11 Cons of Perplexity Pro (Review 2024)

A few weeks back, after scrolling through various chatter online, I found myself leaning toward giving Perplexity Pro a spin. There was some hype around it, although let’s be honest: these days there’s hype around just about every new AI product that crawls out of the woodwork. But I was curious. I’d tried ChatGPT Plus, played around with Claude’s premium tier, and tinkered with free tools that handle everything from text analysis to image creation. So why not see what Perplexity Pro could bring to the table?

I knew going in that it cost twenty bucks a month—right in line with premium plans offered by other AI services. At that price, I expected a twist, a new angle, or at least a more streamlined process than the free patchwork of tools I usually rely on. Instead, I ended up feeling like I’d subscribed to something that pulled features from elsewhere and slapped on a price tag. Below, I break down the biggest letdowns so you can decide for yourself whether Perplexity Pro is worth that monthly hit to your wallet.

1. High Cost, Limited Novelty

From the jump, the steep price point bothered me. Twenty dollars a month might not wreck anyone’s finances, but it’s not chump change either. I was hoping that the expense would be justified by a unique feature set—something I couldn’t just replicate with a string of freebies. Instead, it felt like I was paying to bundle standard capabilities I’d seen a thousand times before: file uploads, multiple models, and image creation. Why shell out for a curated collection of things I can already do without spending a cent?

It’s not that charging a subscription fee is inherently wrong. But if I’m going to sign up, the product should bring something exceptional to the table. Perplexity Pro doesn’t. It’s more like a convenience store, offering the same old snacks I could easily find elsewhere for free, yet charging a premium because they’re all under one roof.

2. Nothing Truly Stands Out

We live in an era where countless AI platforms exist, each claiming to do something special. With Perplexity Pro, I just didn’t see that spark. Sure, it can switch between different AI models, handle PDFs, and churn out images. But so can a dozen free services. I kept waiting for the “aha” moment—a special workflow, a unique interface, a game-changing integration. It never came.

Its capabilities mirror what you already get from ChatGPT’s free side or Claude’s no-cost features. Frankly, if you’re comfortable juggling a few tabs, you can achieve everything Perplexity Pro offers without parting with your hard-earned cash. The tool might save you a bit of clicking around, but does that convenience justify a monthly fee? It’s doubtful.

3. Image Generation Caps and No Real Advantage

The moment I learned Perplexity Pro limited me to fifty image generations per day, I cringed. Sure, fifty might sound like plenty if you’re casually messing around. But anyone who’s tried to refine an image prompt knows it’s a process. You tweak, you adjust, you try something else. Suddenly, that quota hovers like a ceiling you keep bumping into.

Even worse, the tool relies on DALL-E and Stable Diffusion—models I can access for free elsewhere, often without such pesky limits. If the platform’s image generation was offering a unique style or model, I’d understand the constraints. But it’s just parceling out the same old capabilities, only now behind a paywall and with a daily usage countdown.

4. Redundant Document Analysis

Perplexity Pro trumpets the ability to upload documents for analysis like it’s something new. Yet ChatGPT and Claude let me do that at no cost. Sure, maybe it’s marginally more convenient to have everything under one banner, but it’s not groundbreaking. I didn’t find that it offered deeper insights, broader file support, or fancier charts than what I can already achieve by cutting and pasting text into a free AI tool.

If I’m handing over money, I want improvements, not repeats. The presence of this “feature” only made me aware of how cleverly other platforms have improved their free versions, leaving Perplexity Pro to look like the latecomer asking for cover charges at a party I’ve been attending for free all along.

5. The Niche Utility of “Perplexity Pages”

If you’re an SEO expert or run a big site that needs specialized indexing, maybe you’ll find some use in Perplexity Pages. For the rest of us, this feature is about as thrilling as watching paint dry. It’s a niche capability that won’t matter to most users. And if I did need this function, I’d probably find a specialized tool or a cheap plugin to handle it without paying a monthly subscription.

It feels like Perplexity Pro is throwing spaghetti at the wall, hoping something sticks. Pages might impress a tiny fraction of users, but for the majority, it’s a novelty they’ll never touch. When I’m paying monthly, I don’t want filler—I want regularly used functions that actually enhance my day-to-day work.

6. Not Enticing for Seasoned AI Fans

If you’re new to AI, Perplexity Pro might look neat, with its buffet of features all laid out in one place. But if you’ve spent any time in the AI ecosystem, you know where to find free image generators, free language models, and free document analyzers. Piecing together your own toolkit is second nature. This makes Perplexity Pro’s proposition feel flimsy.

Why pay twenty bucks a month for something that offers no novel tricks? For enthusiasts, half the fun is discovering and combining different free resources to achieve exactly what they need. Paying a fee for what amounts to the same tools in a single interface doesn’t deliver a meaningful advantage. It’s like charging people for a puzzle they’ve already solved.

7. The Overpriced Feeling

I keep coming back to the price tag because it’s hard not to. Twenty bucks a month sits right alongside top-tier AI subscriptions. The difference? With ChatGPT Plus, I know I’m getting access to a top-notch language model with rapid improvements and a bustling plugin marketplace. With Claude’s premium, I enjoy unique strengths in interpreting context.

Perplexity Pro doesn’t have an identity that justifies the cost. It’s as if someone decided to rent you a toolbox stocked with generic wrenches and hammers when you’ve already got a fully-equipped shed out back. Without unique selling points or advanced capabilities, the monthly fee starts to feel less like a premium and more like a penalty.

8. Capped Queries, No Freedom

Perplexity Pro lets you run six hundred “Pro” searches a day. That sounds generous until you’re knee-deep in a research project and realize constraints are constraints, no matter how large the number. It’s still a speed bump on your workflow, a subtle reminder that you’re paying but still have to follow the house rules.

ChatGPT-4 users get around six hundred and forty messages a day, which is marginally better—or at least comparable. The point is, if I’m dropping cash, I’d expect fewer limits, not more. Instead of feeling liberated, I felt tethered. When push came to shove and I needed a handful more queries, there was always that mental calculation: am I going to hit the wall today?

9. Poor Data Visualization Skills

AI tools shine when they can chew through data and present insights in a way that’s easy to digest. Perplexity Pro stumbled here. It struggled to produce neat charts, summaries, or tables that clarified complex datasets. If I asked it to break down something intricate—like job listings spread across various industries—it wasn’t up to the task.

Meanwhile, ChatGPT can often guide me through visualizations or at least recommend how to structure the data. Since I’m paying for Perplexity Pro, I expected a similar level of competence, if not better. Instead, I ended up reverting to other tools. Any paid service that can’t handle common real-world tasks ends up feeling like dead weight.

10. Weak Support for Popular File Types

I had hoped Perplexity Pro would handle a broad range of file formats seamlessly. After all, it’s 2024—people juggle Word docs, Excel files, PDFs, and PowerPoint decks every day. Yet Perplexity Pro stumbled on some of the most common file types. If I had to convert my documents first, that’s just more hassle.

A paid platform should smooth out the wrinkles in my workflow, not add new ones. When I realized I’d need to jump through hoops, I kept thinking: why am I bothering with this? If the core pitch is convenience, restricting key file formats does nothing but annoy users and undermine the product’s entire value proposition.

11. No Personalization or Plugins

One of the things I love about other AI platforms—ChatGPT in particular—is the ability to tweak and expand the service with plugins and custom options. Whether I’m pulling in data from a specific source or adding extra tools that suit my workflow, that freedom is a huge draw.

Perplexity Pro doesn’t offer that flexibility. No plugins, no personal tweaks, no marketplace of add-ons. It’s one-size-fits-all, take it or leave it. For twenty bucks a month, I’d like to tailor it to my preferences. Instead, I’m stuck with a rigid product that refuses to bend. In a landscape where customization is king, this feels like a relic.

12. Awkward Image-Generation Workflow

If the platform’s going to advertise image generation, I expect a straightforward process. Yet Perplexity Pro insists on searching first before you can kick off image creation. The whole thing feels backward, like some unnecessary ritual you have to perform just to get a picture out of it.

I should be able to type in a prompt and watch the magic happen. Instead, I had to wrestle with this roundabout method that slowed me down. In contrast, free tools let me jump right in. It’s another example of Perplexity Pro adding friction where it claims to provide ease.

13. Flat and Uninspired Creative Output

When I interact with something like ChatGPT, I often enjoy the clever metaphors or quirky examples it comes up with. Perplexity Pro, on the other hand, sticks close to the source material and rarely injects flair. It’s a straightforward, by-the-book character, which might be reliable but gets boring fast.

If I’m shelling out monthly, I’d like the tool to at least make me smile once in a while or present ideas in a fresh way. Instead, the results feel like canned responses. There’s no personality, no sense of creative spark. This approach might be fine for strict fact-finding, but it’s a letdown if you’re looking for something more imaginative.

14. Tethered to Existing Sources

Perplexity Pro’s accuracy comes from leaning heavily on established sources. That’s not a flaw in itself, but it results in zero interpretive leaps. You never get the feeling that the AI is connecting dots in interesting ways. It’s more like an overachieving intern who never questions the boss.

If I wanted just-the-facts answers, I could save my twenty bucks and do a manual web search. AI tools stand out when they bring fresh angles or help me see patterns I’d miss. Perplexity Pro’s fixation on citation and verification, while admirable, sacrifices any hint of intellectual curiosity.

15. Not Great for Complex, Insightful Analysis

If you have a detailed, data-heavy request, don’t hold your breath. Perplexity Pro isn’t the right tool for deep analysis or intricate problem-solving. When asked to interpret complex datasets or provide layered suggestions, it often falls flat. I can get superficial breakdowns, but not the kind of rich, multi-dimensional insight I crave.

This failing is the final straw. When I’m paying monthly, I want something that handles my toughest tasks. Instead, Perplexity Pro nudges me right back to tools I’ve already relied on for free. The platform doesn’t rise to the challenge; it wilts in the spotlight.

Conclusion: Not Worth the Price

After giving Perplexity Pro a fair shot, I walked away unimpressed. For twenty bucks, I was hoping for something genuinely fresh or at least notably more convenient. Instead, I got a bundling of everyday features, a series of usage caps, a lack of customization, and zero standout tricks that set it apart from the free alternatives.

If you’re already comfortable navigating the free ecosystem of AI tools, Perplexity Pro just feels like paying for the convenience of fewer browser tabs. And that’s a weak justification when you consider how easy it is to piece together a better, more versatile workflow at no cost. In a crowded market full of freebies and cheaper options, Perplexity Pro doesn’t earn its keep. You’re better off saving your cash for a product that genuinely moves the needle.

Nevertheless, if you’ve weighed all these drawbacks. Still wish to go with the purchase, congratulations! You’re making a considered decision that you won’t regret.

Reference:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5u9pnYC2rmE&pp=ygUVcGVycGxleGl0eSBwcm8gcmV2aWV3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6WKKgt36H8&pp=ygUVcGVycGxleGl0eSBwcm8gcmV2aWV3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1QrhCeCcAE&pp=ygURcGVycGxleGl0eSByZXZpZXc%3D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86OuyavwUnc&pp=ygURcGVycGxleGl0eSByZXZpZXc%3D