Compare
Claude vs Perplexity
The differences that matter, in plain English. Same specs are hidden.
vs
The short answer
- Pick Claude for coding and writing.
- Pick Perplexity for making images and research with sources.
- Perplexity costs $3 less a month.
| Spec | Claude | Perplexity |
|---|---|---|
| Paid plan, per month | $20 a month | $17 a month |
| Writing | 9 | 7 |
| Coding | 9 | 6 |
| Research | 8 | 9 |
| Images | 3 | 6 |
| Value | 7 | 8 |
| Made by | Anthropic | Perplexity AI |
| Free plan | Yes, with usage limits (Sonnet models) | Yes, with a limited number of Pro Searches |
| Paid plan | Pro, $20 a month ($17 a month if paid yearly) | Pro, $17 a month when paid yearly |
| Main model | Sonnet 5.5 (Free); Opus 5.5 also on Pro | Best (picks a model automatically); Pro adds models from several makers |
| Images | — | Image generation (more on Pro) |
| Voice | Voice mode | — |
| Web search | Searches the web | Answers with numbered source links |
| Files | Creates files and Artifacts; runs code | More file and photo uploads on Pro |
| Apps | Web, desktop and mobile | Web and the Comet browser |
| Model you can download | — | — |
| Checked | 2026-10 | 2026-10 |
Plans and prices change often: each row shows the month we checked. Scores are out of 10 and are our editorial view.
