🔎 Best AI tools for Research & Search

AI answer engines and research assistants with citations.

Score = 60% editorial fit (estimated) + 20% GitHub stars + 20% HN coverage (live public signals; weight is redistributed when a signal doesn't apply). How we rank →

  1. #1
    87
    ChatGPT

    OpenAI's general-purpose assistant for writing, research, images and more.

    Pick this if you want deep research reports inside your everyday assistant.

    Free tier; paid plans · 709 HN stories / 90d

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  2. #2
    84
    Gemini

    Google's AI assistant integrated with Search and Workspace.

    Pick this if you want Deep Research grounded in Google Search.

    Free tier; paid plans · 401 HN stories / 90d

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  3. #3
    82
    Perplexity

    AI answer engine that searches the web and cites sources.

    Pick this if you want fast cited answers instead of ten blue links.

    Free tier; paid plans · 63 HN stories / 90d

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  4. #4
    74
    NotebookLM

    Google's research notebook that grounds answers in your uploaded sources and makes audio overviews.

    Pick this if you're studying your own documents and papers.

    Free; higher limits with paid plans · 11 HN stories / 90d

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  5. #5
    64
    Elicit

    AI research assistant for finding and summarizing academic papers.

    Pick this if you do literature reviews.

    Free tier; paid plans · 2 HN stories / 90d

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