Both combine AI with web search, but Perplexity is purpose-built for research while Gemini is Google's all-purpose AI. Here's how they compare for finding accurate, sourced information.
| Feature | Perplexity | Google Gemini |
|---|---|---|
| Source Citations | Every claim cited Winner | Sometimes cites sources |
| Research Depth | Excellent — multi-source synthesis Winner | Good, improving |
| Accuracy | High — verifiable sources Winner | Good but occasional errors |
| Real-time Data | Yes Winner | Yes Winner |
| Focus Modes | Academic, YouTube, Reddit, etc. Winner | None |
| General AI Tasks | Research only | Full AI assistant Winner |
| Image Generation | No | Yes (Imagen) Winner |
| Coding | No | Yes Winner |
| Free Tier | Generous | Very generous Winner |
| Price | $20/month | $20/month |
| Integration | Standalone | Deep Google ecosystem Winner |
Choose Perplexity if research accuracy and source verification are critical to your work. Choose Google Gemini if you want a versatile AI assistant that also handles search, coding, and image generation within the Google ecosystem. For pure research, Perplexity is clearly better. For an all-in-one AI, Gemini offers more breadth.