Should I use Arc or Brave?

Use Arc only if you're already invested in its Spaces workflow, since development has stopped; use Brave for active development and built-in ad and tracker blocking.

Is Arc cheaper than Brave?

No — both are free with no paid tier for the browser itself; Brave's only paid add-on is an optional $9.99/month VPN.

Is Arc still being developed?

No — The Browser Company halted active feature development on Arc in May 2025 to focus on its new AI browser Dia, and Atlassian acquired the company in October 2025.

Is Brave more private than Arc?

Brave is built specifically around privacy, with ad and tracker blocking on by default and open-source, auditable client code; Arc's data does not describe equivalent built-in privacy features.

Arc vs Brave (2026)

By Noahlast updated September 14, 2026

Verdict: Choose Arc if you've already adopted its Spaces workflow and want a free, stable browser, understanding it will receive no new features. Choose Brave if you want active development, built-in ad and tracker blocking with no extensions required, and open-source client code you can audit. Active development is the deciding factor: The Browser Company halted feature work on Arc in May 2025, while Brave continues shipping privacy features and runs on more platforms, including Linux and Android.

Arc

The Browser Company's free Chromium browser with Spaces and vertical tabs, now in maintenance mode as the company focuses on Dia.

Pricing: Free
License: Free
Best for: users who already adopted Arc's Spaces workflow and want a free, stable Chromium browser, not those looking for a browser with an active development roadmap

Details arc.net

Brave

A free, open-source Chromium-based browser with built-in ad and tracker blocking, plus an optional $9.99/month VPN.

Pricing: Free tier · paid from $9.99/mo
License: Open source
Best for: privacy-conscious users who want built-in ad and tracker blocking plus an optional device-wide VPN without installing separate browser extensions

Details brave.com

Choose Arc if…

You already rely on Arc's Spaces, Profiles, and Split View workflow and don't need new features
You want a browser you've already adjusted to, not one requiring a new interface learning curve
You're on macOS, Windows, or iOS and don't need Linux or Android support

Choose Brave if…

You want a browser under active development, not one in maintenance mode
You want ad and tracker blocking on by default with no extensions to install
You want open-source client code (MPL-2.0) you or a security team can audit
You need Linux or Android support, which Arc doesn't offer
You want an independent search engine (Brave Search) built in as the default

Arc vs Brave: feature comparison

Feature	Arc	Brave
Starting price	Yesfree, no paid tier	Yesfree, no paid tier for the browser
Free tier	Yesentirely free	Yesentirely free (VPN add-on is separate)
Platforms	NoWindows, macOS, iOS only	Yesweb, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
Active development	Nofeature development halted since May 2025	Yesactively developed
License	Noclosed-source	Yesopen source, MPL-2.0
Base engine	YesChromium-based	YesChromium-based
Ad/tracker blocking built in	Unknown	Yesblocks ads and trackers by default, no extensions required
Chrome extension compatibility	Yesfull compatibility since Chromium-based	YesChromium-based, supports Chrome extensions
Default search engine	Unknown	YesBrave Search, independent index
VPN option	No	YesBrave Firewall + VPN, $9.99/mo, up to 10 devices
Distinguishing workspace feature	YesSpaces, Profiles, and Split View	Nono equivalent Spaces-style workspace feature in the data
Company/ownership status	NoAtlassian acquired The Browser Company in October 2025; engineering focus shifted to Dia	Unknown

Arc vs Brave pricing: which costs less?

Both browsers are free with no paid tier, though Brave offers an optional $9.99/month VPN add-on that Arc has no equivalent to.

Which is under active development, Arc or Brave?

Brave is actively developed, while Arc's maker halted feature development in May 2025 to focus on its new AI browser Dia, leaving Arc receiving only minimal security fixes.

The Browser Company stopped shipping new Arc features in May 2025 and was acquired by Atlassian in October 2025, with its engineering effort redirected to Dia. Brave has no equivalent development freeze noted in the data and continues to ship privacy features like ad/tracker blocking and its independent Brave Search engine.

Which is more private, Arc or Brave?

Brave is built specifically for privacy, blocking ads and trackers by default with open-source, auditable client code, while Arc's data does not describe equivalent built-in privacy tooling.

Can Brave replace Arc?

Yes for most users, since Brave covers the same Chromium-based browsing experience with active development and built-in privacy tools, though it lacks Arc's Spaces-style workspace organization.

Brave runs on more platforms than Arc, including Linux and Android, and is under active development where Arc is frozen. What Brave doesn't replicate is Arc's Spaces, Profiles, and Split View system for organizing tabs into separate switchable environments, a workflow some Arc users specifically adopted the browser for.

Strengths and weaknesses

Arc

Pros

Free with no paid tier or subscription to manage.
Spaces and Split View genuinely reduce tab clutter for users juggling many contexts.
Full compatibility with Chrome extensions since it's Chromium-based.
Polished, distinctive interface that many reviewers say replaced Chrome or Safari for them.

Cons

Development is frozen: no new features since May 2025, only minimal security patches.
The Browser Company (now owned by Atlassian) has redirected its engineering effort to Dia, its separate AI-native browser.
Spaces and the non-traditional interface require a real adjustment period for users coming from Chrome or Safari.
No Linux or Android version, unlike most competing browsers.

Brave

Pros

Blocks ads and trackers by default with no extensions required to set up.
Client code is open source (MPL-2.0) and independently auditable.
Built-in Brave Search runs on an independent index rather than reselling another engine's results.
Available on every major desktop and mobile platform with nearly 160 languages supported.

Cons

Brave Rewards' opt-in BAT-token ad program confuses some users about what's on by default versus optional.
Brave VPN is a separate $9.99/month subscription, not bundled free with the browser.
Built on Chromium, so it inherits Google's engine-level decisions and roadmap even while blocking Google's tracking.
Some sites misidentify Brave's fingerprint randomization as bot activity, occasionally breaking site functionality.

Which fits your use case?

Use case	Pick	Why
User who already built a workflow around Arc's Spaces	Arc	Arc's Spaces, Profiles, and Split View remain functional even though development is frozen, and switching means relearning tab organization.
Privacy-conscious user who wants active development and built-in tracker blocking	Brave	Brave blocks ads and trackers by default and continues shipping features, while Arc receives only minimal security patches.
Linux or Android user	Brave	Brave supports Linux and Android; Arc is limited to Windows, macOS, and iOS.
User who wants a browser vendor with a clear ongoing roadmap	Brave	The Browser Company halted Arc's feature development in May 2025 to focus on Dia; Brave has no equivalent development freeze in the data.
User who wants a device-wide VPN bundled with their browser vendor	Brave	Brave offers an optional $9.99/month Firewall + VPN covering up to 10 devices; Arc has no VPN offering.

Neither a match?

Both lists carry verified pricing and honest weaknesses for every option.

5 alternatives to Arc 5 alternatives to Brave

Popular comparisons

Arc vs Brave: migration FAQ

Should I use Arc or Brave?: Use Arc only if you're already invested in its Spaces workflow, since development has stopped; use Brave for active development and built-in ad and tracker blocking.
Is Arc cheaper than Brave?: No — both are free with no paid tier for the browser itself; Brave's only paid add-on is an optional $9.99/month VPN.
Can Brave replace Arc?: Yes for most users, since Brave offers the same Chromium-based browsing with active development and built-in privacy tools, though it lacks Arc's Spaces-style tab organization.
Is Arc still being developed?: No — The Browser Company halted active feature development on Arc in May 2025 to focus on its new AI browser Dia, and Atlassian acquired the company in October 2025.
Is Brave more private than Arc?: Brave is built specifically around privacy, with ad and tracker blocking on by default and open-source, auditable client code; Arc's data does not describe equivalent built-in privacy features.