Recipes / Browsing
Answer engine instead of search
User reports stopping Google Search entirely for everyday lookups in favor of cited AI answers.
Tool names link to each official site (opens in a new tab). Links marked “aff” are affiliate links. Disclosure
App vs bot, side by side
| Old app / habit | Bot | |
|---|---|---|
| Tool | Google Search | Perplexity |
| Monthly cost | Free | Free; Pro $20/mo |
| Setup | None (already in use) | None (ready to use) · Beginner |
| Your time | Baseline | Not reported |
| Maintenance | Handled by vendor/you as before | None. |
| Privacy | Data stays with the app vendor | Queries go to Perplexity. |
Full comparison
| Replaces | Google Search |
|---|---|
| Bot / agent stack | Perplexity |
| Monthly cost before | Free |
| Monthly cost after | Free; Pro $20/mo |
| Setup time | None (ready to use) |
| Time saved | Not reported |
| Skill level | Beginner |
| Reliability | 3/5: commenters note Google still wins for local and exact-link lookups. |
| Maintenance | None. |
| Privacy & data | Queries go to Perplexity. |
| Best for | Research questions |
| Not for | Local businesses, exact URLs |
Pros and cons
Pros
- Cited answers
Cons
- Weaker for local/navigation
How it works
- Use Perplexity as default search
Source and evidence
Commenters note Google is still better for local and exact-link lookups.
Read the original Reddit source ↗
“Not reported” means the source doesn't say. We never fill gaps with guesses. Numbers marked “per author” or “vendor claim” are the source's own and weren't independently tested. Source check: Source (Reddit) blocked our fetcher on 2026-10-15; details from original read.
Our rating is an editorial opinion based on the public source above, not lab testing. Spot an error? Request a correction.
Plain-text summary (for search and AI assistants)
Answer engine instead of search. Replaces Google Search with Perplexity. Cost before: Free. Cost after: Free; Pro $20/mo. Setup: None (ready to use), Beginner. Time saved: Not reported. Reliability 3/5: 3/5: commenters note Google still wins for local and exact-link lookups. Best for: Research questions. Not for: Local businesses, exact URLs. Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/perplexity_ai/comments/1l1rsh9/completely_stopped_using_google_search/
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