In short
How they differ.
Worked out from the makers' own pages, read Oct 20, 2026. Prices change; check before you pay.
- Both have a free plan.
- Qwen also has a web and phone app.
Side by side
The details.
| Perplexity | Qwen | |
|---|---|---|
| Made by | Perplexity AI · United States | Alibaba · China |
| What it says it is | “Perplexity Pro unlocks more ways to learn and get work done.” | “With a single command, it can generate a full research report” |
| Free plan | YesFree (Standard): Pro Searches "3/day", Research Queries "1/month", "Practically unlimited basic searches". | YesSCMP (2026-08-11): "The Qwen chatbot remains free to use." |
| Plans | Standard (Free): freePro: not in US$Max: $200 a monthEducation Pro: $10 a monthEnterprise Pro: $40 a month | Qwen chatbot: freeQwenWork (office assistant): not in US$ |
| Runs on | Not stated | mobile app, web |
| Latest update | Ultrafast Computer models, Decisions API, and connector controls, Oct 19, 2026 | — |
| Its terms | “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, Aug 11, 2026 · Description · news-reported |
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