Free AI platform comparison

Perplexity AI vs ChatGLM (Zhipu AI): Complete Comparison

Perplexity AI 和 智谱清言 (智谱AI) 深度对比:免费额度、API 价格、模型能力、中国大陆可用性,帮你选最合适的 AI 工具

Quick decision

Perplexity AI vs ChatGLM (Zhipu AI): Complete Comparison: pricing, free API, and limits

Quick answer: choose Perplexity AI if its free tier, model family, or ecosystem fits your app better; choose ChatGLM (Zhipu AI) if it gives better free API credits, pricing, or access for your workflow. This comparison focuses on free tier, API pricing, limits, setup, and practical alternatives.

Free tierPerplexity AI: No limit (basic search) · ChatGLM (Zhipu AI): No explicit limit
Free APINo vs 500万 tokens
Best checkCredits, rate limits, setup friction
DecisionTest both if rank, latency, or access matters
Perplexity AI

Perplexity AI

40pts
1 wins
VS
👑ChatGLM (Zhipu AI)

ChatGLM (Zhipu AI)

80pts
2 wins

🏆 Overall, ChatGLM (Zhipu AI) offers more free value (2/6 categories)

📊 Side-by-Side

Category
Perplexity AI
ChatGLM (Zhipu AI)
Free Tier
✅ No limit (basic search)
✅ No explicit limit
Free API
❌ None
✅ 500万 tokens
Rate Limit
N/A
5 RPM
Open Source
❌ No
✅ Yes
Free Models
2
1
GitHub Stars
-
-

🧠 Model Details

Perplexity AI2 models
Perplexity Default
📐 32k⚡ Fair use
AI search engine, real-time web access
Pro Search
📐 32k⚡ 5/day free
Deep search, 5 per day for free users
ChatGLM (Zhipu AI)1 models
GLM-4
📐 128k⚡ Fair use
Zhipu's flagship model, free to use

🎯 Which should you choose?

Choose Perplexity AI if…

you want No limit (basic search) on the free tier.

Choose ChatGLM (Zhipu AI) if…

you want No explicit limit on the free tier, plus 500万 tokens for API tests.

FAQ

Which is better, Perplexity AI or ChatGLM (Zhipu AI)?

ChatGLM (Zhipu AI) scores higher in this free-tier comparison because it wins more of the measured categories. Still, the best choice depends on your exact needs: free chat access, API credits, open-source models, or rate limits.

Does Perplexity AI have a free tier?

Yes. Perplexity AI lists No limit (basic search) for free users.

Does ChatGLM (Zhipu AI) have a free tier?

Yes. ChatGLM (Zhipu AI) lists No explicit limit for free users.

Which one is better for API experiments?

Perplexity AI has no clearly listed free API credits; ChatGLM (Zhipu AI) offers 500万 tokens. Choose the option with enough credits and rate limits for your prototype.

Source snapshot

Data source: yangmao.ai provider YAML tracker plus curated comparison notes. Official dashboards can change credits, limits, model availability, and pricing without notice; verify in the provider console before production.

yangmao.ai comparison slug
perplexity-vs-zhipu
Perplexity AI source
https://www.perplexity.ai
ChatGLM (Zhipu AI) source
https://chatglm.cn
Dataset freshness
Perplexity AI: 2026-06-15 · ChatGLM (Zhipu AI): 2026-06-15
Decision data
Free tier, API credits, rate limits, model list, China access notes, and curated comparison dimensions from the yangmao.ai provider tracker.

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