Pick Perplexity if…
- You also need answer engine and general AI chatbot (from what its own site says it does).
Perplexity vs Consensus
Perplexity vs Consensus compared with prices from official pricing pages (per-tool checked dates): plans, free tiers and which is better value.
Which should you pick?
These do different jobs: Perplexity is for answer engine, Consensus is for paper search — so we make no price-based pick.
Free plan, refunds, privacy and more: see what else differs ↓
- Main job
- Perplexity: answer engine · Consensus: paper search
- Real free plan
- Perplexity: yes · Consensus: yes
- ToolPick Best Value pick
- Neither — for research it is Elicit
Rule: we only compare prices when the tools do the same main job (from what each official site says it does), and only on the same billing (monthly with monthly, billed-yearly with billed-yearly). A real free plan on only one tool comes first. Prices from official pricing pages, each with its own checked date below. No ratings or reviews. The cheaper pick comes from price alone; the Best Value label is shown separately and never replaces it — the same rule as on each tool page.
| Perplexity | Consensus | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Answer engine that cites web sources. | Search engine that answers from peer-reviewed research. |
| All plans | Pro $17/mo billed annually; Max $167/mo billed annually; monthly prices not shown | Pro $20/mo ($12/mo annually); higher plan $65/mo ($45 annually) |
| Free tier | Free tier available | Free plan available |
| Checked | 2026-10-24 · pricing page | 2026-10-15 · pricing page |
Beyond the price: Perplexity vs Consensus
Free plan limits, yearly savings, student and team deals, refunds and whether your data trains their AI, side by side. Every fact is from the tool's official page, with its source and the date we read it.
What matters to you?
Tap what matters to you. We tally which tool is ahead using only the facts in the table below.
| What you get | Perplexity | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan Free plan limits → | Yes: Free tier availablesource for Perplexity (opens in a new tab) · checked 2026-10-24 | Yes: Free plan availablesource for Consensus (opens in a new tab) · checked 2026-10-15 |
| Yearly billing Monthly or yearly? → | Not in our checks yet | Pro: $20/mo monthly, $12/mo billed yearly (save 40%)source for Consensus (opens in a new tab) · checked 2026-10-15 |
| Student deal Student discounts → | $10/mo: Perplexity Pro for $10/monthsource for Perplexity (opens in a new tab) · checked 2026-10-24 | Up to 40% off: Up to 40% off a Consensus subscriptionsource for Consensus (opens in a new tab) · checked 2026-10-24 |
| Team plan Team plan costs → | Enterprise Pro: $34/seat/mo, billed yearlysource for Perplexity (opens in a new tab) · checked 2026-10-26 | Not in our checks yet |
| Refunds and cancelling Refund rules → | Refund window: Possible within 24 hours (monthly) or 3 days (yearly) of the charge, one refund per account. Cancel: Settings → Subscription → Manage Subscription → Cancel subscriptionsource for Perplexity (opens in a new tab) · checked 2026-10-27 | Not in our checks yet |
| Trains on your data? Data privacy → | Yes, by default (you can switch it off) Free, Pro and Max: “AI Data Retention” is on by default, so your data can be used to improve Perplexity's AI models. Opt out: Account settings → Preferences → turn off “AI data retention”. It only applies from then on. Team plans: not used for training by defaultsource for Perplexity (opens in a new tab) · checked 2026-10-29 | Not in our checks yet |
“Ahead” means better on that row only, by a fixed rule: a free plan beats none; the bigger yearly saving; free student plan, then discount; the lower per-seat price on the same billing; a stated refund window, then case by case, then none; not training on your data, then opt-in, then opt-out, then no opt-out. No row is called when a tool hasn't been checked. See how we pick.
Who should pick which
Pick Consensus if…
- You also need paper search (from what its own site says it does).
More: best AI research tools · all research tools · cost calculator
Comparisons
FAQ
How much does Perplexity cost?
Per its official pricing page (checked 2026-10-24): Pro $17/mo billed annually; Max $167/mo billed annually; monthly prices not shown.
Does Perplexity have a free plan?
Free tier available (checked 2026-10-24).
How much does Consensus cost?
Per its official pricing page (checked 2026-10-15): Pro $20/mo ($12/mo annually); higher plan $65/mo ($45 annually).
Does Consensus have a free plan?
Free plan available (checked 2026-10-15).
What is ToolPick's best-value pick for research?
Elicit: Entry tier is $11/mo billed yearly, built specifically for academic literature.
Which should I pick, Perplexity or Consensus?
These do different jobs: Perplexity is for answer engine, Consensus is for paper search — so we make no price-based pick (ToolPick rule using prices checked on official pricing pages).
Writing about this? Embed this price card — it updates when we re-check prices.