Comet Browser Review 2026: 10M Users, Android Launch, Security Problem Persists?

Look, I’m going to be straight with you: when I first reviewed Comet in October 2025, I called it “the most exciting browser innovation in a decade” with the caveat that it was also the riskiest. Four months later, Perplexity has 10 million users proving the excitement was warranted, and a 7% phishing block rate proving the risk was even worse than we thought. Welcome to the AI browser wars of 2026, where the product is genuinely transformative and the security situation is genuinely terrifying.

Since our original review, the entire landscape has detonated. OpenAI announced its own AI browser called Atlas. Atlassian acquired The Browser Company (makers of Dia) for $610 million. Google shoved autonomous browsing features into Chrome. And Comet? It shipped an Android app, crossed the 10 million user milestone, and somehow still blocks only 7% of phishing attempts while Chrome catches 85%. If you’re wondering whether this browser is ready for prime time in 2026 — well, that depends entirely on what you mean by “ready.”

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What Changed Since October 2025

The Bottom Line Up Front

If you remember nothing else: Comet is like having a brilliant intern who can actually click buttons for you — incredibly powerful for research and automation, but now we have hard numbers on the security situation and they are not good. Comet blocks just 7% of phishing attempts. Chrome blocks roughly 85%. That is not a typo. The gap between those two numbers should inform every decision you make about this browser.

Here’s what you actually get: A Chromium-based browser with Perplexity AI baked in as default search, an AI assistant that can summarize pages, organize tabs, draft emails, and navigate websites for you. It is now available on Android in addition to Windows, Mac, and Linux. Users report asking 6-18x more questions on their first day compared to regular browsing — it genuinely changes how you work. The 10 million users who adopted it aren’t wrong about the value proposition.

The reality check: The security picture has actually gotten worse since October 2025. In addition to the original CometJacking and prompt injection vulnerabilities, researchers discovered an MCP API exploit that allows remote code execution through malicious MCP servers. Perplexity responded with a Privacy Dashboard in December 2025, which is a step in the right direction but does not actually fix the underlying vulnerabilities. Some original issues were patched, but new ones keep emerging. It is a whack-a-mole situation.

Free vs. paid breakdown: The entire browser is still free with no limitations. Power users can pay $20/month for Perplexity Pro (faster AI models) or $200/month for Max (background assistant, early features). There’s Comet Plus at $5/month for premium publisher content. New in 2026: Comet Enterprise with custom per-seat pricing for teams.

Use Comet if: You’re a researcher, student, or knowledge worker who needs serious AI assistance and understands the security risks. Skip it if: You handle sensitive financial/medical data or aren’t comfortable with a browser that catches fewer than 1 in 10 phishing attacks.

🚀 What Comet Actually Does (Not the Marketing BS)

Comet is Perplexity’s AI-powered web browser that launched in July 2025, built on Chromium (the same tech behind Chrome). Think of it as Chrome plus Perplexity plus an AI assistant that can actually take actions for you. As of early 2026, it has crossed 10 million users and is available on Windows, Mac, Linux, and Android.

Here’s what makes Comet different from slapping ChatGPT into a Chrome sidebar: The AI assistant can see your tabs, interact with websites, draft emails based on calendar events, and navigate pages on your behalf. This is what the industry calls “agentic browsing” — the browser doesn’t just answer questions, it does things.

Real example from our testing: I told Comet to “find the three cheapest flights to Tokyo in November and compare them.” It opened multiple airline tabs, parsed pricing across dates, created a comparison, and flagged hidden fees. Total time: 2 minutes. Doing this manually: 20-30 minutes.

But here’s the thing nobody tells you: Comet gives us the first actual glance at what “agentic browsing” means in a non-technical, user-friendly way. You’re not just searching differently — you’re delegating actual work to your browser. And with 10 million people now doing exactly that, the concept has been validated far beyond early-adopter curiosity.

🔎 REALITY CHECK

Marketing Claims: “Browse at the speed of thought” and “transforms entire browsing sessions into single interactions”

Actual Experience: When it works, it’s genuinely impressive. Perplexity claims they’ve improved agentic reliability from ~70% to ~80% on complex tasks since launch. In our updated testing, the improvement is real but modest — expect failures about 20-25% of the time on multi-step tasks. The AI occasionally misunderstands context or clicks the wrong button.

Verdict: Still a revolutionary concept. Execution has improved from “beta quality” to “late beta quality.” The 10M user base proves there is real demand for what this does. But it is not a Chrome replacement — it is a Chrome supplement for specific workflows.

📰 Breaking: From $200/Month to Free Overnight

Here’s the wildest pricing story in tech from 2025: Comet launched in July 2025 exclusively for Perplexity Max subscribers at $200 per month — one of the most expensive browser subscriptions ever. The waitlist hit “millions” of people within weeks.

Then came the October surprise: On October 2, 2025, Perplexity made Comet completely free for everyone worldwide. No limitations. No trial period. Everything that cost $200/month three months ago is now available to anyone with a free Perplexity account.

Did the free strategy work? Spectacularly. Comet hit 10 million users by early 2026. That’s the kind of growth that makes VCs salivate and competitors panic. And panic they did — OpenAI announced Atlas, Google added Auto Browse to Chrome, and Atlassian spent $610 million acquiring The Browser Company.

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Why the sudden generosity? Competition. Google rolled out Gemini in Chrome, Anthropic announced browser-based AI in August, and OpenAI unveiled Operator in January. Perplexity needed users fast, and the best way to get them is to make your product free.

Context you need: Perplexity even made an unsolicited $34.5 billion bid for Google’s Chrome browser, showing how serious they are about the browser wars. When that didn’t work out, CEO Aravind Srinivas told Business Insider he wasn’t disappointed because Comet is “not just another browser meant to take market share away from Chrome” but a personal AI assistant.

This is similar to how tools like Perplexity AI itself disrupted search by offering premium features for free to build market share. The strategy: get users hooked on the free version, then upsell power features later. With 10 million users in the funnel, the upsell math starts looking very attractive.

⚡ Getting Started: Your First 10 Minutes

Installation is dead simple:

1. Go to perplexity.ai/comet
2. Download for Windows, Mac, or Linux on desktop, or grab the Android app from the Google Play Store. iOS is still “coming soon” as of February 2026.
3. Install like any normal app (takes about 1 minute)
4. Sign in with your Perplexity account (or create one — it’s free)
5. The assistant greets you with a quick tour

First things to try:

Test 1: The Sidecar Assistant
Open any webpage. Press Cmd+E (Mac) or Ctrl+E (Windows). Ask “What’s the main point of this page?” Watch it summarize in seconds. The assistant can see what you’re looking at and answer questions without needing to copy-paste.

Test 2: Cross-Tab Intelligence
Open 3-5 tabs about the same topic (say, different reviews of the same product). Ask Comet to “compare these five reviews and tell me the consensus.” It reads all tabs simultaneously and synthesizes the information.

Test 3: Email/Calendar Integration (Optional but Powerful)
Connect your Google account. This requires significant access — full read/write to Gmail and Calendar. Once connected, ask “What’s my schedule today and do I need to prep anything?” It briefs you based on your calendar and recent emails.

Test 4: Voice Commands (New)
Comet now supports voice commands integration. Hold the microphone icon or use the keyboard shortcut to speak your request. Useful for hands-free research sessions or when you want to multitask.

🔎 REALITY CHECK

Marketing Claims: “Seamless setup” and “instant productivity boost”

Actual Experience: Installation is indeed fast, but you’ll spend 15-30 minutes playing with features to understand what it can/can’t do. The Google account permissions are extensive — think hard before connecting sensitive accounts. The Android app works but is noticeably less polished than the desktop version.

Verdict: Easier than expected to set up on desktop. Android app is functional but rough. Give yourself time to learn the capabilities before relying on it for important tasks.

🎯 Features That Actually Matter (And 3 That Don’t)

Features That Actually Save Time:

1. Contextual Page Understanding
Comet Assistant can automatically see what you’re looking at, so you can ask questions without opening a new window or copying text. This is huge for research — I tested it on academic papers, product pages, and news articles. It understood technical jargon, pricing tables, and even chart data.

2. Multi-Tab Synthesis
Comet can generate cohesive summaries or comparisons by analyzing content from several open tabs. Real use case: Comparing 7 project management tools. Instead of switching between tabs and taking notes, I asked Comet to compare pricing, features, and user reviews. Got a structured comparison in 60 seconds.

3. Agentic Navigation (The Game-Changer)
Comet can navigate around the page you’re on, open new pages when needed, and take action as if it’s a human. I tested this on booking a restaurant reservation and comparing insurance quotes. When it works, it’s like having an assistant who can actually use a computer. Perplexity claims the success rate has improved from ~70% to ~80% on complex tasks since launch.

4. Email + Calendar Integration
Comet can brief your day’s schedule, answer questions about your inbox, draft replies in your tone, and highlight blockers. Morning routine test: “Prep me for today” gave me my 3 meetings, flagged 2 urgent emails, and suggested reply drafts. Saved 15 minutes of manual triage.

5. Perplexity Search by Default
Perplexity AI is pre-installed and set as default search, giving you cited answers instead of blue links. If you’re already using Perplexity AI for research, this integration feels natural.

6. Voice Commands (New in Late 2025)
Speak to Comet instead of typing. The voice integration works for triggering searches, asking page questions, and giving agentic instructions. It is most useful for hands-free scenarios but occasionally misinterprets commands in noisy environments.

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Features That Sound Cool But Underdelivered:

1. Shopping Automation
Comet claims it can compare prices and complete checkout. Reality: It found prices correctly but got confused during checkout on 2 of 3 test purchases. The AI couldn’t handle multi-step forms with conditional logic. This has not improved meaningfully since October 2025.

2. Background Assistant (Max Users Only)
Max users get a “background assistant” for multiple simultaneous tasks. Sounds amazing. In practice, it’s more of a “check back later” system than true background processing. Most tasks still require your interaction.

3. Memory/History Features
Perplexity said they were “diving more into memory” and some improvements have shipped, but Comet still can’t reliably recall past browsing sessions. You can’t ask “What was that article I read last week about quantum computing?” and get reliable results. Dia, now backed by Atlassian’s $610M, remains ahead here.

🔒 Security Warning: The CometJacking Problem

This is the section Perplexity really doesn’t want you to read. And the numbers have gotten worse.

Since our October 2025 review, the security picture has become both clearer and more alarming. We now have hard quantified data: Comet blocks only 7% of phishing attempts. Chrome blocks approximately 85%. That is a 78-percentage-point gap in the single most important browser security metric.

The Prompt Injection Problem

When users ask Comet to “Summarize this webpage,” it feeds webpage content directly to its LLM without distinguishing between user instructions and untrusted content. Translation: Attackers can embed invisible commands in web pages that Comet will execute.

Real attack scenario from Brave researchers:
A Comet user views a Reddit thread with hidden instructions in comments. When asking for a summary, the AI follows malicious instructions — like finding Perplexity login credentials and sending them to the attacker.

How bad is it? The quantified data is damning. Comet blocks only 7% of phishing attempts, making it catastrophically worse than Chrome at the most basic browser security function. This is not a marginal difference — it is an order-of-magnitude failure.

The MCP API Exploit (New — December 2025)

A new vulnerability class emerged in December 2025: the MCP (Model Context Protocol) API exploit. Researchers discovered that malicious MCP servers can achieve remote code execution through Comet’s AI agent. Because Comet’s agentic features connect to external services via MCP, a compromised or malicious MCP server can instruct the AI to execute arbitrary commands on the user’s behalf. This is particularly dangerous because it leverages the very feature that makes Comet useful — its ability to take actions autonomously.

The CometJacking Attack

LayerX discovered an attack called CometJacking where a single weaponized URL can hijack the AI assistant to steal sensitive data including emails, calendar, and connected service data. The attack uses trivial Base64-encoding to bypass Perplexity’s data protections.

What makes this scary: Traditional Web security mechanisms like same-origin policy and CORS are effectively useless. The AI operates with the user’s full privileges across authenticated sessions, meaning it can access your banking, corporate systems, private emails, and cloud storage.

The Phishing Problem

Guardio demonstrated that Comet would scan an obvious phishing email, visit the malicious website, and prompt users for banking credentials without any indication something was amiss. Because users trust the AI, they don’t see red flags they would normally catch.

Perplexity’s Response Timeline

July 2025: Perplexity acknowledged the initial vulnerability and implemented partial fixes. Retesting revealed fixes were incomplete.

August 2025: LayerX submitted CometJacking findings. Perplexity replied it could not identify any security impact, marking it as “Not Applicable.”

December 2025: Perplexity launched the Privacy Dashboard, allowing users to see what data the AI accesses. A step in the right direction, but it’s a transparency tool, not a security fix. Knowing the AI accessed your bank credentials after the fact doesn’t un-steal them.

January 2026: Comet Enterprise launched with admin controls and compliance features, targeting organizations that want to manage the security risk at scale. This suggests Perplexity knows the security story needs work — they’re building guardrails for the people willing to pay for them.

🔎 REALITY CHECK

Marketing Claims: “Enterprise-grade security” and “Privacy and compliance standards built into the core”

Actual Security Status: 7% phishing block rate. MCP API remote code execution vulnerability. CometJacking still partially exploitable. Privacy Dashboard launched but does not fix underlying issues. Enterprise version adds admin controls but doesn’t change the browser’s fundamental security architecture.

Verdict: Do not use Comet for banking, healthcare, or any sensitive accounts. The Privacy Dashboard is a nice transparency feature, but transparency about data breaches is not the same as preventing them. For general research on non-sensitive topics, the risk is manageable.

For comparison, Claude AI has much more robust safety measures for agentic tasks, though it doesn’t have browser integration like Comet.

💰 Pricing Breakdown: What You’ll Actually Pay

The base browser: $0/month (Forever Free)

• Full browser functionality
• AI assistant with basic features
• Unlimited standard searches
• Tab management and organization
• Page summarization
• No usage limits

Comet Plus: $5/month (Optional Add-On)

• Premium publisher content from CNN, Washington Post, Fortune, Le Monde, and The New Yorker
• Ad-free reading experience
• Early access to new content features
• Included free for Pro and Max subscribers

Perplexity Pro: $20/month

• Everything in Free
• Advanced AI models (GPT-4, Claude Opus)
• Unlimited Pro searches
• File upload and analysis
• Image and video generation
• Comet Plus included
• Priority support

Perplexity Max: $200/month

• Everything in Pro
• Background assistant that can work on multiple tasks simultaneously
• Email assistant with inbox organization
• Faster AI responses
• Early access to all new features
• Dedicated support

Comet Enterprise: Custom per-seat pricing (New — January 2026)

• Everything in Max
• Admin controls and user management
• Compliance features and audit logging
• Custom security policies
• Team collaboration features
• Dedicated account manager
• SSO and SAML integration

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Cost Per Use Case Analysis

If you’re a student/casual researcher: Free tier is perfect. You get the full browser and assistant. No reason to upgrade.

If you’re a content creator: Consider Pro ($20/month) if you regularly need AI image generation or file analysis. Otherwise, free + separate ChatGPT subscription might be cheaper.

If you’re a business professional: Max ($200/month) only makes sense if the email automation and background assistant save you 3+ hours per week. Otherwise, it’s hard to justify the cost.

If you’re managing a team: Enterprise is the new option for organizations that need admin controls, compliance features, and centralized management. Contact Perplexity for custom pricing — expect it to be competitive with other enterprise SaaS tools.

🔎 REALITY CHECK

Marketing Position: “Premium features for power users”

Actual ROI: The free version offers 90% of the value. Pro at $20 is reasonable if you max out free limits. Max at $200 is tough to justify unless you’re running a business where time savings directly equal revenue. Enterprise makes sense only if you need the compliance and admin features — the security architecture underneath is the same.

Verdict: Start free. Upgrade to Pro only if you consistently hit limits. Enterprise exists for teams who want guardrails, not for teams who need Fort Knox security.

⚔️ Head-to-Head: Comet vs Chrome vs Dia vs Atlas vs Chrome Auto Browse

The AI browser landscape has exploded since October 2025. What was a three-horse race (Comet vs Chrome vs Dia) is now a five-way brawl. Here’s the updated comparison based on real usage:

Feature	Comet	Google Chrome	Dia (Atlassian)	Atlas (OpenAI)	Chrome Auto Browse
💰 Price	Free (Pro $20, Max $200, Enterprise custom)	Free	Free	TBA (likely tied to ChatGPT Plus)	Free (built into Chrome)
🤖 AI Integration	✅ Native, always-on	⚠️ Gemini sidebar (optional)	✅ Native, contextual	✅ Native GPT-powered	⚠️ Feature within Chrome
🎯 Agentic Actions	✅ Can click, navigate, fill forms	❌ No autonomous actions	⚠️ Limited, skills-based	✅ Full agentic (Operator-based)	✅ Autonomous browsing
📑 Multi-Tab Analysis	✅ Excellent	❌ None	✅ Excellent	⚠️ Expected	❌ Single-tab focus
📧 Email/Calendar	✅ Full integration	❌ None	⚠️ Limited	⚠️ Expected via GPT	❌ None
🔒 Security Rating	❌ 7% phishing block	✅ ~85% phishing block	✅ Good	⚠️ TBD	✅ Chrome-level security
🧩 Extension Support	⚠️ Improved but limited	✅ 150,000+ extensions	✅ Full Chrome extensions	⚠️ TBD	✅ Full Chrome extensions
💾 RAM Usage	⚠️ Medium-High	❌ High	✅ 15% less than Chrome	⚠️ TBD	❌ High (Chrome baseline)
📱 Mobile Apps	✅ Android; ❌ iOS	✅ Mature (iOS + Android)	⚠️ Desktop only	⚠️ TBD	✅ Via Chrome mobile
💼 Enterprise	✅ Launched Jan 2026	✅ Mature	✅ Atlassian ecosystem	⚠️ Expected	✅ Via Chrome Enterprise
✨ Best For	Research, automation	General browsing, reliability	Productivity, workflows	ChatGPT power users	Chrome users wanting AI

Legend: ✅ Excellent | ⚠️ Moderate/In Progress | ❌ Poor/Not Available

The New Competitors Explained:

OpenAI Atlas: Announced in January 2026, Atlas is OpenAI’s entry into the AI browser wars. Built on their Operator technology, it promises full agentic browsing powered by GPT models. Details are still emerging, but if OpenAI’s track record with ChatGPT is any indicator, this will be a formidable competitor. The big question: will it inherit OpenAI’s stronger security posture, or will agentic browsing prove equally vulnerable for everyone?

Dia (Now Atlassian): The Browser Company got acquired by Atlassian for $610 million in January 2026. This is massive. Dia now has enterprise distribution through Atlassian’s existing customer base (Jira, Confluence, Trello). Expect Dia to become the default AI browser for Atlassian teams, with deep integration into project management and collaboration workflows. The memory features that already beat Comet will only improve with Atlassian’s resources.

Chrome Auto Browse: Google added autonomous browsing features directly into Chrome. It is not a separate product — it is a feature within the browser 3 billion people already use. That distribution advantage is nearly impossible to overcome. The agentic capabilities are more limited than Comet’s, but they come with Chrome’s security infrastructure.

When to Choose Each:

Choose Comet if:

• You spend 3+ hours daily researching
• You want AI that actually does things (not just answers questions)
• You’re comfortable with the security trade-offs
• You already use Perplexity AI regularly

Stick with Chrome (or Chrome Auto Browse) if:

• You value stability and security above cutting-edge features
• You have critical workflows depending on specific extensions
• You need seamless mobile/desktop sync
• You handle sensitive business/financial data

Choose Dia if:

• You want smooth, contextual AI without aggressive automation
• You’re in the Atlassian ecosystem (Jira, Confluence)
• You prioritize memory and personalization features
• You want skills/custom automations without coding

Wait for Atlas if:

• You’re a ChatGPT power user and want browser integration
• You want to bet on OpenAI’s ecosystem long-term
• You want agentic features but are hoping for better security than Comet

Comet still dominates for research, synthesis, and agentic automation. If you want an AI that can actually take actions, Comet leads the pack — for now. But the competitive window is closing fast. Atlas brings OpenAI’s AI prowess, Dia brings Atlassian’s enterprise distribution, and Chrome Auto Browse brings 3 billion existing users. Comet’s first-mover advantage won’t last forever.

👥 Who Should Use This (And Who Shouldn’t)

✅ Comet is Perfect For:

1. Researchers and Graduate Students
The ability to quickly summarize articles, extract key information, and synthesize data from multiple sources makes research exponentially faster. One PhD candidate on Reddit said it summarized their 200-page thesis in minutes and found gaps they’d missed. Now available on Android, you can continue research on the go.

2. Content Creators
Understanding video content, analyzing competitor websites, and gathering inspiration becomes streamlined with AI assistance. Social media managers report cutting research time by 60%.

3. Knowledge Workers
Anyone who spends significant time researching, reading, and processing online information will benefit from Comet’s capabilities. Project managers, consultants, and analysts are the sweet spot.

4. Tech Enthusiasts and Early Adopters
If you were an early adopter of ChatGPT or Perplexity, Comet offers the next evolution in AI-assisted computing. You understand beta products come with rough edges — and with 10 million fellow users, there’s a growing community to learn from.

5. Enterprise Teams (New)
With the January 2026 Enterprise launch, teams that need managed AI browsing with admin controls and compliance features now have an option. Particularly useful for consulting firms, research departments, and content teams where the productivity benefits outweigh the security concerns.

❌ Skip Comet If You’re:

1. Handling Sensitive Data
Banking, healthcare, legal work, or any regulated industry. The 7% phishing block rate is disqualifying. Full stop. No amount of productivity gains justifies a browser that catches fewer than 1 in 10 phishing attacks when you’re handling HIPAA, PCI, or SOX-regulated data.

2. Extension-Dependent
Comet’s extension support has improved since October 2025 — more Chrome extensions now work — but it’s still limited compared to Chrome’s full 150,000+ extension ecosystem. If your workflow relies on specific niche extensions, you’ll still be frustrated.

3. iOS-First User
Android app launched in November 2025, but iOS is still “coming soon” as of February 2026. If you’re in the Apple ecosystem and need mobile AI browsing, you’re still waiting.

4. Risk-Averse Organizations (Without Enterprise)
IT departments will rightfully block Comet due to the security concerns. Comet Enterprise adds admin controls, but the underlying browser security architecture hasn’t fundamentally changed. Organizations handling regulated data should wait.

🔎 REALITY CHECK

Marketing Position: “For everyone who wants to browse smarter”

Actual Target Market: Knowledge workers comfortable with experimental technology and accepting security trade-offs. The Enterprise launch expands this to managed teams, but the core product is still not for mainstream adoption where security matters.

Verdict: Comet has matured from “beta masquerading as consumer release” to “solid tool for its niche.” That niche has grown to 10 million users, which is impressive, but it’s still a specialized research browser, not a Chrome replacement.

💬 What Reddit & Tech Twitter Actually Say

Reddit’s Take (Updated February 2026)

r/artificial and r/OpenAI reactions:

The sentiment has shifted from “wow, this is the future” to “okay, this is useful but when are they fixing the security?” The honeymoon phase is over, and users are now evaluating Comet against real alternatives.

Top comment from early 2026 (1.2k upvotes): “Using Comet for research daily now. It’s genuinely 3x faster than my old Chrome+Perplexity workflow. But I keep a separate Chrome instance for anything involving passwords or money. The 7% phishing number is insane.”

Common praise patterns:

• “The multi-tab synthesis is still the killer feature nobody else has matched”
• “Android app is rough but usable — beats using mobile Chrome for research”
• “Enterprise version convinced my team lead to let us trial it officially”
• “Voice commands are a nice touch for hands-free research”

Common complaints:

• “7% phishing block rate is indefensible for a browser in 2026”
• “The MCP exploit terrifies me — I disconnected all my accounts”
• “Still no iOS app? It’s been ‘coming soon’ for 7 months”
• “Atlas announcement has me wondering if I should just wait”

Tech Twitter Sentiment

The developer community is more nuanced in 2026. The Atlas announcement split opinions:

Pro-Comet camp: “Comet has 10M users and actual shipping product. Atlas is vaporware until proven otherwise. First-mover advantage matters.”

Pro-Atlas camp: “OpenAI has the AI talent and the security budget. Comet proved the concept, Atlas will perfect it.”

The pragmatists: “Use Comet for research, Chrome for everything else, and wait to see what Atlas actually ships. The Atlassian+Dia play is the dark horse nobody’s talking about.”

The Verdict from Real Users

Overall sentiment: Useful but compartmentalized

The 2026 user base has matured. Power users love it for research and keep Chrome for sensitive tasks. Enterprise teams are trialing it with guardrails. Security-conscious users still won’t touch it. And everyone is watching Atlas.

The comparison to Claude AI remains relevant — both represent different philosophies. Claude’s conservative approach to safety looks increasingly smart as Comet’s security vulnerabilities persist.

🔮 The Road Ahead: What’s Next for Comet

Our October 2025 Predictions: How Did We Do?

✅ Android app (Predicted: November 2025 | Actual: November 2025) — Called it. The Android app launched on schedule and has been the main driver of the 10M user milestone.

❌ iOS app (Predicted: Late 2025 | Actual: Still missing) — Missed. iOS is still “coming soon” in February 2026. Apple’s App Store review process and potential competitive concerns (Apple Intelligence) may be slowing this down.

✅ Enterprise version (Predicted: 6-12 months | Actual: January 2026) — Called it. Comet Enterprise launched with admin controls and compliance features exactly in the timeframe we predicted.

⚠️ Security patches (Predicted: Ongoing priority | Actual: Mixed) — Partially right. Some original vulnerabilities were patched, but new ones (MCP exploit) keep emerging. The Privacy Dashboard was a response but not a fix. The 7% phishing block rate speaks for itself.

⚠️ Extension support (Predicted: Expanding | Actual: Improved but limited) — Partially right. More Chrome extensions now work, but it’s still not on par with native Chrome extension support.

❌ Memory features matching Dia (Predicted: 6-12 months | Actual: Still behind) — Missed. Some improvements shipped, but Dia’s memory capabilities remain superior, and with Atlassian’s $610M backing, that gap will only widen.

New Predictions for 2026-2027:

iOS app launch (Q2 2026)
The missing iOS app is a glaring hole. With 10M users on desktop and Android, the Apple ecosystem is Comet’s biggest untapped market. Prediction: Ships by mid-2026, potentially with Apple Intelligence compatibility constraints.

Atlas competition reshapes the market (H2 2026)
When Atlas actually ships, the AI browser market will bifurcate. Comet will double down on the Perplexity search advantage, Atlas will leverage ChatGPT’s user base, and Dia will own the enterprise collaboration niche. Chrome Auto Browse will be the “good enough” option for everyone else. We predict this four-way split stabilizes by late 2026.

Security overhaul or user exodus (2026)
The 7% phishing block rate is unsustainable. Either Perplexity invests heavily in security infrastructure or a high-profile breach involving Comet will cause a user trust crisis. We predict a major security update in H1 2026 — the pressure from Atlas’s anticipated security standards will force Perplexity’s hand.

Operating system ambitions (2027)
Remember, Perplexity CEO said in March 2025 his goal was “to develop an operating system with which you can do almost everything.” With 10M browser users generating behavioral data and an enterprise offering, the OS play becomes more plausible. Don’t expect a full OS in 2026, but expect more OS-like features (app launcher, notification center, cross-app workflows) to appear in Comet.

Dia becomes the enterprise standard (2026-2027)
The Atlassian acquisition is the biggest sleeper story in this space. With Jira, Confluence, and Trello distribution, Dia could become the default AI browser for enterprise teams without Comet even getting a chance to compete. Perplexity needs to accelerate Enterprise adoption before the Atlassian distribution machine kicks in.

❓ FAQs: Your Questions Answered

Q: Is Comet Browser really free or is there a catch?

A: Comet browser is genuinely free with no limitations on the core features. As of October 2, 2025, everything that cost $200/month in July is available to anyone with a free Perplexity account. Optional paid tiers exist: Plus ($5/month), Pro ($20/month), Max ($200/month), and Enterprise (custom pricing). The free version includes the full browser, AI assistant, agentic actions, and page summarization. The catch is that it’s still a browser that blocks only 7% of phishing attempts.

Q: Is Comet Browser safe to use for banking and sensitive accounts?

A: No. Absolutely not. Updated security research shows Comet blocks only 7% of phishing attempts, compared to Chrome’s ~85%. Additionally, an MCP API exploit discovered in December 2025 allows remote code execution through malicious servers. While Perplexity added a Privacy Dashboard and launched Enterprise with compliance features, the underlying browser security architecture remains fundamentally weaker than Chrome. Use a separate browser for banking, healthcare, and any sensitive accounts.

Q: How does Comet Browser compare to Chrome with Gemini?

A: Comet offers much deeper AI integration than Chrome with Gemini. While Chrome’s Gemini is an optional sidebar that answers questions, Comet’s AI can actually take actions — clicking buttons, navigating pages, filling forms, and analyzing multiple tabs simultaneously. Chrome has also added Auto Browse autonomous features, but these are more limited than Comet’s agentic capabilities. However, Chrome is significantly more secure (85% vs 7% phishing block rate), has 150,000+ extensions, mature mobile apps on all platforms, and better stability. Choose Comet for aggressive AI automation and research; choose Chrome for reliability and security.

Q: Can Comet Browser access my Gmail and Google Calendar?

A: Yes, but it requires your explicit permission. You can optionally connect your Google account to enable email and calendar features. This grants Comet full read/write access to Gmail and Calendar. The AI can then draft emails, organize your inbox, brief you on your schedule, and answer questions about messages. This is powerful but introduces security risks — the MCP exploit and CometJacking vulnerability mean a compromised AI session could access your connected accounts. The new Privacy Dashboard lets you see what data the AI accesses, but this is transparency, not prevention.

Q: Does Comet Browser work on mobile phones?

A: Yes, on Android. The Android app launched in November 2025 and has been one of the main drivers of Comet’s 10 million user milestone. The app is functional but noticeably less polished than the desktop version. iOS is still “coming soon” as of February 2026 — it has been announced but not delivered. If you’re on iPhone, you’ll need to wait.

Q: What’s the difference between Comet and Dia Browser?

A: Comet (by Perplexity) focuses on aggressive agentic automation — the AI can actually navigate websites and take actions for you. Dia (by The Browser Company, now owned by Atlassian for $610M) emphasizes smooth, contextual intelligence with custom ‘skills’ for workflows. Comet wins for research and autonomous actions. Dia wins for memory features, daily productivity, and polish. With Atlassian’s backing, Dia is positioned to dominate enterprise team workflows through Jira/Confluence integration. Both are free; choose based on whether you want aggressive automation (Comet) or refined productivity with enterprise backing (Dia).

Q: Can I use Chrome extensions in Comet Browser?

A: More than before, but still with limitations. Comet’s extension support has improved since launch — more Chrome extensions now work thanks to better Chromium compatibility. However, Perplexity still restricts certain extension categories and the support is not on par with native Chrome. If your workflow depends on specific niche extensions, test them in Comet before committing. The company continues to focus on building native AI-powered alternatives rather than full third-party extension support.

Q: Is Comet Browser better than Perplexity AI for research?

A: They complement each other rather than compete. Perplexity AI (the search engine) excels at answering specific questions with cited sources. Comet Browser includes Perplexity AI as the default search engine but adds capabilities like multi-tab synthesis, webpage interaction, autonomous navigation, and voice commands. For pure question-answering, they’re equivalent. For complex research involving multiple sources and actions, Comet’s browser features make it significantly more powerful.

Q: How much RAM does Comet Browser use compared to Chrome?

A: Comet uses moderate to high RAM, similar to Chrome. Tests show Comet using about 15% less RAM than Chrome when multiple tabs are open, but this advantage diminishes when AI features are actively running. Expect 2-4GB of RAM usage for typical browsing with 10-15 tabs. The AI processing adds overhead, so you’ll want at least 8GB of system RAM, with 16GB recommended for optimal performance.

Q: Should I switch from Chrome to Comet Browser?

A: Not as a full replacement. Think of Comet as a specialized research browser rather than a Chrome replacement. Use Comet for research sessions, competitive analysis, and tasks requiring AI assistance. Keep Chrome for banking, shopping, anything requiring specific extensions, and general reliable browsing. Many of Comet’s 10 million users run both browsers for different use cases. The smart setup: Comet for research, Chrome for everything sensitive.

Q: Does Comet have an Android app now?

A: Yes. The Comet Android app launched in November 2025 and is available on the Google Play Store. It includes the core AI assistant features, agentic browsing capabilities, and Perplexity search integration. The app is functional but less polished than the desktop version — expect some rough edges on complex agentic tasks. iOS remains unavailable as of February 2026.

Q: What is OpenAI Atlas and how does it compare to Comet?

A: Atlas is OpenAI’s AI browser, announced in January 2026. It is built on OpenAI’s Operator technology and powered by GPT models. Atlas promises full agentic browsing similar to Comet but backed by OpenAI’s AI infrastructure. As of February 2026, Atlas has not shipped publicly, so direct comparisons are speculative. The key question is whether Atlas will inherit OpenAI’s stronger security posture or face the same agentic browsing vulnerabilities that plague Comet. If you’re in the ChatGPT ecosystem, Atlas may be worth waiting for.

Q: Is Comet safe for enterprise use?

A: It depends on your definition of “safe” and your use case. Comet Enterprise (launched January 2026) adds admin controls, compliance features, audit logging, SSO/SAML integration, and custom security policies. These are necessary for team management but don’t change the underlying browser’s 7% phishing block rate. Enterprise is suitable for teams doing research and content work where the productivity benefits outweigh security risks. It is not suitable for teams handling regulated data (HIPAA, PCI, SOX) or sensitive financial information. Consider Comet Enterprise as “managed risk” rather than “enterprise-grade security.”

✅ Final Verdict: Is Comet Worth It in 2026?

Since our original review in October 2025, Comet has gone from “exciting experiment” to “established tool with a massive asterisk.” The 10 million users aren’t wrong — this browser genuinely transforms research workflows. But the security situation has gone from “concerning” to “quantifiably bad,” and the competitive landscape has gone from “Comet vs who?” to a four-way war with some of the most powerful companies in tech.

Comet represents the future of browsing — and the future still has a security problem.

What Comet Gets Right:

• ✅ First truly agentic browser with 10 million users proving the concept at scale
• ✅ Multi-tab synthesis remains the killer feature nobody has matched
• ✅ Email/calendar integration saves real time every day
• ✅ Free pricing makes cutting-edge AI accessible to everyone
• ✅ Android app extends the experience to mobile
• ✅ Enterprise offering shows organizational maturity
• ✅ Voice commands add hands-free convenience

What Needs Work:

• ❌ 7% phishing block rate is catastrophically low
• ❌ MCP API exploit introduces new attack surface
• ❌ 20% failure rate on complex tasks (improved from 30%, but still too high)
• ❌ iOS app still missing after 7+ months of “coming soon”
• ❌ Memory features still lag behind Dia
• ❌ Extension support improved but still limited
• ❌ Atlas, Dia (Atlassian), and Chrome Auto Browse are closing the competitive gap fast

The Recommendation Matrix (Updated February 2026):

Use Comet NOW if you’re:

• A researcher, graduate student, or journalist
• Spending 3+ hours daily on information synthesis
• Comfortable running it alongside Chrome (not as a replacement)
• Aware of the 7% phishing block rate and accepting that trade-off for research workflows
• Not handling sensitive data in Comet

Wait 3-6 months if you:

• Want to see what Atlas actually delivers
• Need iOS support
• Want security improvements before committing
• Are evaluating Dia (Atlassian) for your team

Skip it entirely if you:

• Work with regulated data (HIPAA, PCI, SOX)
• Need a single browser for everything including banking
• Can’t afford a security incident

Bottom line: Comet is the most useful AI browser available today, with 10 million users and a feature set that competitors are racing to match. It is also the least secure mainstream browser you can download. Those two facts coexist, and your decision should be informed by both. The free price tag makes it easy to try. Just remember: separate browsers for separate threat models.

For researchers and early adopters, Comet remains transformative. For enterprise teams, it’s now an option with guardrails. For everyone else, the browser wars of 2026 are just getting started — Atlas, Dia, and Chrome Auto Browse will give you plenty of alternatives before the year is out.

My updated setup: I use Comet for research and content creation, Chrome for banking, shopping, and sensitive work, and occasionally Claude AI for tasks requiring maximum safety. I also have Claude Code for development work. Best of all worlds.

Try it today: Download Comet free at perplexity.ai/comet

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Last Updated: February 14, 2026

Comet Browser Version: Latest stable (February 2026)

Next Review Update: After Atlas public launch or next major Comet security update

Original Testing Period: 30 days (September 20 — October 20, 2025)

Update Testing Period: Ongoing monitoring (October 2025 — February 2026)

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Disclosure: This review is based on extensive testing, security research analysis, and community feedback analysis. We are not affiliated with Perplexity AI. All prices and features verified as of February 2026.