Perplexity or Google better?

While Google has been the go-to search engine for decades, Perplexity Pro's comprehensive features and AI-powered internet search could make it a formidable competitor.

But which search engine should you use? Google and Perplexity were tested across multiple search categories to see which one performed best.

1. Recipe

First, Google and Perplexity Pro were asked to find gluten-free Christmas cookie recipes. Google's search results are mostly images, and for each recipe featured, you'll get a brief summary of the ingredients needed. You may also see star ratings, but honestly, few people pay attention to these for recipes.

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Perplexity Pro, on the other hand, is mostly text-based. It gives a broader overview of the source, but the lack of images in the app is a problem. There is a Search Images option on the right side, which is a bit better, but Google's layout is better.

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While Google has a better recipe layout (and you can use Google effectively for better results), Perplexity's descriptions for each recipe are better than Google's. In essence, the perfect search engine would be a combination of Google's images and Perplexity's descriptions. Since their strengths and weaknesses cancel each other out, each engine gets a point.

Winning option: Draw

2. Travel tips and destinations

Next, let's move on to travel and plan a 10-day fantasy trip to Switzerland. First, ask Perplexity to come up with a doable itinerary. In addition to providing resources, the tool also provides a rough day-by-day plan.

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If you want to start and end at the same location, give this prompt:

Give me a 10-day Switzerland itinerary, starting and finishing in Zürich.

Give me a 10-day itinerary in Switzerland , starting and ending in Zürich.

More accurate results and more great travel tips from Perplexity.

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Next, type a long search into Google:

10-day Switzerland itinerary that starts and finishes in Zürich

Ten-day itinerary in Switzerland starting and ending in Zürich

Google offers a mix of articles and forums, but only a few of them actually answer the question posed. With the ease of refining searches in Perplexity and the level of detail, Perplexity gets the point across. Still, use Google to find quality blogs that support your research and offer more unique tips.

Winning Option: Perplexity

3. General knowledge

In addition to more complex searches, let's compare Google and Perplexity when answering basic questions. Experiment with some general knowledge queries:

1. The world's southernmost settlement
2. Largest eagle by wingspan
3. Year of first commercial flight

Google is much faster at finding the answer to the first question. However, the second question is worse. Perplexity gives a more definitive answer, while Google gives a list of many birds other than eagles.

They both come to the same conclusion with the third question, but Google is much faster. For most general knowledge queries, it is better to use Google for speed and accuracy. However, checking with Perplexity is also a good idea for controversial matters.

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Winning Option: Google

4. Shopping recommendations

Next, Google and Perplexity were asked to recommend outdoor clothing for a winter trip to Iceland. Because they wanted specific brands and not just a quick overview, the example searched specifically for fleece.

Google provided a list of videos and forum discussions before getting into the articles. Finding the answers required a little digging, but it was interesting how you could see specific brands mentioned when you clicked on each video.

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Perplexity is more direct. It completed the summary by suggesting specific brands. It can then perform a follow-up search to dig deeper into the best brands and learn more about different types of wool. Since Perplexity answered the specific question asked and allowed for more detail, it gets an extra point. Perplexity also has a useful AI shopping feature.

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Winning Option: Perplexity

5. TV and Movie Recommendations

Next, Google and Perplexity were asked to recommend TV shows and movies. Layout aside, they were very similar. Perplexity provided a list of recent releases, and then a separate list of the best movies of all time.

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Meanwhile, Google provides a visual overview before revealing articles on the topic. Both apps list similar results when searching for movies; this one is a tie.

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Winning option: Draw

6. Instructions

Knowing what to do if something goes wrong is always great, so next try Google and Perplexity for help unclogging a clogged drain.

Perplexity is the best AI-powered search engine for queries like this, You get clear steps for different things you can do. When trying to solve a problem, reading step by step is often easier than replaying parts of a video.

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Unfortunately, Google has already provided a list of videos first. In this situation, a quick answer would be more helpful, and watching multiple videos doesn't do the trick (plus it requires sifting through multiple results).

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Winning Option: Perplexity

Lesley Montoya

Update 31 December 2024