If you only read one line: pick by workload, not by benchmark charts.
For Tracking overseas reaction while it happens; English technical questions, Grok is the more direct fit. For Research where sources must be checkable; Fact-checking a claim quickly, Perplexity gets there with less fighting.
Both have free tiers, so cost only separates them once you hit the limits. Context limits aren't published for both, so treat this as untested until you hit the ceiling yourself.
| Dimension | Grok | Perplexity |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing | X Subscription: Free $0; Plus $8/mo; Premium $30/mo; Super $100/mo; Ultra $200/mo (annual billing discounted) (checked 2026-10-29) | Free $0; Pro $20/mo ($200/yr); Max $200/mo ($2,000/yr); Education Pro $10/mo for verified students; Enterprise Pro $40/seat/mo; Enterprise Max $325/seat/mo (checked 2026-10-29) |
| Context window | 500K tokens (grok-4.7) (checked 2026-10-29) | not published |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows |
| Best for | Tracking overseas reaction while it happens; English technical questions; X creators who post all day | Research where sources must be checkable; Fact-checking a claim quickly; Students who need citations |
| Availability | No mainland China edition; reaching it from there needs a proxy or VPN (checked 2026-10-29). | Unreachable from mainland China without a proxy, confirmed by a blocked connection from this host on 2026-10-29, and there is no China edition. |
Tracking overseas reaction while it happens; English technical questions; X creators who post all day. Its strongest point: Reads live X posts and groups how a topic is argued. Watch out for: States guesses in the same tone as confirmed facts.
Research where sources must be checkable; Fact-checking a claim quickly; Students who need citations. Its strongest point: Every answer carries clickable source links you can audit. Watch out for: Free tier caps you at 3 Pro Searches a day.
Most people I know keep both tabs open — one for finding things, one for producing the final draft — and stop paying for whichever they touch last.
Grok if you want Tracking overseas reaction while it happens. Perplexity if Research where sources must be checkable. Neither has a learning curve worth worrying about past the first day.
Yes — both have free tiers, and the pair covers more ground than either alone.
Context limits aren't published for both, so treat this as untested until you hit the ceiling yourself.