Why we said Use
What it is
A web-search API with separate request-based billing listed in Perplexity’s rate card. See the official documentation or product page. This profile describes public documentation, not a Loaded Tokens hands-on test.
Who it is for
Developers who want search results before generating their own answer. Our recommendation is scoped to that job; it is not a universal winner.
The evidence behind Use
A search-first workflow is a good fit when an application needs evidence retrieval without delegating the entire narrative. The vendor page documents the underlying capability; the fit judgment is ours. No performance ranking, time saving or reliability result is implied.
Pricing and the catch
Search API: $5 per 1,000 successful requests; Fast Search: $1 per 1,000 successful requests. No token billing for Search API. Public pricing checked November 7, 2026. Prices are USD where stated and can change; taxes, region, annual commitments and extra usage may differ.
Search ranking does not establish authority; retain source URLs and dates for downstream review.
A sensible first workflow
Retrieve primary sources first, then write only what those pages support. This is a suggested evaluation, not a test we ran. Decide what success looks like before opening the tool: what output is acceptable, what needs review and where the workflow must stop.
Bottom line: buy for the job, keep the exit route, and do not confuse a feature list with proof of results. Browse the company profile for the rest of the stack.