Comet vs Opera
We give Comet a 3.2 GPA and Opera a 3.6, out of 4.0. Comet grades higher on ease of use. Opera grades higher on the free plan, features and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Comet
Perplexity's AI browser with an assistant that acts across tabs
Free plan · from $20.00
Opera
Browser with a built-in ad blocker, free VPN and sidebar messengers
Free plan · from $4/mo
How we grade them
| 3.2GPACometVery good | 3.6GPAOperaExcellent | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | BPerplexity Pro shows up as an in-app purchase at $20 and at $200, and Max at $200, with no billing period given. $20 is the dear end for a browser, and the listing can't say what it buys you in Comet. So we can't call it good or bad. | BThe browser is free, VPN and all. The only thing to buy is VPN Pro, from $4 a month. Opera doesn't say which billing term gets you that price, though. |
| Free plan and trial | BFree to download on the App Store and Google Play, with the assistant, AI search, voice mode on phones and an ad blocker. But neither store says where free use runs out, so we can't promise how far you'll get. | AAll of it is free: the ad blocker, a VPN with no data cap, and Opera AI with no login. The price is a few sponsored tiles on the start page. |
| Features | BAn assistant that takes on shopping, scheduling and research, AI search that knows the page you're on, summaries across every open tab and a built-in ad blocker. The store listings say nothing about sync, extensions or saved passwords, though. | ATab Islands, split screen, WhatsApp and Slack in the sidebar, ChatGPT and Gemini next to Opera's own AI. Few browsers come with this much built in. |
| Ease of use | A4.8 from about 7,800 App Store ratings. You type or say what you want, the assistant shows what it's doing as it goes, and you can step in at any time. | B4.7 from about 260,000 App Store ratings. But there's a lot on screen, and on a computer the ad blocker and VPN stay off until you switch them on. |
| Platforms and integrations | BiPhone and Android apps, plus Mac and Windows. No integrations or API are on record. One caveat: Perplexity's own site couldn't be read when this was checked, so the Mac and Windows part comes from press coverage. | AWindows, Mac, Linux, Chromebook, iPhone and Android, with a free account to sync them. The desktop versions run Chrome extensions too. |
| Best for | handing web chores to an AI assistant | a free VPN and ad blocker built in |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Comet and Opera. How we grade
Where they differ
- Comet starts at $20.00 (lowest Perplexity Pro in-app purchase; billing basis not shown). Opera starts at $4 per month (VPN Pro; billing term for this rate not stated).
- Only Opera lists a Linux app.
- Comet also covers chat assistant, AI search and AI agents.
- Opera also covers screenshots.
In commonFree planmacOSWindowsiOSAndroidAI featuresWeb browser
At a glance
| Comet | Opera | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $20.00 (lowest Perplexity Pro in-app purchase; billing basis not shown) | $4 per month (VPN Pro; billing term for this rate not stated) |
| Free plan | Comet is listed as free on the US App Store and Google Play. The store listings do not state the limits of free use. | The browser is free to download and use on desktop and mobile, including the ad blocker, the browser VPN with no data cap and Opera AI with no login. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Perplexity AI, Inc. | Opera Norway |
| Price read from | apps.apple.com | blogs.opera.com |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Comet
- People who want an assistant to carry out multi-step web tasks
- Summarizing research spread across many open tabs
- Perplexity subscribers who want its AI search inside the browser
Opera
- People who want an ad blocker and a VPN without installing extensions
- Keeping messengers and music in a sidebar next to the page
- Trying Opera AI, ChatGPT and Gemini from one browser
Worth knowing
Comet
- The App Store lists Perplexity Pro at $20.00 and $200.00 and Perplexity Max at $200.00 as in-app purchases, without stating a billing period.
- Google Play lists in-app purchases from $4.99 to $249.99 per item, and neither store says which features or limits depend on a paid plan.
- Perplexity's website could not be read when checked, so Mac and Windows availability comes from press coverage rather than a vendor page.
Opera
- The free VPN protects the browser only. VPN Pro, which covers the whole device, is a paid subscription from $4 per month.
- Opera earns revenue from ads, sponsored Speed Dials and promoted address-bar suggestions. The sponsored items can be replaced or switched off in settings.
- The Android app lists in-app purchases of $5.99 to $29.99 per item on the US Google Play store, without naming them.
- Opera GX, Opera Air, Opera Mini and Opera Neon, an AI browser at $19.90 a month, are separate products; this entry covers the main Opera browser.
Key features
Comet
- Comet Assistant
- A built-in assistant takes on assigned tasks such as shopping, scheduling and research. Its actions are shown as it works, and the user can step in at any time.
- AI search with page context
- AI search is built into the browser and uses the context of the page being viewed, so questions can be asked and answered without leaving the site.
- Summaries across tabs
- Smart summarization condenses content from all open tabs at once, not only the page currently on screen.
- Voice mode
- On mobile, voice mode lets a person talk to the assistant to find information across the tabs they have open.
- Built-in ad blocker
- An ad blocker removes spam and pop-up ads on mobile as on desktop, with a whitelist for sites the user trusts.
Opera
- Ad blocker and free VPN
- The ad blocker removes ads and pop-ups without an extension. The browser VPN is free, has no data cap, needs no subscription or login and follows a no-logs policy; on Android it offers three virtual locations.
- Opera AI, ChatGPT and Gemini
- Opera AI is free with no sign-up and can read the current tab or a group of tabs for context. ChatGPT and Gemini open in the sidebar, and an AI image generator is included.
- Tab Islands, workspaces and split screen
- Tab Islands keep related tabs together in groups that collapse and expand, workspaces separate tab groups, split screen shows several tabs at once and vertical tabs are available.
- Sidebar messengers and music
- WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, Discord, Slack and Bluesky open in the sidebar, as do Instagram, X and a music player that works with services such as Spotify.
- Flow and sync
- Flow sends files, links and notes between a person's own devices, and a free Opera Account syncs open tabs, bookmarks and speed dials between mobile and desktop.
- Built-in utilities
- Extras include a snapshot tool for capturing and editing screenshots, video pop-out, page translation, a unit and currency converter, a battery saver and a volume booster of up to 5x.
Plans
Comet
Free$0
The browser with the Comet Assistant, AI search, voice mode on mobile and a built-in ad blocker. Usage limits are not stated on the store listings.
Perplexity Pro$20.00 or $200.00
billing basis not shown on the App Store listing
Perplexity's paid subscription, listed twice as an in-app purchase at $20.00 and $200.00. The listing does not say what it adds in Comet.
Perplexity Max$200.00
billing basis not shown on the App Store listing
Perplexity's higher subscription tier, sold as an in-app purchase. The listing does not say what it adds in Comet.
Opera
Free$0
The full browser with the ad blocker, the free browser VPN, Opera AI, sidebar messengers, Flow and sync through a free Opera Account.
VPN ProFrom $4
per month; billing term for this rate not stated
Device-wide VPN for up to six desktop and Android devices at once, with servers in 48 countries. Sold on monthly or annual plans.
