Perplexity, an AI search startup in the US, has launched a premium plan called Perplexity Max for $200 per month. This is 10 times more expensive than the existing $20 Pro plan, and is aimed at advanced users who intensively utilize generative AI tools.
The new Perplexity Max plan includes unlimited use of Labs, a generative agent tool that can create spreadsheets, reports, web apps, and presentations. It also includes early access to Comet, an AI-powered web browser, priority access to services powered by the latest AI models (including OpenAI’s o3-pro and Anthropic’s Claude Opus 4), and priority customer support. It’s currently available on the web and iOS apps, with a dedicated Max plan for enterprise customers coming soon.
With this new pricing plan, Perplexity joins the ranks of OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google in offering ultra-high-priced AI plans. OpenAI has already been offering a $200/month ChatGPT Pro plan since late last year, while Google, Anthropic, and code-centric AI development tool Cursor have also introduced similar plans.
In addition to its current $20 Pro plan, Perplexity also offers a $40 per person per month Enterprise Pro plan, and with the introduction of the Max plan, it is expanding its revenue model by segmenting demand into different segments.
Perplexity’s revenue is growing rapidly. As of 2024, annual recurring revenue (ARR) was approximately $80 million, mostly from the $20 subscription plan. However, it recorded a cash loss of approximately $65 million in the same year, due to significant costs related to cloud server infrastructure and purchasing models from OpenAI, Anthropic, and others.
