Comet goes free: Perplexity’s AI browser opens to everyone

TL;DR:

Comet launched free access on October 2–3, 2025.
Free tier has usage limits.
“Background Assistant” comes to Max subscribers.
Comet Plus news add-on costs $5 or is bundled.
Aims to rival Chrome with AI-first workflows.

Perplexity released its Comet browser to all users for free this week, expanding from a July launch tied to the $200 Max plan. Reports note usage caps for the free tier and a new Background Assistant perk for Max subscribers. Perplexity also pushes Comet Plus, a $5 add-on or bundled with Pro and Max, for curated news

What you get

AI sidecar that can summarize pages, answer questions, and navigate sites.
Chromium base with extension support and a workspace model instead of classic tabs.
Free access for Windows and macOS, rolling out globally.

What’s new for paid users

Max subscribers gain a Background Assistant that runs tasks in the, well, background. Pro and Max include Comet Plus. Perplexity says revenue from Plus is shared with publishers.

Why it matters

AI-first browsing is the new battleground. With Comet free, Perplexity positions itself against Chrome and Arc by baking an assistant into the browser core rather than bolting it on. If usage caps are generous, the free tier could drive habit change for research and shopping.

Quick comparison table

Feature	Free	Pro	Max
Core AI assistant	✓	✓	✓
Usage limits	Yes	Higher	Highest
Background Assistant	—	—	✓
Comet Plus news	$5 add-on	Included	Included