Claude (with Claude Cowork) vs Perplexity Computer
How the two compare on price, platforms, what they can act on and how they ask before acting. Facts come from each agent's sources page.
| Claude (with Claude Cowork) | Perplexity Computer | |
|---|---|---|
| Maker | Anthropic | Perplexity |
| Cheapest paid plan | $20/month billed monthly for Pro ($17/month with annual billing) | $17/month when billed annually (Pro) |
| Free tier | Yes: chat on web, desktop and mobile, web search, file creation, memory, connectors and artifacts; task handoff, scheduling and Claude in Chrome require Pro or higher | Yes: eligible non paying US accounts can try Computer on the web with included turns before adding credits; the pricing page lists Computer access under Pro and Max |
| Platforms | WebmacOSWindowsiOSAndroidChrome extension | WebmacOSWindowsLinuxiOSAndroidSlackMicrosoft 365Email |
| Can act on | BrowserFilesEmailCalendarCodeApps via connectors | BrowserEmailCalendarFilesCodeMessagesIntegrations |
| Approval model | By default Claude asks before taking an action; users can let it keep working and check in only when something needs a closer look. In Claude in Chrome, actions a classifier judges safe are approved automatically and actions that do not match the request are blocked; this can be switched off. Claude still asks before certain irreversible or costly actions such as purchases or sharing personal data. | Connector tools can be set to Always ask, so the user approves a single action, allows the tool for the thread or denies it; Automations can pause for review before consequential actions, and Portable Computer asks permission before sending device content to the cloud. |
| Launched | Jan 12, 2026 | Feb 25, 2026 |
| Last update | Sep 16, 2026: Claude Cowork and chat are now one Claude | Oct 5, 2026: Automations, inline visualizations, and GPT-6.1 Sol |
See sources on the Claude (with Claude Cowork) and Perplexity Computer pages.
Track both every week