Perplexity Pro is not free for most people in 2026. The offer that made it briefly free for everyone, Race to Infinity, expired at the end of 2024, and a string of referral promotions have expired since. Our [student discount roundup](https://www.questloops.com/blog/ai-student-discounts-in-2026-what-s-still-free-vs-what-already-expired) already flagged that the old universal student giveaway is gone too. But two offers are still live right now, and neither requires a school email.
What's actually still working
**Samsung Galaxy owners get a full free year.** If you own a Samsung Galaxy phone or tablet activated in the US, downloading the Perplexity app from the Galaxy Store and creating an account upgrades you to Pro automatically, no promo code needed. That's a $200 value for just owning a phone you probably already have.
**Xfinity Rewards members get a free year too.** Comcast Xfinity Internet or Mobile customers can log into their Xfinity Rewards account, grab a promo code, and redeem it on Perplexity's site for a full year of Pro, for up to 8 users on one account. Rewards itself is free to join for qualifying Xfinity customers, so this one is close to a genuine no-cost year if you already have the service.
What that gets you
| Method | Who qualifies | Value | Card needed? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung Galaxy promo | US Galaxy phone/tablet owners | 12 months Pro (~$200) | No |
| Xfinity Rewards | Qualifying Xfinity Internet/Mobile customers | 12 months Pro, up to 8 users | No |
| Education Pro | Verified students/educators | 50% off ($10/mo instead of $20) | Yes, billed monthly |
What's not free anymore
The old "give a month, get a month" referral program ended October 6, 2025. The Comet browser referral program ended a month later, and a widely shared PayPal/Venmo year-of-Pro deal was set to expire at the end of 2025. If you see a walkthrough promising any of these as currently active, check the date it was written before trusting it. The [student referral stacking method](https://www.questloops.com/blog/ai-student-discounts-in-2026-what-s-still-free-vs-what-already-expired) that let verified students bank up to 24 months of free Pro also had a May 31, 2026 cutoff, so it's no longer available either.
If you don't qualify for either freebie
Verified students and educators still get Education Pro at $10 a month, half the standard $20 rate, through SheerID verification. It's not free, but it's the one discount in this list that doesn't depend on which phone or ISP you have. Beyond that, comparing [Perplexity against ChatGPT Plus](https://www.questloops.com/compare/perplexity-ai-vs-chatgpt-plus) is worth doing before you pay full price. If your use case leans on real-time cited search rather than raw reasoning, Perplexity's free tier with limited daily Pro searches may already cover what you need without upgrading at all.
Frequently asked questions
**Is Perplexity Pro still free for students?** Not fully free anymore. Verified students get Education Pro at half price ($10/mo), not a free subscription.
**Do I need a promo code for the Samsung offer?** No. Installing the app from the Galaxy Store on an eligible US device upgrades the account automatically.
**Can I stack the Samsung and Xfinity offers?** No, both apply to the same Perplexity account's subscription status, so you'd only get whichever offer's free period is active or longer, not both stacked together.
**What if my free year runs out?** Check the [Perplexity AI tool page](https://www.questloops.com/tools/perplexity-ai) on QuestLoops for whatever new methods the community has verified since this was published; these offers rotate as promotions expire and new partnerships start.
