Arc vs SigmaOS (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Arc grades higher than SigmaOS: 3.4 against 2.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Arc grades higher on the free plan, ease of use and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money and features.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
SigmaOS
Mac browser with vertical tabs, workspaces and an AI assistant
Which one is for you
Pick Arc if
- Fits if you want work and personal browsing kept apart inside one window
- Works for Chrome users who want their extensions in a different-looking browser
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a browser that's still being built, since the maker now points people to Dia for security patches
- Not for you if you're on Linux, or on a Mac older than macOS 13.0
- Not for you if you'd rather not make an account just to browse
- Watch out: the phone app is Arc Search, a lighter companion, not Arc itself
- Watch out: Ask ChatGPT in Arc Max needs a ChatGPT account signed in on your Arc profile
Pick SigmaOS if
- Fits if you live on a Mac and want tabs down the side in separate workspaces
- Works for people who want an assistant that answers questions about the page
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you use Windows or Linux, as it runs on macOS only
- Pricey if you want unlimited AI, which needs Pro at $20 a month
- Watch out: the help docs list an older Pro price of $10 a month, against $20 on the homepage
- Watch out: iOS and Windows versions are described as coming, and pages on the site carry a 2024 copyright notice
How we grade them
| 3.4GPAArcVery good | 2.4GPASigmaOSFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | ANothing to pay, ever. Arc is a free download for Mac and Windows, arc.net lists no paid plan at all, and Arc Search on the phone is free too. The AI features are in there without a subscription. | AThe Personal plan is described as free forever, so the browser costs nothing. Unlimited Airis needs Pro at $20 a month, which is where this category's dearest tenth starts. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe free version is the only version: the whole browser, the opt-in Arc Max AI features and Arc Search on your phone, with no plan above it to be nudged towards. You do have to make an account, which Arc uses to hold and sync your data. | BA free-forever plan one person could live on, with the AI helper limited rather than missing. |
| Features | CSpaces, Profiles, Split View across three tabs, hover previews of Gmail and Calendar, and every extension Chrome takes. But the maker says Arc now gets Chromium updates only and sends people to Dia for active security patches, and for a browser that's a gap in the job itself. | CWorkspaces, vertical tabs, search across tabs and an ad blocker. Unlimited AI use is Pro only, and the help docs list an older Pro price of $10 against the homepage's $20. |
| Ease of use | AArc Search on iPhone carries 4.88 from about 25,000 App Store ratings. On a computer it pulls your Chrome data across during setup, so the first window isn't empty. | CNo store rating on record. Workspaces, profiles and keyboard-first search take some learning. |
| Platforms and integrations | BMac and Windows on the desktop, nothing for Linux, and on the phone it's Arc Search, a lighter companion app rather than Arc itself, on iPhone and Android. Tabs sync between Mac, Windows and iOS, and it hooks into Google Calendar, Gmail, Notion, GitHub and Spotify. | DmacOS only. The FAQ says iOS and Windows support are coming. |
| Best for | keeping work and personal tabs in one window | a Mac browser with vertical tabs and an AI helper |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Arc and SigmaOS. How we grade
Price against what you get
Arc has no paid plan and scores 3.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. SigmaOS starts at $20 a month and scores 1.7.
Arc scores higher and starts $20 a month lower. Of the other browsers on the chart, none scores higher than Arc for less, and 22 score higher than SigmaOS for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- SigmaOS also covers ad and tracker blocking.
At a glance
| Arc | SigmaOS | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | $20 per month (Pro) |
| Free plan | Arc is a free download for Mac and Windows, and no paid plan is listed on arc.net. The mobile app, Arc Search, is listed as free on the App Store. | SigmaOS Personal is described as free forever; unlimited Airis AI usage is a Pro feature. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | The Browser Company of New York | SigmaOS, Inc. |
| Price read from | apps.apple.com | sigmaos.com |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Arc
- The Browser Company says Arc receives Chromium updates only and directs people to Dia for active security patches.
- There is no Linux version. Arc needs macOS 13.0 or later, or Windows 10 19H1 or higher.
- Arc asks people to create an account, which is used to keep data and sync it across devices.
- The Ask ChatGPT feature of Arc Max requires a ChatGPT account signed in on the current Arc profile.
SigmaOS
- It runs only on macOS; the FAQ says iOS and Windows support are coming.
- Unlimited Airis usage needs the paid Pro plan.
- The company's help docs list an older Pro price of $10 per month ($8 billed yearly); the homepage FAQ says $20 a month. Check the price in the app before buying.
- Pages on the site carry a 2024 copyright notice.
Key features
Arc
- Spaces and Profiles
- Spaces keep work, study and hobbies apart inside a single window, and Profiles sit alongside them so each area of browsing can be organized on its own.
- Split View and themes
- Split View places up to three tabs side by side, picture-in-picture keeps video and meetings visible, and themes change the color of the browser.
- Arc Max AI features
- Opt-in AI features preview a link when hovering with Shift held, send a question to ChatGPT from the Command Bar, and give pinned tabs and downloads shorter, tidier names.
- Built-in integrations
- Integrations show the day's meetings from Google Calendar, unread Gmail, recent Notion pages and GitHub pull requests on hover, and control Spotify from a mini player.
- Chrome extensions and import
- Arc supports the extensions Chrome supports and imports Chrome data on setup. Chromium's Google account sync, usage metrics and telemetry to Google are disabled.
- Arc Search on mobile
- The mobile browser blocks ads, trackers and cookie banners, answers questions with Browse for Me, and syncs tabs across Mac, Windows and iOS through Arc Sync.
SigmaOS
- Workspaces and vertical tabs
- Tabs are kept in separate workspace lists down the side of the window, and a workspace can use separate profiles to sign in to different accounts.
- Tabs as tasks
- Tabs can be marked as done when finished or locked to a workspace to keep them.
- Lazy Search
- Pressing the spacebar searches across open tabs, the web, commands and bookmarks.
- Airis assistant
- The AI companion can answer questions about the page you are on, search the web and read several pages at once, and a Simplify view summarizes a page.
- Ad blocker and Focus Mode
- A built-in ad blocker is included, and Focus Mode hides everything except the current page.
- Chromium extensions
- The FAQ says SigmaOS is a WebKit browser that also supports Chromium extensions.
Plans
Arc
Free$0
The full browser on Mac and Windows, the opt-in Arc Max AI features and the Arc Search mobile app.
SigmaOS
Personal$0
The browser for macOS, free, without unlimited Airis AI usage.
Pro$20
per month; billing basis not stated on the page
Unlimited Airis usage. The site says Pro starts at this price and gives students and educators 50% off.
Ways to pay less
Arc
No public discounts listed.
SigmaOS
- Education
50% off Pro for students and educators
The homepage FAQ says students and educators are eligible for a 50% discount on SigmaOS Pro.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Arc or SigmaOS?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Arc is cheaper to start with: it is free, against $20 a month for SigmaOS. Arc is free, and SigmaOS starts at $20 per month (Pro).
Which has a free plan, Arc or SigmaOS?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both Arc and SigmaOS have a free plan.
Which platforms do Arc and SigmaOS run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Arc lists Windows, iOS and Android apps. Both list a macOS app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.