Arc vs Vivaldi
We give Arc a 3.8 GPA and Vivaldi a 4.0, out of 4.0. Vivaldi grades higher on features. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
How we grade them
| 3.8GPAArcExcellent | 4.0GPAVivaldiExcellent | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree on Mac and Windows, and no paid plan is listed on arc.net. The phone app, Arc Search, is free on the App Store too. | AFree on desktop and phone, with no paid tier. Vivaldi pays its way through search and bookmark partner deals, a share of Proton VPN upgrades and donations, not by charging you. |
| Free plan and trial | AAll of it is free: the full browser, the opt-in Arc Max AI features and Arc Search on your phone. You do have to create an account, which Arc uses to keep and sync your data. | AThe lot is free: mail, calendar, feed reader, sync and the ad blocker. On desktop you also get Proton VPN with no ads or data limits once you sign in with a Vivaldi account. New installs come with partner bookmarks, which you can replace. |
| Features | BSpaces, Profiles, Split View with up to three tabs side by side, hover previews of Gmail and Google Calendar, and every extension Chrome supports. Good stuff. But the maker says Arc gets Chromium updates only, so don't count on anything new. | AAn email client for several accounts, a calendar, a feed reader and notes, plus an ad and tracker blocker. Tabs stack two levels deep, sit side by side and sort into Workspaces. Command Chains run a string of commands from one keystroke. |
| Ease of use | AArc Search on iPhone has 4.9 from about 25,000 App Store ratings. On a computer, Arc imports your Chrome data during setup, so you don't start from an empty window. | A4.7 from about 4,400 App Store ratings. You can leave it as it comes, or change the shortcuts, themes and layout until it suits you. There's a lot in here, so give it an evening. |
| Platforms and integrations | AMac and Windows on the desktop, Arc Search on iPhone and Android, and tabs synced across Mac, Windows and iOS. It hooks into Google Calendar, Gmail, Notion, GitHub and Spotify. There's no Linux version. | AWindows, Mac, Linux, Android and iPhone, with history, passwords, bookmarks, tabs and notes synced under end-to-end encryption. Proton VPN is built into the desktop version only. |
| Best for | keeping work and personal tabs in one window | tab hoarders who like to customise everything |
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 Vivaldi. How we grade
Where they differ
- Arc is free. Vivaldi is free.
- Only Vivaldi lists a Linux app.
- Vivaldi is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Vivaldi also covers notes, calendar, email client, screenshots and rSS reader.
In commonFree planmacOSWindowsiOSAndroidWeb browser
At a glance
| Arc | Vivaldi | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| 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. | Vivaldi is free on desktop and mobile with no paid tier. The company funds itself through search engine and bookmark partner deals, a share of Proton VPN upgrades and donations. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | The Browser Company of New York | Vivaldi Technologies |
| Price read from | apps.apple.com | apps.apple.com |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Arc
- People who keep work and personal browsing in one window
- Chrome users who want their extensions in a different interface
- Side-by-side reading and research with Split View
Vivaldi
- Power users who keep dozens of tabs open
- People who want mail, calendar and feeds inside the browser
- Those who like to customize shortcuts, themes and layout
- Users who want a browser without a built-in AI assistant
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.
Vivaldi
- Proton VPN for Vivaldi works only in the desktop browser, and faster speeds, more servers and extra devices need a paid Proton VPN plan.
- New installs come with partner bookmarks and search engines that earn Vivaldi revenue. They can be replaced.
- Vivaldi deliberately leaves out an AI assistant, so there is no built-in chatbot or page summarizer.
- The current Mac download requires macOS 13 or later.
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.
Vivaldi
- Mail, Calendar and Feed Reader
- A built-in email client handles several accounts, mailing lists and feeds in one inbox, next to a private calendar and a feed reader that does not rank items by algorithm.
- Tab Stacks, tiling and Workspaces
- Tabs group into two-level Tab Stacks, open side by side in a split-screen view, and sort into Workspaces for switching between categories of tabs.
- Ad and tracker blocker
- A blocker for ads and trackers is built into the desktop and mobile browsers, so no extension is needed to remove them.
- End-to-end encrypted Sync
- Browsing history, passwords, bookmarks, tabs and notes sync between desktop and mobile devices, protected by end-to-end encryption.
- Proton VPN for Vivaldi
- An opt-in VPN from Proton is built into the desktop browser. It is free with no ads or data limits after signing in with a Vivaldi account.
- Customization and Command Chains
- Shortcuts, themes and features can be personalized, mouse gestures trigger actions, and Command Chains run a custom sequence of commands from one keystroke or gesture.
Plans
Arc
Free$0
The full browser on Mac and Windows, the opt-in Arc Max AI features and the Arc Search mobile app.
Vivaldi
Free$0
The full browser on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS, including mail, calendar, feed reader, sync and the free tier of Proton VPN on desktop.
