You have two articles open in your browser and you want Perplexity to compare them side by side. Perplexity can analyze and contrast the content of two web pages, but only if you provide the correct URLs and a clear comparison prompt. This article explains the exact steps to get a reliable comparison, including how to format your request and what to avoid. You will learn the specific syntax and settings that force Perplexity to treat each URL as a source rather than a search query.
Key Takeaways: How to Compare Two Articles in Perplexity
- Paste two full URLs in your question: Perplexity must see the raw web addresses to fetch both articles for comparison.
- Use the phrase “compare these two articles”: This triggers Perplexity to treat both URLs as sources instead of searching for related content.
- Set focus to Web or Academic: Pro users can lock the focus mode to ensure Perplexity only uses the provided URLs and not its general knowledge base.
Why Perplexity Needs Explicit URLs for Comparisons
Perplexity is a search engine combined with a large language model. When you ask a question, Perplexity first searches the web for relevant sources and then summarizes them. If you only describe two articles by name or topic, Perplexity will search for them instead of using the specific versions you have in mind. The result may be different articles, outdated versions, or summaries based on multiple sources that do not match your intention.
To force Perplexity to use only the two articles you chose, you must paste the full URLs directly into your question. Perplexity treats any text that begins with http:// or https:// as a source link. When you include two such links in the same question, Perplexity fetches both pages and can compare them. The comparison quality depends on the length and clarity of the articles. Short articles with few paragraphs produce shallow comparisons. Articles with structured headings and clear arguments produce better results.
What Perplexity Cannot Do
Perplexity cannot compare PDFs, images, or paywalled content unless the full text is accessible to its crawler. It also cannot compare articles from sites that block Perplexity’s bot. If the articles are behind a login or require a subscription, Perplexity will only see a snippet or an error message. In those cases, copy the text manually and paste it into the question with a note like “compare the following two texts.”
Steps to Compare Two Articles Using Perplexity
Follow these steps to get a direct comparison between two specific articles. The steps work on both the free and Pro versions of Perplexity, though Pro users have additional focus options.
- Open both articles in separate browser tabs
Copy the full URL from the address bar of the first article. Do not use shortened URLs or links from social media. The URL must start with http:// or https:// and end with the page path. - Open Perplexity in a new tab
Go to perplexity.ai and sign in if you are not already signed in. The comparison feature works in both the web app and the mobile browser. - Paste the first URL into the question box
Place your cursor in the text input area and paste the first URL. Press the spacebar once after the URL. Do not add any punctuation or extra characters immediately after the link. - Paste the second URL after the first
Paste the second URL right after the space. The question box should now contain two URLs separated by a single space. Example:https://example.com/article1 https://example.com/article2 - Write your comparison question
After the second URL, add a space and then type your instruction. Use the exact phrase “compare these two articles” followed by what you want compared. For example:compare these two articles and list the main differences in their arguments. You can also ask for similarities, tone analysis, or fact-checking. - Set the focus mode (Pro only)
If you have a Pro subscription, click the focus button below the question box. Select either Web or Academic. This prevents Perplexity from adding sources other than the two URLs you provided. Free users can skip this step. - Press Enter or click the submit button
Perplexity will fetch both articles and generate a comparison. The response typically appears within 10 to 20 seconds, depending on article length. Read the output and verify that both URLs appear in the source list at the bottom of the response.
Alternative Method: Paste Article Text Directly
If the articles are behind a paywall or the URLs do not load, copy the full text of each article. Paste the first article text into the question box, then add a separator such as “—END OF FIRST ARTICLE—” on its own line. Paste the second article text after the separator. Then write: compare these two texts and identify the key differences. This method works for any text but requires manual copying and pasting.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Perplexity Searches Instead of Comparing the Two URLs
If Perplexity returns search results instead of a comparison, the most likely cause is missing the word “compare” or using a vague phrase like “tell me about these.” Always include the word “compare” in your question. Also ensure that the URLs are pasted without any surrounding text. If you write “I found this article https://… and this one https://…” the extra words can confuse Perplexity. Paste the URLs first, then add the question.
Only One Article Appears in the Sources
Perplexity may fail to fetch one of the two URLs if the link is broken, redirects to a different page, or is blocked by a paywall. Open each URL in a new tab to verify it loads correctly. If one article redirects to a login page, copy the text manually instead. Also check that the URL does not contain tracking parameters that break the page. Clean URLs work best.
The Comparison Is Too Shallow or Missing Details
Perplexity summarizes articles based on the first few paragraphs and headings. If the articles are long, the comparison may miss details in the middle or end sections. To improve depth, ask a more specific question. Instead of “compare these two articles,” try “compare the methodology sections of these two articles” or “list the evidence each article uses to support its main claim.”
Perplexity Free vs Pro: Comparison Features
| Item | Free Version | Pro Version |
|---|---|---|
| URL-based comparison | Yes, but may add extra search sources | Yes, with optional focus mode to restrict sources |
| Focus mode selection | Not available | Web, Academic, Writing, Math, and Video |
| Number of sources per query | Up to 5 | Up to 15 |
| Model used | GPT-3.5 or similar | GPT-4, Claude, or custom model |
| File upload for comparison | Not available | Yes, upload PDF or text files |
The free version works well for most comparison tasks. The Pro version adds the ability to lock focus to only the two URLs you provide, which prevents Perplexity from mixing in unrelated sources. Pro also allows file uploads, which is useful when the articles are not publicly accessible.
You can now compare two articles in Perplexity by pasting their URLs and using the word “compare” in your question. For best results, always verify that both URLs appear in the source list after the response. If the comparison is too brief, refine your question to ask about a specific section or aspect of the articles. Pro users can further improve accuracy by setting the focus mode to Web and disabling automatic source expansion in their account settings.