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AI Browsers & Agents

Microsoft Edge

Microsoft's free browser with Copilot built in to read pages, compare tabs and do tasks.

3.9our rating
FreemiumFrom $19.99/mo
Visit website Compare

Quick take

  • The browser already on every Windows PC, with Copilot built in. It reads your page and open tabs, remembers past chats if you let it, and groups your browsing into Journeys you can come back to.
  • Everyday Copilot features are free with a Microsoft account. The agent that clicks through sites for you needs Microsoft 365 Premium at $19.99 a month.
  • A lot of the newer features are US or English-language only. Check what you actually get in Australia before relying on them.
  • Microsoft calls the agent experimental. Keep it away from banking, health and ID details, and watch what it does.

What is Microsoft Edge?

Edge is Microsoft's web browser, the one already installed on every Windows PC. It runs on the same engine as Chrome, so Chrome extensions and bookmarks work. Copilot, Microsoft's AI assistant, sits in a side panel and on the new tab page. In May 2026 Microsoft retired the separate 'Copilot Mode' it had been testing and built those features straight into the normal browser on desktop and, for the first time, on phones.

Day to day, Copilot reads the page you're on and your open tabs, so you can ask it to summarise a report or line up the smart TVs across five tabs. With your permission it can look at your browsing history and remember past chats. Journeys groups your recent browsing by topic so you can pick a project back up later. There's also a study mode that makes quizzes, a writing helper, and an option to turn your open tabs into a short podcast. The agent, Browse with Copilot (formerly Copilot Actions), clicks, types and moves between tabs to finish a job, but only for Microsoft 365 Premium subscribers in the US. Pick Edge if your business already runs on Windows and Microsoft 365 and you want AI help without switching browsers; pick Chrome if you live in Gmail and Google Docs; pick Comet if you want a free agent and better-sourced answers.

The catch is that the best bits are patchy by country. Journeys on desktop is English-language markets only, and Journeys on mobile, the writing helper and the agent are US only. Microsoft itself calls the agent experimental, says it may misread instructions, and tells you to keep it away from banking, medical records and ID details. Hidden text on a web page can try to redirect it, the same weakness every AI browser has. Copilot also pushes itself into a lot of places in Edge, which some people find cluttered, though you can switch most of it off in Settings.

Who's using it, and who it's for

  • Office workers
  • Small business owners
  • Students
  • Windows users

Windows and Microsoft 365 users who want AI help with reading, comparing and researching in the browser they already have.

Key features

  • Copilot side panel

    Ask about the page you're on or across all your open tabs, with summaries and side-by-side comparisons.

  • Journeys

    Groups related pages, searches and chats so you can pick a project back up. Free on desktop in English-language markets; off by default.

  • Browse with Copilot

    The agent clicks, types and switches tabs to finish a task, asking before purchases or sending emails. Microsoft 365 Premium, US only.

  • Memory and history

    With permission, Copilot can use your browsing history and remember earlier chats on desktop and mobile.

  • Study, write, listen

    Study mode with quizzes and flashcards, a writing helper for tone and drafts, and tabs turned into a short podcast.

  • Voice and Vision on mobile

    Talk to Copilot and share your screen with it in the Edge app on iPhone and Android.

How we rate it

3.9 / 5

Our rating

From using the tool ourselves. The average of the five scores.

Ease of use
4.5

How quickly someone non-technical gets value from it.

Features
3.5

How completely it covers its own job, and how well the pieces fit together.

Output quality
3.5

How good the results are before you fix them.

Value for money
4.0

What you get for the price, including the free plan.

Speed & reliability
4.0

How fast it is and how often it falls over.

Microsoft Edge pricing

  • Our pick

    Free

    Free

    Most people: summaries, tab comparisons and Journeys.

    • Edge on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android
    • Copilot side panel with page and tab context
    • Journeys (desktop, English-language markets)
    • Study mode, Voice and Vision
    • Short tab podcasts

  • Microsoft 365 Premium

    $19.99/mo, or $199.99/yr

    US households and sole traders who want the agent and Office apps in one bill.

    • Browse with Copilot agent in Edge (US only, usage limits)
    • Highest Copilot limits across Microsoft apps
    • Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook for up to 6 people
    • Longer tab podcasts

  • Microsoft 365 Copilot (business)

    See website

    Companies on Microsoft 365 business plans.

    • Copilot in Edge with work data protection
    • Browse with Copilot for work in preview, admin controlled
    • Not available to tenants in the EU/EEA yet

Which plan should you pick?

Stay on free. The side panel, tab comparisons and Journeys cover what most business owners need, and they cost nothing. Microsoft 365 Premium is only worth it if you're in the US and already want Office for the household; don't buy it just for the browser agent, which Microsoft still calls experimental.

Prices in USD unless noted, checked 22 October 2026. Vendors change plans often, so confirm on their site before you buy.

Best use cases

Ways Microsoft Edge can slot into your week.

  1. 1

    Compare quotes fast

    Open three supplier quotes or product pages in tabs and ask Copilot for a table of price, terms and delivery.

  2. 2

    Pick up where you left off

    Turn on Journeys and come back on Monday to the research you were halfway through on Friday.

  3. 3

    Read the long report

    Open a long industry report or PDF and ask for the five points that matter to your business.

  4. 4

    Listen on the commute

    Turn a handful of articles open in tabs into a short audio summary.

How it fits your tech stack

Edge is the natural pick if your business already runs on Windows, Outlook and Microsoft 365, because Copilot here is the same assistant you meet in Word and Teams, and IT can manage it centrally. If your team works in Google Workspace, Chrome with Gemini fits better.

Connects to

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Already installed on Windows, nothing new to learn
  • Free Copilot reads pages and compares open tabs well
  • Journeys makes it easy to pick research back up
  • Chrome extensions and bookmarks work
  • Strong admin controls for businesses on Microsoft 365

Cons

  • The agent is US only and needs Microsoft 365 Premium
  • Several features are US or English-language only, so Australian users get less
  • Microsoft calls the agent experimental and warns it can misread instructions
  • Copilot prompts are pushed into many corners of the browser, which some find cluttered
  • Screenshots from agent sessions are kept with the chat for up to 30 days

Microsoft Edge alternatives

The closest alternatives to Microsoft Edge in the library, best rated first.

Why it made the list

It's the AI browser most business owners already have installed, and the free Copilot features cover most everyday reading and comparing jobs.

Microsoft Edge FAQ

How much does Microsoft Edge cost?

There's a free plan, and paid plans start at $19.99/mo. Prices checked 22 October 2026 against Microsoft Edge's pricing page.

Is Microsoft Edge free?

Yes, Microsoft Edge has a free option. Stay on free. The side panel, tab comparisons and Journeys cover what most business owners need, and they cost nothing. Microsoft 365 Premium is only worth it if you're in the US and already want Office for the household; don't buy it just for the browser agent, which Microsoft still calls experimental.

What is Microsoft Edge best for?

Microsoft Edge is best for summarising long pages and PDFs, comparing products or quotes across open tabs and picking research back up days later with Journeys. Windows and Microsoft 365 users who want AI help with reading, comparing and researching in the browser they already have.

What are the best Microsoft Edge alternatives?

The closest alternatives are Claude Cowork, Google Chrome, ChatGPT Work and Brave. Claude Cowork is best for weekly reports built from several sources.

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