The $20-a-month question: Perplexity, the answer engine that cites its sources, against ChatGPT, the all-round assistant that does everything else.
Both start free and both charge $20 for their flagship tier. They overlap less than you'd think.
| Perplexity | ChatGPT | |
|---|---|---|
| Flagship price | Pro $20/mo | Plus $20/mo |
| Core strength | Researched answers with citations | General assistant: chat, code, images, agents |
| Citations | Every answer, built in | Not by default |
| Deep research | 20/day on Pro | Expanded on Plus, deeper on Pro |
| Model choice | Picker across GPT/Claude/Gemini | OpenAI models only |
| Best for | Research with verifiable sources | Everything else |
The AI answer engine with citations — research that shows its sources.
Free; Pro $20/mo ($200/yr); Max $200/mo; Enterprise from $40/user/mo
Try Perplexity →The AI assistant everyone compares against — chat, research, code, and agents in one.
Free; Plus $20/mo; Pro from $100/mo; Business $25/user/mo; Enterprise
Try ChatGPT →Same price, different jobs: Perplexity for research you can trust, ChatGPT for everything else. Many professionals end up paying for both — or starting on both free tiers.
Not fully — it lacks ChatGPT's coding tools, custom GPTs, and image generation. It's a research specialist, not a generalist.
For casual questions, yes. For research where sources matter, Perplexity's built-in citations are faster and more transparent.
Both are genuinely usable. Perplexity's free tier suits quick research; ChatGPT's free tier suits general chat and writing.