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Grok vs Perplexity

Features, pricing, ratings, and pros and cons, side by side.

Verdict

Grok and Perplexity are both AI Assistants tools. Perplexity scores higher in FinderAtlas's editorial review (8.7 vs 8.3 out of 10). Both have a free plan or trial.

Best overall

Perplexity

  • Researchers
  • Students
  • Analysts
  • Journalists

Choose Grok if

  • You want a tool built for questions that need current information from X and the web.
  • Searches both X posts and the web for current information.
  • Free tier available without a subscription.

Choose Perplexity if

  • You want a tool built for answering factual and current-events questions with checkable sources, and running multi-step web research.
  • Every answer links to numbered sources, so claims are easy to check.
  • Free plan includes search with citations.
Best for beginners
Grok
Best for business
Perplexity

Features

16 features compared.

  • Live Search
    Grok
    Available
    Perplexity
    Not available
  • Chat and Reasoning
    Grok
    Available
    Perplexity
    Not available
  • File and Image Analysis
    Grok
    Available
    Perplexity
    Not available
  • Grok Imagine
    Grok
    Available
    Perplexity
    Not available
  • Voice Mode
    Grok
    Available
    Perplexity
    Not available
  • Conversation Import
    Grok
    Available
    Perplexity
    Not available
  • Shared Subscription
    Grok
    Available
    Perplexity
    Not available
  • xAI API
    Grok
    Available
    Perplexity
    Not available
  • Cited answers
    Grok
    Not available
    Perplexity
    Available
  • Pro Search
    Grok
    Not available
    Perplexity
    Available
  • Research
    Grok
    Not available
    Perplexity
    Available
  • Model selection
    Grok
    Not available
    Perplexity
    Available
  • File uploads
    Grok
    Not available
    Perplexity
    Available
  • Perplexity Computer
    Grok
    Not available
    Perplexity
    Available
  • Comet browser
    Grok
    Not available
    Perplexity
    Available
  • Perplexity API
    Grok
    Not available
    Perplexity
    Available

Pricing

Plans as listed by each vendor. Check their sites for current prices.

  • Pricing model
    Grok
    Freemium
    Perplexity
    Freemium
  • Free plan
    Grok
    Yes
    Perplexity
    Yes
  • Starting price
    Grok
    $0
    Perplexity
    $0
  • Plans
    Grok
    5 plans
    Perplexity
    5 plans

Grok plans

  • Free

    $0

    Capped use of Grok on grok.com, X and the apps.

    • Limited prompts
    • Basic models

  • Plus

    $8/month

    Entry plan with a shared usage pool across Grok, the API, Cursor and X.

    • Grok Chat
    • Voice
    • Imagine and Build
    • Grok API
    • Cursor
    • Fewer X timeline ads
    • Premium checkmark

  • Premium

    Most popular

    $30/month

    4x the usage of Plus with the latest models.

    • 4x Plus usage
    • Latest Grok models
    • Image and video generation
    • Cloud agents and automations
    • Ad-free X on most surfaces

  • Super

    $100/month

    15x the usage of Plus.

    • 15x Plus usage
    • 1080p video
    • Priority model access at peak times

  • Ultra

    $200/month

    50x the usage of Plus.

    • 50x Plus usage
    • Most powerful chat models
    • Earliest access to new products and models

Perplexity plans

  • Free

    $0

    Basic search with citations and limited daily usage.

    • Search with citations
    • 3 Pro Searches per day
    • 1 Research query per month
    • Limited file uploads

  • Pro

    Most popular

    $20/month

    Higher limits, advanced models and Perplexity Computer for individuals.

    • Extended Pro Search
    • Extended Research
    • Advanced AI models
    • Image generation
    • Create files and apps
    • Comet Assistant
    • Weekly Computer usage

  • Max

    $200/month

    Highest consumer limits, with monthly credits and priority support.

    • Everything in Pro
    • 10,000 monthly credits
    • Highest Comet Assistant limits
    • Brain (research preview)
    • Extended Create files and apps
    • Priority support

  • Enterprise Pro

    $40/user/mo

    Team plan with admin controls and organizational features.

    • 400 Pro Searches per week
    • 50 Research queries per month
    • 80 Comet Assistant queries per month
    • 500 monthly credits
    • File uploads and sharing

  • Enterprise Max

    $325/user/mo

    Highest enterprise limits with SCIM, audit logs and priority support.

    • 4,000 Pro Searches per week
    • 500 Research queries per month
    • 15,000 monthly credits
    • 15 videos per month
    • SCIM and audit logs
    • Priority support

Our ratings

Scored out of 10 by the Finder Atlas editorial team. Last reviewed October 2026.

Grok
8.3overall
Perplexity
8.7overall

  • Real-time Information Access

    Grok
    8.8
    Perplexity
    Not rated

  • Image and Video Generation

    Grok
    8.2
    Perplexity
    Not rated

  • Reasoning & Math

    Grok
    8.5
    Perplexity
    Not rated

  • Coding & Syntax

    Grok
    8.3
    Perplexity
    Not rated

  • Value for Money

    Grok
    7.5
    Perplexity
    Not rated

  • Live Web Search & Citations

    Grok
    Not rated
    Perplexity
    9.2

  • Real-time Factuality & News

    Grok
    Not rated
    Perplexity
    8.6

  • Source Transparency

    Grok
    Not rated
    Perplexity
    9.0

  • Document & Research Analysis

    Grok
    Not rated
    Perplexity
    8.3

  • Search Speed & Responsiveness

    Grok
    Not rated
    Perplexity
    8.5

Scores weigh documented features, plan value, platform coverage, integrations and user feedback. A missing score means we have not rated that area yet.

Pros and cons

Grok

Pros

  • Searches both X posts and the web for current information
  • Free tier available without a subscription
  • Image and video generation in the same app as chat
  • Separate API with long context windows (up to 1M tokens on some models)
  • Real-time voice mode in the mobile apps

Cons

  • Free usage is capped, and xAI does not publish the exact limit
  • Usage limits are given only as multiples of the Plus plan, not as fixed numbers
  • Answers drawing on X posts can reflect unverified social content
  • The App Store rates the app 16+ because of mature themes

Perplexity

Pros

  • Every answer links to numbered sources, so claims are easy to check
  • Free plan includes search with citations
  • Paid plans offer a choice of advanced models from several providers
  • Available on web, iOS, Android and through a developer API
  • Separate Comet browser integrates the assistant into browsing

Cons

  • Free plan is limited to 3 Pro Searches per day and 1 Research query per month
  • Pro and Max limits are described as weekly or monthly allowances rather than fixed numbers
  • Max costs $200 per month, and Enterprise Max costs $325
  • Answers can still contain errors, so the cited sources need checking

Platforms

  • Web
    Grok
    Supported
    Perplexity
    Supported
  • Windows
    Grok
    Not supported
    Perplexity
    Not supported
  • macOS
    Grok
    Not supported
    Perplexity
    Not supported
  • iOS
    Grok
    Supported
    Perplexity
    Supported
  • Android
    Grok
    Supported
    Perplexity
    Supported
  • API
    Grok
    Supported
    Perplexity
    Supported
  • Browser Extension
    Grok
    Not supported
    Perplexity
    Not supported

Company

  • Company
    Grok
    xAI
    Perplexity
    Perplexity AI, Inc.
  • Founded
    Grok
    2023
    Perplexity
    2022
  • Headquarters
    Grok
    Not listed
    Perplexity
    San Francisco, CA
  • Listing
    Grok
    Claimed
    Perplexity
    Claimed

Frequently asked questions

Is Grok better than Perplexity?

It depends on your workflow. Grok is built for questions that need current information from X and the web. Perplexity is built for answering factual and current-events questions with checkable sources, and running multi-step web research.

What are the key feature differences between Grok and Perplexity?

Grok: xAI's AI assistant with live X and web search, image and voice tools. Perplexity: AI answer engine that searches the live web and cites its sources. Grok is rated 4.0/5 from 1 user review.

Does Grok or Perplexity have a free plan?

Yes, both do. Grok is freemium and Perplexity is freemium, and each has a free plan or trial.

Which is cheaper, Grok or Perplexity?

Both can be used for free. Paid plans differ in limits and features, so compare the tiers in the pricing table above.