Perplexity API Pricing
Perplexity's API centers on web-grounded answers. Sonar models combine token billing with search-context request fees, so the full cost depends on both generated tokens and retrieval depth.
Sonar LAUNCHED JUN 2026
Perplexity pricing lists Sonar token pricing at $1/M input and $1/M output.
Sonar Pro LAUNCHED JUN 2026
Perplexity pricing lists Sonar Pro token pricing at $3/M input and $15/M output.
Sonar Reasoning Pro LAUNCHED JUN 2026
Perplexity pricing lists Sonar Reasoning Pro at $2/M input and $8/M output.
Sonar Deep Research LAUNCHED JUN 2026
Perplexity pricing lists Sonar Deep Research at $2/M input and $8/M output, plus $2/M citation tokens, $3/M reasoning tokens, and $5 per 1K search queries.
| Model | Input /M | Output /M | Cached | Context | Max output | Vision | Tools | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sonar | $1.00 | $1.00 | — | not listed | — | ✗ | ✓ | Active |
| Sonar Pro FLAGSHIP | $3.00 | $15 | — | not listed | — | ✗ | ✓ | Active |
| Sonar Reasoning Pro | $2.00 | $8.00 | — | not listed | — | ✗ | ✓ | Active |
| Sonar Deep Research | $2.00 | $8.00 | — | not listed | — | ✗ | ✓ | Active |
Pricing across the lineup.
Perplexity pricing notes.
AI//COST first added Perplexity after verifying the public pricing page on 2026-06-14.
Perplexity's Sonar API is built for web-grounded answers. Unlike a pure chat model, the invoice combines token prices with request fees, Pro Search fees, search-query fees, citation tokens, or reasoning tokens depending on the model.
AI//COST therefore tracks token pricing and calls out the extra meters separately in scenarios and FAQ text.
OpenAI
Broad model catalog and API ecosystem; useful reference for general-purpose chat pricing.
SAFETY LABAnthropic
Claude is the major enterprise comparator for agentic and document-heavy workloads.
OPEN-WEIGHTAlibaba (Qwen)
Qwen provides low-cost open and proprietary options for text and code workloads.
CHINA CONSUMER LEADERByteDance (Doubao)
The Doubao model family from ByteDance — parent of TikTok and Douyin. Served through the Volcano Ark (火山方舟) platform on ByteDance's Volcano Engine cloud, Doubao powers China's most-used consumer AI app and undercuts most frontier labs on price.
EU FRONTIER LABMistral AI
The Paris lab behind Le Chat and the open-weight Mistral family. Founded in 2023 by Arthur Mensch with ex-DeepMind and Meta researchers, it ships frontier-grade models with Apache-2.0 open weights for most tiers and EU-native data residency — the leading European alternative to US labs.
GLM ARCHITECTZhipu (Z.ai / GLM)
The Beijing lab behind the GLM models, also operating internationally as Z.ai. Spun out of Tsinghua University in 2019, Zhipu ships strong coding/agentic models, multiple free tiers, and open weights — and was the first of China's "Six Tigers" to pursue an IPO. It also sits on the US Entity List.
Frequently asked.
Practical notes on Perplexity pricing and what AI//COST includes.