Perplexity AI Review: Why I Stopped Using Google for Research

I'll admit it—I was skeptical. Another AI search tool claiming to "reimagine search"? I've heard that before.

But after three months of using Perplexity AI as my primary research tool, I've barely touched Google for anything beyond local searches. Here's why.

What Is Perplexity AI, Exactly?

Perplexity calls itself an "answer engine" rather than a search engine, and that distinction actually matters.

When you search on Google, you get a list of blue links. You click, you read, you click again, you piece together an answer from multiple sources.

When you ask Perplexity a question, you get a direct answer with citations. Every claim is linked to its source. You can verify anything in seconds.

It's the difference between getting directions and getting a guided tour.

What Makes Perplexity Actually Good

1. Answers, Not Just Links

Ask Perplexity "What's the best programming language for beginners in 2026?" and you get a synthesized answer drawing from multiple sources. It weighs different perspectives, acknowledges trade-offs, and gives you the consensus view.

Google gives you 10 SEO-optimized articles that each claim to have the "definitive" answer. You know the drill.

2. Real Citations You Can Trust

This is the killer feature. Every fact in a Perplexity answer has a numbered citation. Hover over it, see the source. Click it, go to the original.

I've fact-checked Perplexity answers dozens of times. It's not perfect—no AI is—but the citation system makes verification trivially easy. Compare that to ChatGPT, which confidently states facts with no sources.

3. Focus Modes That Actually Help

Perplexity has different modes:

• All - General web search
• Academic - Scholarly papers only
• Writing - For drafting and editing
• Math - Step-by-step problem solving
• Video - YouTube-focused results

The Academic mode alone is worth it for anyone doing research. It searches peer-reviewed papers and gives you proper academic citations.

4. Follow-Up Questions Work Naturally

The conversation continues. Ask a question, get an answer, ask a follow-up. Perplexity remembers context and digs deeper.

"What caused the 2008 financial crisis?" Gets answer "Who was most responsible?" Gets answer "Were any of them prosecuted?" Gets answer

Try doing that on Google. You'd have five tabs open by now.

The Pro Features (Are They Worth $20/Month?)

Perplexity Pro unlocks:

• Advanced AI models (GPT-5, Claude 4, and their own Sonar model)
• More queries per day (300+ vs ~10 for free)
• File uploads (analyze PDFs, documents)
• Internal knowledge search (across your own documents)

Is it worth $20/month? For me, absolutely. I use it for research multiple times a day. The time saved easily justifies the cost.

If you only search casually, the free tier is actually quite generous for light use.

Perplexity vs. Google: The Honest Comparison

When I Still Use Google

• Local searches: "coffee shops near me" - Google Maps is unbeatable
• Shopping: Price comparisons and product reviews
• Simple facts: "weather tomorrow" or "Lakers score"
• Image search: Still better for visual content

When Perplexity Wins

• Research questions: Anything requiring synthesis of multiple sources
• Technical questions: Programming, science, how-things-work
• Current events: News with context and multiple perspectives
• Academic work: Papers, citations, scholarly sources

The Comet Browser: A Game Changer?

In July 2025, Perplexity launched Comet—their own AI-powered browser. I've been testing it for a few weeks.

The idea is simple: instead of switching between browser and Perplexity, the AI is integrated directly. You can ask questions about any webpage, highlight text to get explanations, and use Agent mode to complete multi-step tasks.

It's still early, but if they nail this, it could change how we interact with the web entirely.

What Perplexity Gets Wrong

Let me be fair about the limitations:

It's not perfect at everything. For quick facts, Google's instant answers are faster. For local info, Google is still king.

Sometimes it over-synthesizes. When you want to read multiple perspectives yourself, a list of links is actually better. Perplexity summarizes, which means you lose some nuance.

The free tier is limited. About 10 Pro-quality searches per day on free. Heavy users need to pay.

Mobile experience is good but not great. The app works, but the desktop experience is still superior.

My Workflow: How I Actually Use Perplexity

Here's how Perplexity fits into my daily work:

1. Morning research: I start by asking Perplexity about topics I'm writing about. It gives me a foundation.

2. Fact verification: When I read something questionable on social media, Perplexity is my first stop.

3. Technical deep dives: When learning something new, I have a conversation with Perplexity that naturally goes deeper.

4. Academic mode for citations: When I need to back up claims with scholarly sources.

5. PDF analysis: Upload a document, ask questions about it.

The Bottom Line

If you do any amount of research—and I mean real research, not just Googling movie times—Perplexity is worth trying.

The free tier is good enough to see if it fits your workflow. The Pro tier at $20/month is a no-brainer if you use it daily.

I didn't expect to mostly stop using Google in 2026, but here we are. The AI search revolution is real, and Perplexity is leading it.

Try it yourself: perplexity.ai

Have you made the switch? I'd love to hear your experience.