Compare Merlin AI, Perplexity AI, and DeepSeek AI: Which App is the Best?

Perplexity has all the features you'd want from an AI search tool, plus some nice extras that make it really useful.

What We Like Most:

1. It Actually Gives You Sources
   This is the biggest thing that sets Perplexity apart. When you ask a question, it doesn't just give you an answer - it tells you where it got that information from. We tested this with all kinds of questions, from "What's the weather like?" to "How do quantum computers work?" and it always provided good sources.
2. You Can Talk to It
   The voice feature works really well. We tried asking questions while walking, cooking, and even driving (hands-free, of course). It understood us clearly and gave good answers.
3. Follow-up Questions Work Great
   You can ask follow-up questions and it remembers what you were talking about. It's like having a real conversation instead of starting over each time.
4. Works on All Your Devices
   We tested it on phones, tablets, and computers. Everything syncs up perfectly - you can start a search on your phone and continue it on your laptop.
5. The Discover Section is Cool
   It shows you trending topics and interesting questions other people are asking. We found ourselves spending time just browsing through this section.
6. You Can Save Stuff
   There's a library where you can save interesting answers and discoveries. It's more than just search history - it's like a personal collection of things you've learned.

The app runs smoothly most of the time. We tested it on different devices and network conditions, and it usually responds within a few seconds. The voice recognition works well even with background noise.

Search results load quickly, and the app handles complex questions without crashing or freezing. The sync between devices works reliably, so you can switch between your phone and computer seamlessly.

We did notice some slowdowns during peak hours, and occasionally the app would take longer to respond to very complex questions. Some users have reported connection issues, but we didn't experience any major problems during our testing.

Overall, it performs well for an AI app. The occasional hiccups are minor and don't really affect the user experience.

The app looks clean and modern, which makes it easy to use. We really like how simple the interface is - there's no clutter or confusing buttons.

• The search bar is right where you expect it to be
• Answers are formatted nicely with clear sections
• Sources are listed in a way that's easy to read and click on
• Works well on different screen sizes
• Dark mode option is nice for reading at night

There have been some recent updates that confused users at first, but the design team seems to be listening to feedback and making improvements. Overall, it's a good-looking app that's easy on the eyes.

This is where DeepSeek AI really shines. It's completely free, and we mean completely free. No ads, no premium features, no hidden costs.

What you get for free:

• Unlimited access: Use it as much as you want
• Powerful AI: Same quality as paid alternatives
• No restrictions: All features are available to everyone
• High-quality responses: Sophisticated answers that rival paid services

Compare this to ChatGPT Plus at $20/month or other paid AI services, and it's pretty amazing. You're getting similar quality for zero cost.

The only reason it's not a perfect 10 is that some people might want extra features like voice input, image generation, or plugins that you'd get with paid services.

But for basic AI chat and coding help, you can't beat the value. We give value for money a 9.5 - it's basically free AI assistance that works really well.

This might be the easiest AI tool we've ever used. You literally just open it and start asking questions - no setup, no learning curve, no complicated menus.

We tested it with people who aren't very tech-savvy, and they figured it out immediately. The voice feature is especially intuitive - you just tap the microphone and start talking.

The app responds quickly, and the conversation flow feels natural. You can ask follow-up questions without having to repeat yourself, which makes it feel like talking to a real person.

Everything is where you'd expect it to be:

• Search bar is prominent
• Settings are easy to find
• Navigation makes sense
• No instructions or tutorials needed

That's why we gave it a 9 out of 10. It's so simple that anyone can use it, but it still has enough features to be useful for power users.

Security and privacy get a 7 out of 10 from us. The app uses standard security practices like encryption, which is good. The privacy policy is clear about what data they collect and how they use it.

You have some control over your data:

• Delete your search history
• Manage your account settings
• Control what data is shared

However, some users have concerns about how much data is being collected for AI training. The privacy controls could be more detailed and easier to access. We'd like to see more options for users who want to limit data collection.

Overall, it seems safe to use, but we'd recommend reading the privacy policy if you're concerned about data collection.

Privacy is a mixed bag with DeepSeek AI. On the plus side, you don't need an account to use it, which means they're not collecting your email or personal info.

What we liked:

• No account needed: You can use it without giving any personal information
• Minimal data collection: They don't seem to track much about you
• No social features: Your conversations stay private

The downside? It's an AI assistant, so it has to process and store your conversations to work. They probably use your chats to improve their AI model, which is pretty standard for these apps.

They don't sell your data to third parties, which is good. But you should know that your conversations are being processed and stored somewhere.

It's more private than apps that require accounts and collect lots of personal info, but less private than apps that keep everything on your device.

We give privacy a 7.0 - reasonable for an AI assistant, but not perfect.