers
New documentation explains the migration path from Sonar to Agent API. Therefore, when building a new product, do not rely solely on old Sonar Pro names or Chat Completions tutorials; check current documentation for endpoints and response formats.
For daily use, click on the source of each claim. An answer might look accurate, but its citation may cover a different topic.
Official sources of this review
This review was Oct 30, 2026 has been done and does not update automatically. The model, subscription plan, and product features are not identical; check your current account access and manufacturer documentation.