Perplexity throttles PRO subscribers without prior notice: Difference between revisions
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==Background== | ==Background== | ||
Up to the event, Perplexity had offered: | Up to the event, Perplexity had offered<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-02-18 |title=Perplexity Plans Comparison - enterprise page |url=https://www.perplexity.ai/enterprise/pricing |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250521135754/https://www.perplexity.ai/enterprise/pricing |archive-date=2025-05-21 |access-date=2026-02-18 |website=perplexity.ai}}</ref>: | ||
*600 daily Deep Research queries, which is the mode that most distinguishes the AI platform. It takes 3-5 minutes for the answer, acting like an agent | *Unlimited queries<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-02-16 |title=How does Perplexity work? |url=https://www.perplexity.ai/help-center/en/articles/10352895-how-does-perplexity-work |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250918164004/https://www.perplexity.ai/help-center/en/articles/10352895-how-does-perplexity-work |archive-date=2025-09-18 |access-date=2026-02-16 |website=perplexity.ai}}</ref>, this is the common query, the action of writing a query and pressing send; | ||
*50 Labs queries, which takes around 10 minutes to complete the iterations, and this is a mode to generate outputs that are entire webpages/apps | *600 daily Deep Research queries<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-03-03 |title=AI answer engine Perplexity releases “Deep Research” research function that can be used by everyone |url=https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000001.000157647.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260216084435/https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000001.000157647.html |archive-date=2026-02-16 |access-date=2026-02-16 |website=prtimes.jp}}</ref>, which is the mode that most distinguishes the AI platform. It takes 3-5 minutes for the answer, acting like an agent; | ||
*Unlimited<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-07 |title=Perplexity PRO subscribe page |url=https://www.perplexity.ai/pro |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250807201456/https://www.perplexity.ai/pro |archive-date=2025-08-07 |access-date=2026-02-11 |website=perplexity.ai}}</ref> | *50 Labs queries<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-02-13 |title=HKT x Perplexity - comparison normal-pro |url=https://1010.com.hk/perplexitypro-2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260216090606/https://1010.com.hk/perplexitypro-2026 |archive-date=2026-02-16 |access-date=2026-02-16 |website=1010.com.hk}}</ref>, which takes around 10 minutes to complete the iterations, and this is a mode to generate outputs that are entire webpages/apps; | ||
*Unlimited file uploads<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-02-16 |title=What is Perplexity Pro? |url=https://www.perplexity.ai/help-center/en/articles/10352901-what-is-perplexity-pro |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260109003631/https://www.perplexity.ai/help-center/en/articles/10352901-what-is-perplexity-pro |archive-date=2026-01-09 |access-date=2026-02-16 |website=perplexity.ai}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-07 |title=Perplexity PRO subscribe page |url=https://www.perplexity.ai/pro |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250807201456/https://www.perplexity.ai/pro |archive-date=2025-08-07 |access-date=2026-02-11 |website=perplexity.ai}}</ref>. When making queries, users can attach files to have them analyzed. | |||
Deep Research is one of the main reasons why customers subscribes to the PRO plan, and file uploads are important, particularly for research/students use. | Deep Research is one of the main reasons why customers subscribes to the PRO plan, and file uploads are important, particularly for research/students use. | ||
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There is no published limit, the values are only shown on the phone app when creating queries, and were available on the webapp before the change, but the new UI after the change has hidden these values from the browser version. | There is no published limit, the values are only shown on the phone app when creating queries, and were available on the webapp before the change, but the new UI after the change has hidden these values from the browser version. | ||
The limit has coincided with the announcement<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-02-06 |title=Upgraded Deep Research |url=https://www.perplexity.ai/changelog/what-we-shipped---february-6th-2026 |url-status=live |access-date=2026-02-10 |website=Perlexity.ai}}</ref> of a new Deep Search, more powerful, based on Opus 4.5. | The limit has coincided with the announcement<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-02-06 |title=Upgraded Deep Research |url=https://www.perplexity.ai/changelog/what-we-shipped---february-6th-2026 |url-status=live |access-date=2026-02-10 |website=Perlexity.ai |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260221143806/https://www.perplexity.ai/changelog/what-we-shipped---february-6th-2026 |archive-date=21 Feb 2026}}</ref> of a new Deep Search, more powerful, based on Opus 4.5. | ||
==Incident== | ==Incident== | ||
Perplexity has deliberately reduced monthly queries for Pro users without prior notice for all their Pro user base.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-02-05 |title=Reddit reports |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/perplexity_ai/comments/1qwhej3/9989_reduction_in_research_quota_over_night/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260208223836/https://www.reddit.com/r/perplexity_ai/comments/1qwhej3/9989_reduction_in_research_quota_over_night/ |archive-date=2026-02-08 |access-date=2026-02-08 |website=Reddit}}</ref> The new limits are the followings: | Perplexity has deliberately reduced monthly and daily queries for Pro users without prior notice for all their Pro user base.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-02-05 |title=Reddit reports |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/perplexity_ai/comments/1qwhej3/9989_reduction_in_research_quota_over_night/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260208223836/https://www.reddit.com/r/perplexity_ai/comments/1qwhej3/9989_reduction_in_research_quota_over_night/ |archive-date=2026-02-08 |access-date=2026-02-08 |website=Reddit}}</ref> The new limits are the followings: | ||
*Queries: '''Unlimited -> 200/week''' | |||
*Deep Research: '''600/day -> 20/month''' | *Deep Research: '''600/day -> 20/month''' | ||
*Labs: '''50/month -> 25/month''' | *Labs: '''50/month -> 25/month''' | ||
*File uploads: '''unlimited -> 50/week''' | *File uploads: '''unlimited -> 50/week''' | ||
Since the new web UI didn't show the new limits and no announcement has been made, users have exhausted their monthly allowance in less than a day, having now to wait 1.5 days before they could make another query, similar for attachments to queries. This is notably important for users that renew monthly, and a break of trust for annual subscribers, which mid-term have found themselves with a service notably different from the one they've subscribed to. | Since the new web UI didn't show the new limits and no announcement has been made, users have exhausted their monthly allowance in less than a day, having now to wait 1.5 days before they could make another query, similar for attachments to queries. This is notably important for users that renew monthly, and a break of trust for annual subscribers, which mid-term have found themselves with a service notably different from the one they've subscribed to. | ||
The usage of a Deep research or Labs query, gets deducted from the normal queries, further reducing their weekly cap. | |||
Some users<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-02-18 |title=rate limited for advanced search/agentic |url=https://discord.com/channels/1047197230748151888/1392544076527833188/1473529412120219668 |url-status=live |access-date=2026-02-18 |website=Discord |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260224123602/https://discord.com/channels/1047197230748151888/1392544076527833188/1473529412120219668 |archive-date=24 Feb 2026}}</ref> report, that also the use of Perplexity's browser "Comet", deducts queries during use, reducing the queries even more. | |||
One user got muted and received a 90 days warn for posting a link to this wiki article, it was valuated non-constructive feedback and eliminated. [[File:Perplexity new limits comparison 8 Feb 2026.webp|alt=Screenshot of queries limits before and after.|thumb|Comparison between queries limits before and after the 2026-02-05 incident.]] | |||
==Consumers response== | ==Consumers response== | ||
Users have started opening formal complaints<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-02-08 |title=Formal Complaints |url=https://discord.com/channels/1047197230748151888/1469840248686121081 |url-status=live |access-date=2026-02-09 |website=Discord}}</ref> on Perplexity's Discord server, and on others of their social media. | Users have started opening formal complaints<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-02-08 |title=Formal Complaints |url=https://discord.com/channels/1047197230748151888/1469840248686121081 |url-status=live |access-date=2026-02-09 |website=Discord |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260224125449/https://discord.com/channels/1047197230748151888/1469840248686121081 |archive-date=24 Feb 2026}}</ref> on Perplexity's Discord server, and on others of their social media. | ||
Some users<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-02-06 |title=Subscribed to Pro for Deep Research – they nerfed it the same week, no refund |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/perplexity_ai/comments/1qxrqs9/subscribed_to_pro_for_deep_research_they_nerfed/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-02-10 |website=Reddit}}</ref> have asked for a refund a couple of days after the annual subscription, saying that this is not the service promoted at the time of subscription, but Perplexity has denied the refund. | Some users<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-02-06 |title=Subscribed to Pro for Deep Research – they nerfed it the same week, no refund |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/perplexity_ai/comments/1qxrqs9/subscribed_to_pro_for_deep_research_they_nerfed/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-02-10 |website=Reddit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260224125515/https://old.reddit.com/r/perplexity_ai/comments/1qxrqs9/subscribed_to_pro_for_deep_research_they_nerfed/ |archive-date=24 Feb 2026}}</ref> have asked for a refund a couple of days after the annual subscription, saying that this is not the service promoted at the time of subscription, but Perplexity has denied the refund. | ||
Some users<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-02-07 |title=Cancelled my pro subscription after the recent Deep Research limits |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/perplexity_ai/comments/1qy9pc4/cancelled_my_pro_subscription_after_the_recent/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-02-10 |website=Reddit}}</ref> have cancelled their subscription. | Some users<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-02-07 |title=Cancelled my pro subscription after the recent Deep Research limits |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/perplexity_ai/comments/1qy9pc4/cancelled_my_pro_subscription_after_the_recent/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-02-10 |website=Reddit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260224125538/https://old.reddit.com/r/perplexity_ai/comments/1qy9pc4/cancelled_my_pro_subscription_after_the_recent/ |archive-date=24 Feb 2026}}</ref> have cancelled their subscription. | ||
One user has started a petition<ref>{{Cite web |last=Desm |first=Mark |date=2026-02-09 |title=Hold Perplexity accountable for unlimited claims |url=https://www.change.org/p/hold-perplexity-accountable-for-unlimited-claims |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260210234656/https://www.change.org/p/hold-perplexity-accountable-for-unlimited-claims |archive-date=2026-02-10 |access-date=2026-02-11 |website=change.org}}</ref> on change.org, over 80 people have signed on the first day. Perplexity is actively removing the petition link whenever gets posted on the server. | One user has started a petition<ref>{{Cite web |last=Desm |first=Mark |date=2026-02-09 |title=Hold Perplexity accountable for unlimited claims |url=https://www.change.org/p/hold-perplexity-accountable-for-unlimited-claims |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260210234656/https://www.change.org/p/hold-perplexity-accountable-for-unlimited-claims |archive-date=2026-02-10 |access-date=2026-02-11 |website=change.org}}</ref> on change.org, over 80 people have signed on the first day. Perplexity is actively removing the petition link whenever it gets posted on the server. | ||
Users are inciting (with a step-by-step guide)<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-02-23 |title=3 ways to dispute the ToS |url=https://discord.com/channels/1047197230748151888/1470263936426442812/1475551484580990996 |url-status=live |access-date=2026-02-28 |website=Discord}}</ref> to dispute the Terms of Service via legal means, asking the resolution to be the restoration of the original limits as at the time of the yearly contract was stipulated. The proposed ways to enforce this dispute for people in the USA are: | |||
*State Attorney General | |||
*Federal Trade Commission | |||
*Better Business Bureau | |||
'' | ==Perplexity response== | ||
There has been no official communication, but one of the moderators of the Discord server has expressed their opinion<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-02-08 |title=Moderator mares opinion |url=https://discord.com/channels/1047197230748151888/1111786888626438245/1470033172573192242 |url-status=live |access-date=2026-02-11 |website=Discord |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260224125628/https://discord.com/channels/1047197230748151888/1111786888626438245/1470033172573192242 |archive-date=24 Feb 2026}}</ref> on why this has happened: <blockquote>"''Bottom line: Less wasteful querying, More intentional AI use, Healthier infrastructure, Lower environmental load.'' | |||
There are reports of bans on Perplexity's Discord server under the pretext of violating Terms of Service<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-01-27 |title=Thread about ToS changes and impact on users. |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/perplexity_ai/comments/1qnyrme/heres_what_i_found_out_on_pro/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260211093005/https://old.reddit.com/r/perplexity_ai/comments/1qnyrme/heres_what_i_found_out_on_pro/ |archive-date=2026-02-11 |access-date=2026-02-11 |website=Reddit}}</ref> and post deletion on Reddit<ref>{{Cite web |title=User complaining that Reddit moderation deleted his comment. |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/perplexity_ai/comments/1r0bpdy/perplexity_has_been_scamming_their_users/o4jdkl6/}}</ref> | ''That’s not regression. That’s responsible evolution.''"</blockquote>There are reports of bans on Perplexity's Discord server under the pretext of violating Terms of Service<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-01-27 |title=Thread about ToS changes and impact on users. |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/perplexity_ai/comments/1qnyrme/heres_what_i_found_out_on_pro/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260211093005/https://old.reddit.com/r/perplexity_ai/comments/1qnyrme/heres_what_i_found_out_on_pro/ |archive-date=2026-02-11 |access-date=2026-02-11 |website=Reddit}}</ref> and post deletion on Reddit<ref>{{Cite web |title=User complaining that Reddit moderation deleted his comment. |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/perplexity_ai/comments/1r0bpdy/perplexity_has_been_scamming_their_users/o4jdkl6/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260211215005/https://old.reddit.com/r/perplexity_ai/comments/1r0bpdy/perplexity_has_been_scamming_their_users/o4jdkl6/ |archive-date=11 Feb 2026}}</ref> | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||