Perplexity released its Comet AI browser as a standalone app for iPhone, expanding the fast-growing AI browser category for Apple’s mobile ecosystem.
The launch follows an Android rollout late last year and marks a major shift in pricing: Comet, which debuted on desktop in 2025 with a $200-per-month subscription, is now free on mobile. AI browsers have been gaining popularity, and plenty of users will be excited for a good replacement for the iOS-native Safari browser.
Why AI browsers like Comet are becoming popular
AI assistants streamline research and routine tasks
Comet blends a traditional browser with an AI assistant that can summarize pages, answer questions, and carry out tasks on a user’s behalf. That “agentic” approach — where the AI doesn’t just respond but actively navigates, clicks, and completes actions — has become a defining feature in a crowded field of AI-enhanced browsers.
In long-term testing, Comet has proven compelling enough to replace traditional browsers for many day-to-day tasks, largely because of how tightly its AI is integrated. Instead of acting as a sidebar chatbot, the assistant can directly interact with web pages — filling out forms, managing tabs, summarizing videos, and even handling shopping workflows or email triage.
That deep integration is also what differentiates it from rivals like Chrome or Edge, where AI features tend to feel additive rather than core. For research-heavy workflows, the ability to query multiple open tabs and summarize content instantly has been a consistent standout.
It’s been 7 months since Perplexity Comet — here’s my long-term review
It’s an interesting browser, but not for all.
Limitations and privacy concerns
Agentic browsing introduces potential security risks and iOS has some limits
Still, the experience isn’t without some tradeoffs. Desktop users have noted performance hiccups under heavy workloads and missing features compared to more established browsers. And while Comet’s automation can be powerful, it also introduces risk — AI agents have shown they can be susceptible to scams or unreliable information when acting autonomously online.
On iOS, there are additional limitations. Due to Apple’s platform restrictions, Comet doesn’t support third-party extensions, which may limit its appeal for power users. The app does lean into Apple’s design language, incorporating Liquid Glass interface elements and offering the ability to set it as the default browser.
Privacy remains a key concern. Perplexity has indicated that browser data may be used to support ad targeting, raising familiar questions about how much visibility users are willing to give an AI that can access emails, tabs, and browsing activity in order to automate tasks.
- OS
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Any
- Developer
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Perplexity
- Price model
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Free, $20 per month Pro subscription
- Initial release
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December 7, 2022
Perplexity is an AI-powered search engine that combines web search with conversational answers. It scans reliable online sources in real time, summarizes key information, and provides cited responses. Designed for clarity and accuracy, Perplexity helps users quickly find, verify, and understand complex topics through concise, trustworthy explanations.
With the iPhone launch, Comet is now available across iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS. A dedicated iPad version has yet to arrive, but given the broader rollout, it likely won’t be far behind.
The bigger question is whether users are ready to hand over more control of their browsing to AI. Early indications suggest that, for the right workflows, tools like Comet may already be making that case.