Opera Neon’s AI Browser: $20 Monthly Subscription
▼ Summary
– Opera has publicly released its AI-powered browser, Neon, after months of testing, and it requires a $19.90 monthly subscription.
– Neon integrates an AI chatbot that can answer questions about web pages, create content, perform tasks, and uses browsing history for context.
– The browser includes features like “Cards” for repeatable tasks, a deep research agent, and “Tasks” for organizing AI chats and tabs into workspaces.
– A subscription provides access to top AI models like Gemini 3 Pro and GPT-5.1, as well as Opera’s Discord community and direct developer access.
– Opera’s other browsers offer free AI features, while major browser companies like Google and Brave are taking a more cautious, security-focused approach to adding AI.
Opera has officially launched its AI-centric browser, Neon, moving from a limited testing phase to a broader public release. However, this advanced tool comes with a significant price tag: a monthly subscription fee of $19.90. The browser, which was first introduced in May and entered early access in October, represents Opera’s ambitious push into the competitive landscape of AI-first web navigation, joining rivals like Perplexity’s Comet and The Browser Company’s Dia.
At its core, Neon integrates a powerful AI chatbot directly into the user interface. This assistant can answer questions about web pages, generate mini-applications and videos, and perform a variety of tasks. A key differentiator is its use of browsing history as context, allowing users to ask for specifics from a YouTube video watched last week or an article read yesterday. For managing workflows, Neon introduces “Cards” for creating repeatable automated tasks and a “deep research agent” designed to compile detailed reports on virtually any topic.
Organization is another major focus. The browser features a novel system called Tasks, which functions as contained workspaces that combine AI chat sessions with related browser tabs. This approach blends concepts like Tab Groups with the contextual spaces seen in other browsers, providing a dedicated environment for AI-assisted projects.
The subscription cost unlocks more than just the browser’s built-in intelligence. Subscribers gain access to a suite of leading AI models, including Gemini 3 Pro, GPT-5.1, Veo 3.1, and Nano Banana Pro. The package also includes membership in Opera’s dedicated Discord community and offers direct lines of communication to the development team for feedback and support.
Krystian Kolondra, Opera’s Executive Vice President for Browsers, framed Neon as a product for early adopters. “Opera Neon is for people who like to be the first to the newest AI tech,” he stated. “It’s a rapidly evolving project with significant updates released every week. We’ve been shaping it with our Founders community and are now excited to share early access with a larger audience.”
It’s important to note that Opera continues to offer free AI features, such as a chat-based assistant, in its other browsers like Opera One and Opera GX. Neon is positioned as a premium, cutting-edge alternative. This launch contrasts with the more measured pace of established browser companies. For instance, Google recently emphasized security frameworks for new AI agent features, while Brave is previewing its agentic tools in a separate, isolated browsing profile to keep standard and AI-powered usage distinct.
(Source: TechCrunch)
