Orion vs SigmaOS (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Orion grades higher than SigmaOS: 3.0 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
Orion grades higher on the free plan, features and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Orion
WebKit browser from Kagi that runs Chrome and Firefox extensions
SigmaOS
Mac browser with vertical tabs, workspaces and an AI assistant
Which one is for you
Pick Orion if
- Fits if you're on a Mac or iPhone and miss a Chrome or Firefox extension
- Works for Kagi users who want its search and translation in the browser
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use Windows or Android, as neither has a released version
- Not for you if you want a finished Linux browser today, since that one is still a beta
- Watch out: not every extension behaves, which is why Kagi keeps a gallery of the ones it has verified
- Pricey if all you want is a custom app icon, because that's an Orion+ perk at $5 a month
- Tight if you want Kagi Translate on pages or offline, as it needs macOS 26 or later
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
| 3.0GPAOrionVery good | 2.4GPASigmaOSFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AThe browser is free and nothing worth having is held back. Orion+ at $5 a month, $50 a year or $150 for life buys custom app icons, a coloured border, a community tag and early betas, which is a tip jar with badges rather than a plan you need. | 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 | AFree outright, with extensions from all three ecosystems, native ad and tracker blocking, profiles, containers and sync. There's no trial because there's nothing held back to try. | BA free-forever plan one person could live on, with the AI helper limited rather than missing. |
| Features | BIt covers the job and runs Chrome and Firefox extensions on an iPhone as well as a Mac, which Safari doesn't. Add tree-style tabs, containers, Focus Mode and per-site switches for JavaScript and fonts. It has no VPN, no AI and no messengers, unlike the fuller browsers here. | 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 | C4.03 from about 1,200 App Store ratings, which is middling and well behind the 4.7s elsewhere in this category. Kagi's gallery of extensions it has verified to work is the sensible place to start, which rather tells you extensions don't all behave. | CNo store rating on record. Workspaces, profiles and keyboard-first search take some learning. |
| Platforms and integrations | CApple and little else: Mac, iPhone and iPad, with bookmarks and passwords synced between them. Linux is still a beta, Windows is an alpha that hasn't shipped, and there's no Android app on the listing at all. | DmacOS only. The FAQ says iOS and Windows support are coming. |
| Best for | Chrome and Firefox extensions on Apple devices | 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: Orion and SigmaOS. How we grade
Price against what you get
Orion starts at $4.17 a month when paid by the year and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. SigmaOS starts at $20 a month and scores 1.7.
Orion scores higher and starts $15.83 a month lower. Of the other browsers on the chart, 13 score higher than Orion 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
- Orion also covers password manager.
- SigmaOS also covers ad and tracker blocking.
At a glance
| Orion | SigmaOS | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $5 per month, $50 per year or $150 lifetime, plus sales tax (Orion+) | $20 per month (Pro) |
| Free plan | The browser is free for everyone, including extension support, ad and tracker blocking, profiles and sync. Orion+ is an optional membership that funds development. | SigmaOS Personal is described as free forever; unlimited Airis AI usage is a Pro feature. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | Kagi | SigmaOS, Inc. |
| Price read from | orionbrowser.com | sigmaos.com |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Orion
- The Linux version is in beta, and the Windows version is an alpha that has not been released.
- Custom app icons, the browser border and early access to beta builds are reserved for Orion+ members.
- Orion+ billing runs through a Kagi account, although a Kagi Search subscription is not required.
- On-page and offline translation with Kagi Translate requires macOS 26 or later.
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
Orion
- Safari, Chrome and Firefox extensions
- Orion runs extensions from all three ecosystems, on iPhone and iPad as well as Mac, and keeps a curated gallery of extensions verified to work.
- Ad blocking and zero telemetry
- Ads and trackers are blocked natively by default, and Kagi states that the browser sends, tracks and collects nothing about its users.
- Profiles and containers
- Each profile gets its own browser, icon and Dock emoji to separate work from personal use, and containers keep accounts apart without switching browsers.
- Tree-style tabs and tab previews
- Tabs can sit in a parent-child hierarchy that collapses or closes as a group, be pinned or split into focused windows, and show a visual preview when switching.
- Focus Mode and per-site settings
- Focus Mode hides the whole interface so a site behaves like a web app, and per-site controls toggle the ad blocker, JavaScript, web fonts and permissions.
- Sync and Kagi services
- Bookmarks and passwords sync between Orion on Mac, iPhone and iPad without third-party tools, and Kagi Translate translates pages in place.
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
Orion
Orion$0
The full browser, with Safari, Chrome and Firefox extension support, built-in ad and tracker blocking, profiles, containers and sync.
Orion+$5
per month, or $50 per year or $150 lifetime, plus sales tax
Supports development and adds custom app icons, a customizable browser border, a community tag and early access to beta builds.
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
Orion
- Annual discount
About 17% off Orion+ with yearly billing
Orion+ costs $50 a year, against $60 for twelve months at the $5 monthly price. Sales tax is added to both.
- Lifetime license
Orion+ lifetime license for $150
Orion+ can be bought once for $150 plus sales tax and kept forever, instead of renewing monthly or yearly.
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, Orion or SigmaOS?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Orion is cheaper to start with: $4.17 a month when paid by the year, against $20 a month for SigmaOS. Orion starts at $5 per month, $50 per year or $150 lifetime, plus sales tax (Orion+), and SigmaOS starts at $20 per month (Pro).
Which has a free plan, Orion or SigmaOS?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both Orion and SigmaOS have a free plan.
Which platforms do Orion and SigmaOS run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Orion lists Linux and iOS 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.