Perplexity

Chatbots and Assistants - Pricing: freemium - Editor rating: 4.0/5 - https://www.perplexity.ai

An AI answer engine that searches the web and replies with cited sources - a research-first alternative to chatbots.

Perplexity behaves like a supercharged search engine: ask a question, it searches the live web, and answers with numbered citations you can verify. That makes it the tool of choice when facts and freshness matter more than creative writing. Great for research, comparisons, and news questions. The free tier covers everyday use, while Pro adds stronger models and more searches.