API Pricing
Perplexity API Cost 2026:
Sonar Models & Online Search Pricing
Perplexity AI's Sonar API provides LLM access with real-time web search built in. Complete 2026 pricing guide for Sonar, Sonar Pro, and how Perplexity compares to using OpenAI + Bing Search separately.
9 min read·Updated March 2026
Perplexity API Pricing
$1.00
Sonar input per 1M
$5.00
Sonar Pro input per 1M
$5.00
per 1,000 searches
$0
$5 free credits on signup
Perplexity Sonar API Pricing 2026
| Model | Input (per 1M) | Output (per 1M) | Per 1K requests | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sonar Pro | $3.00 | $15.00 | $5.00 | Deep research, 10+ sources |
| Sonar | $1.00 | $1.00 | $5.00 | Fast search + answer |
| Sonar Reasoning | $1.00 | $5.00 | $5.00 | Chain-of-thought reasoning |
| Sonar Deep Research | $2.00 | $8.00 | $5.00 | Multi-step research reports |
Important: Perplexity charges both token costs and a per-request fee of $5 per 1,000 requests (for models with web search). The total cost per query = token cost + $0.005 per request.
The True Cost Per Perplexity API Query
For a typical query (500 tokens in + 400 tokens out):
| Model | Token Cost | Request Fee | Total Per Query |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sonar | $0.0009 | $0.005 | $0.0059 |
| Sonar Pro | $0.0075 | $0.005 | $0.0125 |
| Sonar Reasoning | $0.0025 | $0.005 | $0.0075 |
Perplexity vs Building Your Own Search + LLM Stack
Alternative: OpenAI GPT-4o mini + Bing Search API
| Approach | Cost Per Query | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perplexity Sonar | $0.006 | Zero infra, fast, built-in citations | Less control over sources |
| GPT-4o mini + Bing | $0.003–0.01 | Full control, customizable | Significant engineering work |
| Perplexity Sonar Pro | $0.013 | Deep research quality | Higher cost |
| GPT-4o + Bing | $0.015–0.05 | Best quality, full control | Most expensive DIY option |
When to Use Perplexity API
- Use Perplexity when: You need real-time web search integrated with LLM responses, want zero infrastructure overhead, and need citations for sources
- Build your own when: You need custom data sources (not public web), want to control which sites are searched, or need to comply with specific data policies
- Volume threshold: Above 1M queries/month, building your own stack usually becomes cheaper
Perplexity Pro Subscription vs API
If you're just building a personal tool or prototype:
- Perplexity Pro subscription: $20/month — includes 300+ Pro searches per day via the web UI
- At 300 searches/day = 9,000/month: $20 vs API cost of ~$113 for Sonar — subscription is 5× cheaper for personal use
- For programmatic/API access, the API is required
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