Aside

About Aside

A lot of browser work is the same small chore repeated across different websites. Find the information, copy it somewhere else, fill out a form, then do it again tomorrow. Aside is an AI browser for handing that work to an agent that can use your tabs and remember context from earlier tasks.

I recommend it for people who want a personal assistant inside the browser, especially when research and admin work keep pulling them between websites. Editable memory and a choice of AI models give it more flexibility than a basic chat sidebar. Try Aside for free.

What is Aside?

Aside is a desktop browser for macOS and Windows with an AI agent built into it. You describe a task in chat, and the agent can read pages, navigate websites and take actions in the browser.

That makes it useful for jobs with several steps. A research task might involve opening sources, comparing information and producing a summary. An admin task might involve finding a record in one app and entering its details in another. You give the agent the job rather than asking for instructions and doing every click yourself.

Tasks have their own browser windows and chat history. You can pause or stop a run, continue an earlier conversation, and give the agent selected text, links, files or screenshots as context.

Switching browsers is still a commitment. Our AI Chrome extensions guide covers other ways to add help without moving your browser profile. Choose Aside for its particular combination of routines, editable memory and model connections, not because other browsers can only summarize pages.

Who is Aside for?

Aside is a good fit for researchers who keep returning to the same subjects, websites and projects. A browser that retains task context can reduce the amount of background you have to supply each time you start another piece of research.

Operations and sales work are another useful match. Finding account details, preparing meeting notes and moving information between web apps are the kinds of browser-heavy jobs its agent is designed to handle. The benefit is strongest when the task has a clear result you can review.

Developers can also connect an existing coding agent through Aside's command-line and MCP tools. That is a separate reason to use it, but you do not have to start there. The browser's chat interface is the more approachable entry point.

I would not switch browsers just for occasional summaries. Nor would I buy the Max plan before knowing that its higher usage allowance solves a regular problem. Start with a task you already do several times a week.

Aside pros and cons

The strongest reason to choose Aside is continuity. Your assistant can work across websites and carry useful context into the next task. My main reservation is the cost of scaling that usage: Max needs a sustained workload to justify its price over Pro.

Aside features: Browser tasks, memory and model choice

Browser tasks

Aside's agent can browse, use web apps and work with files as part of a task. You can start from the current page or open a separate task window when the job needs its own workspace.

For example, you could ask it to compare supplier prices and prepare a shortlist, or find a candidate profile and draft interview notes. Those are useful jobs because you can specify the output and inspect it before using it.

The browser also gives you controls over the agent's actions. Permissions can be set to Ask, Allow or Deny, with overrides for individual domains. You can let routine steps proceed while keeping a checkpoint on a website where you want closer control.

Editable memory

Aside stores memory as Markdown on your device. It extracts useful details from tasks, including people, companies and decisions, and can retain lessons about working with particular websites.

You can inspect and edit that memory instead of treating it as an invisible profile. If a project detail is wrong, you can correct it; if a piece of context is no longer useful, you can remove it.

That is a meaningful feature for ongoing work. A one-off page summary rarely needs memory. Research that spans several sessions, or an assistant that keeps helping with the same clients, has more to gain from it.

Routines and deep research

Routines let you return to work that repeats, rather than starting every task from scratch. The free plan includes up to three routines; Pro includes unlimited routines. That gives you a way to start small before paying to expand the workflow.

Pro also includes Ultrabrowse for research that needs more planning and careful comparisons across sources. Vendor research and product comparisons are good examples. I recommend the normal task mode for a single-page question, and Ultrabrowse when the answer needs several sources and citations.

Model choice

You can use Aside's built-in models, add your own provider key or connect a supported provider account. OpenAI and Anthropic are among the options documented for the AI settings.

This gives you a way to use a model you already pay for rather than relying entirely on one browser's included service. The billing still matters: calls through your own key are charged by that provider, so the browser subscription is not necessarily your whole AI bill.

Model choice also affects which features are available. Aside marks capabilities such as browsing, reasoning, vision and streaming in its model settings. A model that works well for a text answer is not automatically the right choice for a browser task.

Password management

Aside includes an encrypted local password vault, password import and optional sync. The agent can use password autofill when a browser task needs a login, with controls for agent use and individual sites.

For someone moving work into Aside, this removes the need to manually rebuild every saved login. It does not mean all AI processing happens locally: local memory and password storage are different from the model service used to run a task.

Developer connections

The Aside CLI can start browser tasks from the terminal, while MCP lets another compatible agent use Aside as a browser tool. A browser automation REPL supports more direct inspection and scripted steps.

That is useful if you already work with a coding assistant and want it to use a real browser session. An existing agent such as Hermes Agent handles a wider range of work; Aside gives you a browser-centered interface and an additional connection path rather than replacing every part of that agent.

Aside pricing

Aside has Free, Pro and Max plans, plus a custom Enterprise option. Prices are in US dollars.

Free is a useful starting point because memory and the password manager are included, along with three routines. Its allowance is 500 credits per month. Credits are a usage budget, not a promise of 500 completed tasks, so judge the allowance against the work you want the agent to do.

Pro is the sensible paid starting point for most people. At $20/month, the case is clear if you need more usage, unlimited routines or deeper research with Ultrabrowse. Bring-your-own-subscription support can help you use a model service you already pay for; calls through your own provider key still have their own charges.

Max is a much larger purchase. Its main buying argument is 40x Free usage, rather than making routines available for the first time. I recommend it only when your workload outgrows Pro often enough to justify $200/month.

Start with Aside's free plan and give it a task you can compare with your existing routine.

Aside vs alternatives

An AI browser can help you read a page, act on a website, or run a recurring workflow. Those are different jobs. Aside's routines and editable memory matter most when the same assistant keeps returning to your work; they are less compelling if your existing browser already handles the help you need.

Aside vs Perplexity Comet

Perplexity Comet is the natural starting point if you already use Perplexity and want its assistant alongside your browsing. It can help with research and take actions across websites, rather than just explain the page in front of you. Comet is available on Mac, Windows, iOS and Android, while Aside's current downloads are for macOS and Windows.

The browser is free, with paid Perplexity features handled separately. I recommend Comet for someone who wants to stay within that service and use the assistant across devices. Choose Aside when editable local Markdown memory, your own provider connections and recurring routines are the reasons you are switching.

Aside vs Dia

Dia fits a workday built around tabs and connected apps. It can use that context for answers, email drafts, meeting preparation and reports, with actions such as writing back to Notion.

Dia also retrieves previous chats, browsing history and generated work on demand. Its older automatic Memory feature is being retired, so that context retrieval is a different approach from Aside's editable local memory files. I recommend Dia for pulling work context into an answer or a deliverable; Aside is the more direct fit when routines and control over the assistant's stored context are the priority.

Dia runs on Apple Silicon Macs and Windows 11. Its new Mac plan structure separates free browsing from paid AI: Better Answers is advertised at $10/month, and Better Days costs $100/month with more usage and proactive work features. New users get a 14-day AI trial without a card; existing-user access and Windows have not yet moved to the same paid rollout.

Aside vs Browser Use

Browser Use provides hosted web agents and remote browser infrastructure rather than a conventional daily browser. You can describe a job in plain English and get structured output, or connect its browser tools to an existing agent or application.

Hosted browser time starts at $0.02/hour, with traffic charged separately. Hosted agents add a 20% service fee to model costs, plus browser time and traffic; credits start with a $5 top-up. The open-source option is a separate route for running your own setup.

I recommend Browser Use when the result belongs in a data pipeline, application or repeated remote job. Aside is the better-shaped purchase when you want to work directly in a personal browser, inspect the task conversation and keep project context in editable files.

Aside vs Sigma

Sigma is my pick when running supported AI models on your device is the priority. After downloading a model, you can use it for chat, writing and saved-page work without sending that inference to a cloud provider. Loading new websites and live search still need an internet connection.

Sigma also has browser agents using OpenClaw or Hermes, with an API key in standard browsing or local models in Private Mode. It can navigate, click, type and handle multi-step website tasks. Model choice and browser actions are reasons to compare the two, rather than assume they belong to different categories.

Sigma has a free plan, Plus at $10/month and Pro at $75/month. Annual billing is displayed as $8/month for Plus and $60/month for Pro. Plus has limited agent use; Pro advertises unlimited agent access, which is not the same billing unit as Aside's credits. I recommend Sigma when running AI locally is the main requirement, and Aside when its routine-led workflow and editable project memory are the stronger fit.

Verdict

Aside is a good choice for people who want a browser-native personal agent with memory they can inspect and models they can choose. I recommend starting on Free and moving to Pro if deeper research, more usage or unlimited routines support work you repeat regularly.

Choose Perplexity Comet for a Perplexity-centered assistant across devices, Dia for connected work context and outputs, or Sigma when on-device AI is the priority. Use Browser Use when the browser job belongs inside an application or remote automation workflow.

Pro has the more convincing everyday value. Max needs a sustained higher-volume workload before I would spend $200 a month on it. For more tools that can take work off your plate, join the Hypertools newsletter.

FAQ

Is Aside free?

Yes. Free includes 500 credits per month, up to three routines, personalized memory and the password manager. Pro costs $20/month or $200/year, and Max costs $200/month or $2,000/year.

Does Aside work on Windows and Mac?

Aside has downloads for macOS and Windows. It is a desktop browser; mobile availability is not listed on its current download page.

Is Aside a Chrome extension?

No. Aside is a separate browser with its own agent interface, tasks, password manager and memory. Moving work into it is a bigger change than adding a sidebar extension to Chrome.

Can I use my own AI model key?

Aside supports provider-key and account connections in its AI settings. Usage through your own key is billed by the provider, separately from any Aside subscription. Model capabilities can also affect which browser features work.

Which Aside plan includes routines?

Free includes up to three routines. Pro includes unlimited routines, Ultrabrowse and higher usage for $20/month or $200/year. Max includes Pro's features with a larger usage allowance for $200/month or $2,000/year.

Does Sigma's local AI work like Aside's local memory?

No. Sigma's local AI runs a supported model on your device. Aside's local memory stores context in editable Markdown files; that does not mean every model request runs locally. Choose around the feature you actually need: on-device inference, editable task context, or both.