Character.AI
4.4
Millions of community characters with unlimited free text chat
The default starting point: unmatched variety and the most generous free tier in the category.
$7.92/moVoice callsMemory+3
Home / Long-term memory / Perplexity
Perplexity
4.0
A search-first AI with cited, conversational answers
Pay annually and save $40/yr (17% off) — see all deals.
0PerplexityCompareVisit Perplexity ↗
Our verdict. Less a companion, more a research sidekick, but its free tier and cited answers make it a handy daily AI. Best for: Cited, research-backed answers.
Capability profile
What it actually shipsA quick read of the features this product ships today, scored from real catalogue fields — not an opinion. Voice is three tiers (live calls, voice notes, or none); everything else is shipped or not. The full breakdown is in the table below and on the comparison pages.
Editor score: 4.0 / 5. Best for Cited, research-backed answers.
At a glance
Hand-verified dataPrice
$20/mo
Cheapest plan works out at $16.67/mo.
- Free tier: usable without paying
- Price band: $10–20/mo
- Regional pricing varies by country — confirm the amount at checkout
- Checked by hand on 27 Sept 2026
Prices come from public pricing pages and change often. What you pay depends on your region and the plan you pick.
- Price details
- Free tier (unlimited quick searches, 5 Pro queries/day). Pro $20/mo or $200/yr (~$16.67/mo); Max $200/mo.
- Companion types
- Any character
- Voice
- Voice notes / TTS
- Images & video
- Image generation
- Memory
- Retains context across sessions
- Custom characters
- No
- Runs locally
- No — cloud only
- Adult content
- No adult mode
- Visual style
- Realistic
- Platforms
- Web · iOS · Android
Price history
Our own price-tracking dataset — updated every time we re-check the catalogueTracking since 27 Sept. As we collect more snapshots, the trend line fills in here. See the full price-tracking dataset →
What it does well
- Cited sources on every answer
- Strong free tier
- Fast, focused answers
Where it falls short
- Not built for persona play
- Pro features behind paywall
Tags
Categories
Alternatives to Perplexity
Full comparisonSillyTavern
4.3
The self-hosted frontend the power users all run
If you want total control and zero subscription, this is where the advanced users live.
FreeMatureVoice calls+5
Nomi AI
4.2
Memory that survives months, across up to ten companions
The memory benchmark. If continuity is your main requirement, this is the one to beat.
$8.33/moMatureVoice calls+4
Perplexity — common questions
Is Perplexity free?
Yes — Perplexity has a free tier you can use without paying. Free tier (unlimited quick searches, 5 Pro queries/day). Pro $20/mo or $200/yr (~$16.67/mo); Max $200/mo. We last checked it by hand on 27 Sept 2026.
How much does Perplexity cost?
$16.67/mo ($10–20/mo). Free tier (unlimited quick searches, 5 Pro queries/day). Pro $20/mo or $200/yr (~$16.67/mo); Max $200/mo. Companion pricing changes often and varies by region, so confirm the amount at checkout. We last checked it by hand on 27 Sept 2026.
Does Perplexity remember previous conversations?
Yes — Perplexity keeps context across separate chat sessions rather than resetting every time you open it.
Does Perplexity have voice?
Partly — Perplexity offers voice notes or text-to-speech playback, but not live two-way voice calls.
Does Perplexity have an adult mode?
Perplexity is SFW — it does not offer an adult mode.
Which platforms does Perplexity run on?
Perplexity is available on web, ios, android.
How current is the information on this page?
The price and feature details for Perplexity were last checked by hand on 27 Sept 2026. Everything else on the page comes from the product's own public documentation.
Reader reviews
Loading…Before you buy. We publish prices from public pricing pages and label anything we have not personally checked. Prices on companion sites change often and regional pricing varies, so confirm the final amount at checkout. Affiliate disclosure. Spotted a wrong price? Tell us.