Arc browser alternatives for Mac in 2026

If you are searching for an Arc browser alternative for Mac, first decide whether to move now or keep using Arc while you compare. Arc still opens, but it is no longer getting new features. The hard part is choosing which parts of Arc matter enough to carry over. This guide compares those features and shows what each browser documents about importing from Arc, checked October 2026.

Is Arc browser dead, or can you keep using it?

Arc hasn't been shut down. The Browser Company said in its 2025 letter to Arc members that it had stopped actively developing new features while continuing Chromium upgrades and security fixes; its current Arc page, checked October 2026 says Arc receives Chromium updates only. Atlassian announced an agreement to acquire The Browser Company in September 2025, and said Dia would be its browser focus in its September 2025 announcement.

You can keep using Arc if its current feature set works for you. Move to an Arc browser replacement if you need new features, another platform, or a migration route you can verify. Check the update page before deciding Arc remains a long-term security fit.

Which Arc features do you need to replace?

Write down the two or three Arc behaviors you would notice losing tomorrow. The matrix below maps only documented features; “not documented” means the vendor material I checked didn't confirm an equivalent. Checked October 2026.

Arc feature	Zen docs (2026)	SigmaOS site (checked 2026)	Vivaldi help (checked 2026)	Microsoft docs (2026)
Vertical tab sidebar	✓	✓	✓	✓
Spaces or workspaces	✓	✓	✓	✓
Side-by-side pages	✓ up to 4	✓	✓	✓ two pages in one tab
Command bar / quick search	✓	✓ Lazy Search	✓ Quick Commands	Not documented
Automatic tab archiving	Not documented	Partial: mark tabs done	Not documented	Not documented
Chromium extensions	✗ Firefox extensions	✓	✓	✓
Direct Arc import	Not documented	Not documented	Not documented	Not documented

Arc feature	Dia release notes (2026)	Orion docs (checked 2026)	Safari (checked 2026)	Brave (2023)
Vertical tab sidebar	✓	✓	Not documented	✓
Spaces or workspaces	Partial: profiles and tab groups	Partial: profiles and tab groups	Partial: profiles	Partial: tab groups
Side-by-side pages	✓	Not documented	Not documented	✓ two tabs
Command bar / quick search	✓	Not documented	Not documented	Not documented
Automatic tab archiving	Partial: prompts to tidy idle tabs	Not documented	Not documented	Not documented
Chromium extensions	✓	Partial: Chrome and Firefox extensions, 20 guaranteed	✗ Safari extensions	✓
Direct Arc import	✓	✓	Not documented	Not documented

“✓” means documented, not identical to Arc. A tab group isn't necessarily a Space with a separate profile; hibernation isn't auto-archiving.

Which Arc browser alternative fits your Mac?

Match your must-have feature, then check engine and importer. “Not stated” means the vendor docs reviewed make no license or import claim.

Zen Browser

Zen uses Firefox/Gecko (Zen FAQ, checked October 2026), is free and open source, and runs on macOS, Windows, and Linux; it's still in beta (Zen download page, checked October 2026, Zen project license, checked October 2026). Its workspaces, checked October 2026, split view, checked October 2026, and command bar, checked October 2026 cover several Arc habits; split view supports up to four tabs, and the bar searches tabs and folders and offers actions.

Zen's docs don't list Arc as an import source; a bot reply in a 2025 GitHub Ideas discussion says there isn't a built-in Arc import (Zen migration discussion, 2025). When comparing Zen Browser vs Arc, pick Zen if vertical tabs, split view, and an open-source Firefox base matter more than Chromium extensions or a one-click Arc move.

SigmaOS

SigmaOS is a Mac-only WebKit browser. Its site, checked October 2026 documents vertical tabs, workspaces, split screen, Chromium extensions, and free Personal; Pro starts at $20 per month. Its Lazy Search can look across tabs, commands, and bookmarks, while “mark as done” is a manual task flow rather than Arc-style automatic archiving. The site doesn't state an open-source license or document an Arc importer. Pick it if a Mac-first, sidebar-and-split workflow matters more than switching away from WebKit.

Vivaldi

Vivaldi uses Chromium and runs on macOS, Windows, and Linux. It's free, but its license note, checked October 2026 says it isn't published under one unified open-source license. Its tab display help, checked October 2026 explains how to put the tab bar on the left or right; its desktop feature guide documents workspaces, Quick Commands, tiling, and Chrome extensions. Its importer supports browser data and HTML bookmarks, but its import guide, checked October 2026 doesn't name Arc. Pick it if you want Chromium compatibility and configurable tab management; allow time to shape the interface.

Microsoft Edge

Edge is Microsoft's Chromium browser, with downloads for Windows, macOS, and Linux and mobile apps for iOS and Android (Microsoft Edge overview; Microsoft download page, checked October 2026). Microsoft also documents vertical tabs on Windows and macOS and Split screen for two pages in one tab.

Workspaces group tabs by project, but the current Microsoft guide, 2026 requires Edge 144 or later and a Microsoft or Entra account. Edge accepts Chrome extensions (Microsoft extension guide, checked October 2026); its import page names Chrome and HTML/CSV files, not Arc (Microsoft import guide, checked October 2026). The docs reviewed don't state an open-source license for Edge. Pick it if your work already uses Microsoft accounts or services; its documented Workspace is a different workflow from Arc Spaces.

Dia

Dia is the Browser Company's Chromium browser for macOS; its platform page, checked October 2, 2026 listed Windows as coming soon. The browser is free, with optional AI plans; Better Answers costs $20/month, checked October 2026. Its import FAQ, checked October 2026 accepts Arc bookmarks, extensions, passwords, and history, and its release notes, checked October 2026 document profiles, a command bar, and Chromium updates. The sources reviewed don't state an open-source license.

In an Arc vs Dia comparison, Dia is the easiest documented move if you want to stay with the same company and engine family, but it centers on AI and offers a prompt to tidy idle tabs after 10+ have sat untouched, moving them to a temporary group before archiving (Dia 1.30.0, May 7, 2026). Pick it if Arc's importer matters more than replacing Arc's exact interface.

Orion

Orion is WebKit-based, has native vertical/tree tabs, and runs on macOS, iOS, and iPadOS. Linux is in open beta, while Windows is in alpha and marked coming soon (Kagi FAQ, checked October 2026; Orion platform and install pages, checked October 2026; Linux install docs, checked October 2026). It's free, with an optional Orion Plus subscription or lifetime license (install docs; Orion Plus).

The Arc importer, Kagi docs checked October 2026 is documented for macOS. Orion's current extension page promises 20 curated extensions as guaranteed working; its FAQ says extensions use the same open WebExtensions APIs as Chrome and Firefox and that it supports many of those extensions. The FAQ also says Orion isn't open source yet. Pick Orion if a WebKit browser plus a direct Arc import and vertical tabs is your combination; test the extensions you depend on before moving your daily profile.

Safari

Safari is built into Apple devices and uses WebKit (WebKit Safari 26 notes, 2025); its current feature set includes profiles and Tab Groups, checked October 2026; Apple says profiles sync among devices signed into the same Apple Account (profile guide, 2025). Safari accepts Safari extensions rather than Chromium extensions. Apple doesn't document direct Arc import, but Safari can import HTML bookmarks and CSV passwords (Safari import guide, macOS 26). The sources reviewed don't state an open-source Safari license. Pick Safari if you want the fewest new browser decisions and use Apple-device sync; expect to rebuild Arc's pinned-tab organization yourself.

Brave

Brave is a free Chromium browser whose source is built on the open-source Chromium project, with desktop and mobile builds (Brave FAQ, checked October 2026). Brave documents vertical tabs on Windows, Mac, and Linux, plus grouped and pinned tabs (vertical tabs, 2023); its help page, 2025 explains two-tab Split View. Brave's import guide tells you to choose from detected browsers but doesn't name Arc. Pick Brave if you want Chromium extensions, vertical tabs, and built-in privacy controls more than Spaces or a command bar.

Octoweb

Octoweb is free, Apache 2.0, and Mac-only; it uses WebKit. ⌘⇧P opens its command palette, workspaces have separate WebKit data stores, and ⌘1–⌘9 open pinned slots. Its Later queue drops saved pages after 14 days (0.15 release notes), which resembles Arc's auto-archive in spirit but isn't the same behavior. It has no vertical tab sidebar or page split view, and sync and extension support are not on record. I build Octoweb, so weigh my take on it accordingly. Pick it if you want keyboard-first Mac browsing and workspace isolation, and can give up Arc's visible tab list. Read about its WebKit design and command-palette workflow.

How do you move your data out of Arc?

Leave Arc installed until you verify bookmarks, logins, history, extensions, and open tabs in the new browser. Direct import is currently documented by Dia and Orion; the paths differ by browser.

Destination	What its documentation says	What to do
Dia	Dia's 2026 FAQ lists bookmarks, extensions, passwords, and history from Arc. It does not say whether active tabs or Spaces transfer.	Use Dia > Import from Another Browser during setup or later; review each category and profile.
Orion for Mac	Kagi's import guide, checked October 2026 lists Arc as a source; the exact categories depend on the source browser.	Choose File > Import From > Arc and inspect the result. Orion on iOS imports bookmarks by HTML and passwords by CSV rather than importing another browser directly (Kagi import guide, checked October 2026).
Zen	Its 2025 issue tracker says there is no built-in Arc import.	Import what you can through a supported browser or file route, then manually rebuild Spaces, pinned tabs, and settings; verify logins separately.
Vivaldi	Vivaldi's import guide, checked October 2026 lists browser data and HTML bookmarks, but not Arc by name.	Try File > Import from Applications or Files if Arc appears in your installed-browser list; otherwise export/import standard bookmarks where available. Confirm the preview before replacing anything.
Safari	Apple's guide, macOS 26 lists Chrome/Firefox import and HTML bookmarks; it does not name Arc.	Use File > Import from Browser for Chrome or Firefox; for Arc, Safari's guide documents HTML bookmarks and password CSV files rather than a direct Arc import.
Edge	Microsoft's guide, checked October 2026 lists Chrome, HTML bookmarks, and CSV passwords; it does not name Arc.	Import a supported source or standard file. The guide does not describe importing Arc spaces, tabs, or profiles.
Brave	Brave's guide says to choose a detected browser; it does not name Arc.	Check the detected-source list in Brave's importer; the help page does not promise direct Arc import.

Before switching, note the URLs and names of Spaces, pinned tabs, and active tabs you rely on. After import, recreate anything the destination didn't document.

The full list of browser keyboard shortcuts has Octoweb's palette and slot keys.