Perplexity vs Shortwave
Perplexity uniquely has 19 features · Shortwave uniquely has 11 features.
| Perplexity | Shortwave | |
|---|---|---|
| Company | ||
| Founded | 2022 | 2021 |
| HQ | San Francisco | San Francisco, USA |
| AI model | Sonar 2, GPT-5.6 Terra, Claude Sonnet 5, Gemini 3.1 Pro, Grok 4.5 | Multiple — GPT-4, Claude, and top research lab models |
| User base | 15 million MAU | Thousands of teams (exact number not publicly stated) |
| Platforms | Web | Web, iOS, Android, Mac, Windows |
| Languages | 50+ | English primarily |
| Pricing | ||
| Pricing model | — | Subscription |
| Free plan | Yes | No — 14-day free trial only, no permanent free tier |
| Free trial | No (free tier available instead) | Yes — 14 days |
| Starting price | $20/mo | $30/mo — Business |
| Enterprise | $40/user/mo | — |
| All plans | Perplexity Pro$17/moPerplexity Max$167/moEnterprise Pro$34/seat/moEnterprise Max$271/seat/moEducation Pro$9/mo | Pro$18/moBusiness$30/moPremier$45/moMax$120/mo |
| Positioning | ||
| Best for | Researchers, students, professionals, and knowledge workers needing fast cited answers | Professionals and ambitious teams wanting AI-powered email automation and inbox management |
| Differentiator | Perplexity combines real-time web search with AI synthesis and inline citations, delivering concise research answers with transparent source verification in a single interface. | Ex-Google team built a fully AI-native email client that learns your writing voice, automates inbox workflows in plain English, and offers real-time team collaboration directly inside the inbox |
| Competitors | ChatGPT, Google Gemini, You.com, Bing Copilot | Superhuman, SaneBox, Spark, Gmail, Microsoft Outlook, HEY Email |
| Features | ||
| Deep Research | ✓ | — |
| File Uploads & Analysis | ✓ | — |
| Image Generation | ✓ | — |
| Perplexity Computer | ✓ | — |
| Pro Search | ✓ | — |
| Video Generation | ✓ | — |
| Academic Search | ✓ | — |
| AI Assistant | — | ✓ |
| AI Summarization | ✓ | — |
| API Access | ✓ | — |
| Browser Extension | ✓ | — |
| Calendar Integration | — | ✓ |
| Citation Generation | ✓ | — |
| Data Privacy | ✓ | — |
| Document Creation | — | ✓ |
| Document Upload | ✓ | — |
| Email Management | — | ✓ |
| Export Formats | Markdown, copy to clipboard, shareable link | — |
| Fact Checking | ✓ | — |
| Follow Up Questions | ✓ | — |
| Meeting Summary | — | ✓ |
| Mobile App | ✓ | ✓ |
| Multi Source Synthesis | ✓ | — |
| Note Taking | — | ✓ |
| Presentation Builder | — | ✕ |
| Project Management | — | ✓ |
| Research Assistant | — | ✓ |
| Spreadsheet AI | — | ✕ |
| Task Automation | — | ✓ |
| Team Collaboration | ✓ | ✓ |
| Web Search | ✓ | — |
| Integrations | ||
| API Access | ✓ | — |
| Browser Extension | ✓ | — |
| Google Calendar | — | ✓ |
| Google Docs Export | ✕ | — |
| Key Integrations | Perplexity API, Chrome Extension, iOS Shortcuts, Android integration, Spaces sharing | Slack, Google Calendar, Notion, Asana, HubSpot, CRM (auto-BCC), Tasklet (3,000+ apps) |
| Microsoft 365 | — | ✕ |
| Slack Integration | — | ✓ |
| Zotero Integration | ✕ | — |