Choosing research tools
Research assistants can help locate and summarize material, but a citation is a starting point for verification. Compare the quality and accessibility of original sources alongside the number of searches included in a free plan.
- Distinguish basic search from advanced research or premium-model allowances.
- Open citations to check that they support the answer and are sufficiently recent.
- Check document upload and export access if your workflow includes your own sources.
Explore tools and documented access
Listed alphabetically. Free plans, trials and paid-only access are different; open a guide for its sources and checked dates.
Perplexity — features and free access →
An AI answer engine for web research, with cited sources and tools for deeper analysis.
Perplexity offers a free plan with usage or feature limits. Free access does not mean every feature is unlimited.
Allowance checked . Plans may have changed since that check.
Can I rely on an AI research answer without reading the sources?
Read the original sources for claims that matter. Summaries can miss context or cite material that does not support every statement. Evaluate a research tool by how easily it helps you trace and check its evidence.