Perplexity desktop app is here, but why should you use the web app?

It's been a long time coming, but you can now download Perplexity on your macOS or Windows computer. As long-time Perplexity Pro users, many of you have been waiting for this moment for a while - but it's actually quite disappointing.

3. You get nothing different

Despite the hype on social media , Perplexity’s desktop app doesn’t have any unique advantages. It offers the same features as the browser version, and it takes less time to open a web browser and search for what you need. In fact, it’s called an Electron wrapper, which is how developers can “wrap” a web app to allow it to run as a desktop program.

However, Perplexity hasn’t added any specific features to the desktop version. It’s basically just a wrapper. If Perplexity introduces alternative features, the desktop app might be worth downloading. For example, Perplexity could expand its social media search capabilities. But until then, you’re wasting your time.

2. Desktop apps are harder to use

Perplexity’s browser app offers a great user experience, but there’s always room for improvement. Launching a desktop app would allow Perplexity to tailor its search tools to a specific operating system, but that doesn’t happen.

The desktop app is less intuitive than the browser version. You can see all your chats on the left without clicking anything in the browser, but the desktop app doesn’t. Instead, your chats are hidden behind a tab on the left.

While not a huge issue, this can be annoying at first. A better interface would be ideal to help people get the most out of their Perplexity Pro subscription while also benefiting free users.

1. Poor response

In addition to being harder to use, the Perplexity desktop app isn’t quite as responsive. While the browser version typically loads fairly quickly, Perplexity for desktop often feels sluggish.

This latency automatically makes the overall in-app experience worse. While Perplexity hopes to fix this over time, it's still something to consider.

The Perplexity desktop app has a lot of potential, but in its current state, there's no reason to download it. It feels clunky and lacks useful features found in the browser version. You're better off using the web app.