Perplexity AI Free vs Pro - Is it Worth Upgrading Your Account?

By
AI Institute
,
October 9, 2024

Perplexity AI offers both free and paid options for users seeking advanced AI assistance. The free version provides basic search capabilities with citations and follow-up queries, making it a solid starting point for most people.

For those craving more, Perplexity Pro unlocks a suite of premium features. At $20 per month or $200 annually, Pro gives you access to choose powerful AI models like GPT-4 Omni and Claude 3, along with file analysis for PDFs, CSVs, and images. 

While the free version might suffice for casual inquiries, Pro's enhanced capabilities are becoming essential for professionals and power users who don't want to be left behind. In an era where information is power, can you afford not to have the best tools at your disposal?

Learn AI for Beginners

Ready to start your AI journey? Learning AI doesn't have to be daunting. Many courses offer a friendly introduction to this exciting field.

A good AI course for beginners should cover the basics without overwhelming you. Look for programmes that explain AI concepts in simple terms. They should avoid jargon and focus on practical applications.

Key topics to learn include:

  • AI basic topics
  • Free versus paid tools
  • Content repurposing and GPT’s
  • Image and video AI tools
  • Data analysis with AI

Hands-on practice is crucial. Seek courses that offer live demos and real-world examples. This helps you apply what you've learned straight away.

Some courses also teach you how to craft effective AI prompts. This skill is vital for getting the best results from AI tools.

Our AI for Beginners course is the perfect fit for you if you don’t want to be left behind.

Don't worry if you lack technical skills. Many beginner courses are designed for people from all backgrounds. They focus on practical uses rather than complex coding.

Remember, the goal is to build your confidence with AI. Our course will help you integrate AI into your daily work and life.

Comparing Perplexity Free versus Pro Versions

Perplexity offers both free and paid versions of its AI-powered search tool. The two versions differ in features, capabilities, and access to advanced models.

Key Features of Free Versions

The free version of Perplexity provides basic search functions. You can perform unlimited quick searches, which give you fast answers to simple questions. These searches use a standard AI model to generate responses.

You also get 5 Pro searches per day with the free version. These searches offer more detailed results and use slightly more advanced AI models. This limited access lets you try out some of the Pro features without paying.

The free version is great for casual users who need quick answers or want to test out Perplexity's capabilities. It's a good starting point if you're new to AI-powered search tools.

Perlexity free vs pro

Additional Benefits of Pro Versions

The Pro version of Perplexity costs $20 per month and offers several upgrades. You get 300 Pro searches daily, which is a big jump from the free version's limit. This is useful if you do lots of research or complex queries.

Pro users can choose from different AI models, including GPT-4o and Claude 3 Opus or Sonnet. These models are more advanced and can handle tougher questions. GPT-4o is known for its accuracy and detailed responses.

The Pro version also includes:

  • Image generation
  • File analysis
  • Access to the playground

Pro is best for researchers, students, and professionals who need in-depth information regularly. It's also good if you want to explore cutting-edge AI capabilities.

Different AI Models with Perplexity AI

Perplexity AI offers a range of powerful AI models to suit various needs. These models can generate text, create images, and provide advanced language understanding capabilities.

ChatGPT and Claude

ChatGPT and Claude are two of the top large language models (LLMs) available through Perplexity AI. ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, excels at generating human-like text and answering questions on a wide range of topics. Claude, created by Anthropic, is known for its strong reasoning abilities and ethical decision-making.

With a free Perplexity account, you only get access to a standard AI model optimised for speed and quality. This doesn’t allow you to choose your model which is very important to heavy users.

For example, you can use Claude3.5 Sonnet to write marketing copy and your code and ChatGPT 4o to write your dissertation thesis

Image Generation with DALL-E 3 and Stable Diffusion XL

Perplexity AI's Pro plan includes access to cutting-edge image generation tools. DALL-E 3, developed by OpenAI, can create highly detailed and creative images from text descriptions. Stable Diffusion XL is another powerful model that excels at generating high-quality images across various styles and subjects.

These tools are good but not really the best AI image-generation tools out there. The best AI image tools are Midjourney and Flux1 Pro. They have also added Flux1 to their paid plan.

Learn about using MidJourney here.  

Future of AI

AI technology is advancing rapidly, bringing exciting possibilities and important societal changes. New tools and models are emerging that could transform how we interact with information and technology.

Emerging Trends in AI Technology

AI systems are becoming more powerful and capable. Large language models like GPT-4 can now engage in human-like conversations and complete complex tasks. Newer models like Claude 3 Opus and Gemini are pushing capabilities even further.

Multi-modal AI that can process text, images, and audio together is on the rise. This allows for more natural interactions and opens up new applications.

AI assistants are getting better at understanding context and following multi-step instructions. They can now help with research, writing, coding, and creative tasks.

Edge AI that runs on devices rather than in the cloud is becoming more common. This improves speed and privacy for many applications.

Long-Term Impact of AI on Society

As AI becomes more advanced, it will likely automate many jobs and create new ones. You may need to adapt your skills to work alongside AI systems.

AI could dramatically improve healthcare through better diagnosis and personalised treatment plans. Perplexity AI really helps the way students are doing their research now. 

There are concerns about AI's impact on privacy and the spread of misinformation and Perplexity can certainly get things wrong.

AI may help solve major challenges like climate change and disease. But it could also widen inequality if access is limited.

Preparing for an AI-driven future will be important. Developing AI literacy and learning to leverage AI tools effectively could give you an advantage.

Join our AI for Beginners Course here

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