Comet vs Claude for Chrome
Two browsers that browse for you — one completely free, the other locked behind a paid subscription.
The short answer
- Best free optionComet
- Best for existing Claude subscribersClaude for Chrome
- Best on mobileComet
- Best for resuming tasks across devicesClaude for Chrome
By mid-2026, the race to build “the browser that works for you” has taken shape: Perplexity bet on a full browser that’s free, while Anthropic bet on an extension over Chrome tied to its existing subscription. Both read pages and take actions — but the philosophy and the price tag differ fundamentally.
The core difference
Comet is a standalone browser. You install it instead of Chrome (or beside it), and a sidebar searches, summarises, and compares prices — entirely free since October 2025.
Claude for Chrome is an extension. You stay in your Chrome, and Claude operates on top of it as a Cowork session — reading the page, clicking, filling forms, saving progress so you can continue from another device. But there is no free path whatsoever: entry starts at $20/month.
Cost settles it for Comet
This is the clearest difference of all: Comet is completely free, while Claude for Chrome requires a paid subscription from first use. If you want to test the “agentic browser” idea without spending anything, Comet is the only option here.
Continuity settles it for Claude for Chrome
In return, Claude for Chrome offers something its rival doesn’t match: the task you start in your browser saves as a Cowork session and can be resumed from the Claude app on your phone or the web, without re-explaining context from scratch. Comet keeps everything inside its own browser window.
Who picks what?
- Trying an agentic browser at no cost? Comet.
- Already on Claude Pro or Max? Enable Claude for Chrome — a direct gain with no extra charge.
- Phone-first user? Comet — the only one with a real mobile app.
- Tasks spanning sessions and devices? Claude for Chrome’s Cowork continuity saves you repetition.
Sources
- Piloting Claude in Chrome — Anthropic
- Claude Cowork comes to the Chrome side panel — Claude Blog
- Get started with Claude in Chrome — Anthropic Help Center
- Perplexity AI rolls out Comet browser for free worldwide — CNBC
- Perplexity releases Comet browser globally at no cost — ppc.land
- Comet (browser) — Wikipedia
Quick summary
- The idea
- Comet is a standalone browser; Claude for Chrome is an add-on layered over the Chrome you already run
- Price
- Comet is entirely free; Claude for Chrome requires a paid subscription (no free tier)
- Platforms
- Comet: Windows, macOS, Android, iOS; Claude for Chrome: Chrome extension only
- Who runs the engine
- Comet is built around Perplexity's own search; Claude for Chrome runs Claude models on top of your browser
- Task continuity
- Claude for Chrome saves work as a Cowork session you resume from mobile, web, or desktop
- Transparency before acting
- Both preview agent steps before sensitive actions, with different permission models
- Target audience
- Comet for anyone wanting an alternative browser; Claude for Chrome for current Claude subscribers
Side-by-side comparison
| Criterion | Comet | Claude for Chrome |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | Entirely free, all platforms | No free tier — requires Pro ($20) or above |
| Paid tiers | Pro $20 · Max $200 — higher limits plus Labs and Model Council | Pro $20 · Max $100–200 · Team $25/seat |
| Platforms | Full browser: Windows · macOS · Android · iOS | Chrome extension only — no standalone mobile app |
| How it works | Standalone browser with agentic search and an assistant sidebar | Layered over your existing Chrome, opens as a Claude Cowork session |
| Acting across tabs | Opens multiple tabs, reads pages, compiles comparisons or summaries | Browses, clicks, fills forms, using your existing logins |
| Session continuity | The task stays inside the same browser window | Saved as a Cowork session, resumable from the Claude mobile app or web |
| Underlying model | Perplexity's own search-and-answer engine | Haiku 4.5 for Pro; choice of Sonnet 4.5 or Opus 4.5 for Max |
| Deep Research | Available, with wider limits on paid plans | Not designed as a research tool — closer to executing tasks on specific pages |
| Background assistant | Background tasks for Pro and Max subscribers | Not available as an independent background feature — works within the open session |
| Shopping and comparison | Built-in shopping assistant that compares prices across multiple sites | Can do the same job manually as browser steps, no dedicated shopping UI |
| Transparency before acting | Shows research and browsing steps before any consequential action | Previews each step before applying it and asks permission for sensitive actions |
| Getting in | A free Perplexity account is enough | Paid Claude subscription mandatory — Pro and up |
| Enterprise availability | Individual plans primarily, without comparably deep enterprise controls | On Enterprise: disabled by default, admins set allowed site scopes |
| Current rollout | Free to everyone since October 2025 on desktop, March 2026 on iOS | Open to all paid plans since December 2025, expanding gradually |
Pros & cons
Comet
✅ Pros
- Completely free — no subscription needed to start
- A standalone browser that runs on both desktop and mobile
- A genuinely built-in shopping and price-comparison assistant
- Deep Research and background tasks for paid users without giving up the free core
❌ Cons
- Requires fully switching to a new browser rather than extending Chrome
- Advanced features (Labs, Model Council) sit behind the priciest subscription around at $200
- Locked to Perplexity's engine — no picking another model
Claude for Chrome
✅ Pros
- Runs on the Chrome you already use — no changing habits
- Tasks save as Cowork sessions you resume from any device
- Choice among several models (Haiku, Sonnet, Opus) depending on plan
- Clearer enterprise controls on the Enterprise plan via defined site scopes
❌ Cons
- No free tier at all — entry price is $20/month
- No standalone mobile app, just a desktop Chrome extension
- Pro subscribers are limited to the lighter Haiku model only
- Newer to market compared with Comet's free availability
Best use cases
Comparing prices before buying
Winner: Comet
Comet's shopping assistant exists for exactly this: it opens several sites, compares prices, and returns a ready table — free.
Start on desktop, finish on mobile
Winner: Claude for Chrome
A Claude Cowork session preserves your progress, so you open the Claude app on your phone and continue where you left off without re-explaining context.
Deep multi-source research
Winner: Comet
Deep Research inside Comet is designed for gathering across many sources — a natural fit for Perplexity's underlying engine.
Filling forms on a specific page
Winner: Claude for Chrome
Claude for Chrome reads the page you're on and performs a precise action on it — filling, summarising, navigating — with your existing login.
Trying an agentic browser at zero cost
Winner: Comet
Comet is the only one of the two that works fully free from day one — the sensible way to test the concept before committing money.
Corporate environments with access controls
Winner: Claude for Chrome
On the Enterprise plan, admins specify exactly which site domains the agent may touch — finer control for companies.
Performance comparison
Ease of getting started
Comet asks for nothing but an account; Claude for Chrome demands a paid plan before you can try anything.
Research and synthesis power
Perplexity's engine was built for search; Claude for Chrome is closer to executing actions on a page.
Precise on-page actions
Form filling and fine-grained navigation are a clear strength of Claude for Chrome.
Continuity across devices
Cowork sessions resume from another device; Comet stays confined to its own browser.
Platform coverage
Comet ships on mobile and desktop; Claude for Chrome is a desktop-only extension.
Cost efficiency
Full freeness favours Comet decisively — there is no contest on this axis.
Overall score
Comet pulls ahead on cost and coverage; Claude for Chrome answers with execution precision and session continuity.
Which one should you choose?
Students and beginners
Comet
Nothing stops you from trying Comet — it's entirely free and behaves like any ordinary browser with an assistant attached.
Existing Claude subscribers
Claude for Chrome
If you already pay for Claude Pro or Max, the extension is a straight bonus at no extra cost — turn it on instead of leaving it dormant.
Frequent price comparers
Comet
Comet's built-in shopping assistant was purpose-built for this and costs nothing to use.
Teams and enterprises
Claude for Chrome
Clearer Enterprise controls (allowed domains, disabled by default) matter in workplaces with stricter security standards.
Mobile-first users
Comet
Comet genuinely exists as a full browser on Android and iOS; Claude for Chrome lives exclusively on the desktop.
Long, interrupted workflows
Claude for Chrome
If your tasks stretch across sessions and machines, Cowork continuity spares you re-briefing the agent every time.
Related comparisons
ChatGPT vs Claude
✍️ Writing & ContentThe two strongest writing and analysis assistants — each winning in a completely different place.
Perplexity vs ChatGPT
✍️ Writing & ContentA search engine that cites every sentence, versus an all-purpose assistant answering from its own knowledge — which one fits your question?
Gemini in Chrome vs Comet
⚡ ProductivityAn assistant embedded in the browser you already have, versus a full standalone browser — and both are free at their core.
❓ Frequently asked questions
Is Comet really completely free?
Yes. Perplexity made Comet free for all users on Windows and macOS on October 2, 2025, after launching it as an exclusive for Max subscribers ($200/month) in July 2025. It expanded to Android in November 2025 and iOS in March 2026. The free tier includes agentic browsing, page summarisation, and voice mode — paid plans (Pro and Max) only raise the usage limits.
Why does Claude for Chrome have no free tier?
Anthropic treats it as an extension of the Claude subscription itself, not a standalone product. It started as a limited research preview for about a thousand users in August 2025, opened to all Max subscribers in November 2025, then reached every paid plan (Pro and up) as a beta in December 2025 — with no free path so far.
One sentence: which should I choose?
Want to try an agentic browser with zero financial commitment: Comet. Already subscribed to Claude Pro or Max and want Claude working across your web pages with cross-device continuity: Claude for Chrome.
Do both work the same way as 'agentic browsers'?
The principle overlaps — an agent reads the page and takes actions for you — but the philosophies differ. Comet is a standalone browser built around searching and synthesising many sources. Claude for Chrome is an extension over Chrome focused on precise actions on a specific page, saving work as a Cowork session you can continue elsewhere.
Which is safer for sensitive actions?
Both show the step before executing anything consequential and ask explicit permission for sensitive cases. The practical difference: Claude for Chrome's Enterprise plan ships disabled by default, with admins defining which site domains the agent may operate on — tighter control for corporate settings. Whichever you pick, personally review every action requesting payment or deletion rights before approving.
Can I keep my Chrome setup and still use Claude for Chrome?
Yes — that's exactly the point. It layers over your existing Chrome, so nothing changes: no new browser, no migrating bookmarks or passwords. Comet, by contrast, is a separate browser you install and use instead of Chrome (or alongside it).
Which one works on phones?
Only Comet, which has full apps on Android and iOS. Claude for Chrome currently exists solely as a desktop Chrome extension with no independent mobile version.