The AI ReceiptsHow much does Perplexity make? Revenue tripled after it started selling an AI agent
By Cydel Giraudel · Data checked Oct 22, 2026 · How we verify
Perplexity makes over $750 million a year in annualized revenue, The Information reported on Aug 23, 2026. By The Information's numbers, that is about three times its pace in January. Reported, not verified
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Unlike the rest of our site, nothing on this page is processor-verified. These are press reports and company statements, each linked with its date. Where sources disagree we show both. We did not estimate any number. For businesses whose payment data we can check, see the verified AI revenue leaderboard.
What is Perplexity's revenue?
Over $750M in annualized revenue as of August 2026, per The Information, citing people familiar with the matter. Perplexity didn't comment on the report (SiliconANGLE). Annualized revenue projects recent revenue over a full year; it is not audited annual revenue. The same report said Nvidia was in talks to invest at a valuation above $30 billion. Perplexity was valued at $20 billion in September 2025 (Financial Times via The Economic Times).
How fast did Perplexity's revenue grow?
| When | Reported figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| About 2 years before Mar 2026 | ~$16M ARR | Financial Times, Apr 7, 2026 (via The Economic Times) |
| Start of 2026 | Under $250M annualized revenue | The Information, Aug 23, 2026 (via SiliconANGLE) |
| Before the Feb 2026 pricing change | ~$305M ARR | Financial Times, Apr 7, 2026 (via The Economic Times) |
| Feb 2026 | Launches Perplexity Computer, an AI agent, and moves to usage-based pricing | Financial Times via The Economic Times; CNBC, Jun 3, 2026 |
| Mar 2026 | Over $450M ARR, up ~50% in one month | Financial Times, Apr 7, 2026 (via The Economic Times) |
| Jun 2026 | CEO says annualized revenue has tripled since the start of the year | CEO Aravind Srinivas to CNBC, Jun 3, 2026 |
| Aug 2026 | Over $750M annualized revenue | The Information, Aug 23, 2026 (via SiliconANGLE, Aug 24) |
The start-of-2026 figure differs by source: under $250M (The Information) vs about $305M just before the February pricing change (Financial Times). So we show it as a range, $250M–$305M. Both outlets cite people familiar with the company or company executives; none of it is verified.
Why did Perplexity's revenue triple this year?
It started selling work, not just answers. In February 2026 it launched Perplexity Computer, an AI agent that can do multi-step tasks over hours: research, write reports, update spreadsheets and documents, and work across your apps (CNBC; SiliconANGLE). At the same time it moved to usage-based pricing. Paid plans include a set number of credits, and heavy users pay for more (Financial Times via The Economic Times).
The result, per the FT: revenue up about 50% in a single month, to over $450M by March. CEO Aravind Srinivas told CNBC in June that annualized revenue had tripled since January, and he credited better Anthropic models running inside Perplexity.
How does Perplexity make money?
Subscriptions plus usage. The FT reported paid plans from $20 to $200 a month in April 2026, with credits for heavier work. It also sells to businesses: the FT said Perplexity has over 100 million monthly active users, including tens of thousands of enterprise customers (company figures).
What does Perplexity's growth mean for your business?
Two things, in our read. First, people pay more for an AI that does the task than for one that answers questions. The reports tie Perplexity's jump to its agent and its new usage pricing, not to search. If you are thinking about how to automate your business with AI, that is where the money is moving.
Second, answer engines like Perplexity and ChatGPT are a new place to be found. A few small businesses in our data sell exactly that, getting brands mentioned in AI answers, with verified revenue:
| Business | Verified revenue |
|---|---|
| AEO Engine An AI-search SEO agency that gets clients cited by ChatGPT and AI Overviews. | $164,836 MRR TrustMRR, Oct 22 2026 |
| Rank Prompt Track and improve how your site shows up in AI search engines. | $43,561 MRR TrustMRR, Oct 22 2026 |
| Reddit Agency Gets brands recommended by ChatGPT and Google via Reddit, or you don't pay. | $34,750 MRR TrustMRR, Oct 22 2026 |
| RankAI Autonomous SEO and AI-search content for agencies and e-commerce brands. | $56,533 MRR last TrustMRR sync Jul 30 2026 (stale) |
More: how to start an AI agency, how to make money with ChatGPT, how to make money with AI and AI business ideas with real revenue.
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Other famous AI tools (reported figures): how much Cursor makes, how much Lovable makes and how much ElevenLabs makes, plus Replit, Anthropic, OpenAI and Podium's AI agents. Verified with payment data: Cometly, PropGPT and ShipFast. All of them side by side: how much do AI companies make?
Compare every AI company we cover: how much do AI companies make? (verified and reported revenue, side by side).
FAQ
How much does Perplexity make?
Over $750 million a year in annualized revenue as of August 2026, The Information reported on Aug 23, 2026, citing people familiar with the company. That is a reported run rate, not verified revenue, and Perplexity did not comment on the report (SiliconANGLE).
How fast is Perplexity growing?
Very fast this year. Reports put it at $250M–$305M at the start of 2026 (The Information said under $250M; the Financial Times said about $305M before its February pricing change), over $450M in March (FT) and over $750M in August (The Information). The CEO told CNBC on Jun 3, 2026 that annualized revenue had tripled since January.
Why did Perplexity revenue jump in 2026?
Reports credit two changes in February 2026: Perplexity Computer, an AI agent that does multi-step computer work for you, and usage-based pricing on top of subscriptions, where heavy users pay for extra credits (Financial Times, Apr 2026). The CEO also credited better Anthropic models inside Perplexity (CNBC, Jun 2026).
How much does Perplexity cost?
Subscriptions run from $20 to $200 a month, with credits included and extra usage paid on top, the Financial Times reported in April 2026. Check perplexity.ai for current plans, since pricing changed in 2026.
How many people use Perplexity?
Over 100 million monthly active users, including tens of thousands of business customers, per the Financial Times (Apr 2026). That is a company-reported figure.
Is Perplexity revenue verified?
No. Perplexity is private and does not publish processor-verified revenue. Every figure here comes from press reports or company executives, each linked with its date. For AI businesses whose payment data we can check, see our leaderboard.
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