Arc Alternatives 2026: 5 Free Options
Arc alternatives: Zen Browser, Firefox, Brave, Vivaldi and 1 more. Prices and licenses checked October 25, 2026.
•3 min read•Browsers & System Utilities
Verdict:Arc is shutting down: its own site says it sunsets on December 22, 2026, with no new accounts after October 22, 2026, and only basic updates until then. If you use it for daily work, plan a move now. Dia is the least disruptive step because the same company says Arc's browser features are free there, but it centres on AI, which some Arc users will not want. Zen is the closest free, open source match for the sidebar-and-spaces habit, and it uses the Firefox engine, so extensions come from Firefox's add-on store. Firefox itself is the safe long-term default if you want a plain browser. Brave and Vivaldi keep the Chromium engine, which keeps Chrome extensions working, and Vivaldi gives the most control over tabs. The trade-off is workflow against longevity. Nothing here copies Arc's exact tab model, so expect to relearn some habits. If you rely on Chromium-only extensions, choose Brave or Vivaldi. If you want a project that is not tied to one company's roadmap, choose Zen or Firefox. Export your bookmarks before the shutdown date and test your key sites in the new browser for a week before dropping Arc.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Price | Platforms | Best for | Tested |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zen Browser | Free (Free and open source) | Windows, macOS, Linux | Closest free, open source Arc-style browser | Docs only |
| Firefox | Free (Free download; the page states no price) | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | Stable open source default | Docs only |
| Brave | Free (Described as a free browser on the download page) | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | Chromium compatibility with ad blocking | Docs only |
| Vivaldi | Free (Downloads offered with no purchase step; the page does not use the word free) | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | Tab-heavy customisation | Docs only |
| Dia | Free (Download for free; AI is optional) | Windows, macOS | Staying with the same company | Docs only |
| SigmaOS | Free (Free plan with unlimited workspaces, an ad-blocker and a limited Airis Assistant); paid from $20 per month (Personal Pro) | macOS | Browser | Docs only |
Independent comparison. Paid placements are labelled separately; editorial links earn no affiliate commissions. Learn more.
Good fit if
- You want the same company's successor (Dia is the pick)
- You want a free open source sidebar-style browser (Zen Browser is the pick)
- You need Chrome extensions to keep working (Brave is the pick)
- You want the most tab and layout control (Vivaldi is the pick)
Not ideal if
- You rely on Arc features or integrations that these tools do not replicate
Arc today: Free (No price listed on arc.net; browser features are described as free in Dia) (Arc: what changed, checked 2026-10-23).
Why people look for Arc alternatives
Arc is being wound down. The Browser Company's site says Arc sunsets on December 22, 2026, after which it cannot be used on macOS or Windows. New Arc accounts closed on October 22, and Arc's mobile AI features are disabled on November 23. Until then it only receives basic updates, and the company points users to its newer browser, Dia. Android's Arc Search has been removed from Google Play, and iOS Arc Search can no longer sign in or sync tabs. Anyone relying on Arc's sidebar workflow needs a replacement before the cutoff.
What changed at Arc
The Browser Company says Arc is sunsetting on December 22, 2026; new accounts cannot be created after October 22, 2026, and until then Arc gets basic updates while engineering shifts to Dia. (Arc: what changed)
Zen Browser
Compared with Arc: Zen is a free MPL-2.0 Firefox-based browser built around productivity. Compared with Arc you move to Firefox's engine and lose Chromium extension parity, but you get an open source browser that stays maintained.
Price: Free (Free and open source) (Zen Browser pricing, checked 2026-10-23).
Platforms and license: Windows, macOS, Linux. MPL-2.0 (open source).
Project activity: 45.4k GitHub stars · latest release 1.23.4b (Oct 21, 2026) · last commit Oct 27, 2026
Best for: Closest free, open source Arc-style browser.
Firefox
Compared with Arc: Firefox is free and open source, and the standard release drops support for Windows 8.1 and earlier and macOS 10.14 and earlier. It lacks Arc's sidebar workflow but has a long future and does not depend on one company's product plans.
Price: Free (Free download; the page states no price) (Firefox pricing, checked 2026-10-23).
Platforms and license: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android. Mozilla Public License 2.0 (open source).
Project activity: 13.6k GitHub stars · last commit Oct 27, 2026
Best for: Stable open source default.
Worth knowing: The standard release no longer supports Windows 8.1 and earlier or macOS 10.14 and earlier; ESR covers those.
Brave
Compared with Arc: Brave is a free MPL-2.0 Chromium browser, so Chrome extensions keep working as they did in Arc. You give up Arc's spaces and gain built-in ad and tracker blocking.
Price: Free (Described as a free browser on the download page) (Brave pricing, checked 2026-10-23).
Platforms and license: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android. MPL-2.0 (open source).
Project activity: 24k GitHub stars · latest release v1.98.60 (Oct 21, 2026) · last commit Oct 27, 2026
Best for: Chromium compatibility with ad blocking.
Vivaldi
Compared with Arc: Vivaldi offers desktop builds for Windows, macOS 13+ and Linux with no purchase step on its download page. It is Chromium-based like Arc and the most configurable of these, at the cost of a busier interface.
Price: Free (Downloads offered with no purchase step; the page does not use the word free) (Vivaldi pricing, checked 2026-10-23).
Platforms and license: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android. Proprietary.
Best for: Tab-heavy customisation.
Worth knowing: Desktop builds for Windows, macOS 13+ and Linux (DEB, RPM, Snap).
Dia
Compared with Arc: Dia is the next browser from Arc's own makers, free to download for macOS and Windows. The Arc page says its browser features are free in Dia, but AI is part of the design, so it is not a like-for-like replacement.
Price: Free (Download for free; AI is optional) (Dia pricing, checked 2026-10-23).
Platforms and license: Windows, macOS. Proprietary.
Best for: Staying with the same company.
Other popular options (paid)
SigmaOS
Compared with Arc: A vertical-tab, workspace-style browser that feels closest to Arc's layout. The free plan has unlimited workspaces and an ad-blocker; Personal Pro adds AI at $20 a month. It runs on macOS only, while Arc also ran on Windows.
Price: Free (Free plan with unlimited workspaces, an ad-blocker and a limited Airis Assistant); paid from $20 per month (Personal Pro) (SigmaOS pricing, checked 2026-10-25).
Which one to pick
- You want the same company's successor: Dia
- You want a free open source sidebar-style browser: Zen Browser
- You need Chrome extensions to keep working: Brave
- You want the most tab and layout control: Vivaldi
Limits of this review
Docs-only for Zen Browser, Firefox, Brave, Vivaldi, Dia: we did not install or run them, so feature claims come from vendor pages and we did not test import from Arc. Vendor prices and free limits change; confirm on the linked pricing page before you buy or migrate.
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Kevin Fan
Kevin Fan is a SaaS founder. He runs Free Instead Of, which tracks free and open-source alternatives to paid software and checks each price and free-plan limit against the vendor's own pages.
Methodology
Based on official pricing and product pages checked between 2026-10-23 and 2026-10-25: Arc, Zen Browser, Firefox, Brave, Vivaldi, Dia, SigmaOS. Prices, free limits and licenses are the figures shown on those pages on those dates. No tool on this page was installed or run. No accounts were created.