Item: Arc Browser
Rating: 4.1
Author: Max Beech

Category: Reviews · Stage: Evaluation

By Max Beech, Head of Content

Arc Browser completely redesigns web browsing—vertical sidebar instead of horizontal tabs, "Spaces" for context-switching, built-in split view, and aggressive tab auto-archiving.

After 90 days using Arc as daily driver (replacing Chrome): It's legitimately innovative, genuinely improves productivity for multi-context workers, but requires unlearning 25 years of browser habits.

What Makes Arc Different

Not: Chrome with different theme Actually: Rethinking fundamental browser UX

Key differences from Chrome/Firefox/Safari:

Vertical sidebar (not horizontal tabs)
- Left sidebar shows tabs, bookmarks, downloads
- More space for web content (no tab bar at top)
Spaces (work/personal context separation)
- Different tab sets per space (Work, Personal, Research)
- Switch spaces instantly (like macOS Desktops but for browser)
Tab auto-archiving
- Tabs unused for 12 hours automatically archive
- Access via Library (Cmd+Shift+L)
- Philosophy: "If you haven't looked at tab in 12 hours, you won't"
Built-in productivity features
- Split View (2-4 websites side-by-side, built-in)
- Easels (whiteboard for collecting links/notes)
- Boosts (custom CSS/JS per site to modify appearance)

Core Features Deep Dive

Traditional browser:

Horizontal tabs across top
8-12 tabs visible before they compress
Tab title truncated to "Stack... Stack... Stack..."

Arc's vertical sidebar:

Unlimited vertical space for tabs
Full tab titles visible (no truncation)
Organize tabs with folders/sections

Benefit: See 30+ tabs with readable titles vs 12 compressed horizontal tabs.

Downside: Takes screen width (sidebar ~200px wide). On 13" laptops, screen feels cramped.

Best for: Large monitors (27"+), many simultaneous tabs

2. Spaces (Context Switching)

Use case:

Work Space: Gmail, Linear, GitHub, Notion
Personal Space: Reddit, Twitter, YouTube
Research Space: 40 tabs for current deep-dive project

Switch spaces: Cmd+S → instant context switch

Comparison to Chrome Profiles:

Chrome: Different accounts, bookmarks, history (heavy separation)
Arc Spaces: Same account, different tab contexts (lighter, faster switching)

User quote: "Spaces solved my tab chaos. Work stays in Work Space, personal in Personal. No more 80-tab single window." — Consultant, 36

3. Tab Auto-Archiving

How it works:

Tab unused for 12 hours → automatically closes
Access archived tabs via Library (Cmd+Shift+L)
Can disable per-tab (pin to keep open forever)

Philosophy: "Tabs are temporary. If you need it later, re-find it."

Who loves it: People drowning in 100+ tabs, tab hoarders who never close anything

Who hates it: People who intentionally keep tabs open for weeks ("I'll read this eventually")

Personal experience:

Week 1: Frustrated by tabs closing ("I was going to read that!")
Week 3: Realized I never actually re-opened archived tabs—they were digital clutter
Week 8: Auto-archiving became favorite feature—forces tab hygiene

4. Split View (Built-in)

Traditional browser: Install extension (Tab Resize, etc.)

Arc: Built-in (Cmd+Shift+D)

2-way split (left/right)
3-way split (left, center, right)
4-way split (grid)

Use cases:

Code + documentation side-by-side
Email + calendar simultaneously
Research: 3 sources open while writing in 4th pane

Comparison to browser extensions: Arc's built-in split view is faster, more stable, better integrated.

Real-World Testing (90 Days)

Week 1-2: Steep Learning Curve

Challenges:

Muscle memory reached for top-of-screen tabs (not there anymore)
Cmd+T opened new tab but where did it go? (sidebar not immediately obvious)
Accidentally closed important tabs (auto-archive surprise)

Frustration level: High. Considered switching back to Chrome twice.

What helped: Arc's onboarding tutorial (actually useful, unlike most)

Week 3-4: Muscle Memory Rebuilding

Breakthrough moment: Stopped reaching for horizontal tabs. Sidebar became natural.

Productivity shift:

Spaces let me separate work/personal (no more accidental Twitter during work time)
Split View replaced Tab Resize extension (cleaner, faster)

Week 5-12: New Baseline

Average productivity impact:

Tab management time: 5-8 min/day → 2-3 min/day (auto-archive prevents tab bloat)
Context switching: Faster via Spaces vs Chrome's window juggling
Screen real estate: More content visible (no horizontal tab bar)

Time saved: ~5 minutes daily = 30 hours/year

When Arc is Worth Using

1. You Have Many Simultaneous Contexts

If you switch between work/personal/side-projects frequently, Spaces are game-changing.

Example: Freelancer with 3 clients → 3 Spaces, each with client-specific tabs. Switch instantly, no tab mixing.

2. Tab Hoarder Who Wants Reform

If you typically have 50-150 tabs open and feel overwhelmed, Arc's auto-archive forces healthier habits.

User quote: "I had 200+ Chrome tabs. Arc's auto-archive felt scary at first, but I realized I never re-opened 95% of those tabs anyway." — Researcher, 31

3. Large Monitor Setup

Vertical sidebar shines on 27"+ monitors. Plenty of horizontal space, sidebar doesn't cramp content.

On 13" laptop: Sidebar feels like screen-space sacrifice.

4. You Value Keyboard-First Workflow

Arc has excellent keyboard shortcuts:

Cmd+T: New tab
Cmd+S: Switch Space
Cmd+Shift+D: Split View
Cmd+O: Quick open (fuzzy search tabs/bookmarks)

Power user benefit: Rarely touch mouse during browsing.

When Arc is NOT Worth It

1. Simple Browsing Needs

If you typically have 3-8 tabs open and use browser casually, Arc's complexity is overkill.

Chrome/Safari work fine for: Basic web browsing, few tabs, no context-switching

2. Muscle Memory Investment in Chrome

If you've used Chrome for 10+ years and have extensions/workflows deeply ingrained, Arc's learning curve may not justify switching.

Sunk cost consideration: Your Chrome proficiency is valuable. Arc requires rebuilding that fluency.

3. Extension Ecosystem Dependency

Arc supports Chrome extensions but not all work perfectly.

Extension compatibility:

Most extensions: Work fine
Some extensions: UI bugs (popups in wrong place)
Few extensions: Don't work at all

If you rely on obscure Chrome extensions: Test thoroughly in Arc before fully switching.

4. Windows User (as of late 2025)

Arc is macOS and iOS only. Windows version exists but significantly behind macOS feature parity.

Windows users: Stick with Chrome, Edge, Firefox until Arc Windows matures.

Missing Features

What Arc lacks (vs Chrome):

Profile separation - Arc Spaces aren't true profiles (no separate accounts/history)
Tab groups - Chrome's tab groups more flexible than Arc's folder sections
Extension management UI - Arc's extension interface less polished than Chrome
Casting - No Chromecast support

Philosophy: Arc intentionally omits features to stay focused. Not trying to be Chrome clone.

Pricing

Arc is completely free.

No freemium model, no paid tier, no ads.

How they make money: Not disclosed yet. Likely future paid features or enterprise tier.

Current reality: Free, fully functional, no catches.

The Honest Verdict

Arc genuinely innovates on browser UX in ways no browser has since Chrome launched in 2008.

It improves productivity for:

Multi-context workers (freelancers, consultants, researchers)
Tab hoarders wanting reform
Keyboard-first power users
Large monitor setups

It frustrates:

Users with simple browsing needs (overkill complexity)
Chrome power users with muscle memory investment
13" laptop users (sidebar cramps screen)
Windows users (immature Windows version)

Personal decision: I continue using Arc as daily driver because:

Spaces solved my work/personal tab mixing
Auto-archive prevents tab bloat (my chronic problem)
Split View replaced multiple windows/extensions
Keyboard shortcuts match my workflow

But I recommend Arc to <30% of people I demo it to. Most users don't have productivity problems Arc solves.

Try Arc if:

You struggle with tab chaos
You context-switch frequently (work/personal/projects)
You have 27"+ monitor
You're keyboard-first user

Stick with Chrome/Safari if:

Current browser works fine
You have <10 tabs typically
You use 13" laptop primarily
You rely on specific Chrome extensions

Key Takeaways

Arc Browser completely redesigns UX: vertical sidebar, Spaces, auto-archiving, built-in split view (free, macOS/iOS)
Real-world testing (90 days): Saves ~5 min daily on tab management, better context-switching via Spaces
Worth using for: Multi-context workers, tab hoarders, keyboard-first users, large monitors (27"+)
Not worth for: Simple browsing needs, Chrome muscle memory investment, 13" laptops, Windows users (immature version)
Steep learning curve (2-3 weeks) to unlearn 25 years of browser habits
Key innovation: Spaces (work/personal separation) and auto-archiving (forces tab hygiene)
Missing: Profile separation, some Chrome extension compatibility, Chromecast
Pricing: Free (no paid tier yet)—future monetization unclear

Try Arc Browser: Free download for macOS →

Arc Browser Review: Productivity Revolution or Overhyped Redesign?