Arc Browser Alternatives for Windows in 2026: 5 Picks

Zen is the closest free match to Arc on Windows, because it offers workspaces, split view and a compact mode, with a Windows installer. Vivaldi suits you if you want the tab bar on the left of a Chromium browser. Firefox and Edge include vertical tabs without extra setup, and Dia is the browser built to replace Arc. You have until December 22, 2026 to move.

What matters if you are leaving Arc

According to Arc's own site, Arc stops working on macOS and Windows on December 22, 2026, and accounts are deactivated. New accounts closed on October 22, 2026, and Arc receives basic updates until then. The site says the latest version adds a data export option and that passwords, bookmarks, extensions, history, Spaces and Folders can be imported to Dia.

For a Windows user the useful criteria are: it runs on Windows after the cutoff, it has vertical tabs or a sidebar, it has workspaces or tab groups, its extension engine matches what you use today, and AI is optional.

A Hacker News thread titled "What browser should I use? (RIP Arc)" from October 22, 2026 shows the same priorities. The poster wanted a replacement and little AI. Zen was the most recommended, Vivaldi was praised for customization, and one user said Zen's Glance only partly matches Arc's. Windows was not mentioned in the thread. Our broader page lists all Arc browser alternatives.

Zen Browser

Zen's site lists Workspaces, Compact Mode, Glance and Split View, and calls the project free and open source. Its repository describes Zen as a Firefox-based browser and shows the MPL-2.0 license. The download page offers Windows installers, including an ARM64 build, and says Zen is currently in beta.

Because Zen is Firefox-based, it uses Firefox add-ons rather than Chrome extensions. Vertical tabs are not mentioned on its official pages, so confirm that feature before you commit.

Who should not pick it: anyone who cannot tolerate beta-quality software or needs Chrome extensions unchanged.

Vivaldi

Vivaldi is a Chromium-based browser with heavy customization. According to its extensions help page, it is built on the Chromium project and installs Chrome Web Store extensions, though some may behave differently. Its tab bar help page says the tab bar can be located on any side of the window, with top, left, right and bottom positions, and a side bar can be resized down to favicons. Its features page lists tab stacking, workspaces, web panels, tab tiling and a built-in mail client.

The download page lists Windows 64-bit, ARM64 and 32-bit builds but does not state a price.

Who should not pick it: users who want a minimal interface, since customization is the point.

Firefox

Firefox now has built-in vertical tabs. In Mozilla's April 2025 announcement, the setting sits in Settings, General, Browser layout, and the layout stacks tabs on the side with a collapsed view that expands on hover. A sidebar gives quick access to bookmarks and synced tabs. You can download it from firefox.com, and Mozilla's licensing page says Firefox binaries are made available under the terms of the Mozilla Public License.

It has no direct copy of Arc's spaces, so it is the stable fallback rather than an Arc clone. See our Firefox alternatives page if you later want to move again.

Who should not pick it: someone who wants Arc-style workspaces out of the box.

Microsoft Edge

Edge is already on Windows. Microsoft's page says vertical tabs move your tabs to a side pane and are available in the latest versions of Windows and macOS. Click the Search tabs arrow and choose Turn on Vertical Tabs, or press Ctrl+Shift+comma to toggle.

Microsoft's extension documentation says Edge is based on Chromium and that Chromium-based browsers share the same extension APIs, so extensions built for Chrome are the easiest to keep. The vertical tabs page does not mention workspaces or a price, so those details are left out.

Who should not pick it: users who want an open-source browser or deeper Arc-style organization.

Dia

Dia is the browser from Arc's makers. Its site says it is available for macOS and Windows, free to download, and offers Dia for Work with SSO and admin tools. Arc's notice describes Dia as the replacement and says Arc's core features are free in Dia, with AI optional.

It is the only pick here with an import path described by Arc. Dia's pages do not describe it as open source.

Who should not pick it: users who want to avoid AI-focused browsers, as one Hacker News poster did.

Comparison

How to choose

• You want Arc's workflow free and open source. Start with Zen and keep Firefox as a fallback if beta software bothers you.
• You depend on Chrome extensions. Vivaldi or Edge, both Chromium-based.
• You want the least change. Dia, with Arc's import path, though it is an AI-oriented browser.

Moving from Chrome rather than Arc? Read the Google Chrome alternatives page, and see our free private browser list if privacy is your reason to switch.