Gemini
The best free tier, deepest Google integration, huge context.
Search-first AI — fast answers with citations you can check.
Perplexity AI Free tier API
| Developer | Perplexity AI |
|---|---|
| Current model | Own models + GPT/Claude options on Pro |
| Free tier | Yes — unlimited basic searches; limited Pro searches per day |
| Paid from | $20/mo (Pro) |
| Plan ladder | Free · Pro $20 |
| Context window | Search-centric (large for uploaded files on Pro) |
| Multimodal | Text, image understanding, file uploads on Pro |
| Public API | ✔ Yes |
| Open weights | ✕ No |
| Data & privacy | Offers an AI-training opt-out; search queries processed per privacy policy |
| Official site | https://www.perplexity.ai |
Perplexity tends to suit people who want research & cited answers, real-time information, best value / free use. There's a free tier, so the cheapest way to decide is simply to try it.
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