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You can use Perplexity AI for free. Learn how to use this powerful tool for text analysis and text creation effectively and free of charge.
What is Perplexity and how does it work?
Perplexity AI is an AI-powered, conversational search engine that understands and answers natural language queries. Unlike traditional search engines such as Google, which mainly present search results as lists of links, Perplexity AI provides direct, summarized answers in natural language – similar to a chatbot.
- Language processing: Perplexity AI uses modern language models such as GPT-4o and Claude 3 to understand the context and details of a query.
- Real-time search: The platform searches the internet in real time and filters out relevant, up-to-date information from trusted sources.
- Source references: Each answer is accompanied by numbered footnotes and links to the original sources so that users can verify the accuracy of the information.
- Conversational interface: Users can ask questions, follow up with additional questions, and engage in a dialogue, just like with a human conversation partner.
- Personalization: The AI tailors search results to individual users and learns from user interactions to continuously improve its answers.
How can I use Perplexity for free?
Perplexity AI is easy to use and free of charge:
- Registration: You can register for free on the official website (perplexity.ai) or log in directly with your Google, Apple, or Microsoft account.
- Free use: After signing up, you can start using the free version right away. This gives you access to basic AI features, real-time web search, source citations, and a limited number of daily requests.
- Deep Research: The Deep Research feature, which performs complex research in minutes, is also available to users of the free version – however, with a daily limit on the number of queries.
- No credit card required: No credit card or other payment method is required for free use.
Challenges and limitations of using Perplexity for free
While using Perplexity AI at no cost offers many basic features, it also comes with some challenges and limitations:
- Model limitations: The free version mainly uses AI models such as GPT-3.5, Llama, or comparable models. Access to the latest and most powerful models such as GPT-4, Claude 3 Opus, or Gemini is only available in the Pro version.
- Limited Pro requests: Users of the free version can only make a limited number of “Pro requests” (e.g., 3–5 per day or every four hours) that use more powerful models or special features. However, the standard search is usually unlimited.
- File uploads: The number of files that can be uploaded for analysis is limited to a certain number per day (usually up to three).
- No exclusive features: Features such as unlimited file uploads, model selection, API access, or advanced search options are reserved for the paid version.
- Quality fluctuations: The quality of responses can vary, as the free models are less accurate or creative than those used in the Pro version.
- Hallucinations: Like other AI tools, Perplexity AI can provide incorrect or misleading answers (known as “hallucinations”) in the free version.
- Copyright issues: Perplexity processes content from websites without always giving proper credit to the original sources, which has led to criticism of the platform.
- Data protection: Although Perplexity AI is committed to data protection and uses encryption and anonymization, the use of AI platforms involves the transfer of personal data.
