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Perplexity vs Sourcegraph Cody

Perplexity logo

Perplexity

Software

AI-powered answer engine with citations

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Sourcegraph Cody logo

Sourcegraph Cody

Software

Enterprise AI coding assistant with whole-codebase context

From
$59/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Perplexity has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Perplexity context window has been stealthily reduced despite prior claims of 1-million-token capacity; Sourcegraph Cody no longer available to individual developers or small teams after free and Pro tiers were discontinued in mid-2025
  • They diverge on capability: Perplexity covers Real-time web search, Sourcegraph Cody covers Multi-repository context.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Perplexity and Sourcegraph Cody actually diverge.

Attributes where Perplexity and Sourcegraph Cody differ
AttributePerplexitySourcegraph Cody
Starting priceFree$59/month
Pricing modelUnknownquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, Comet (AI browser)web, windows, mac, linux
Founded20222013

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Perplexity

  • Real-time web search
  • Source citations
  • Follow-up questions
  • File analysis
  • Browser extension
  • API access
  • Mobile apps
  • Web support

Only in Sourcegraph Cody

  • Multi-repository context
  • Large context window
  • Context filters
  • Model flexibility
  • IDE integration

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Perplexity

  • ai tools managementnot Sourcegraph Cody
  • Workflow automationnot Sourcegraph Cody
  • Reportingnot Sourcegraph Cody

Sourcegraph Cody

  • Cross-repository code understanding for large engineering orgsnot Perplexity
  • AI-assisted code review and refactoring at enterprise scalenot Perplexity
  • Enforcing data-boundary controls when using third-party LLMsnot Perplexity
  • Codebase-aware chat and autocomplete for developersnot Perplexity

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Perplexity

  • Context window has been stealthily reduced despite prior claims of 1-million-token capacity
  • Citations sometimes point to irrelevant or overly general articles that do not support the stated claims
  • Weak performance on complex multi-step reasoning and deep logic compared to dedicated reasoning LLMs
  • Web crawler ignores robots.txt directives and scrapes content from sites that explicitly opted out
  • Pro subscription quotas and feature access quietly reduced without user notification

Sourcegraph Cody

  • No longer available to individual developers or small teams after free and Pro tiers were discontinued in mid-2025
  • Priced substantially higher than many competing AI coding assistants, with Enterprise plans typically requiring annual contracts
  • Sourcegraph has shifted its individual-developer focus to a separate product, Amp, creating uncertainty about Cody's long-term product priority
  • Requires integration with Sourcegraph's broader code intelligence platform rather than working as a lightweight standalone extension

Pricing, plan by plan

Perplexity

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited basic searches
    • 3 Pro Searches per day
    • 1 Research query per month
  • Pro$20/month
    • Unlimited Pro Searches
    • Advanced AI models
    • All free features
  • Pro Annual$200/year
    • Unlimited Pro Searches
    • Advanced AI models
    • All free features
  • Max$200/month
    • Unlimited Pro Searches
    • Labs multi-agent orchestration
    • Perplexity Computer with 19 AI sub-agents

Sourcegraph Cody

$59/month
  • Enterprise$59/month
    • Whole-codebase AI context
    • Context filters for sensitive code
    • Multi-repository analysis

Which should you pick?

Choose Perplexity if

  • You need real-time web search.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Comet (AI browser).
  • You also want source citations.
Perplexity review

Choose Sourcegraph Cody if

  • You need multi-repository context.
  • You work on web, windows, mac, linux.
  • You also want large context window.
Sourcegraph Cody review

Questions people ask

Is Perplexity or Sourcegraph Cody better?
Neither clearly leads. Perplexity starts at Free and Sourcegraph Cody at $59/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Perplexity or Sourcegraph Cody?
Perplexity has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Perplexity and $59/month for Sourcegraph Cody.
Does Perplexity or Sourcegraph Cody run on more platforms?
Perplexity runs on Web, iOS, Android, Comet (AI browser). Sourcegraph Cody runs on web, windows, mac, linux.
Can I use Perplexity for free?
Yes. Perplexity has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Sourcegraph Cody starts at $59/month.
What is Perplexity best used for?
Perplexity is most often used for ai tools management, workflow automation, reporting. Of those, ai tools management and workflow automation are not what Sourcegraph Cody is typically brought in for.
What can Perplexity do that Sourcegraph Cody cannot?
Perplexity covers Real-time web search, Source citations, Follow-up questions, File analysis. Sourcegraph Cody covers Multi-repository context, Large context window, Context filters, Model flexibility.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Perplexity: Is Perplexity completely free?

Perplexity has a free tier with unlimited basic searches and 3 Pro Searches per day. Pro ($20/month or $200/year) and Max ($200/month) tiers unlock more advanced features like multi-model access and unrestricted queries.

Source
Sourcegraph Cody: Is Sourcegraph Cody still available to individual developers?

No, as of mid-2025 Cody Free and Pro plans were discontinued; Cody is now sold only as part of Sourcegraph's Enterprise plan, which requires an annual contract.

Source
Perplexity: What is the difference between Pro and Max?

Pro provides access to advanced AI models like GPT-5.2, Claude Sonnet 4.5, and Gemini 3 Pro. Max adds Labs for multi-agent orchestration, Perplexity Computer with 19 specialized AI sub-agents, and 10,000 Computer credits per month.

Source
Sourcegraph Cody: How much does Sourcegraph Enterprise cost?

Enterprise plans start around $16,000 and scale with team size and seat count, including bundled AI credits; exact pricing requires a sales quote.

Source
Perplexity: Can I use Perplexity offline?

No. Perplexity requires an active internet connection for all searches. The full answer service is not available offline.

Source
Sourcegraph Cody: How does the AI credit system work on Enterprise plans?

Each plan includes a pooled allocation of AI credits shared across the organization; credits do not expire and roll over at renewal, with volume credit add-ons available.

Source
Perplexity: What platforms does Perplexity support?

Perplexity is available as a web application, iOS app, Android app, and as Comet, a dedicated AI browser for mobile (Android available, iOS in development).

Source
Sourcegraph Cody: What happens if my organization exceeds its credit allocation?

Sourcegraph's pricing page addresses overage and offers additional volume credit buckets for teams that need more than their committed allocation.

Source
Perplexity: How reliable are Perplexity's citations?

Citations are a key feature of Perplexity, but users report that citations sometimes point to irrelevant or overly general articles that don't directly support the claims made.

Source
Sourcegraph Cody: Is a free trial available for Sourcegraph Enterprise?

Sourcegraph's pricing page lists free trial availability as one of its published FAQ topics for prospective Enterprise customers.

Source
Perplexity: Does Perplexity's context window match the advertised 1 million tokens?

Perplexity had promoted a 1-million-token context window, but users have reported stealth reductions in the actual context capacity without public announcement.

Source
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