In short
How they differ.
Worked out from the makers' own pages, read Oct 20, 2026. Prices change; check before you pay.
- Only Perplexity has a free plan.
- Perplexity's cheapest paid plan is cheaper: $10 a month against $20.
- Claude Research also has a web and phone app and computer app.
- Perplexity shipped an update more recently (Oct 19, 2026).
Side by side
The details.
| Claude Research | Perplexity | |
|---|---|---|
| Made by | Anthropic · United States | Perplexity AI · United States |
| What it says it is | “With research, Claude investigates your question in depth.” | “Perplexity Pro unlocks more ways to learn and get work done.” |
| Free plan | NoResearch is not on the Free plan (pricing table: Research "No" for Free). Available on Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise. | YesFree (Standard): Pro Searches "3/day", Research Queries "1/month", "Practically unlimited basic searches". |
| Plans | Free: freePro: $20 a monthMax 5x: $100 a monthTeam (standard seat): $25 a month | Standard (Free): freePro: not in US$Max: $200 a monthEducation Pro: $10 a monthEnterprise Pro: $40 a month |
| Runs on | web, desktop, iOS, Android | Not stated |
| Latest update | Introducing Claude Haiku 5.5, Oct 7, 2026 | Ultrafast Computer models, Decisions API, and connector controls, Oct 19, 2026 |
| Its terms | “We may use your chats or coding sessions to improve our models, if:”What it does with your data · Anthropic Privacy Center: How do you use personal data in model training? | “Some data may be used to train AI models and improve search quality, unless you opt out through Account Settings”What it does with your data · Perplexity Help Center: Data Collection at Perplexity |
| Disputes | None on file | None on file |
| Sources | Prices, Oct 20, 2026 · Description · company-reported | Prices, Oct 20, 2026 · Description · company-reported |
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