Perplexity vs Gemini: which AI assistant should you use?

Short answer: pick Perplexity if you mainly want answers from the live web with numbered citations you can check, a choice of AI models from several labs and research tools that keep their sources visible. Pick Gemini if you live in Google's apps and want one assistant that works with Gmail, Drive, Docs, Calendar and Chrome, talks with you in Gemini Live and creates images and video. Both have a free plan, and many people use Perplexity for sourced research alongside Gemini for everyday Google work.

Both are listed on Unloc. Unloc cards: Perplexity and Gemini.

Quick verdict

Plans, usage limits, model line-ups and prices change often, so check both live pricing pages before you decide. Everything below comes from each company's own website, plan pages and help centre.

What Perplexity does

Perplexity describes itself as an AI-powered search engine. You ask a question in plain language, it searches the web in real time, reads the most relevant pages and writes a conversational answer with numbered citations that link to the original sources. Follow-up questions keep the context of the thread, and you can upload files and images to ask about them.

Around the search box sit Deep Research for long reports, Projects for organising threads and files, Memory for personalised answers, and an option to create files and apps from a prompt. Perplexity also makes Comet, a Chromium-based AI browser, and Perplexity Computer, an agent that can work through multi-step tasks, use connectors to apps such as Gmail, Outlook, GitHub, Slack and Notion, and run scheduled tasks in the background. Perplexity runs on the web, in iOS and Android apps and in desktop apps for Mac and Windows.

What Gemini does

Gemini is Google's AI assistant for chat, writing, planning, learning and creating, powered by Google's own Gemini models. Its biggest strength is how deeply it plugs into Google. With connected apps it can summarise emails in Gmail, find files in Drive, check Google Calendar, add to Google Keep, plot places on Google Maps and build playlists in YouTube Music, and on Google AI plans it also appears inside Gmail, Docs and other Google apps.

Gemini Live lets you talk back and forth by voice, and you can share your camera or screen. Canvas turns prompts into documents, code, apps, quizzes and infographics, and Gemini can generate and edit images, create video and make music. Personal Intelligence, rolling out to eligible personal accounts, lets Gemini use context from apps such as Gmail, Photos, Search and YouTube that you choose to connect. Gemini runs on the web, on Android and iOS, in Chrome and in desktop apps for Windows and macOS.

Search and citations: research engine vs everyday assistant

This is the core difference. Perplexity is built around search. Every answer is meant to be traceable, with numbered citations next to the claims they support, so you can open the source and check it yourself. On the free plan Perplexity picks the model for you and offers practically unlimited basic searches plus a limited number of Pro Searches, which dig deeper; paid plans apply Pro Search more widely.

Gemini is a general assistant that can search when it needs to. Google says some Gemini responses are grounded in Google Search results, and when sources are available you will see a Sources button below the answer or links inline. Not every response includes sources, and Google's own pages remind you to check responses. If showing your working is the point of the task, Perplexity is the more natural fit. If the task is drafting, planning or getting things done in your own apps, Gemini usually is.

Deep research

Both offer a Deep Research mode for questions that need more than one search. Perplexity's Deep Research runs dozens of searches, reads many sources and reasons through them to write a full report, which you can export as a PDF or document or turn into a shareable Page. It is limited on the free plan, with more use on paid plans. Perplexity also offers Model Council, included on its Max plans and available as a skill in Perplexity Computer, which sends one question to several leading models and shows where they agree and disagree.

Gemini's Deep Research turns your prompt into a research plan that you can review and edit before it starts. It browses the web and, if you choose, your Gmail, Drive and Chat, then writes a multi-page report that you can also hear as an Audio Overview or turn into an app, quiz or web page in Canvas. Research keeps running in the background, and Gemini notifies you when it is done.

Models and AI features

Perplexity is model-flexible. It runs its own Sonar models and, on paid plans, lets you pick from advanced models made by labs such as OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and xAI, or leave it on the Best setting to choose for you. Paid plans add image and video generation, and the Max plan gives the highest access to advanced models, extended limits for creating files and apps, and early access to new products. Gemini uses only Google's own models, and higher Google AI plans unlock more access to its most capable model and higher usage limits.

On creative work, Gemini goes further. Image generation and editing are available on the free plan, while video generation, Google Flow and higher limits come with Google AI plans. Google watermarks Gemini images with SynthID. Gemini also offers Gems and a newer skills feature for reusable instructions, and Google says it is moving Gems over to skills. Perplexity's closest equivalents are Projects, which keep searches, files, instructions and connected tools together, and the skills and plugins in Perplexity Computer.

Browsers, agents and apps

Perplexity has its own browser. Comet is built on Chromium, works with Chrome extensions, and has a Summarize button, natural-language commands for managing tabs and an assistant that can carry out tasks for you, on desktop and mobile. Perplexity Computer goes a step further as a general-purpose agent that can research, write code, create files and run recurring jobs in the cloud using credits.

Gemini lives inside Chrome instead. Gemini in Chrome can summarise a page, compare information across open tabs and talk with you through Gemini Live in the browser, and Google is rolling out auto browse, which completes tasks on websites for you, to Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers first. The Gemini desktop app adds a keyboard shortcut to call Gemini over any window, plus a Task mode for background chores that you approve step by step.

Privacy and data controls

Perplexity has an AI Data Usage setting that lets you opt out of your data being used to improve its models, and it says the third-party model providers it works with are contractually barred from training on Perplexity user data. For Enterprise customers it says it never trains on their data.

Gemini's controls sit in Gemini Apps Activity. Turning off Keep Activity, or using a temporary chat, stops your future chats being used to improve Google AI, though Google still processes them to respond and keep the service safe. Google says a subset of chats is reviewed by trained human reviewers and asks you not to enter confidential information you would not want a reviewer to see. Google also says Gemini chats are not used to show you ads. Work and school accounts can have settings managed by your organisation, so check with your admin.

Free plans and pricing

Perplexity's free plan includes practically unlimited basic searches, a limited number of Pro Searches, limited file uploads and search history, but no manual choice of advanced models. Paid individual plans are Pro and Max, there is a discounted Education Pro for verified students and educators, and teams can choose Enterprise Pro or Enterprise Max with single sign-on and admin controls. Developers can use the Perplexity API Platform separately.

Gemini's free plan includes chat with a fast model, image generation and editing, and Google's standard storage. Paid Google AI plans are Plus, Pro and Ultra, each adding higher usage, more model access, more Flow credits and more Google One storage, and businesses can use Gemini through Google Workspace and Gemini Enterprise. Check the live Perplexity plans page and Gemini plans page for current plans, limits and prices.

Who should pick which

• Pick Perplexity if you want sourced answers from the live web and need to check every claim against the original page.
• Pick Perplexity if you want to try models from several AI labs in one place, or compare them side by side.
• Pick Gemini if you already use Gmail, Drive, Docs, Calendar and Chrome and want an assistant that works across them.
• Pick Gemini if voice conversations, image generation, video creation or Google storage matter as much as research.
• Use both if you research a lot: Perplexity for fast, cited answers and Gemini for drafting and acting on them inside your Google apps.

Comparing other AI assistants? See Claude vs Perplexity, Perplexity vs ChatGPT, ChatGPT vs Gemini, Claude vs Gemini and Grok vs Gemini, or browse ChatGPT, Claude and Grok on Unloc.

FAQ

Is Perplexity better than Gemini?

It depends on the job. Perplexity is better for research and fact-checking, because every answer comes from a live web search with numbered citations. Gemini is better as an everyday assistant if you use Google's apps, with Gmail, Drive, Calendar and Chrome integration, voice chat and image and video creation.

Does Perplexity use Gemini models?

Perplexity says its paid plans include advanced models from several labs, including Google, alongside OpenAI, Anthropic, xAI and its own Sonar models. The exact line-up changes, so check Perplexity's help centre for the current list. Gemini itself only uses Google's models.

Which is better for research, Perplexity or Gemini?

Both have a Deep Research mode. Perplexity is built around cited web search and lets you export reports or compare several models. Gemini's Deep Research lets you edit the research plan, can include your Gmail, Drive and Chat if you choose, and turns reports into Audio Overviews or Canvas content.

Are Perplexity and Gemini free?

Both have a free plan. Perplexity's free plan gives practically unlimited basic searches and a limited number of Pro Searches. Gemini's free plan includes chat on a fast model and image generation and editing. Check each live plans page for current limits.

Do Perplexity and Gemini train on my chats?

Both give you controls. Perplexity has an AI Data Usage setting to opt out and says it never trains on Enterprise customer data. In Gemini, turning off Keep Activity or using temporary chats stops future chats being used to improve Google AI, though Google says some chats are reviewed by people, so avoid sharing confidential information.