Research at scale
Runs many searches and sub-agents in parallel, then combines what they find.
“Profile the 10 biggest EV charging companies in Europe.”
In short
A “digital worker” for multi-step jobs, paid for with credits
Perplexity calls Computer a worker that “plans and executes multi-step workflows across tools and apps until a deliverable is produced.” It launched for Max in February 2026 and opened to Pro in March 2026. It runs on credits: Max includes 10,000 a month; Pro has access but no recurring monthly credits. It’s best for research-heavy, repeatable or multi-app work, and every result still needs your review.
Capabilities
What Perplexity Computer can do
Based on Perplexity’s own descriptions. Results vary by task and connected apps.
Analyse data
Works with files and data sources to produce analyses, dashboards and financial models.
“Analyse this sales CSV and chart monthly trends.”
Create documents
Outputs reports, presentations, spreadsheets and documents, including Microsoft and Google formats.
“Turn this research into a 10-slide deck.”
Build sites and apps
Writes and runs code in its workspace to build small websites, tools and audits.
“Build a one-page site for my bakery.”
Work across your apps
Connects to tools such as Gmail, Outlook, Google Drive, Slack, Notion and GitHub.
“Summarise this week’s client emails into a Notion page.”
Run on a schedule
Repeats workflows daily, weekly or monthly, such as refreshing a report.
“Every Monday, update my competitor price tracker.”
Follow your skills
Upload reusable instructions (Markdown “skills”) for how you like tasks done.
A skill with your company’s report style.
Use a real browser
Each task gets a browser in its workspace; Comet’s browser control also runs on Computer.
“Check these 20 product pages for broken links.”
Under the hood
How Perplexity Computer works
Computer divides your goal into tasks and subtasks, assigns sub-agents and runs them in parallel. Each task runs in an isolated environment with a real file system, a real browser, tools and APIs.
At launch, Perplexity said Computer routes work across 19 models, including Anthropic’s Claude Opus 4.6 for core reasoning, Google’s Gemini for deep research, OpenAI’s GPT-5.2 for long-context recall, xAI’s Grok for quick tasks, and Veo 3.1 and Nano Banana for video and images. It now describes “20+ models”. Sources: launch coverage, Perplexity overview.
Choose
Computer vs other Perplexity tools
| Search / Pro Search | Deep Research | Perplexity Computer | Personal Computer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What you get | A cited answer | A long cited report | A finished deliverable or completed task | Tasks done on your Mac |
| Where it runs | Perplexity | Perplexity | Isolated cloud workspace | Your Mac (sandboxed) |
| Uses your apps | Some connectors | Your uploaded files | 400+ connectors | Local folders, Mail, Notes, Comet |
| Time | Seconds | Minutes | Minutes to hours; can be scheduled | Minutes |
| Plan | All plans | All (limited on Free) | Pro and Max, with credits | Pro and Max |
More: Pro Search · Deep Research · Personal Computer on Mac · Create files and apps.
Pricing
Plans and credits
Credits pay for Computer’s work only. Normal searches don’t use them.
Pro · $20/month
- AccessYesOpened to Pro in March 2026, with 20+ models, skills and connectors.
- Monthly creditsNoneNo recurring allowance; Pro users have received one-time or promotional credits.
- More creditsBuyTop up when you need them; set a spending limit.
Max · $200/month
- AccessYesFirst to get Computer and new models.
- Monthly credits10,000Renews every month, plus launch bonuses at times.
- Spending limitsHigherHigher limits than Pro for heavy use.
Credit estimator
A rough guide only. It uses one independent analysis’s typical costs (simple ≈ 30, research ≈ 60, automation ≈ 120 credits per task) and its finding that long threads cost several times more. Your real usage is shown in Perplexity.
0credits / month (est.)
0%of monthly allowance
$0if bought at ≈ $0.01 / credit
Credit figures: independent credit analysis (June 2026) and Pro access report. Perplexity’s prices and credit rules change; check limits and credits.
Get started
How to start with Perplexity Computer
- Check your planComputer is on Pro (credit-based) and Max (monthly credits). Sign in at perplexity.ai.
- Open Computer on the webStart a new Computer task from Perplexity on the web. Labels and placement change, so look for Computer in the sidebar or mode picker.
- Connect only what the task needsLink the apps the task needs, such as Google Drive or Gmail. Skip anything it doesn’t.
- Describe the outcomeSay what you want delivered, in what format, by when, and any rules (for example “draft, don’t send”).
- Attach files and skillsAdd source files, and any Markdown skill with your preferred style or steps.
- Watch, approve and reviewFollow progress, approve sensitive steps, then check the deliverable and its sources before using it.
- Schedule it (optional)If it’s a repeat job, set it to run daily, weekly or monthly.
Ideas
8 starter tasks to copy
Replace the [brackets], then paste into a new Computer task. Notice how each one names the deliverable and any rules.
Research the five biggest online competitors to [my business] in [country]. For each: pricing, main products, target customers and recent news. Deliver a comparison spreadsheet and a one-page summary.
Analyse the attached sales CSV. Show monthly revenue, the top 10 products and any unusual drops. Deliver a short report with three charts.
Using sources from the last 12 months, build a 10-slide presentation on remote work trends for a team meeting, with speaker notes and a source slide.
Build a simple one-page website for a home bakery called [name]: menu, opening hours, location and a contact section. Show me a preview before anything is published.
Read my unread Gmail from the last 7 days, group messages by client and draft (but do not send) replies to anything needing an answer.
Every Monday at 9am, check the prices of these five products on their official sites and update a tracker sheet. Flag any change over 5%.
Audit [website URL] for broken links, missing page titles and slow-loading pages. Deliver a prioritised fix list.
Plan a 3-day team offsite in Kandy for 12 people: venue options, transport from Colombo, costs and a day-by-day agenda. Put it in a document I can share.
Safety
Stay in control of an AI agent
An agent that can act in your apps deserves the same care as giving a new assistant access.
Connect the minimumLink only the apps a task needs, and disconnect ones you no longer use.
Draft, don’t sendAsk for drafts of emails and posts; send them yourself after reading.
Keep money manualDon’t let a task make payments or purchases unattended.
Watch for hidden instructionsWeb pages can contain text that tries to steer agents (prompt injection). Be wary of tasks that browse unknown sites with your accounts connected.
Set a spending limitCap credit top-ups so a runaway task can’t surprise you.
Review before you relyCheck numbers, sources and files before sharing a deliverable.
Perplexity says enterprise data isn’t used to train its models and that it has zero-data-retention agreements with third-party model providers (source). Read Perplexity privacy.
Know before you start
Limitations
Credits add upLong threads and big automations can use far more credits than expected.
Web firstComputer started on the web; mobile and desktop support has been more limited.
Not every result is rightAgents can misread pages, mis-total numbers or miss steps. Check the output.
Connector access variesSome apps need admin approval, especially at work.
Changes oftenModels, prices and limits shift; recheck before relying on a plan.
Pro isn’t “unlimited”Pro includes access, not monthly credits. Budget for top-ups.
FAQ
Perplexity Computer questions
What is Perplexity Computer?
Perplexity Computer is an AI agent that plans and carries out multi-step work for you in the cloud. It splits a goal into tasks, runs sub-agents in parallel in an isolated workspace with a file system, a browser, tools and connectors to your apps, and delivers a finished result such as a report, spreadsheet, presentation or website.
When did Perplexity Computer launch?
It launched on 25 February 2026 for Max subscribers on the web and opened to Pro subscribers in March 2026.
Is Perplexity Computer free?
No. It needs a paid plan and uses credits. Max ($200 a month) includes 10,000 credits a month. Pro ($20 a month) includes access but no recurring monthly credits; Pro users have received one-time or promotional credits and can buy more.
How many credits does a task use?
It depends on the task. One independent analysis measured about 30 credits for simple tasks, 50–70 for research-heavy runs and 100 or more for full automations, and found long threads cost far more than fresh ones. Perplexity shows your usage in the app.
Which AI models does Perplexity Computer use?
It routes work across 20 or more models from several companies, picking models for reasoning, research, long documents, speed, images and video. The exact line-up changes over time.
What’s the difference between Perplexity Computer and Personal Computer?
Perplexity Computer runs in Perplexity’s cloud. Personal Computer is a feature of the Perplexity Mac app that works with folders, apps and the Comet browser on your own Mac, asking for approval before sensitive steps.
Does Comet use Perplexity Computer?
Yes. Since late August 2026, Comet’s browser control, where the assistant clicks and types on pages for you, runs on Perplexity Computer and uses credits.
Is Perplexity Computer safe to use with my email and files?
It runs in an isolated workspace and you choose which apps to connect. Perplexity says enterprise data isn’t used to train its models. Still, connect only what each task needs, ask for drafts instead of sending, and review results before using them.
Sources
- Perplexity: Introducing Perplexity Computer
- FoneArena: Perplexity Computer multi-model workflow system introduced, February 2026
- eesel: Perplexity Computer guide (launch date, Max credits), 2026
- Perplexity Computer expands access to Pro subscribers, March 2026
- Independent analysis of Perplexity Computer credits, June 2026
- ProPakistani: Comet browser control moves to Computer credits, August 2026
More features
Start small
Run one simple Computer task first
Pick a starter task, connect only what it needs, and check how many credits it used before scaling up.