Search+ vs Perplexity Spaces
Perplexity Spaces are workspaces inside Perplexity with custom instructions, file search and collaboration. A Space can combine your files with the web, academic papers and connected apps, and Pro subscribers can upload up to 50 files per Space. Search+ answers only from the documents in a workspace, with inline citations you can open to read the excerpt. Choose Perplexity Spaces when your research mixes the web with your files or you work with contributors. Choose Search+ when the answer must come from your documents alone.
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At a glance
| Search+ | Perplexity Spaces | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A web app for asking questions across document workspaces, with cited answers | Workspaces in Perplexity for organizing research and collaborating |
| Sources | Only the documents in your workspace | Your files plus the web, academic papers and connected apps |
| File limits | Files up to 5 GB each; up to 10 per upload batch | 50 files per Space on Pro; 500 on Max and Enterprise Pro; files up to 50 MB |
| Instructions | Workspace Context, applied to every question | Custom instructions for every interaction in a Space |
| Collaboration | Team plan available | Up to five contributors on Pro and Max; share by link |
How Search+ and Perplexity Spaces differ
Perplexity mixes the web with your files
A Perplexity Space can answer from the web, academic papers and apps such as Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, OneDrive and SharePoint, as well as uploaded files. Search+ answers only from your workspace documents, so an answer never pulls in a web page you did not choose.
Perplexity Spaces are built for collaboration
Pro and Max users can invite up to five contributors per Space and share a Space by link. Check how each fits the way your team works before choosing.
Search+ is scoped to one document when you need it
In Search+ you can ask across the whole workspace or narrow a question to a single document, and every answer cites the excerpt behind it. This is useful when a question must be answered from one contract or one report and nothing else.
Both keep standing instructions
Spaces support custom instructions for every interaction, and Search+ Workspace Context applies standing instructions to every question in a workspace. Both suit projects with a fixed way of reading the material.
Search+ vs Perplexity Spaces, feature by feature
Checked against public pages on October 11, 2026. "Not covered here" means the pages we checked do not say; it is not a claim that the feature is missing.
| Topic | Search+ | Perplexity Spaces |
|---|---|---|
| Files | PDF, Word and Excel files; OCR for scanned pages; up to 5 GB per file | Uploaded files up to 50 MB |
| Citations | Inline citations; open one to read the supporting excerpt | Not covered here |
| Question scope | Whole workspace or one document | Space files, web, papers, apps |
| Standing instructions | Workspace Context, applied to every question | Custom instructions |
| Saved work | Workspaces and conversation history are saved | Threads grouped in the Space |
| Sharing and teams | Team plan available | Contributors and link sharing |
| Export and outputs | No export | Not covered here |
| Where it runs | Browser only | Not covered here |
| Price | See current plans on searchplus.ai | Pro, Max and Enterprise plans |
As of 2026-10-11
Pricing
Perplexity's help center ties Space file limits to Pro, Max and Enterprise plans; we did not capture plan prices, so check perplexity.ai. For Search+ plans, see the pricing section on the Search+ homepage.
| Product | Plan | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perplexity | Pro | See perplexity.ai | 50 files per Space |
| Perplexity | Max, Enterprise Pro | See perplexity.ai | 500 files per Space |
Prices as of 2026-10
About each product
Search+
Search+ is a web app for working with documents. You create a workspace for each project, upload PDF, Word and Excel files, and ask questions across every document or narrow a question to one. Answers come with inline citations; open one to read the excerpt behind it. Workspace Context holds standing instructions that apply to every question, and workspaces and conversations are saved so you can pick up where you left off.
Perplexity Spaces
Perplexity Spaces are dedicated workspaces in Perplexity for individuals and teams. A Space holds threads, files and custom instructions, can search the web, academic papers and connected apps, and can be shared with contributors or by link. File limits depend on the plan, from 50 files per Space on Pro to 5,000 on Enterprise Max.
Which one fits your work
Choose Search+ when
- Answers must come only from your own documents
- You want to narrow a question to one document
- You want to open each citation and read the supporting excerpt
- You want answers kept to a defined document set
Choose Perplexity Spaces when
- Your research mixes your files with the web and academic papers
- You want to invite contributors or share a Space by link
- Your files live in Google Drive, SharePoint, Box or Dropbox
- You already pay for Perplexity Pro or Max
How to try both on the same documents
- Pick a question your documents should answer without the web.
- Upload the documents to a Perplexity Space and a Search+ workspace.
- Ask both the question.
- Check whether each answer stayed within your documents.
- Open the Search+ citations and compare them with Perplexity's sources.
Questions about Search+ and Perplexity Spaces
Can Search+ search the web like Perplexity?
How many files fit in a Perplexity Space?
Do both support custom instructions?
Which is better for verifying a claim?
Sources
Recheck public pages before making a buying decision. Spotted an error? Tell us through the Search+ app and we will correct it.
Checked 2026-10-11
Answers from your documents, not the web
Keep your documents in a Search+ workspace and read the excerpt behind every claim.
Start a workspace