Compare/Head to head

Grok vs Perplexity

Same facts, side by side: starting price, free tier, MCP, API and what each one is actually built for.

Starting price

Grok

$30/mo Free tier

SpaceXAI's AI assistant with live web and X search, plus Grok Bot on SuperGrok. Free plan; SuperGrok $30/mo, SuperGrok Plus $100/mo.

Where Grok fits

  • Recruiters who follow companies, founders and candidates on X
  • SuperGrok users who want Grok Bot for sourcing and scheduling routines
  • Quick live research on a company before a call

Perplexity

$20/mo Free tier

AI answer engine with cited sources for company and market research. Free plan; Pro $20/mo, Max $200/mo, Enterprise Pro $40/seat/mo.

Where Perplexity fits

  • Researching a company or market before a client or candidate call
  • Agency business development teams building target-account lists
  • Recruiters who want sources they can check, not just an answer

At a glance

DetailGrokPerplexity
Starting price$30/mo$20/mo
Free tier✓Yes✓Yes
MCP server–No–No
Public API✓Yes✓Yes
Listed underAI assistantsAI assistants

Where they pull apart

Grok

Stands out: Grok searches X in real time alongside the web, which suits recruiters who follow companies, founders and candidates there. SuperGrok includes Grok Bot, an agent with ready-made recruiting bots.

Watch out: Its strength is live search and X, not office apps: it does not sit inside Outlook, Gmail or Word the way Copilot and Gemini do. Check the data settings before pasting candidate details into a personal plan.

Not the right fit for

  • Teams that want the assistant inside Outlook, Gmail or Word
  • Finding candidate contact data

Perplexity

Stands out: Perplexity cites its sources on every answer, so recruiters can check a claim about a company, funding round or layoff before using it with a client or candidate.

Watch out: It is built for research rather than drafting: for long outreach sequences or job ads, ChatGPT or Claude fits better. Personal plans offer an opt-out from AI training, so check that setting before pasting candidate details.

Not the right fit for

  • Long outreach sequences and job ads
  • Finding candidate contact data

Pros and cons

Grok

  • Live web and X search on the free plan
  • Grok Bot included with SuperGrok
  • SOC 2 Type I and II compliance listed on every plan
  • SuperGrok Lite and Heavy prices are not published outside the app
  • Fewer office-app integrations than Copilot or Gemini
  • SSO and team admin need a Business or Enterprise plan

Perplexity

  • Every answer comes with citations
  • Pro lets you choose between models from several AI labs
  • Enterprise plans never use your data for training
  • Free plan allows three Pro Searches a day
  • Max costs $200/mo
  • Less suited than ChatGPT or Claude to long-form drafting

What each one costs

Grok

$30/mo

The Free plan costs nothing and includes real-time web and X search, voice mode and connectors within usage limits. SuperGrok is $30/mo and adds the latest Grok model, Expert mode, higher limits, image and video generation and Grok Bot access; SuperGrok Plus is $100/mo for significantly higher usage and priority access. SuperGrok Lite, SuperGrok Heavy, Business and Enterprise plans are listed on the vendor site without a published price outside the app or sales. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 7 Oct 2026

Perplexity

$20/mo

The Free plan costs nothing and includes basic search with citations and three Pro Searches a day. Pro is $20/mo and adds top AI models, deep research, file uploads, app connectors and 4,000 bonus Computer credits; Max is $200/mo for the highest limits and 10,000 monthly credits. Enterprise Pro is $40/seat/mo or $400/seat/yr and Enterprise Max is $325/seat/mo, with data never used for training. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 7 Oct 2026

Common questions

Is Grok cheaper than Perplexity?
Perplexity starts lower, at $20/mo against $30/mo for Grok. That is the entry plan on each side, so the real number depends on seats and the tier you land on.
Can you try Grok or Perplexity for free?
Grok and Perplexity carry a free tier on our listing.

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Editorial listings, never paid rankings. Prices checked 7 Oct 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?