Of the 3 AI research tools we rank, Gemini Notebook is our top pick at 8.5 out of 10. If you are new to this, start with Perplexity. If you are experienced, try Elicit. Gemini Notebook: Free with a Google Account, up to 50 sources per notebook.
The research tools that show their sources, so you can check them. Good for studying a course or getting up to speed on a new topic.
Last checked : free plans and prices on each maker's own pricing page.
Every tool at a glance. Select a name to jump to our full review.
| Rank | Tool | Score | Best for | Learn it free |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gemini NotebookGoogle | 8.5 / 10 | Best for beginners | Maker's own tutorials |
| 2 | PerplexityPerplexity AI | 8.0 / 10 | Good for everyone | Maker's own tutorials |
| 3 | ElicitElicit | 7.4 / 10 | Best for experts | Maker's own tutorials |
What each tool is good for, the catch, what it costs and the free course that teaches it.
Google's study tool, called NotebookLM until its rename. Upload your own course notes, PDFs or transcripts and ask questions about those alone. It's the best study partner here for a course you're already taking.
No free course we'd recommend yet. You'll learn this one fastest by using it, and the maker's own tutorials are the best place to start.
Perplexity AI
A search engine that answers in sentences and links its sources. It's great for finding out what a term means and where to find a fuller explanation.
No free course we'd recommend yet. You'll learn this one fastest by using it, and the maker's own tutorials are the best place to start.
Elicit
Built for searching and summarising academic papers. If you're reading research rather than blog posts, it saves real time.
No free course we'd recommend yet. You'll learn this one fastest by using it, and the maker's own tutorials are the best place to start.
We haven't found a free course here that's good enough to recommend yet. Until we do, the makers' own tutorials are the best place to learn, and these courses teach the AI basics that carry across every tool.
What large language models can actually do for you and your team, without writing a line of code. Andrew Ng teaches it in 6 hours on Coursera, certificate paid.
The gentlest way in: a University of Helsinki course with no code and no maths beyond school level. It takes about 24 to 48 hours and the certificate is free.
Andrew Ng's non-technical primer on what AI is good for and how to plan around it at work. It takes 7 hours on Coursera, and the certificate is paid.
Our top pick is Gemini Notebook (8.5/10), followed by Perplexity and Elicit. Google's study tool, called NotebookLM until its rename. Upload your own course notes, PDFs or transcripts and ask questions about those alone. It's the best study partner here for a course you're already taking.
Start with Gemini Notebook, then try Perplexity. Google's study tool, called NotebookLM until its rename. Upload your own course notes, PDFs or transcripts and ask questions about those alone. It's the best study partner here for a course you're already taking.
Elicit is our pick for experienced users, with Perplexity close behind. Built for searching and summarising academic papers. If you're reading research rather than blog posts, it saves real time.
It only knows what you give it, so the quality of your sources decides the quality of its answers.
We haven't found a free course good enough to recommend yet. Until we do, the makers' own tutorials are the best place to learn.
Gemini Notebook, Perplexity and Elicit have a free plan or free version.
Every course we link is free and reviewed. Browse the full catalogue to find one at your level.
