Perplexity released its Comet browser to all users worldwide on October 2, 2025, ending a three month limited access period that began in July. The browser is now available for free desktop download with no subscription or waitlist requirement [1].
Comet Browser Becomes Publicly Available
Perplexity made Comet freely accessible after millions of users joined waitlists during the limited release. The browser had previously been exclusive to Max subscribers paying $200 per month. Data from the limited period showed users asked between 6 and 18 times more questions on their first day after downloading Comet [2].
Desktop Platforms and Mobile Development
The free release supports Windows 10, Windows 11, and macOS devices. Users can download Comet directly from perplexity.ai/comet. Mobile applications for iOS and Android are under development with voice interaction features planned for future releases [3].
AI Assistant Integration and Features
Comet includes a sidecar assistant that appears in every browser tab. The assistant answers questions about web pages, summarizes content, and navigates sites on behalf of users. Built on the Chromium framework, Comet supports standard browser extensions and bookmarks while adding AI capabilities [4].
Max subscribers receive access to Background Assistants that operate asynchronously to complete multiple tasks simultaneously. All users can access tools including Discover for personalized content, Spaces for project organization, Shopping for price comparisons, and Travel for destination information [5].
Competition in AI Browser Market
The free release positions Comet against established browsers and new AI powered competitors. Context for the competitive landscape includes:
- Google integrated Gemini AI into Chrome in September 2025 [6]
- Anthropic launched browser based AI agent features in August 2025 [7]
- OpenAI released Operator browser agent in January 2025 [8]
- The Browser Company announced Dia AI browser for testing [9]
- Opera shipped Neon with local agent workflows [10]
Productivity and Economic Impact Claims
Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas stated that Comet could reduce hiring needs for businesses by supplementing existing team productivity. He estimated the productivity gains could be worth $10,000 per year per person. Srinivas claimed that a 20 percent efficiency gain from tools like Comet could add $5 trillion to gross domestic product, based on human digital knowledge work contributing approximately $25 trillion to GDP [11].
Comet entered a market where major technology companies plan to spend up to $320 billion on AI technologies and datacenter expansions in 2025 [12].
