Perplexity Computer is Perplexity’s agent for multi-step work: it gathers context from the web, files and connected apps, uses tools and carries tasks forward, including in the background.[1] Unlike the Ask search experience, which is covered by the subscription, Computer is metered with credits. For licence managers this creates a second, usage-based layer on top of the seat or subscription count. This article explains how the layer works for individual accounts and for Enterprise organizations, using Perplexity’s own help center pages. Perplexity states that credit pricing, task ranges, monthly allowances and included usage may change and can vary by promotion, region or plan, so the figures below are a snapshot dated 2026-10-13.[1]
Editions
Computer credits are available to Pro and Max subscribers, including Enterprise Pro and Enterprise Max.[1] Computer is not available on free accounts, which is why credits bought by a user who later downgrades can only be used again on an active paid plan.[1]
| Plan | Included monthly credits | One-time new-subscriber bonus |
|---|---|---|
| Pro (consumer) | None; weekly included Computer usage on paid plans | 4,000 credits |
| Max (consumer) | 10,000 credits | 35,000 credits |
| Enterprise Pro | 500 credits per seat | 8,000 credits |
| Enterprise Max | 15,000 credits per seat | 40,000 credits |
The figures are from the credits help article.[1] The bonus is limited-time, one per account, expires in about 30 days and does not repeat if the user cancels and resubscribes, switches between monthly and yearly billing, or later applies a discount or education offer.[1] The Enterprise administrator guide independently states the monthly allocations of 500 credits for Enterprise Pro and 15,000 credits for Enterprise Max, which expire at the end of each monthly cycle and do not roll over.[2]
Metrics
Computer credit
The Computer credit is priced at 100 credits for $1.[1] The help center gives typical ranges rather than fixed prices: a quick fact or definition uses about 15 to 70 credits, a multi-step research report 350 to 950, a data dashboard 2,400 to 9,800, and an entire app or multi-day build 15,000 or more. These are examples, not guarantees.[1] Perplexity Ask searches do not consume credits, and neither does the Comet Assistant in Search mode, while Comet’s Work mode runs Computer and does consume credits.[1]
Included weekly Computer usage
Paid Consumer Pro plans include a weekly amount of Computer usage so users can run Computer each week before any credits are needed. It is not included with promotional or non-paying Pro plans, Max plans or Enterprise plans, and it is described as rolling out gradually.[1] The weekly cycle starts the first time included usage is used, so the reset date follows first use rather than the billing date, and unused usage does not roll over.[1] It is separate from credits: it does not add to the balance and cannot be purchased, transferred or refunded.[1] With included usage but no credits, Computer runs tasks on the Light effort setting only.[1] When included usage runs out, Computer switches to credits if the user has them or to auto-refill if enabled; otherwise the session is blocked until credits are bought or the weekly reset arrives.[1]
Enterprise credit pool and usage limit
For Enterprise, credits flow through two pools. Each seat receives an individual monthly allocation, and the organization has a shared pool funded by administrators.[2] Members who join mid-cycle receive the full monthly allocation for that cycle; mid-cycle seat additions are not prorated.[2] The pool is always drawn last and only up to the member’s usage-limit headroom.[2]
Counting / floors
Order of use and expiry
For individuals, Computer uses included weekly usage first, then credits in this order: Bonus, then Monthly (shown as Plan), then Purchased.[1] Bonus credits are granted at Perplexity’s discretion and expire on the stated date. Monthly credits refresh on the billing cycle date, and annual subscribers still refresh monthly; unused monthly credits do not roll over. Purchased credits are consumed last and stay in the account until used, but expire if the user does not use Computer for one year.[1] Credits are personal to the account and cannot be transferred or assigned to another user.[1] They cannot be redeemed for cash and are non-refundable except in the situations listed under Refunds.[1]
Auto-refill and spending caps
Auto-refill is off until the user turns it on. When enabled, the trigger is 500 credits for Pro and 2,500 for Max, the user sets the refill amount, and a monthly auto-refill limit caps automatic spend.[1] Every Max account also has a monthly spending cap on total credit charges per billing period; the default is $200 and it can be set up to $5,000, and Pro accounts also have a monthly cap.[1] When the cap is hit, active tasks pause and no more charges are made until the user changes settings.[1] When credits run out, active tasks pause and resume automatically once credits return, while new tasks are blocked.[1] A negative balance can occur briefly because the step already running when credits run out is still billed.[1]
Enterprise usage limits
In Enterprise organizations, seat-tier usage caps have been replaced by named usage limits. Administrators create one or more limits, such as Standard or Power user, and assign user groups or individual members to them.[2] A member’s assignment, not their seat tier, determines how much they can draw from the pool after their allocation is used. If a member belongs to several groups with different limits, the highest applies and an unlimited assignment beats any finite one; a personal override takes precedence over group limits.[2] For organizations that existed before the change, legacy seat-tier caps remain as a fallback until a default usage limit is set.[2] Groups can be Perplexity-managed or synced from the identity provider through SCIM.[2]
Administrators fund the pool with auto-refill, subject to a configurable monthly reload limit, or by buying credits at any time. First-time setup requires accepting the usage-based billing terms and conditions, invoice-billed organizations see a read-only invoice indicator in place of a card, and members can be allowed to request more credits from an administrator.[2] Purchased credits in the organization pool expire after 12 months of organization-wide inactivity, while individual monthly grants expire at the end of each cycle.[2] The Enterprise Terms add that usage-based fees, rates, metrics and thresholds are denoted in the applicable Order Form.[4]
Virtualization & partitioning
Not applicable. Credits are consumed per task and are not tied to devices, hosts or virtual machines.
Cloud / BYOL
Computer runs in Perplexity’s hosted environment, including a cloud sandbox described for Enterprise, and there is no bring-your-own-licence model.[3] The Enterprise pricing FAQ states that API usage is not included with Enterprise Pro or Enterprise Max, and the API billing help page states that API credits are separate from Computer credits, so the two are separate balances.[5][6]
Programs
New-subscriber Computer bonus credits are the only promotion documented on the credits page: a one-time grant per account that expires in about 30 days.[1]
Practical implications for licence managers
- Treat Computer as a consumption line, not as part of the seat price. Ask searches are unmetered, but Computer tasks consume credits at 100 per dollar.[1]
- Individual credits are non-transferable, so a company that allows personal Max accounts for business use cannot pool or reassign them; Enterprise organizations can pool credits and set named limits.[1][2]
- Each Enterprise Pro seat includes 500 credits per month, which expire monthly; the shared pool is the only mechanism for carrying purchased balance across months, and it expires after 12 months of inactivity.[2]
- Auto-refill and spending caps are the controls that prevent unplanned charges; auto-refill is off by default for individuals.[1]
Out of scope
This article does not cover the Brain research preview, Computer Skills, scheduled tasks, connectors, credit-bonus promotions outside the new-subscriber table, or Comet beyond its Search and Work modes. Enterprise tier contents are covered in the plans article.