NotebookLM vs Perplexity: Features, Pricing, and Limits

NotebookLM and Perplexity are both strong AI research tools, but they work in completely different ways. NotebookLM is built for working with your own uploaded files. Perplexity is built for searching the web in real time. Both have free plans and paid plans that unlock more features.

NotebookLM keeps everything inside the files you give it. Perplexity pulls answers from across the internet. This basic difference changes how you use each tool and what you can do with them. This article breaks down what each tool does, where each one falls short, and points toward a third option that fixes the problems both tools have.

What Is NotebookLM?

NotebookLM is made by Google. It is an AI research tool that works only with the files and documents you upload yourself. You can upload PDFs, Google Docs, YouTube videos (it pulls the text from them), website links, and plain text. Once you upload your files, NotebookLM creates a kind of knowledge base just for that set of files.

You can then chat with it, ask it to summarize things, or generate study guides from your uploads. It uses Google's Gemini AI model under the hood. The tool now runs on Gemini 3 for better reasoning and multimodal understanding. It does not search the open web on its own. Everything it says comes from what you give it. This is actually a good thing because it means it does not make up information that is not in your files.

Key details about NotebookLM limits and features:

• The free plan allows up to 100 notebooks and 50 sources per notebook, with a file size limit of 200MB per upload
• Audio Overviews can turn your uploaded documents into a podcast-style audio summary with two AI voices discussing the content
• It works in over 50 languages
• The Plus plan increases the source limit to 300 per notebook

What Is Perplexity?

Perplexity is an AI-powered search tool. Think of it as a smarter version of a search engine. Instead of showing you a list of links, it reads those pages and gives you a direct answer with sources cited. It searches the live web in real time. So the information it gives you is current and up to date.

You can also upload your own files to it, but its main strength is web search. It supports multiple AI models. You can switch between models like GPT-4, Claude, and others depending on what kind of task you are doing. It is built for people who need fast, fact-checked answers with sources attached.

Important Perplexity features and limits:

• The free plan gives you unlimited basic searches but only 5 advanced "Pro Searches" per day
• Pro Search mode does multiple searches in a row and reads over 100 sources before giving you an answer
• It has a feature called Labs (now Perplexity Create) that can generate reports, spreadsheets, dashboards, and even simple apps from your prompts
• Every answer it gives comes with clickable source links so you can verify the information yourself

How NotebookLM Works (The Basics)

You start by creating a notebook. Then you upload your files into it. After that, you start chatting with the AI about those files. The AI only pulls answers from the files you put in. It will not go out and search the internet for you.

The Studio panel is where you can create different outputs from your files. Audio Overviews create podcast-style summaries, Video Overviews, Mind Maps, Study Guides, Flashcards, and Quizzes. Citations are included in every answer, and they link directly back to the part of your document where the info came from. This makes it easy to check if the answer is correct.

You can create multiple notebooks. Each notebook is separate and focused on one topic or project. The tool handles all your documents in one place without mixing information from different notebooks.

Specific NotebookLM workflow details:

• Each notebook can hold up to 50 sources on the free plan and up to 300 sources on the Plus plan
• The chat has a daily limit of 50 chats per day on the free plan
• You can share notebooks with other people for group research
• Deep Research mode (newer feature) can actively search for new sources related to your topic, not just work with what you uploaded

How Perplexity Works (The Basics)

You type a question or topic. Perplexity searches the web, reads multiple pages, and puts together an answer for you with sources. Pro Search and Deep Research modes go deeper. Pro Search does a deeper search with more sources and more reasoning. Deep Research goes even further, doing 10 to 50 searches, reading over 100 sources, and writing a full report in a few minutes.

You can upload files too, but the real power is in the web search. The model selector lets you pick which AI model handles your query. Some models are better at reasoning, some at speed. The answers come with inline citations. Each claim has a number next to it that links to the source page.

Advanced Perplexity capabilities:

• Deep Research can produce a full written report in 2 to 5 minutes
• You can upload PDFs, CSVs, images, audio, and video files for analysis
• Perplexity has a feature called Spaces for team collaboration
• It supports file uploads with automatic transcription for audio and video

NotebookLM vs. Perplexity: The Key Differences

The biggest difference between NotebookLM and Perplexity is where they get their data. NotebookLM uses only your uploaded files. Perplexity searches the live web. This changes everything about how you use them.

NotebookLM is very good at not making things up because it only uses your files. Perplexity can sometimes pull in wrong information from the web, even though it cites sources. If a bad source gets into its search results, that bad information can end up in your answer.

Output types are different too. NotebookLM is stronger at creating audio summaries, podcasts, flashcards, and study materials. Perplexity is stronger at creating reports, dashboards, and apps through its Labs feature. Speed is another factor. Perplexity is faster for getting quick answers. NotebookLM takes a bit more setup because you need to upload files first.

Privacy works differently in both tools. NotebookLM keeps your data in Google's system. Perplexity anonymizes queries but stores conversation threads on its own servers.

Direct comparison of key differences:

• NotebookLM works only with your uploaded documents. Perplexity searches the open web in real time.
• NotebookLM gives zero web hallucinations because it stays within your files. Perplexity can occasionally pull incorrect info from web sources.
• Perplexity can create apps, dashboards, and spreadsheets through its Labs feature. NotebookLM cannot do this.
• NotebookLM's Audio Overview turns your documents into a podcast. Perplexity does not have this feature.
• Both support file uploads, but Perplexity combines uploaded files with web search for a wider range of answers.

Pricing: NotebookLM vs. Perplexity

Both tools have free plans and paid plans. The free versions work well for trying things out, but they get limiting fast if you use them daily.

NotebookLM has a solid free plan for basic use. The Plus plan is bundled inside Google One AI Premium at $19.99 per month, which also includes Gemini and 2TB storage. The Ultra tier is $250 per month for heavy users who need much higher limits.

Perplexity's free plan has limits on advanced searches. The Pro plan is $20 per month. The Max plan is $200 per month for unlimited everything. Enterprise starts at $40 per seat per month. Both tools lock more features behind paid plans.

For a casual user who needs basic research features, the free plans work fine. For daily users who need advanced features and higher limits, both tools cost around $20 per month. Power users and teams will pay much more for the top-tier plans.

Where NotebookLM Falls Short

The 50-source limit on the free plan is the most common complaint. If you are working on a big project, you hit this cap fast. It cannot search the web on its own (except for the newer "Discover Sources" feature, which is limited). You have to manually find and upload everything.

Some outputs can feel scripted or repetitive, especially Audio Overviews on longer documents. It struggles with messy or badly formatted PDF files. If a PDF is scanned or poorly structured, the tool has trouble reading it. Most features need an internet connection. You cannot use it fully offline. The file size limit is 200MB per upload. Large files may need to be split up.

Additional NotebookLM limitations:

• Adding too many unrelated files to one notebook makes the answers vague and unfocused
• Deleted notes cannot be recovered. There is no undo option.
• The mobile app has fewer features than the web version
• Notebook duplication is not supported yet, which makes it harder to reuse setups

Where Perplexity Falls Short

It needs an internet connection at all times. No offline mode at all. The free plan is very limited. Only 5 Pro Searches per day means you need to pay to use it properly. Sometimes the answers can be shallow or too short, especially for complex or niche topics.

It can pull information from low-quality web sources, which affects the accuracy of answers. It does not remember conversations well between sessions. Each new chat starts fresh. It is mainly built for research. It is not as good at creative writing or long-form content creation. The Max plan at $200 per month is expensive for most individual users.

Specific Perplexity weaknesses:

• Response times can be slow during busy periods or for complex queries
• It sometimes misinterprets the intent of a question and gives an off-topic answer
• File analysis on uploaded documents is basic compared to dedicated document tools
• Some cited sources may be behind paywalls, making it hard to verify the information

Why Both Tools Have the Same Problem

Both tools need an internet connection for most of their features. Neither works fully offline. Both have source or usage limits on their free plans that force you to pay for serious work. Neither tool is a native Mac app. They both run in the browser, which means extra steps and less speed on a Mac.

Both tools store your data on their own servers. You do not have full control over where your information goes. Both lock the best features behind monthly subscriptions that add up over time.

The three shared gaps across both tools:

• Neither tool works fully offline. Both need a stable internet connection for most tasks.
• Both require monthly payments to unlock the features that make them useful for daily work.
• Your data goes to Google's servers (NotebookLM) or Perplexity's servers. You have no option to keep it only on your own device.

Meet Elephas: A Smarter Way to Handle Your Knowledge

Elephas is a Mac-native AI knowledge assistant. It is made for people who want to organize and work with their information without relying on the cloud. It has a feature called Super Brain that acts as a personal knowledge base on your Mac. You can drop files, notes, and web content into it and the AI works with all of it.

The key pitch is simple: Elephas gives you the research power of tools like NotebookLM and Perplexity, but it keeps everything on your device. No data leaves your Mac unless you choose it to. It is a one-time purchase, and also a monthly subscription that starts at $9.99/month. You pay once and own it forever.

Elephas vs. NotebookLM and Perplexity: The Real Differences

NotebookLM caps you at 50 to 300 sources per notebook depending on your plan. Perplexity limits file uploads on free plans. Elephas has no cap on how many files you can add to Super Brain. You can upload as much as you want without hitting artificial limits.

NotebookLM and Perplexity need the internet to work. Elephas has built-in local AI models that work 100% offline. Your data never leaves your Mac. Both other tools store your data on their servers. Elephas keeps everything on your own device by default.

Elephas lets you use local AI models for full privacy, or connect your own API keys to ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, or Grok if you want cloud power. You choose. NotebookLM Plus and Perplexity Pro both cost $20 per month as recurring payments. Elephas is just $8.99/month, or you can get a one-time purchase with lifetime options starting at $299.

Direct comparison points:

• NotebookLM allows 50 sources on the free plan. Elephas allows unlimited files in Super Brain with no caps.
• Both NotebookLM and Perplexity need an internet connection. Elephas works fully offline with its built-in local AI.
• NotebookLM and Perplexity store your data on their own servers. Elephas keeps all data on your Mac only.
• Perplexity and NotebookLM charge monthly fees for full access. Elephas is a one-time purchase.
• Neither NotebookLM nor Perplexity is a native Mac app. Elephas is built specifically for Mac, iPhone, and iPad.

What Elephas Has That the Others Do Not

Workflow automation with AI agents is built into Elephas. It can do multi-step tasks on its own. You set up a workflow and the AI handles the steps for you. NotebookLM and Perplexity do not have this. Integrations with note-taking apps are native in Elephas. It connects directly with Apple Notes, Obsidian, Notion, LogSeq, Roam Research, and DEVONthink. You can pull your notes from these apps into Super Brain without copying and pasting.

Support for 20+ file formats including CSV, JSON, code files, and more. Both other tools support fewer file types. Rewrite modes give you different writing styles built in. You can switch between a concise style, a friendly tone, a professional tone, and a viral style for social media content. Smart Write and Continue Writing features help with content creation, something Perplexity and NotebookLM are not designed for.

Standout Elephas features:

• Workflow automation uses AI agents that can do tasks like summarizing files, creating mind maps, and searching your brain in one go
• It supports auto-sync across your Mac, iPhone, and iPad so your knowledge base stays updated everywhere
• You can use local LLM models through Ollama for tasks that need full privacy, or switch to cloud API keys when you need more power
• Elephas can pull transcripts from YouTube videos and add web pages to your knowledge base with its sitemap extraction feature

Side-by-Side Comparison

This table puts all three tools next to each other so you can see the differences at a glance. It covers the main features that matter most for daily use.

The table shows Elephas offers more control, more privacy, and more flexibility than the other two tools.

Which One Should You Pick?

Pick NotebookLM if you are a student or researcher who works mainly with your own documents. The podcast-style audio summaries are useful for studying. You do not need to search the web. You are okay with using a browser-based tool and storing data on Google's servers.

Pick Perplexity if you need fast, real-time answers from the web with sources attached. You do research across many different topics. You are okay paying a monthly fee for advanced searches. You want to create reports, dashboards, or simple apps from your research.

Pick Elephas if you want your data to stay private and on your own device. You are a Mac user. You need to organize a large amount of knowledge in one place with AI help. You want full control over which AI models you use, including offline options.

Try Elephas for free