Key takeaways
- Comet Plus is a $5/month add-on (included with Perplexity Pro and Max) that gives direct access to premium stories from leading publishers inside the Comet browser.
- Publishers are paid for three kinds of use: when people read on their sites, when their work is cited in answers, and when assistants complete actions that rely on their content.
- Comet is now available to everyone for free, and Comet Plus brings trusted reporting into that experience.
- The goal is a clean, fast reading experience with clear credit and payment to the original sources.
Why Comet Plus matters
We all want quick, trustworthy answers and a smooth reading flow. Pop-ups, paywalls, and “click for part two” slow us down. Comet Plus aims to fix this by blending high-quality journalism with an assistant that can help us find, compare, and act—without taking credit away from the people who did the reporting.¹
With Comet Plus, we can read premium articles from well-known outlets right in the Comet browser and ask follow-up questions as we go. The assistant stays in the tab, helps us summarize or compare, and points back to the original source. This isn’t about skipping the work of journalists; it’s about making their work easier to reach—and paying them for it.²
What Comet Plus includes
Comet Plus is offered as a $5 standalone subscription and is included at no extra cost with Perplexity Pro and Max plans.¹ The program launched with a strong group of partners—such as CNN, Condé Nast (The New Yorker, WIRED, Vogue, and more), Fortune, Le Figaro, Le Monde, the Los Angeles Times, and The Washington Post—so we’re not guessing at quality.² These are outlets known for careful reporting and strong editing standards.
Because Comet is now free for everyone, Comet Plus doesn’t lock you into a separate app or special portal. You can use the same browser tab to read, search, and ask questions, then follow sources to dig deeper.³’⁵
How the model pays publishers
Online reading has changed. We still visit websites, but we also ask assistants to summarize, compare, or pull key facts. Comet Plus reflects that reality. It allocates revenue across three kinds of activity:
1. Human visits (we read on a site),
2. Search citations (an answer points to an article), and
3. Agent actions (an assistant completes a task using a publisher’s content).
This approach supports the full path of how we use information today. If a story sparks a question, and we ask the assistant to compare two viewpoints or extract the steps for a task, the original reporting gets credit and compensation. ¹ This is the core promise of Comet Plus: more useful reading for us, and a fair return for the journalism that makes it possible. ²
What it’s like to use Comet with Comet Plus
Comet is designed to keep us in the flow. We open a tab, start reading, and the assistant is already there. Need context? Ask for a short explainer. Want a side-by-side of two sources? Ask for it. Curious about a claim? Jump to the linked source. ³
With Comet Plus, many premium stories open directly, so we can read without juggling new logins. If we prefer the publisher’s site view, we can go there in one click. When we ask questions, the assistant cites sources and gives us clear paths to the original articles. ¹
A few practical examples:
- News catch-up: Read a major piece from a Comet Plus partner, then ask the assistant to list what changed since last week—with links back to sources.
- Work research: Pull a concise summary and then open the full articles to double-check quotes or charts.
- Personal decisions: Compare two guides (say, travel rules or health advice from reputable outlets) and scan the original sources before acting.
Comet Plus and trust
Trust comes from clear credit and easy verification. Comet Plus is built to keep citations upfront, not buried. When answers draw from a story, we can open it and confirm the details. ²
On the business side, Comet Plus is created to distribute subscription revenue back to participating publishers (minus a small compute cost), so the people who report the news benefit when we read, when we search, and when assistants help us apply what we learn.¹ This model is simple to understand: if a publisher’s reporting helps us, they get paid.
Pricing and plans at a glance
- Comet: free for everyone; download and start browsing.
- Comet Plus: $5/month standalone; included with Perplexity Pro and Perplexity Max.
- Pro/Max: higher-tier plans with broader assistant features; Comet Plus access is part of those plans.
If we’re already on Pro or Max, we can turn on Comet Plus benefits without a separate bill. If we’re on the free plan, the $5 option unlocks direct access to partner content. ⁴
Who benefits—and how to get started
- Readers get fast, reliable answers and full articles from trusted sources without the usual friction.
- Publishers get paid when their work is read, cited, or used by assistants, aligning money with real value.
- Teams can point to the same sources, share links, and keep research tidy, since Comet keeps the assistant, the article, and the citations in one place.
Getting started is straightforward: download Comet, sign in, and add Comet Plus (or confirm it’s already included with your plan). Then pick a partner outlet and start reading. ⁴
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Comet Plus only for news?
It focuses on reputable journalism and premium writing, from breaking news to deeper features.
Do I still visit original sites?
Yes. Answers include citations, and articles open directly; you can switch to the publisher’s site view anytime.
Will this replace subscriptions I already have?
It depends on your reading habits. Comet Plus may cover many of the outlets you want in one place. Check the partner list and decide what’s best for you.
The bottom line
Comet Plus blends quality reading with helpful assistance and clear credit. We get speed and clarity; publishers get paid fairly. With Comet free for everyone and Comet Plus available at a clear price— or included with Pro and Max—this is a practical step toward a better web for readers and journalists alike. ⁵
Citations
- Perplexity Team. “Introducing Comet Plus.” Perplexity Blog, 25 Aug. 2025. Perplexity AI
- Perplexity Team. “Announcing Comet Plus Launch Partners.” Perplexity Blog, 1 Oct. 2025. Perplexity AI
- Perplexity Team. “The Internet Is Better on Comet.” Perplexity Blog, 2 Oct. 2025. Perplexity AI
- “Which Perplexity Subscription Plan Is Right for You?” Perplexity Help Center. Perplexity AI
- Vincent, James. “Perplexity’s Comet Browser Is Now Available to Everyone for Free.” The Verge, 2 Oct. 2025. The Verge
