Perplexity — a guide
Perplexity, in plain English.
What it is. How to start. What to ask. What to watch out for.
Perplexity is not exactly a chatbot. It calls itself an answer engine. It searches the web for every question, gives you an answer, and shows where it found each fact. This page walks you through it from the start.
Product details checked: May 2026. AI tools change quickly. If something looks different on screen, the ideas in this guide should still hold.
What it is
Perplexity is an answer engine made by a company of the same name. You ask a question. It searches the web. It writes a short answer in plain language. Next to each sentence, it shows the source it used.
Other chatbots speak from memory. Perplexity speaks from sources. That makes it harder to make things up — though not impossible, since the sources can be wrong.
It is the right tool when facts matter — researching a product, checking a news story, looking up an official rule, comparing options. It is less suited to open-ended writing or long, creative work.
How to sign up
Three steps. Less than two minutes. Free.
- 1
Open the website or app
Go to perplexity.ai in your browser. Or download Perplexity from the Play Store (Android) or App Store (iPhone). Check the maker name before you install.
- 2
Sign up
Use an email, a Google account, or an Apple account. No phone number needed at the time of writing.
- 3
Start asking
A search box opens. Type a question and press enter. You get an answer with sources underneath.
You can use Perplexity without signing up at all for a few searches. Signing up unlocks history, saved threads, and the free daily Pro searches.
Free or paid?
What you get for nothing. What you get for paying.
Free
Start here- Cost: nothing
- Good enough for: most readers, most days
- You get: unlimited basic searches with sources, a small number of “Pro” searches per day (deeper research, more sources), file uploads, history
- Limits: only a few Pro searches per day; basic searches use a less capable model
Perplexity Pro
- Cost: varies — check the current price when you sign up. India pricing is often lower than the US/UK.
- Good enough for: researchers, students, people who use AI for real work every day
- You get: many more Pro searches per day, choice of underlying model (Claude, GPT, Gemini, etc.), more file upload power, and Spaces for organising research projects
- Honest take: if you find yourself running out of free Pro searches, this is worth a month's trial.
I use the free version of Perplexity. The daily Pro searches are plenty for normal use — and for most readers, free is more than enough.
Your first five prompts
Ask any of these. Read the answer. Click the sources.
- 1
Explain a news story with sources
What is happening with [recent news topic]? Give me three sources I can read for more.
What to expect: A short summary with footnoted citations. Always click through to at least one source.
- 2
Compare your options
Compare [option A] and [option B] for [use case]. Give a table of pros and cons. Cite your sources.
What to expect: A side-by-side answer with links. Good for choosing between phones, schemes, courses, services.
- 3
Look up an official rule
What does [official body] say about [topic]? Quote the source directly.
What to expect: A quoted answer from the relevant official page. Tap the link to read the full original — never act on Perplexity's quote alone.
- 4
Find the cheapest way to do X
What is the cheapest legal way to [task] in [country]? List the options with costs and sources.
What to expect: A researched comparison. Costs go out of date — always check the source link for the live price.
- 5
Research before an interview or meeting
Tell me about [company or person]. What do they do, who runs them, and what is their reputation? Cite sources.
What to expect: A quick brief that beats a blank search page. Good preparation in five minutes.
What Perplexity is good at
Facts with citations
Every answer points to where it came from.
Recent information
It searches the live web for every question.
Comparisons
Side-by-side answers when you are choosing between options.
Research with less hallucination risk
Sources are visible, so it is easier to spot when an answer drifts.
What it is not good at
Open-ended writing
It is built for answers, not long drafts.
Things not on the public web
Your private files, niche topics with no sources, things behind paywalls.
Sources being right
Perplexity quotes them; it does not check them. A wrong source becomes a wrong answer with a citation.
Being right when it sounds confident
Even with sources, Perplexity can misread, mix up, or stitch facts wrongly. This is called hallucination. The cure is to read the sources yourself for anything that matters.
Privacy & safety
What Perplexity sees
Every question and file you upload. By default, your data may be used to improve the service.
How to turn off training on your data
In the app or website, open Settings → Account → AI Data Retention (or similar). Turn off the toggle that lets your data be used for training.
Don't paste:
- Passwords or PINs
- Bank or card numbers
- ID numbers (Aadhaar, PAN, passport)
- Medical records, your own or anyone else’s
- Other people's private messages or contact details
A simple rule: if you would not write it on a postcard, don't paste it into Perplexity.
Where to next
Back to AI Basics
The hub: pick another tool, or read the safety basics again.
Master Prompt Builder
Coming soonA form-driven tool that writes clear, complete prompts for you. Coming in a later sprint.