In a bold move that signals Perplexity’s ambitions in the browser space, the AI startup has announced that its AI-powered browser, Comet Browser, is now available for free worldwide. Originally launched in July 2025 exclusively for the company’s Perplexity Max subscribers (a $200/month tier), Comet has been repositioned as a mass-market browser, designed to bring AI-first experience into everyday web browsing.
This shift comes amid intensifying competition from big tech and other AI-native browser efforts—Google pushing AI features into Chrome, OpenAI considering its browser, and Opera turning heads with its Neon agentic browser.
By making Comet free, Perplexity wants to widen adoption, challenge incumbent browsers, and embed its AI capabilities as an integral part of how users browse, not just as an add-on. The company says it will continue to build features like a “Background Assistant” (for asynchronous tasks) and has also launched Comet Plus, a subscription overlay offering curated publisher content.
What Is Comet?
Comet is not just a browser with AI features tacked on—it’s designed to make AI central to navigation, search, and task completion. Some of its notable features and design principles:
- It’s built on the Chromium framework, so it supports conventional browser features like extensions, tabs, bookmarks, and web compatibility.
- Comet integrates Perplexity’s AI search engine as the default, so queries bring instant summarization, context-aware answers, and deeper insight rather than just a list of links.
- It includes a sidecar assistant interface: the AI can read the content of the page and respond in context, answer questions about what you see, help navigate links, and perform tasks like summarizing, filling forms, or managing tabs.
- Perplexity describes the interface as shifting “from navigation to cognition,” meaning the browser becomes more like a thinking assistant than just a tool to visit websites.
- The company also emphasizes local data storage and user privacy, claiming that Comet doesn’t train its AI models on personal browsing data.
In effect, Comet aims to blur the lines between search, browsing, and action—letting users not just find information, but act on it without switching contexts.
Also Read: Perplexity vs. ChatGPT: Unveiling the Best AI Chatbot Tool
The Strategic Shift: Why Free Now?
When Comet launched, it was behind a substantial paywall, limiting its early users to those with the means or interest to pay $200 per month. That exclusivity created buzz, but also a barrier.
By making Comet free globally, Perplexity signals that it wants mass adoption. It positions itself against Chrome and other browsers as an AI-first alternative. As The Verge puts it, Perplexity aims to remain free “forever” to build user loyalty.
This move also helps accelerate network effects: the more users adopt Comet, the richer the data, more usage, and stronger the product becomes. The free tier will come with usage limits, while premium add-ons like Comet Plus offer enhanced capabilities.
Perplexity’s CEO, Aravind Srinivas, views Comet as part of a broader strategy: making browsing an interface for AI agents that accompany you through all your tasks, not just search.
Reception, Use Cases & Early Impressions
Tech reviewers and early users have had interesting experiences with Comet:
- TechRadar’s test runs in the first 48 hours suggest the promise is real: tasks like summarization, contextual lookups, and “asking the AI what’s on the page” showcased the difference between a traditional browser and an AI-augmented one.
- But they also noted that giving the assistant enough access (to your tabs, emails, calendar, etc.) can feel intrusive or risky. Even a powerful AI is limited when it must ask permission for operations.
- In its own roadmap, Perplexity has teased mobile versions and asynchronous task assistants (Background Assistant) to keep the browser working even when you’re not actively interacting with it.
- Some observers see Comet as a long-term bet: by placing the “agent” inside the browser, Perplexity can reduce reliance on a chat window—your browser becomes your interface to AI, not just a portal to websites.
Also Read: Anthropic Launches AI Chatbot Plan for Universities and Colleges Globally
Risks, Privacy & Business Implications
Launching an AI-native browser that interacts deeply with user data invites scrutiny. Here are some of the key areas of concern:
1. Data Usage & Monetization
Perplexity’s intentions to monetize Comet raised eyebrows. The CEO has openly said one purpose of building the browser is to collect context and user behavior data for profiling and targeted ads. This approach echoes how Chrome today collects browsing data to feed Google’s ad network—but with AI, the granularity can be even more sensitive.
2. Security Vulnerabilities
Because Comet allows the AI assistant to interpret and act on page content automatically, it could be vulnerable to malicious commands embedded in websites. Security firms (e.g. Brave and Guardio) have flagged potential attack vectors, such as the browser executing AI instructions beyond what a human user would see or validate.
For instance, if the assistant is asked to summarize a page, it might inadvertently trigger hidden links or scripts in the page content—unless there’s strong filtering. One test revealed Comet might execute a command to buy a fake product or visit a phishing site if given unwary instructions.
3. Enterprise and Compliance Challenges
For business and regulated environments, trust, auditability, and data control are essential. When the browser’s AI has access to emails, business systems, or internal websites, enterprises will demand strong governance—logging, permissions, isolation, and DLP (Data Loss Prevention) safeguards. As one analysis noted, Comet’s ambition must be balanced with compliance and model risk.
4. Browser Wars and Competitive Pressures
Comet enters a crowded space. Google is already embedding AI features in Chrome, and OpenAI may soon debut its own browser. Opera, too, launched Neon, an AI-centric browser focused on local operations and privacy-forward agent tasks.
Srinivas argues that building a browser is harder than building a chat interface, and that Big Tech won’t easily match Comet’s integration if ignition and development momentum stays ahead.
What This Means: The Browser Becomes AI’s Stage
Comet’s shift to a free model is more than a pricing decision—it’s a signal about the future of the web. Browsers are ceasing to be passive windows; they’re evolving into AI workspaces that assist, anticipate, and act on our behalf.
In concrete terms, that means:
- Less switching between browser tabs, search engines, chat interfaces, and apps.
- More unified context: the AI knows what tab you’re on, what you’ve read, what tasks you’re trying to accomplish.
- Deeper task execution: filling forms, booking tickets, summarizing documents, comparing products—all embedded in the browsing flow.
- Stronger retention: the more integrated the AI, the harder it is for users to leave or switch browsers.
But success depends on balancing innovation with safety. Data protection, transparency, and security must keep pace with capability.
Also Read: Chinese AI Farming Bot Kwoo Wins Global Innovation Award
FAQs
- Is Comet completely free now?
Yes. Perplexity made Comet available for free to all users globally. Premium features (like Comet Plus) may remain behind subscription tiers. - What was Comet’s original pricing model?
Initially, Comet was only accessible to users on the Perplexity Max plan, which costs $200 per month. - What differentiates Comet from Chrome or Safari?
Unlike traditional browsers, Comet integrates AI deeply—its assistant can interpret the page you’re on, answer questions in context, automate tasks, and act as your browsing companion. - What is Comet Plus?
Comet Plus is a subscription overlay on the free browser offering access to curated publisher content and additional features. - Will Comet work with extensions and bookmarks?
Yes—it’s built on Chromium, so it supports traditional browser features like extensions, bookmarks, and familiar web compatibility. - Are there privacy risks in using Comet?
Yes—since the AI assistant may require access to tabs, content, emails, or other data to function, there’s risk of misuse or unintended exposure. Security audits have flagged potential vulnerabilities. - Does Comet train its model on my browsing data?
According to Perplexity, no—the browser stores data locally and does not train its AI models using your personal browsing history. - What competitive challenges will Comet face?
It competes with Chrome (Google’s dominance), OpenAI’s potential browser, and AI-powered offerings like Opera Neon or Chrome’s AI mode. - Is Comet safe for enterprise use?
Enterprises may need strict controls—governance, auditability, DLP, and isolation. Some analyses caution about model risk and compliance in regulated environments. - What’s next for Comet?
Perplexity plans mobile versions, asynchronous task assistants (Background Assistant), further automation and deeper AI integration, plus continuous product refinement.