Directory / AI for a task / Research with citations
The best AI to research a topic with cited sources
Perplexity, because citations come by default, so you can hand the result to someone who intends to check it. The free plan allows about 3 Pro Searches a day; Pro is $20/mo. Gemini is the better pick when the research has to reach into your own Gmail and Docs, and for questions that must be answered from peer-reviewed studies, use Consensus.
- 01 Perplexity: Fact-finding and research with citations
- 02 Gemini: Anyone living in the Google ecosystem
- 03 Consensus: Evidence-backed answers from academic literature
Top pick
Perplexity
Free · Pro from $20/mo
Numbered citations you can check, focus modes limited to academic papers or Reddit, and Spaces for ongoing projects. Free with a small daily Pro Search and Deep Research allowance; Pro is $20/mo.
- Free tier
- Limited daily searches (roughly 3 Pro Searches/day plus a small number of Deep Research queries), basic model access, capped file uploads (~40MB per file, 30-day retention)
- Entry plan
- Perplexity Pro, $20/month (~$16.67/mo billed annually), unlimited Pro Search, an expanded Deep Research quota, access to premium underlying models, larger file uploads and priority access
Pick 02
Gemini
Free · from $4.99/mo (Google AI Plus)
Answers grounded in live Google Search, and Deep Research compiles multi-source reports on its own. It reads Gmail and Docs directly, which is its real edge. Free tier available; Google AI Plus is $4.99/mo.
- Free tier
- Gemini 3.6 Flash model, roughly 32K context window, undocumented daily message caps, no video generation access
- Entry plan
- Google AI Plus, $4.99/month: expands to a 128K context window, roughly double the free tier's usage limits, plus 2TB of storage bundled in (the same subscription that unlocks NotebookLM Plus); Google AI Pro ($19.99/mo) and Ultra ($249.99/mo) sit above it with further limit increases and video generation (Veo) access
Pick 03
Consensus
Free · from $9/mo
For a question science should answer: responses cite peer-reviewed papers and show where studies agree. Not for anything outside academic literature. $9/mo for unlimited Pro Analyses.
- Free tier
- Unlimited basic search; AI features capped, roughly 10 Pro Analyses/month, 10 Study Snapshots/month, up to 3 Deep Reviews/month
- Entry plan
- $9/mo, unlocks unlimited Pro Analyses and Study Snapshots, Copilot, and advanced filtering
Skip if
Skip Perplexity for reasoning over your own private documents: Gemini Notebook, grounded in files you upload, is built for that.
The free option
Perplexity's free plan covers everyday cited searches, with about 3 Pro Searches a day and a few Deep Research queries. Perplexity profile.
Prices side by side
| Tool | Free plan | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| Perplexity | Yes | Free · Pro from $20/mo |
| Gemini | Yes | Free · from $4.99/mo (Google AI Plus) |
| Consensus | Yes | Free · from $9/mo |
Is there a free AI to research a topic with cited sources?
Perplexity's free plan covers everyday cited searches, with about 3 Pro Searches a day and a few Deep Research queries.
When is Perplexity the wrong choice?
Reasoning over your own private documents.
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