The Best AI Browsers: A Complete Guide (2025)

Top picks: short answer

Here are quick recommendations so you can pick fast. Read on for details, testing notes, and workflows.

Best for	Browser	Why
Knowledge workers & research	Arc	Built-in research tools and contextual summaries
Privacy with AI	Brave	Privacy defaults plus AI features
Developers & agents	Browserbase	Headless, scriptable, scale for AI agents
Automation & multi-step workflows	Fellou	Agentic automation, scheduling, and CAPTCHAs
AI search + browser	Comet (Perplexity)	AI search integrated with browsing actions

What is a true AI browser?

People call many things "AI browsers." Here’s a clean definition: a true AI browser embeds AI and agents at the core so the browser can understand context across tabs, summarize content, and autonomously run multi-step workflows on the web. That contrasts with a regular browser plus an AI extension. For more background, see this primer.

Key capabilities to expect

• Summarize pages and combine sources into one answer.
• Run agentic workflows: logins, form fills, scraping, or booking steps.
• Remember context across sessions and suggest follow-ups.
• Offer developer tools or headless APIs for building agents at scale.

How we tested and the 7 criteria

To pick winners we tested browsers on consistent, real tasks. Our focus was on what actually saves time for knowledge workers and builders.

1. Automation capability — can it run multi-step tasks across sites?
2. Research & synthesis — quality of summaries and source attribution.
3. Developer support — headless, APIs, frameworks (Playwright/Puppeteer).
4. Privacy & security — defaults and data handling.
5. Ease of use — setup, UI, and learning curve.
6. Handling logins & CAPTCHAs — reliability for real web tasks.
7. Performance & cost — speed and pricing for advanced features.

Where possible, we used public notes and demos from providers like Browserbase and Fellou to confirm claims about automation and APIs.

Comparison table (summary)

Browser	Automation	Research	Developer Tools	Privacy	Best for
Arc	Good (built-in copilot)	Excellent	Limited	Standard	Writers & researchers
Brave	Moderate	Good	Chromium tools	Very strong	Privacy-first users
Browserbase	Headless automation (best)	Tooling only	Excellent (APIs)	Depends on deploy	Developers & AI apps
Fellou	Agentic automation (scheduling)	Strong	Moderate	Configurable	Automators & teams
Comet (Perplexity)	Emerging	Excellent (AI search)	Limited	Standard	Search + browse users

Mini reviews: how each browser solves real jobs

Arc — how does Arc automate research?

Arc is built like a productivity layer on top of the web. Its copilot features let you ask for summaries and gather notes across tabs. For knowledge work, Arc reduces context switching and gathers sources into a single, editable summary. Read more about the trend at ETA.

Pros

• Great UI for collecting and organizing research.
• Smart summaries tied to open tabs.

Cons

• Less developer tooling than headless platforms.

Brave — how does Brave pair privacy with AI?

Brave adds AI to a browser known for blocking trackers. If privacy is critical, Brave balances local controls with AI-powered answers. Zapier and other reviewers note Brave’s strong privacy stance combined with AI features.

Pros

• Privacy defaults and tracker blocking.
• AI features without compromising basic protections.

Cons

• AI is not as agentic as dedicated automation platforms.

Browserbase — why developers build on it

Browserbase is a headless browser platform for AI agents. It’s made for building automation at scale. Use it when you need reliable scripts, Playwright/Puppeteer compatibility, and session recording for debugging.

Pros

• Designed for developers and AI applications.
• Integrates with Playwright, Puppeteer, and CDP.

Cons

• Not for casual users — requires setup and engineering effort.

Fellou — what's agentic automation look like?

Fellou shows what an agentic browser can do: scheduled workflows, in-depth research reports with images and charts, and automated data entry. They claim handling logins and CAPTCHAs, and they offer visual oversight so you can stop or edit a task mid-run.

Pros

• Powerful cross-site automation and scheduling.
• Good for teams that want to run repeatable workflows.

Cons

• Agentic power requires careful oversight to avoid misuse.

Comet (Perplexity) — AI search meets browsing

Perplexity’s move into an AI browser, Comet, aims to merge conversational search with browsing actions. According to reporting in Reuters, this approach is geared toward letting AI take action after it searches, like completing steps across sites.

Pros

• Excellent AI search and concise answers.
• Good for users who want search + follow-up actions.

Cons

• Still maturing for deep automation and developer access.

Persona recommendations: which browser should you pick?

• Researchers & writers: Arc for built-in research workflows and summaries.
• Privacy-first users: Brave for safe defaults and AI features.
• Developers & AI teams: Browserbase for headless tooling and scaling agents.
• Automation & ops teams: Fellou or Browser Use for scheduled agentic workflows.
• Everyday searchers who want AI answers: Comet (Perplexity) for integrated AI search.

Simple example: automate a research report

Here’s a short workflow you can expect to run in an AI browser that supports agents:

1. Tell the browser the topic and deliverable: "Create a 2-page brief on X with sources."
2. The agent opens 5 top sources, extracts key points, and summarizes them.
3. It compiles citations and creates an exportable PDF or slides.

This is the kind of cross-tab synthesis described in industry pieces like Apidog and Sigma Browser.

Privacy and safety: what to watch for

• Agentic workflows may need stored credentials. Use dedicated service accounts where possible.
• Check where data is processed: local device vs vendor cloud.
• Prefer browsers that provide clear audit logs and manual approval steps.

FAQ

Can an AI browser fill forms and solve CAPTCHAs?

Yes. Some platforms like Fellou and developer tools claim they can handle logins and CAPTCHA challenges, often by simulating human behavior. For production use, treat this capability carefully and check terms of service for target sites.

Do I need a new browser or just an extension?

A true AI browser is built with AI at its core and offers deeper context and cross-tab automation than an extension. If you only need occasional summaries, an extension can work. For automated workflows and agents, choose a native AI browser or a headless platform like Browserbase.

Are agentic browsers safe to use for business workflows?

They can be, if you follow best practices: use service accounts, limit permissions, review logs, and keep human oversight on automated runs.

Final takeaway

AI browsers change the browser from a passive viewer into an active copilot that can summarize, automate, and work across the web. Pick based on the job: Arc or Comet for research and search, Brave if privacy matters, Browserbase for developers, and Fellou for scheduled automation. For more on the rise of these tools see Built In and coverage of the market shift in ETA.