Best Arc Browser Alternatives 2026 (Including Open Source)

The best Arc browser alternative depends on what you loved about Arc: Dia for the closest successor, Zen for a free open-source browser with Arc-style workspaces, and Vivaldi for maximum control with Chrome extensions. If you mostly used Arc for vertical tabs, split view and reopening projects, Chrome and Edge now cover most of that, and an extension can fill the gap.

Is Arc browser discontinued?

Not discontinued, but frozen: no new features, only Chromium upgrades and security fixes.

• May 2025: CEO Josh Miller moved Arc to maintenance mode to focus on Dia, as The Register reported.
• October 2025: Atlassian completed its acquisition of The Browser Company.
• 21 October 2026: the Arc website still offers Mac and Windows downloads but says "Arc receives Chromium updates only," and points users who want "active security patches and enterprise-grade protection" to Dia.

Which browsers replace Arc best?

Dia is closest in origin, Zen closest in feel, and Vivaldi has the most Arc-style features.

Dia

Best for: the smoothest move from Arc.

Dia is free on macOS and Windows; the Arc site calls it "the next evolution of Arc." It keeps Profiles, Splits and named tab groups, with weekly security updates and end-to-end encrypted sync.

• Key fact: built around AI, with a Morning Brief and questions across tabs, Slack and Notion.
• Skip it if: you used Arc for its calm sidebar and Spaces, not AI.
• Price: free download.

Zen

Best for: open source, or leaving Chromium.

Zen Browser is built on Firefox, licensed MPL-2.0, with over 45,000 stars on GitHub. It has Workspaces, a vertical sidebar, Compact Mode, Split View and Glance previews.

• Key fact: builds for Windows, macOS and Linux.
• Skip it if: a must-have Chrome Web Store extension has no Firefox version.
• Price: free, open source.

Vivaldi

Best for: Arc-level organization with Chrome extensions.

Vivaldi has Workspaces, Tab Stacking, Tab Tiling, Web Panels, and Quick Commands, a search box for tabs, history and browser commands.

• Key fact: Command Chains run a sequence of actions from one shortcut; it also runs on Android and iOS.
• Skip it if: you will not spend an hour in settings. It publishes source archives but is not fully open source.
• Price: free.

SigmaOS

Best for: Mac users who treat tabs as tasks.

SigmaOS runs on WebKit with workspaces, vertical tabs, split screen and tabs you mark "done." It supports Chrome extensions and per-workspace profiles.

• Key fact: macOS only.
• Skip it if: you need Windows or want AI without paying.
• Price: Personal is free with limited Airis AI; Personal Pro $20/month, Personal Max $30/month (October 2026).

Microsoft Edge

Best for: Microsoft 365 workplaces that need IT approval.

Edge has vertical tabs, Split screen and Workspaces that keep each project's tabs and favorites apart.

• Key fact: Workspaces need Edge 144 or later.
• Skip it if: you do not want a Microsoft or Entra ID account; Workspace sharing is no longer supported.
• Price: free.

Chrome plus SuperCommands

Best for: keeping Chrome and adding Arc's command bar and per-project spaces.

Chrome added vertical tabs (right-click the tab strip, then Show Tabs Vertically) and split view in 2026. SuperCommands adds a command bar and workspaces holding each project's links, notes, snippets and to-dos.

• Scenario: press Alt + S, type c link, choose Current Tabs, save your six client tabs with shortcut client; then c, Space, client in the address bar reopens all six (Links docs).
• Skip it if: you want a sidebar or separate logins (use Chrome Profiles). Collections store addresses, not page state.
• Price: free and open source; the local version is 100% free, forever. Chrome, Edge and Brave only.

How do I move from Arc without losing my tabs?

Save pinned tabs before anything else, then rebuild one Space at a time.

1. Save pinned tabs. If the new browser does not import from Arc, copy each Space's pinned URLs into a bookmarks folder.
2. Recreate your daily Space first. Use a Workspace in Zen or Vivaldi, or a tab group or link collection in Chrome.
3. Map your logins. Set up matching profiles before importing anything.
4. Run both for a week. Keep Arc until you stop reaching for it.

Which one should you pick?

• Pick Dia if you want the least change and do not mind AI.
• Pick Zen if you want open source and your extensions have Firefox versions.
• Pick Vivaldi if you want maximum control and Chrome extensions.
• Pick Chrome or Edge plus SuperCommands if you mainly used vertical tabs, split view and reopening projects. See our browser workspace manager comparison and command palette extensions.

FAQ

Is Arc browser still safe to use?

Arc still receives Chromium updates but no new features. The Browser Company recommends Dia for active security patches, so a maintained browser is safer for sensitive work.

Is there an open-source version of Arc?

No, Arc has not been open-sourced. Zen Browser is the closest open-source alternative, built on Firefox under MPL-2.0.

What browser is most like Arc?

Dia is the official successor. Zen is closest in feel among independent browsers, with a vertical sidebar, workspaces and compact mode.

Can I get Arc features in Chrome?

Partly. Chrome now has vertical tabs, split view, tab groups and profiles; extensions such as SuperCommands add a command bar and saved per-project tab sets.