Arc Browser Alternatives 2026: Dia, Zen, Vivaldi, Microsoft Edge and Chrome

Choose Dia if preserving your Arc setup with the least rebuilding matters most; choose Zen Browser if the familiar layout matters more than a direct transfer. These Arc browser alternatives solve different problems, and the hard deadline is December 22, 2026, when Arc stops working on macOS and Windows.

The Browser Company's farewell to Arc makes this a migration decision with an end date. If you run a Space per client, the job is bigger than saving bookmarks: you need the right pages, the right accounts and a layout you can work in the next morning.

Verified against the makers' pages on October 23, 2026. This comparison evaluates documented features and migration paths. It does not claim hands-on browser testing or measured performance.

Arc Browser Alternatives at a Glance

Dia is the first migration to try. Zen Browser is the closest layout-led alternative, while Vivaldi gives you more control over how you rebuild. Microsoft Edge suits a move into its current Workspaces system. Google Chrome with Gemini earns its place when assistance across pages is part of the job.

Prices and trial terms above were checked on the date shown. Each browser's source is linked in its pricing line below. A browser download does not establish access to every AI feature; Dia's AI access and Gemini's availability need separate checks.

The decision rule is simple: if your main loss is organization, choose by the layout and import path. If your main loss is assistance, choose by the AI feature you can use on your account. A good chatbot does not rebuild a client Space.

Export Arc Before the Shutdown Dates

Save your setup now, while you can compare the replacement with the original. The shutdown schedule is not a reason to leave the export until the final week.

The Browser Company's own timeline says:

• October 22, 2026: new Arc account creation stops.
• November 23, 2026: Browse for Me and other AI features stop on iOS and Android; mobile sign-in and tab sync also stop.
• December 22, 2026: Arc stops working on macOS and Windows and accounts are deactivated.
• Within 30 days of deactivation: personal data associated with Arc accounts is deleted. The company says it cannot retrieve Arc user data for requests from December 22 onward. Official timeline and data FAQ.

That deletion window is not an extra month in which to migrate. Treat the desktop shutdown date as the final boundary, with your working replacement established before it.

The maker-documented export path

On macOS, choose Arc > Settings > Advanced > Export Data, choose a save location and select Save.

On Windows, open Arc menu > Settings, or press Ctrl+,. Under Advanced, find Export Spaces and tabs, select Export Data, then save the file. These are the current paths in the Arc farewell FAQ.

Arc describes this export as a list of links. Its farewell text does not promise that every destination will read the file as a complete workspace or even specify a universal bookmarks-file format. Keep the original export. Where a destination requires a bookmarks HTML file, check that your export is accepted and inspect the result; a successful import still does not establish that pins, sessions or split arrangements transferred.

If a destination rejects the file, use the exported links to reopen and bookmark the pages there, grouped by client. That takes more work, but it is a clear fallback. Renaming a file to .html does not convert its contents into a bookmarks export.

Save the working arrangement, too

Before switching, make an inventory of each client's Space: its important URLs, custom tab names, folder names, login identity and frequently used split-view pairings. Capture the sidebar and the split arrangements as references. Record which extensions the client workflow depends on.

Think of a bookmarked URL as an address. It does not tell the new browser which account should answer the door or how you arranged the room. A client portal can reopen successfully while displaying the wrong client's account.

For a client-facing operator, the acceptance test is opening the correct client document under the correct identity and resuming the task. Seeing the imported bookmark folder is only the beginning.

Choose the Replacement for the Part of Arc You Need

1. Dia: Best for Bringing the Existing Setup Across

Dia, The Browser Company's successor to Arc, is the strongest first choice when migration effort matters most. The maker explicitly maps Arc Spaces to Dia Profiles and Arc Folders to Tab Groups. Favorites and Pinned Tabs come across with their custom names, while Sidebar tabs and Split View preserve the broad working pattern. That is a more useful promise for a busy agency owner than another browser simply advertising a sidebar. Arc-to-Dia mapping.

Best for: An existing Arc user who wants the clearest documented transfer.
Standout: Direct import of Arc organization and browser data.
Pricing: Better Browser is free; confirm paid AI terms on the plans page, which currently gives conflicting amounts for Better Answers.
Free trial: The same plans page states a 14-day Better Days trial without a credit card.

Platforms: macOS and Windows. The current download page's supported-device line specifies Apple Silicon Macs and Windows 11. It also contains older macOS-only copy, while the newer Arc farewell explicitly confirms Windows importing. The public homepage shows a waitlist, so confirm that the Arc-user download route completes onboarding on your machine before depending on it.

For someone with separate client accounts, Dia's profile model matters as much as its appearance. Dia describes Profiles as separating tabs, logins and AI. You can therefore evaluate the imported client context as a whole: client portal, working documents and account identity. The AI layer is optional; keeping your browsing organization does not require adopting an assistant. Dia's profile and split features.

Import Arc into Dia

1. 1

   Choose Arc during setup

   Install Dia and select Arc when onboarding asks which browser to import from. You do not need to export a file first for this route.

2. 2

   Use the import menu if Dia is already installed

   On macOS, choose Dia > Import from Another Browser. On Windows, open the Dia app menu > Import from another browser. Select Arc.

3. 3

   Check the client organization

   Compare the imported Profiles, Tab Groups and named pins with the inventory you saved. Reopen a representative client portal and verify the account. Confirm your usual split layout before changing your default browser.

The maker documents transfer of passwords, history, tabs, profiles, folders, bookmarks and extensions on both desktop platforms. That is a migration promise from the vendor, not a result measured here. Use it as your starting expectation and check your own data. Official import instructions.

Verdict: Try Dia first if you want to move the setup you already have. Choose another browser if leaving The Browser Company's product direction is part of the decision.

2. Zen Browser: Best for the Familiar Layout

Zen Browser is a Firefox-based browser whose vertical tabs, workspaces and split view make it the closest layout match in this selection. It suits an operator who wants the sidebar-centered way of working and is willing to reconstruct the workspace. Its containers also give you a way to keep client website sessions separate within the browser. That combination is more important here than themes or cosmetic resemblance. Zen's features and workspace documentation.

Best for: Preserving Arc's working rhythm while moving to Firefox's browser foundation.
Standout: Workspaces with assignable default containers for separate website sessions.
Pricing: Free and open source.
Free trial: The browser is free, rather than a time-limited trial.

Platforms: macOS, Windows and Linux. Zen's FAQ says there is no current Android or iOS version. It cannot, by itself, replace both your desktop Arc installation and Arc Search on your phone. Downloads and mobile availability.

Zen Browser vs Arc

Zen is the layout choice; Dia is the documented direct-transfer choice. Zen supports pinned tabs and folders, but the maker pages reviewed here do not promise that importing Arc's exported links reconstructs its Spaces, pins or split layouts. Its release notes establish those organizational features, not a guarantee of Arc migration fidelity.

For example, rebuild a client workspace, then assign a container to it. A container keeps that client's website cookies and sessions separate, allowing a different account on the same service. Zen explicitly says containers do not separate browsing history and extensions. If a client arrangement needs that broader separation, do not treat a container as a fully separate browser profile. Container behavior.

Import into Zen

Zen documents application menu > Bookmarks > Manage bookmarks as the route to its Library, the place for importing and backing up bookmarks. Use the Library's import control for a compatible bookmarks export, then look in the bookmark locations instead of expecting the vertical tab sidebar to fill itself. Zen bookmarks guide.

If you need a fully documented intermediate route, Mozilla explains importing a bookmarks HTML file into Firefox. Zen then documents Settings > Sync > sign in with your Mozilla account > choose the data to sync. This is an indirect route for supported browser data, not an Arc layout converter. With only a link list, reopen and bookmark the pages before rebuilding the workspace.

Check essential extensions before committing. Zen uses Firefox add-ons; an Arc extension should not be assumed to move merely because the websites do. A solo builder who depends on a specific browser extension should resolve that dependency before rebuilding every client.

Verdict: Choose Zen for how it organizes your day. Budget for rebuilding and checking the setup, rather than assuming its familiar appearance means a direct transfer.

3. Vivaldi: Best for Rebuilding a Client Workspace Your Way

Vivaldi, a customizable browser, is the strongest option here for an operator who wants explicit control over the rebuilt workspace. Its Workspaces group tabs, Tab Stacks group related tabs within that work, and Tab Tiling places pages side by side. An account manager can keep a client's planning document, reporting dashboard and project board together without turning every active page into a permanent pin. Vivaldi also supports Chrome extensions. Desktop features.

Best for: A client-heavy workflow that benefits from deliberate layout customization.
Standout: Workspaces, tab stacks and tiled pages working together.
Pricing: The browser's built-in functionality is free.
Free trial: Free browser, not a temporary trial.

Platforms: Windows, macOS and Linux, plus Android and iOS editions. The desktop workspace instructions below should not be read as a promise that every mobile layout behaves identically. Vivaldi downloads.

To recreate the vertical arrangement, go to Settings > Tabs > Tab Bar Position and select Left or Right. Then use the Workspaces button to create a workspace from an empty set or the current tabs. Tab Bar settings and Workspaces.

Import into Vivaldi

Choose Vivaldi menu > File > Import from Applications or Files. Select a supported source browser, or select Bookmarks HTML file for a compatible export, then Start Import. Which other data types can move depends on the source browser; the presence of an import menu is not a promise that Arc's own workspace structure will move. Import documentation.

After importing, reopen the relevant client links and put them into a named workspace. Recreate stacks for enduring categories, such as reporting or approvals, and rebuild the side-by-side combinations you use repeatedly. This is where your saved layout reference earns its keep: you are rebuilding an operating arrangement, not browsing a long imported folder and hoping it feels familiar.

For separate client identities, use Vivaldi User Profiles, whose documentation explicitly separates cookies, history, bookmarks and extensions. Workspaces are the grouping layer. Also check the sync implication: Vivaldi says each profile currently needs its own Vivaldi account to sync profile data. That matters if you intend to reproduce several client identities on another computer. Profile documentation.

Verdict: Choose Vivaldi if you want to decide how the replacement works. Skip it if the migration needs to be almost entirely an import operation.

4. Microsoft Edge: Best for Moving into Edge Workspaces

Microsoft Edge earns its place through native vertical tabs, Split screen and its current Workspaces system. A Windows-based operator can organize client projects while keeping side-by-side reference work inside the browser. The important qualification is that today's Workspaces are designed for individual tasks, not the shared-workspace collaboration described in older coverage. Current Workspaces documentation.

Best for: Someone who wants project workspaces and vertical tabs in Edge.
Standout: A native combination of Workspaces and side-by-side pages.
Pricing: The cited desktop download page does not state a browser price; no AI subscription price is assumed here.
Free trial: No desktop trial term is stated on that page.

Platforms: Edge downloads cover Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android. However, the Workspaces page specifically requires Edge 144 or later on Windows 10/11 or macOS, with a Microsoft or work/school account. Do not treat the existence of a Linux or mobile download as proof of the same Workspaces capability.

Turn on vertical tabs from Search tabs > Turn on vertical tabs. Start Split screen from Settings and more > Split screen to work with two websites together. For a client review, that might mean the submitted document beside the feedback form.

Import into Edge

Use Settings and more > Settings > Profiles > Import browser data. Under Other import locations, choose Import beside Import browser data now, select Favorites or bookmarks HTML file, choose the compatible file, then Open > Done. Imported favorites appear in a folder; password CSV importing is a separate operation. Microsoft's import guide.

Next, choose Search tabs > Manage workspaces > New Workspace and create one from the current tabs or a blank workspace. Give it the client's name. Edge opens the workspace in a new window, so expect a different context-switching rhythm from Arc's sidebar.

Keep account setup separate from tab organization. Edge's profile controls let you establish the appropriate personal or work profile before organizing projects inside it.

Verdict: Choose Edge when its current workspace model fits your work. Do not choose it for shared client workspaces on the strength of an old screenshot or tutorial.

5. Google Chrome with Gemini: Best for Google-Centered Work

Google Chrome is now a credible choice for both layout and AI assistance: Google documents native vertical tabs and split view. You can put tabs down the side and reference a document beside another page without assembling that basic layout from extensions. Gemini adds page assistance for eligible users. The compromise is rebuilding client contexts with Chrome's profiles and tab groups rather than importing Arc Spaces as a named system. Vertical tabs and split view.

Best for: A Google-centered workflow that needs a familiar browser plus eligible page assistance.
Standout: Native vertical tabs and split view, with Gemini availability checked separately.
Pricing: Google says Chrome can be downloaded and installed at no charge; paid AI entitlements are separate.
Free trial: The browser is not a time-limited trial.

Platforms: Chrome runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS, and is the browser on Chromebooks. For the desktop Gemini in Chrome feature, Google names Windows, Mac and Chromebook Plus. It requires current Chrome, sign-in, a supported language and region, and a successful rollout to your account. The supported regions include the United States and Canada; work or school access needs administrator enablement. Gemini availability.

The distinction matters for an agency with a managed Google account. Installing Chrome does not prove that Gemini will be available under that account. Confirm the assistant appears and can use the intended pages before making it the reason for your switch. Gemini's documented page assistance includes summaries and comparisons, with controls for which tabs you share. Gemini in Chrome help.

Import into Chrome

Choose More > Bookmarks and lists > Import bookmarks and settings > Choose file. Select a compatible bookmarks HTML file, then Open > Done. Google documents this as bookmark importing, not an Arc workspace conversion. If you only have a link list, reopen the client links and bookmark them before arranging the new workspace. Chrome import guide.

Then separate identities with Chrome profiles, which keep bookmarks, history, passwords and settings separate. Use tab groups to organize projects within the appropriate identity. Right-click a Chrome window and choose Show Tabs Vertically for the sidebar; right-click an inactive tab and choose New split view with current tab for the side-by-side arrangement.

Verdict: Choose Chrome when your Google workflow and available Gemini access make the move worthwhile. Choose it on its current features, not an assumption that it still lacks vertical tabs.

Who Should Pick What

Start with the loss that would interrupt tomorrow's work. If rebuilding client organization is the biggest burden, attempt Dia's direct import first. If you can rebuild but want Arc's sidebar-centered rhythm on a Firefox foundation, choose Zen. If you want detailed control over the resulting workspace, choose Vivaldi.

Choose Edge when its individual Workspaces, desktop requirements and separate-window behavior fit your routine. Choose Chrome when its current layout tools are enough and Gemini is available under the account you use for work.

A CTO standardizing a company browser should verify the organization's account and software policies before treating a personal-browser recommendation as a deployment choice. A solo consultant can move one client first and judge the friction directly. Those are different decisions even when the preferred browser is the same.

For a broader decision about assistants that act inside a browser, the AI browser comparison covers that separate layer. Get the client workspace working before expanding what an assistant can do inside it.

Move One Client Before Moving Everything

A migration is complete when you can resume work after restarting the replacement browser. Import success is an intermediate checkpoint.

1. 1

   Save the source and choose a representative client

   Keep the Arc export and your layout inventory outside Arc. Pick a client whose setup includes a portal login, working documents, an extension you rely on and a split view. A trivial project will not expose the problems in your daily setup.

2. 2

   Import into the intended identity

   Create or choose the destination profile or container deliberately. Follow that browser's maker-documented import path. Check where the imported bookmarks landed before importing again; repeating the operation can make it harder to tell what moved.

3. 3

   Rebuild the arrangement

   Recreate the client grouping, enduring pins or saved links, and the document pairings you use side by side. Verify extensions separately. For every important portal, confirm the client account shown inside the website, not just the browser's profile name.

4. 4

   Restart and finish a normal task

   Quit and reopen the replacement browser. Open the client workspace, access its documents and complete a normal review or reporting task. Compare against your saved inventory. Resolve missing links, incorrect identities and lost layouts before moving the next client.

Keep Arc available for comparison while it still works. Do not delete the original setup because one import dialog reported success. If your new browser has every URL but you still need Arc to remember which account or document belongs to which client, the migration is unfinished.

Your Monday move: export Arc, move one representative client and complete that client's next normal task entirely in the replacement. Use the result to choose the browser, then repeat the same check for the remaining clients before the deadline.

How These Were Picked

The ranking favors continuity of work over feature count. The criteria were maker-documented migration, vertical organization, project grouping, side-by-side work, account separation and supported platforms. AI matters when it serves the reader's workflow; it is not a substitute for those basics.

The source checks were performed on October 23, 2026. The original analysis is the distinction between three migration outcomes: links preserved, identities working and layout reconstructed. No speed, memory, battery or reliability ranking is claimed because those were not measured. Gaming features, hobbyist customization and unpublished company figures did not decide the picks.

Dia's conflicting paid price was left out. The Arc export's unspecified cross-browser format was not upgraded into a promise of universal import. Current maker documentation was used to distinguish Chrome's native layout features and Edge's new Workspaces from older descriptions.

The Ones to Avoid

Avoid continuing with Arc as your plan after December 22. The maker says the desktop browser stops working. Keeping an export is sensible; depending on a retired browser to open it is not.

Avoid SigmaOS for a Windows deadline. SigmaOS, another workspace-oriented browser, says it is currently macOS-only and lists Windows as coming soon. A future platform promise cannot meet a migration deadline on your existing Windows machine. SigmaOS availability.

Avoid Zen as your only mobile replacement. It remains a strong desktop layout choice, but its maker does not offer Android or iOS versions. Choose the phone browser as a separate part of the move.

Avoid Edge for shared Workspaces. The current version explicitly removes sharing and invitations. Its individual project organization can still be useful.

These are exclusions by task, not claims that the products are bad. The costly mistake is choosing a browser for a feature it does not document on the platform you need.

FAQ

Arc Browser Alternatives iOS

Vivaldi, Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome have iOS editions. Zen does not. Arc Search on iOS retains a lite browser, but Browse for Me, other AI features, sign-in and sync stop on November 23, 2026. Before then, use Tab Switcher > Settings > Export Data to save open links; the Arc FAQ also calls the option Export Open Tabs. On Android, the export path adds Storage before Export data. Arc's mobile instructions.

SigmaOS Windows

SigmaOS is currently macOS-only according to its maker. Windows is described as coming soon, so choose a currently supported Windows option for this migration deadline. Official availability.

Dia Browser

Dia is The Browser Company's official successor to Arc. Existing Arc users can select Arc during Dia setup or use its Import from Another Browser menu. Confirm that your client Profiles, Tab Groups and named pins arrived before making it your default browser. Official migration instructions.

For help choosing the AI layer around your new workspace, get the AI Tools Map for Business Owners.