Comet browser is now available for free as Perplexity AI takes a big swing at Google Chrome

Comet browser

Perplexity AI has officially taken its Comet browser global — and in a surprise move, it’s making the once $200-a-month tool free for everyone.

First launched in July for Perplexity Max subscribers, Comet isn’t a conventional browser. It’s pitched as a personal AI assistant that doesn’t just surf the web but can also organize tabs, draft emails, shop online, and more. The waitlist reportedly ran into the millions, and now the company is betting free access will help it scale faster against heavyweights like Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic.

The timing matters. Big tech is racing to build AI directly into browsing: Google added Gemini into Chrome last month, Anthropic rolled out a browser-based agent in August, and OpenAI’s Operator debuted in January. Perplexity even made headlines in August with its audacious $34.5 billion unsolicited bid for Chrome — a long shot that underscored its ambitions to challenge the incumbents.

Best known for its AI-powered search engine that blends direct answers with links to source material, Perplexity has had a complicated relationship with publishers. After criticism for lifting content without credit, the company introduced a revenue-sharing model in 2024. Now, through Comet Plus, it’s offering premium access to trusted outlets like CNN, Condé Nast, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Fortune, Le Monde and Le Figaro.

Looking ahead, Perplexity teased two key additions: a mobile version of Comet and Background Assistant, a feature that can juggle multiple tasks asynchronously in the background.

By removing the paywall, Perplexity has turned Comet into a mainstream play. But with Google, OpenAI and Anthropic already folding AI deeply into their ecosystems, the real test will be whether users adopt Comet as their go-to assistant — or stick with tools they already use daily.