# Perplexity: what it does, who it is for and alternatives > Perplexity: An AI answer engine that searches the web and cites its sources. Good for quick research and fact-checks. Source: https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/tool/perplexity · Updated 2026-10-20 · Free from Stepthrough (https://learn.ynteractive.com) Updated October 20, 2026 · By [Robert Breen](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/about) An AI answer engine that searches the web and cites its sources. Good for quick research and fact-checks. [Research & search](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/research-search) · Free plan Official site: [perplexity.ai](https://www.perplexity.ai) ## What Perplexity does You ask a question in plain language and Perplexity searches the web, then writes an answer with links you can check. It also suggests follow-up questions. The Enterprise version can also search a company's own files through connected tools, and admins control who can upload files, how answers are shared, and how long files are kept. ## Who Perplexity is for - Analysts - Consultants - Marketers - Researchers ## Key features - Web answers with sources you can verify - Suggested follow-up questions - Enterprise search across your own files through connected apps - Comet browser with agentic actions and email help - Admin controls with SSO, SCIM and audit logs on Enterprise ## Privacy and data SOC 2 Type II certified; says it never trains its models on enterprise customer data, and states GDPR and HIPAA compliance for Enterprise. Source: [Perplexity’s own page](https://www.perplexity.ai/hub/security). Before you put client data in, check your company’s AI rules and the plan’s data settings. ## Learn Perplexity free on Stepthrough - Comparison: [Free vs paid AI plans: what you actually get](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/compare/free-vs-paid-ai-plans) - Comparison: [Perplexity AI vs ChatGPT: Differences and Which Is Better](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/compare/chatgpt-vs-perplexity) - Comparison: [Perplexity vs ChatGPT vs Gemini for work research](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/compare/perplexity-vs-chatgpt-vs-gemini-for-research) - Comparison: [The best AI for recruiters and HR teams in 2026](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/compare/best-ai-for-recruiters) - Comparison: [The best AI research tools with sources you can check in 2026](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/compare/best-ai-research-tools) - Comparison: [Which AI Should I Use? A Plain-English Guide (2026)](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/compare/which-ai-should-i-use) ## Alternatives to Perplexity Other AI research and search tools in the directory. - [**Gemini Notebook**](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/tool/notebooklm) Free Google's research notebook, formerly NotebookLM: upload your documents and get cited answers, briefings and audio overviews from only those sources. - [**Felo**](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/tool/felo) Free plan AI search that answers with a numbered source on every claim, in many languages. Pro Search splits a question into smaller searches, and answers convert to mind maps or export to PDF, Word, Notion or Google Drive. Free plan with daily credits, and an API that n8n calls with one HTTP Request node. - [**ProLevelMax**](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/tool/prolevelmax) Free trial Pay-per-call data API for Reddit posts and comment threads, Trustpilot and other review sites, TikTok, YouTube, X and 150+ other platforms. Call it from n8n with one HTTP Request node, or from an AI assistant. New users get $1 of free credit. - [**Paperguide**](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/tool/paperguide) Free plan AI research assistant that answers questions from 200M+ papers with linked sources, chats with PDFs, drafts cited literature reviews of up to 50 papers and manages references. The free plan includes 2,000 AI credits a month. - [**Elicit**](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/research-search#tool-elicit) Free plan Finds and summarizes research papers and pulls data from them into tables. - [**Consensus**](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/research-search#tool-consensus) Free plan Answers questions from peer-reviewed research and shows how much the studies agree. [All 26 AI research and search tools](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/research-search) ## Frequently asked questions **What is Perplexity?** An AI answer engine that searches the web and cites its sources. Good for quick research and fact-checks. You ask a question in plain language and Perplexity searches the web, then writes an answer with links you can check. It also suggests follow-up questions. The Enterprise version can also search a company's own files through connected tools, and admins control who can upload files, how answers are shared, and how long files are kept. **Who is Perplexity for?** Perplexity fits analysts, consultants, marketers and researchers, and other office teams with the same job to do. **Is Perplexity free?** Perplexity has a free plan; paid plans add more usage or features. Plans change often, so check the official pricing page before you commit. **What are some alternatives to Perplexity?** Other AI research and search tools include Gemini Notebook, Felo, ProLevelMax, Paperguide and Elicit. **Is Perplexity safe for work data?** SOC 2 Type II certified; says it never trains its models on enterprise customer data, and states GDPR and HIPAA compliance for Enterprise. Check your own company’s rules, and use a business plan with training turned off for client data. ## “Listed on Stepthrough” badge Add this badge to the Perplexity website, press page or docs. It links to this page, so your visitors can see the listing. Copy the HTML ```text Listed on Stepthrough ``` Checked against Perplexity’s official site on October 20, 2026: [source 1](https://www.perplexity.ai), [source 2](https://www.perplexity.ai/enterprise), [source 3](https://www.perplexity.ai/hub/security). Spotted something out of date? Email [rbreen@ynteractive.com](mailto:rbreen@ynteractive.com). Listings are free; [submit your AI tool](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/submit). [The full AI tools directory](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools) · [Research & search](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/research-search) · [Tool comparisons](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/compare)