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.

The short answer

Free plan: Both — Arc Max is free to use, Perplexity Comet has a free plan
Higher Trust score: Arc Max — 96 vs 85 for Perplexity Comet
Best fit: Arc Max: Existing Arc users who want previews and tab tidying · Perplexity Comet: Perplexity subscribers who want the AI assistant built into browsing itself
Platforms: Arc Max: macOS, Windows, iOS · Perplexity Comet: macOS, Windows, iOS, Android
Status: We could not check Perplexity Comet — its site turns automated checks away; Arc Max was up on Oct 15, 2026

From our own records as of each tool's last check. Anything we have not confirmed is left out rather than guessed. How we verify

Arc MaxOpt-in AI layer inside the Arc browser: link previews, tidier tab titles and renamed downloads

Perplexity CometPerplexity's Chromium-based browser with an AI agent that reads pages, fills forms, and drafts email across tabs.

Side by side

Fact	Arc Max	Perplexity Comet
Category	Browser Extensions & Copilots	Browser Automation Agents
Pricing model	Free	Freemium
Starts at	—	$17/mo
Trust score	96 / 100	85 / 100
Platforms	macOS, Windows, iOS	macOS, Windows, iOS, Android
Company	The Browser Company of New York	Perplexity AI, Inc.
Launched	—	2025
Last verified	Oct 15, 2026	Oct 24, 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