Perplexity's AI browser Comet for iPhone was released on March 18, 2026, after the company pushed back its original March 11 launch date by one week. The app is free to download, matching the recently-released Android version, a significant shift from the paid desktop experience. The Mac version initially cost $200 a month.
Comet positions itself as more than a standard web browser. The application combines a web browser with a chatbot that can perform tasks on a user's behalf, allowing people to ask it to summarise a webpage or conduct additional research for more context about a subject. According to the App Store listing, Comet works as an assistant that supports tasks like summarising content, shopping, scheduling, and research directly within the browser.
The move into mobile represents a broader push for Perplexity to compete with traditional browsers like Safari. The Comet browser is now available for iPhones, Android devices, Windows PCs and Macs, though there isn't a native iPad app yet. The app is available after a short delay from its original March 11 launch date.
However, the free pricing masks a more complicated business model. Perplexity has been open about the fact that it uses browsers in part to collect customer data for ad targeting. This data collection practice is particularly significant given that the tool that once cost $200 monthly is now offered free. The company's previous willingness to charge a substantial fee for this product raises the question of what has changed in the underlying economics.
This transparency about data collection comes as academic researchers are raising serious concerns about AI browser privacy practices more broadly. A study from researchers in the UK and Italy found that popular AI-powered browsers collect and share sensitive personal data, with all but Perplexity AI showing evidence of gathering private details like medical records and social security numbers, and transmitting them to external servers.
On the technical side, the iPhone version does come with some constraints. Users cannot install third-party extensions, though it can be made the default browser. This limitation reflects Apple's control over its iOS ecosystem but also means users cannot expand Comet's functionality in the way they might on desktop.
For users concerned about data privacy, the implications are worth considering. Perplexity's Comet collects 'URLs, page text, images, and other resources' as browsing data. While Perplexity has claimed Comet ensures user privacy by storing much of this data on your device and only sends it to Perplexity servers to fulfil specific, tightly scoped requests, the company's own terms give it broad permission to use personal information. Comet's terms give Perplexity permission to access and use all this personal information 'to provide and improve Comet and recommend relevant content, including using AI tools' by default, meaning your search history, emails, and family photos could be used to personalise responses and be shared with third parties.
The free iPhone launch also reflects Perplexity's broader business recalculation. Perplexity has repositioned subscriptions as the backbone of its business model, offering a free tier alongside paid plans ranging from $20 to $200 per month. In February 2026, Perplexity transitioned to a subscription-first model by discontinuing its AI-integrated advertising strategy, with leadership stating the move was intended to preserve user trust in the 'answer engine', prioritising objective results over ad revenue.
Users downloading Comet on iPhone should understand what they are trading: convenience and free functionality in exchange for participation in data collection practices that fund the service. The company's shift away from paid access to free offerings does not indicate that privacy concerns have been resolved. Rather, it suggests Perplexity has chosen a different path to monetisation, one where user data plays a central role. Reasonable people may accept this trade-off if they find Comet's features valuable. What matters is making that choice with eyes open.