Arc vs. Chrome: Is Arc the Best Chrome Alternative? Here’s a Breakdown

Most browsers other than Google Chrome look and feel like knock-offs when you open them for the first time. But not Arc. The new web browser’s user interface and experience have given everyone something to talk about and reasons to question Chrome’s continued dominance. 

I’ll explore the similarities and differences between both browsers to help you decide whether to switch to Arc for Windows or stick with Google’s web browser.

Arc vs. Chrome: Similarities

Before we start combing through their differences, let’s remind you that Arc is built on Chromium, Google’s open-source browser project. This baseline infrastructure means your Chrome extensions will work on Arc, and you’ll experience certain similar behaviors.

You’ll find these similarities when you look closely enough at the settings that Arc tries to hide. For example, clicking the Arc logo and selecting Help > About Arc takes you to a Settings page that looks identical to Chrome’s classic Settings environment.

Another example are the hidden menus, such as experimental features and URL lists, that you can open by typing chrome://flags and chrome://chrome-urls in the address bar. The History page (Ctrl + H) is also still similar for now.

Arc vs. Chrome: Comparisons

Now let’s cover the differences you may experience when switching from Arc to Chrome and help you decide whether Arc is the best Google Chrome alternative.

Browser privacy and security

Nobody really attributes privacy to Chrome, despite Google’s continual efforts to convince users that they are protected. After all, the company makes most of its revenues from advertising, and tracking user behavior is the business’s backbone.

As for Arc, The Browser Company claims it doesn’t know which websites you visit and what you type. It also does not sell your data to third parties. 

However, the company does admit to collecting personal data and sharing them with service providers and other entities when required by law.

Arc installs the uBlock extension by default, which you can activate yourself. But the extension, as well as others, are also available to Chrome users. The Browsing Company also disabled certain Chromium features, such as Google Accounts Integration and Google metrics, to prevent your browser from sending information to Google.

Still, I ran both browsers through the Cover Your Tracks website by EFF and found that both browsers do little to block trackers.

That said, Chrome and Arc share a similar level of security, as Chromium is regularly updated with security patches, which Arc benefits from. Both companies also employ separate policies to further tighten security. For example, Google allows users to report malware websites, which could be blacklisted later on.

User interface and experience

The Arc browser vs. Chrome debate becomes interesting when we start discussing user interfaces and experiences. Arc is making its mark as one of the best web browsers and Chrome alternatives because it is redefining how users interact with the Internet.

The most glaring contrast between the two is tab arrangement and organization. Google Chrome favors horizontal rows for tabs and bookmarks, while Arc arranges folders, bookmarks, and tabs vertically in its left sidebar.

There are other differences, such as the lack of the address and bookmark bars in Arc, a different Settings menu, and a generally different look.

Address bar

Arc doesn’t have an address bar like Chrome. It does not display the specific webpage address you’re viewing, just the parent website, like Auslogics.com or Microsoft.com.

Clicking in the website name in the title bar activates what Arc calls the Command Bar, its own version of the address bar. You’ll see preset suggestions that can only change when you start typing.

Tab management 

As mentioned, Arc uses vertical tabs as opposed to the horizontal tab arrangement that everyone knows. However, Google Chrome allows you to group tabs and make the row a little cleaner. Arc, on the other hand, allows you to utilize folders, spaces, and AI task grouping to manage and organize your tabs.

Using Spaces lets you create another environment within the browser. The Chrome alternative would be starting a new browser window. Both browsers have their own versions of browsing profiles, which host separate histories, preferences, and passwords.

You cannot open blank tabs and windows on Arc like you can with Google. Tapping Ctrl + T launches Arc’s command bar (its address bar), where you must open a new webpage or run a search to create a new tab.

Navigation

Navigating Arc with your mouse is starkly different from finding your way around Google’s browser. Before switching to Arc, Chrome users must make peace with its learning curve and take their time to adapt.

Always moving your mouse to the left side of the screen to access your tabs and bookmarks will take some getting used to. You’ll also miss the perk of seeing how different tabs behave unless you leave Arc’s sidebar visible, which takes up a lot of your screen.

Shortcuts

As far as shortcuts go, some are quite similar but may behave differently. One major difference you’ll notice is Ctrl + Tab, a Chrome-user favorite. The Chrome shortcut always moves you to the next tab, even in browsers other than Google’s. However, it switches you to recent tabs in Arc, just like the Alt + Tab shortcut does with different Windows, which can be upsetting at first.

But holding the Ctrl button and tapping Tab repeatedly works the way you would expect in Chrome. Again, just like Alt + Tab.

Tapping Ctrl + number (1 to 8) takes you to the designated tab in both browsers. Here’s a quick Chrome vs. Arc shortcuts comparison to show how popular shortcuts behave шn each browser:

Performance

There’s hardly an Arc browser vs. Chrome debate when it comes to performance since they both use Chromium. They boast similar blistering load speeds and streaming performance, as far as the eyes can tell.

I ran the Jetstream 2 benchmark twice on the same computer and under the same conditions and got similar scores. However, the Arc browser edged Chrome a bit both times.

RAM usage

One would also expect similar RAM usage between both browsers, but you would be surprised. I closed every other program, restarted Chrome and Arc, and opened 4 tabs in each browser with the same websites. I also ensured only the Google Docs Offline extension was enabled in both browsers. 

I gave them time to cool off and looked at the Task Manager. Chrome consumed about double the amount of RAM used by Arc when running idle in the background. They consumed similar amounts of CPU and disk resources.

Cross-platform syncing

The Arc browser vs. Chrome comparisons won’t be complete without mentioning supported platforms.

For now, Arc is only available on Windows 11 and macOS, with support for Safari on iOS. Google Chrome, on the other hand, is available on Android, iOS, Windows 11 and 10, macOS, Linux, and ChromeOS.

Google Chrome takes the win here because it allows you to sync your histories, passwords, and preferences across more platforms than Arc. 

Arc may support sidebar syncing, but the browser’s absence on Windows 10 and Android means mainstream users of these platforms won’t enjoy the feature.

Notable Arc features

You may consider Arc the best Chrome alternative when you take time to go through specific features you won’t see in Google’s browser.

Let’s explore them:

• Arc Max: This is a set of AI features that help improve the browsing experience:
  • Tidy Tabs helps you create groups of related tabs.
  • Tidy Downloads helps you rename downloads based on content.
  • 5-Second Previews show you summaries of pages when you hover your mouse over links. 
  • Ask on Page allows you to ask the built-in AI questions about highlighted items.
  • Ask ChatGPT connects you to the OpenAI chatbot.

However, only Tidy Tabs and Ask on Page are currently available in Arc for Windows.

• Arc Boosts: Allows Arc users to customize the look and feel of specific websites and share them with the Arc community. Only available on macOS for now. 
• Arc Easels: Integrated whiteboards that allow users to collect ideas while they browse. It’s like a note-taking feature in the browser. Also only available in macOS for now.
• Split screen: You can click the split screen icon in the top-right corner to divide your browser into two or three and place websites side by side or on top of each. That way, you don’t have to create two browsing windows and rely on Windows’s splitscreen feature.
• Automatic picture-in-picture: Arc enables its picture-in-picture mode by default, so your videos will pop out when you switch tabs. While Google has the PiP feature, you must activate it manually.

While you’ll enjoy the full gamut of Arc features on macOS, they’ll make their way to Windows 11 sooner or later.

Arc vs. Chrome: General Differences

Arc vs. Chrome: Verdict

Before switching to Arc, Chrome users must assess their willingness to adapt. Arc forces you to make serious changes about the way you browse. Whether those changes are better for you is up to your preferences.

Fundamentally, you won’t be missing too much on Arc unless Chrome’s tab management is an absolute deal breaker. If you hate vertical tabs, then, by all means, stick with Chrome.

For me, vertical tabs and the collapsible sidebar are the way to go. I also prefer Arc’s full-screen view, Spaces feature, and Ctrl + Tab shortcut.

However, I believe the new browser is not quite there yet. But I’ll keep following its future updates closely, as I am convinced that Arc remains one of the best Google Chrome alternatives.

Let us know what you think about Arc and Chrome and if you’re willing to switch!

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