Comet vs Google Chrome: Which Browser Wins in 2025?

In mid-2025, Comet, a browser developed by Perplexity AI, entered the browser wars not just as another rival, but as an “agentic AI browser” — one that doesn’t just display webpages, but acts more proactively to help users accomplish tasks. Meanwhile, Google Chrome continues to dominate the global browser market with its massive user base, extensions ecosystem, and deep integration into Google services.

This article compares Comet vs Google Chrome in terms of technology, company profile, user base, strengths & weaknesses, use cases — and asks whether Comet has what it takes to replace Chrome for many users.

What is Comet? Company Profile & Technology

Perplexity AI is the company behind Comet. It started as an AI “answer engine” and search assistant, and has recently moved into browsers to bake its AI deeper into how users interact with the web.

Here are the key technical and structural features of Comet:

• Built on Chromium: Comet uses the open-source Chromium framework. That means it supports Chrome extensions, bookmarks, much of what users are used to from Chrome. That lowers friction for users switching.
• AI-first / Agentic Capabilities: Comet integrates Perplexity’s AI models (including some large language models) to provide tools like summarization of webpages, an AI sidebar assistant that can perform tasks (draft emails, compare products, schedule events). It also has “agentic” workflows — it can act across tabs, carry out multi-step tasks.
• Search Engine Integration: Comet uses Perplexity’s search/answer engine as default. Instead of simple search links, users often see AI-generated overviews or summaries, citations, etc.
• Workspaces / Tab & Task Management: To reduce clutter and increase productivity, Comet has “workspaces” (grouping tabs/projects/tasks). It also offers tools for automating frequent tasks.
• Availability & Access: Initially, Comet was available only to Perplexity’s highest tier (Max) subscribers at around US$200/month. It has since become free for all users, with free, Pro, and Max tiers.
• Platform Support: Available now for Windows and macOS; Android version is being rolled out (pre-register / pre-order). iOS support is in development.

Company Profile & Market Context

• Perplexity AI is a startup in the AI search / answer engine sector, competing with big names in AI search. Its founders and funding indicate serious ambitions.
• Google / Alphabet has decades of infrastructure, huge ecosystems (search, Android, services), billions of users, massive resources. Chrome already has very high usage globally. Various reports in 2025 show Chrome’s desktop + mobile market share is in the 65-70% range depending on region.

Userbase numbers for Comet are much smaller, given its recent launch. Some things known:

• Comet had a waitlist of millions prior to general availability.
• Chrome has billions of users worldwide.

Real Data & Comparisons

Why You Might Use Comet Over Chrome

Here are use-cases where Comet could have an advantage:

1. If you want AI built in, not added on: Comet’s sidebar, summarization, and task automation are more integrated. You don’t have to install many extensions or switch apps.
2. Productivity & workflow management: For people who work with many tabs, projects, research, writing — Comet’s workspaces, agentic tasks (e.g. fill forms, compare products, schedule) aim to reduce switching delays and friction.
3. Better contextual search / summarization: If you often skim lots of content, research history, or need overviews, Comet’s AI features help summarizing, highlighting, etc.
4. Emerging privacy / data concerns: While Chrome has had criticism over how much user data is collected and used in Google’s ad ecosystem, Comet is positioned (by Perplexity) as more privacy-aware. For example, Comet processes some tasks locally and seeks to avoid over-collection. Though this area needs scrutiny.
5. If you like innovation / early adoption: For tech enthusiasts, AI-native tools, trying new paradigms, Comet is interesting.

Weaknesses / Challenges for Comet

It’s not all upside. Some challenges:

• Maturity & polish: Because Comet is new, many features are still being developed, bugs exist, and performance (especially on mobile / Android / iOS) may lag.
• Default status & distribution: Chrome’s pre-installation on Android devices and its ubiquity are huge advantages. Getting OEMs to preinstall Comet or making it default is hard.
• User trust, privacy scrutiny: Whenever AI is deeply integrated, users & regulators ask about data usage, how the AI works, what is stored, etc. Any misstep can reduce trust.
• Habit & switching cost: Many users are deeply embedded in Google’s ecosystem (Gmail, Drive, Chrome sync, etc.). Extensions, bookmarks, settings, sometimes credentials — moving all that securely, comfortably, is non-trivial.
• Competition: Not just Chrome. Other browsers are also adding AI-features; AI companies may also build their own; there are privacy-focused browsers, etc.

Will Comet Replace Chrome?

This is the big question. My assessment:

• Short to medium term (1-2 years) — unlikely to replace Chrome for most users. Chrome’s massive base, ecosystem, compatibility, global distribution, and inertia are very strong. But Comet can capture niche or growing segments — e.g. users who want AI assistance, researchers, content creators, privacy-concerned users.
• Long term — possible, depending on many factors:
  1. Feature robustness & consistent improvement: If Comet delivers reliable, fast, safe AI-agentic features that genuinely reduce effort, and stabilizes performance across platforms, that helps.
  2. Distribution & default status: Pre-installation on devices, partnerships with phone manufacturers, visibility in app stores, etc. The more users get Comet without effort, easier switching becomes.
  3. Trust & privacy: Maintaining clear privacy policies, secure handling of data, transparency in AI behavior will be key.
  4. Regulatory & market forces: If regulators push on privacy, data collection, monopolistic concerns around Chrome/Google, that could open space for alternatives.

So, Comet likely won’t unseat Chrome overnight, but it could become an important alternative, maybe second to Chrome in some markets or for certain use-cases.

Google Chrome: Strengths & Where It Might Be Vulnerable

To understand whether Comet could replace Chrome, it helps to see what makes Chrome strong, and where its weaknesses lie.

Chrome’s Strengths

• Massive user base & ubiquity: Chrome is default on many Android devices; many users are familiar with it.
• Extension / Add-On ecosystem: Huge ecosystem, many mature tools.
• Integration with Google services: If you use Gmail, Calendar, Drive, etc., Chrome works smoothly with these.
• Performance and stability (on good hardware): Chrome has been optimized over many years for speed, rendering, security patches, etc.
• Brand trust / reputation: Although Google has criticisms around privacy, many users trust Chrome enough, because it is established.

Chrome’s Weaknesses (Opportunities for Comet)

• Resource usage: Chrome is known to be heavy on memory, battery, CPU, especially with many tabs open.
• Privacy concerns: Data tracking, ad-targeting, big‐data collection are increasingly under criticism.
• Feature innovation pace: While Google is adding AI features (e.g. Gemini, AI summarization etc.), some critics say Chrome is slower in integrating agentic, multi-step AI tools compared to what emerging browsers are promising.
• Default & competition pressure: In markets where users can choose or default is not locked, alternatives, especially free ones with attractive features, can eat into Chrome’s share.

Real-World Data & Trends (2025)

Some real numbers & observations:

• According to StatCounter around mid-2025, Chrome’s global browser share is around 68% (desktop + mobile) in many reports.
• Comet had millions on its waitlist before its general free rollout. As of October 2025, Comet is free for all users, including its free, Pro, and Max tiers.
• Regions matter: Comet’s appeal in privacy-sensitive markets, or among power users, is higher. In places where data regulation is strong (Europe, some parts of Asia), users may welcome a browser with built-in AI + privacy.

Verdict: When to Use Which, and Should You Switch?

Use Comet if you:

• Want AI built in to help you multitask—summarizing, automating, managing emails, workflows.
• Are a researcher, content creator, knowledge worker, or anyone who regularly juggles many tabs, content, tasks.
• Care about privacy or want to reduce how much you rely on massive ecosystems for everything.
• Like being early adopter or using cutting-edge productivity tools.

Stick with Chrome if you:

• Depend heavily on Google’s ecosystem, many extensions, sync, etc.
• Need maximum compatibility and tried-and-tested stability across all websites and devices.
• Use devices with limited resources and want stable performance (though Comet may get there).
• Prefer a mature product with less risk (fewer bugs, more security scrutiny, mature support etc.).

FAQs

Conclusion & Final Thoughts

Comet is not just another browser—it marks a shift toward agentic, AI-native browsing, where browsers are no longer passive windows, but active helpers in accomplishing tasks. Built on Chromium, with AI from Perplexity, workspaces, assistant tools, summarization, etc., it has strong potential.

Is Comet going to replace Chrome for most users? Probably not in the immediate term. Chrome’s dominance is too large, its ecosystem and user-base too entrenched. But Comet could replace Chrome for certain segments — e.g. power users, AI-enthusiasts, privacy-conscious people — and could gradually erode Chrome’s share, especially if it gets momentum, trust, default installs, and performance improvements.

If you’re curious, it’s definitely worth trying Comet now, with its free tier, to see whether its AI-enhanced workflow matches your own needs.

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