Pick Arc if
You already use it and it still does everything you need.
The catch. It gets no new features: its makers moved to Dia in May 2025.
Arc vs Orion
Arc is best for people who already love it. Orion is best for Safari’s engine with any extension.
Pick Orion if
You want Safari’s engine and battery life with Chrome and Firefox extensions on top.
The catch. It is Apple-only, it has no split view, and some extensions only partly work.
Arc vs Orion, feature by feature
| Arc | Orion | |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | Chromium | WebKit |
| Vertical tabs | On by default | Yes, in the View menu |
| Sites on screen at once | Up to four, in Split View | One per window |
| Separate workspaces | Spaces and Profiles | Profiles, each as its own app |
| Ad and tracker blocking | Through an extension | Built in, ads and trackers |
| Extensions | Chrome Web Store | Chrome and Firefox extensions |
| Platforms | macOS, Windows, iPhone | macOS, iPhone, iPad |
| Open source | No | No |
| Price | Free | Free; Orion+ from $5/month |
| Development | Maintenance only since May 2025 | Active |
Questions
Is Arc better than Orion?
Neither wins everywhere. Arc is best for people who already love it; Orion is best for Safari’s engine with any extension. Pick Arc if you already use it and it still does everything you need. Pick Orion if you want Safari’s engine and battery life with Chrome and Firefox extensions on top.
Do Arc and Orion block ads?
Arc: Through an extension. Orion: Built in, ads and trackers.
Which extensions do Arc and Orion run?
Arc: Chrome Web Store. Orion: Chrome and Firefox extensions.
Where do Arc and Orion run?
Arc: macOS, Windows, iPhone. Orion: macOS, iPhone, iPad.
Are Arc and Orion free?
Arc: Free. Orion: Free; Orion+ from $5/month.