No free plan. The cheapest way in is Perplexity Pro at $20/month. Consider free alternatives in the agent category if budget is tight.
Personal Computer runs on a Mac mini (M4 recommended, starting at $599) that stays powered on and connected to the internet. The Mac mini serves as the local hub where the AI agent runs continuously, accessing your files and apps while connecting to Perplexity's cloud servers for AI processing.
Regular Perplexity Computer runs entirely in the cloud and can only work with information you provide in the chat. Personal Computer runs on a physical Mac mini in your space, giving it direct access to your local files, installed applications, and desktop sessions. It's the difference between an AI that can research online versus one that can also open your spreadsheets, read your emails, and organize your documents.
Both are persistent AI agents running on local hardware. OpenClaw is open-source and lets you choose your own AI models (including free local models), while Personal Computer is a closed Perplexity product with a monthly subscription. OpenClaw requires more technical setup but offers more flexibility and lower ongoing costs. Personal Computer offers a more polished consumer experience with Perplexity's search integration built in.
Perplexity has built multiple safety measures: sensitive actions require explicit user approval, every session generates a full audit trail, and there's a kill switch to immediately stop all activity. Your data is processed locally on your Mac mini rather than being uploaded to Perplexity's servers for permanent storage.
As of March 2026, Personal Computer is available via waitlist only. Perplexity announced an initial cohort program with dedicated support and onboarding resources but has not committed to a general availability date. Expected pricing is around $200/month per user.
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Last verified March 2026