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Arc Max vs Perplexity Comet

Two fact sheets from our own research, side by side — pricing, platforms, API access and status re-checked by us rather than quoted from the vendors. Perplexity Comet publishes a starting price ($20); Arc Max does not. Both have a free tier.

Arc MaxOpt-in AI layer inside the Arc browser: link previews, tidier tab titles and renamed downloadsPerplexity CometPerplexity's Chromium-based browser with an AI agent that reads pages, fills forms, and drafts email across tabs.

Side by side

FactArc MaxPerplexity Comet
CategoryBrowser Extensions & CopilotsBrowser Automation Agents
Pricing modelFreeFreemium
Starts at—$20 month
Public APINoNo
PlatformsmacOS, Windows, iOSmacOS, Windows, iOS, Android
CompanyThe Browser Company of New YorkPerplexity AI, Inc.
Launched—2025
Last verifiedSep 6, 2026Sep 1, 2026

What our research says

Arc Max

Max is a small, well-judged set of browser conveniences rather than a chatbot bolted into a sidebar, and the shift-hover link preview is the rare AI feature you keep using. It is free and opt-in per feature. The problem is what it sits on: the vendor says Arc now gets Chromium updates only and directs users to Dia for security patches, so this is a feature set on a browser that is no longer being built.

Pros

  • Free with the browser, with no separate subscription or credits
  • Each of the four features is opt-in individually from the command bar
  • Five-second previews work on any link without opening a tab
  • Ask ChatGPT runs on your own account rather than a metered pool
  • Download and tab renaming are quiet background wins rather than prompts

Cons

  • Arc is on Chromium updates only and the vendor recommends Dia for security patches
  • The feature set is narrow — four conveniences, not an assistant
  • Ask ChatGPT needs a separate ChatGPT account signed into the profile
  • Mac, Windows and iPhone only
  • No settings sync story for teams and no admin controls

Perplexity Comet

Comet is a real browser replacement, not a bolt-on extension, and its tab-reading and task-execution features go further than typical AI sidebar tools. The free tier is genuinely usable day to day, but the features that most justify switching browsers, like autonomous background tasks, sit behind the $200/month Max plan.

Pros

  • Full standalone browser, not a plug-in, with tab-aware summarization
  • Can execute multi-step tasks like form-filling and drafting emails, not just answer questions
  • Free tier requires no payment to start using core AI browsing features

Cons

  • Autonomous background agents and the highest usage limits require the $200/month Max plan
  • Switching browsers entirely is a bigger commitment than installing an extension
  • Ties users into Perplexity's own search index and models

Which one fits

Choose Arc Max if you need

  • Existing Arc users who want previews and tab tidying
  • People already paying for ChatGPT who want it in the command bar
  • Anyone wanting AI browser features without a second subscription

Choose Perplexity Comet if you need

  • Perplexity subscribers who want the AI assistant built into browsing itself
  • Users comfortable granting a browser agent access to fill forms and read pages

More comparisons

Browse all Browser Extensions & Copilots →