Hark vs Merlin: which one should you use?
Merlin bundles dozens of ready-made AI tools into one extension. Hark has no toolbox at all — you say what you need and it does it on the page.
Choose Merlin if you like picking from a big library of prebuilt tools for summaries, social posts and quick questions on every device. Choose Hark if you want an agent that works the website for you and an email assistant with a tracker.
At a glance
Hark and Merlin, side by side.
| Hark | Merlin | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Chrome extension — an AI agent in the side panel | All-in-one AI toolbox with many prebuilt tools |
| Where it runs | Google Chrome on Windows, macOS, Linux and ChromeOS | Chrome and Edge extensions; iOS, Android, Windows and Mac apps |
| Acts on websites | Yes — clicks, types and fills forms in your current tab | No agent described |
| Approval before final steps | Always, before send, submit, book, pay or delete | Not applicable |
| Email help | Summaries, reply drafts and deadlines in Gmail & Outlook on the web | Reply and writing tools |
| Tracker for orders & deadlines | Built-in Tracker for orders, bookings, bills and deadlines | No |
| Account needed | No account — install and use | Account required |
| Free plan | 1 AI request per day, all modes | A generous number of basic queries a day |
| Paid plans | $5.99/week (2-day trial), $14.99/month or $39.99/year | Pro about $19/month |
| AI models | OpenAI models, in Fast and Smart modes | GPT, Claude, Gemini and others |
Choose Hark if…
- You want the assistant to act on the page
- You dislike choosing from menus of tools
- You want approvals and a tracker
- You want to pay less per month for a single clear job
Choose Merlin if…
- You want many small tools in one extension
- You want mobile and desktop apps
- You want a large free allowance for simple questions
A toolbox or an assistant
Merlin’s model is the toolbox: find the tool for the job — summarize this video, write this post, reply to this comment — and run it. Hark’s model is the assistant: describe the outcome and let it work out the steps. Toolboxes are great when your tasks repeat; an agent is better when every site is different.
Free allowance
Merlin’s free tier is far larger than Hark’s single daily request. If you mostly ask quick questions and never need actions on websites, Merlin’s free plan may be all you need.
FAQ
Hark vs Merlin: common questions
Does Merlin have a browser agent?
Merlin focuses on chat and prebuilt tools. We found no agent that clicks and fills forms in its public feature list at the time of writing.
Is Hark cheaper than Merlin?
Hark Pro is $14.99 a month or $39.99 a year; Merlin Pro was listed at about $19 a month when we checked. Prices change, so compare the current plans.
Does Hark have mobile apps?
No. Hark is a Chrome extension for desktop.
More comparisons
Hand your next task to Hark.
Add it to Chrome, open the side panel and say what you need. It takes about ten seconds.
Free plan included · No account needed · Works in Chrome on Windows, Mac, Linux and ChromeOS