# Arc vs Microsoft Edge Published January 1, 2026 · Updated August 10, 2026 Arc is the top pick for most Mac users looking at Browsers. It is free and installs in one Homebrew command. Microsoft Edge is the stronger choice if you want browser. As of October 2026, both install with brew install --cask arc and brew install --cask microsoft-edge. For most Mac users in 2026, Arc is the better choice for Browsers because it ranks higher in Homebrew install popularity (#17). Both install with a single Homebrew command, so the switching cost is low. Choose Microsoft Edge instead if you want browser. ## Head to head | Factor | Arc | Microsoft Edge | | --- | --- | --- | | Price | Free | Free | | Open Source | No | No | | Replaces | — | — | | Best for | browser, modern, spaces | browser, chromium, microsoft | | Install | brew install --cask arc | brew install --cask microsoft-edge | | Category | Web Browsers | Web Browsers | ## Arc Browser designed for the way we use the internet in 2025 Install: `brew install --cask arc` [Arc on Bundl](https://bundl.run/apps/arc) ## Microsoft Edge Multi-platform web browser Install: `brew install --cask microsoft-edge` [Microsoft Edge on Bundl](https://bundl.run/apps/microsoft-edge) ## Features - **Development status & security cadence.** Edge wins decisively on being alive as a product with predictable patching. Arc's Chromium-only maintenance cannot match a living browser roadmap. - **Tab & workspace organisation.** Arc still wins pure workspace UX for users who loved its metaphor. Edge is pragmatic and collaborative, but not as beloved for personal organisation. - **AI & productivity assistance.** Edge's Copilot is the living, maintained AI assistant. Arc's AI is legacy. - **Privacy & tracking protection.** Both are mainstream Chromium on privacy. Brave or Orion beat both if privacy is the top criterion; between these two the difference is policy presets rather than philosophy. - **Performance & battery on Mac.** Edge edges ahead on measured battery and sleep optimisations for MacBook users. - **Extensions & compatibility.** Edge is safer for long-term Chrome extension compatibility and managed deployment. - **Platform parity & pricing.** Edge wins on free multi-platform parity today. Arc's successor Dia is platform-restricted; Arc itself is free but frozen. - **Enterprise & manageability.** Edge is the enterprise browser. Arc has no enterprise proposition. ## FAQ ### Is Arc still being developed in August 2026? No. Arc entered maintenance mode in May 2025. As of August 2026 arc.net states it receives Chromium security updates only, while The Browser Company's active development is on Dia, an AI-native successor that requires Apple Silicon and macOS 14 or later. Arc still runs on macOS Tahoe 26 but has no feature roadmap. ### Is Microsoft Edge free on Mac? Yes. Microsoft Edge is free for personal and commercial use on macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android. There is no paid browser tier. Optional paid value sits in Microsoft 365 or Copilot for Microsoft 365 subscriptions if you want the full enterprise AI suite, but browsing itself is free. ### Which is better for battery life on a MacBook — Arc or Edge? Edge typically measures better for background battery. Sleeping tabs and efficiency mode park inactive tabs and reduce power draw, which helps on MacBook Air and Pro. Arc's battery cost is more variable because Spaces and Boosts keep more live state. For foreground organisation Arc can feel lighter due to hidden tabs, but for all-day battery Edge has the engineering edge. ### Can I use Chrome extensions in both browsers? Yes. Both are Chromium-based and support the Chrome Web Store. Edge also has its own Edge Add-ons store and enterprise controls for managed extension deployment via Intune. Arc extension compatibility is broad but occasionally affected by its sidebar chrome. ### Does Edge have AI like Arc Max? Edge has a more actively developed AI story. Copilot is built into the sidebar with page summarisation, grounding on your open tabs, Compose, and integration with Microsoft 365 Copilot where licensed, powered by current frontier models including GPT-5.6 family capabilities. Arc Max experiments are frozen alongside Arc. ### I love Arc's Spaces — does Edge have an equivalent? Edge Workspaces and Collections are the closest analogues, plus vertical tabs and split screen. They are more functional and collaborative than Arc's spatial metaphor, but less aesthetic and opinionated. Users who need a direct Arc-like recreation often look to Zen Browser or Dia rather than Edge. ### Are both browsers compatible with macOS Tahoe 26 and Apple Silicon? Yes. Both ship native Apple Silicon and Intel builds, are notarised, and run on macOS Tahoe 26. Edge is updated on a four-week stable cycle; Arc receives Chromium bumps only. Homebrew installs are brew install --cask arc and brew install --cask microsoft-edge. ### Should I install Arc as a new user in 2026? No. New users should choose Edge, Brave, Safari, Firefox, Zen Browser or Vivaldi if they want an actively maintained browser. Start on Arc only if you are deliberately testing a frozen product before migrating to Dia or another alternative. ### How do I migrate from Arc to Edge? Export bookmarks and passwords from Arc, screenshot your Spaces layout, install Edge, sign in to sync, enable vertical tabs and create Workspaces that mirror your Spaces, enable Balanced or Strict tracking prevention, reinstall essential extensions, and pin Collections. Keep Arc read-only for a week to catch forgotten tabs. ### Which browser is better for enterprise Mac fleets? Microsoft Edge. It integrates with Entra ID, Intune, conditional access, Defender SmartScreen and a full policy catalogue for managed Macs. Arc has no MDM or enterprise management story and is maintenance-only, so it cannot be approved for fleet deployment. ## Sources - [Arc from The Browser Company](https://arc.net/) - [Dia — The Browser Company's next browser](https://www.diabrowser.com/) - [Microsoft Edge — Official download and overview](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/edge) - [Microsoft Edge features](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/edge/features) - [Microsoft Edge for Business documentation](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/deployedge/microsoft-edge-for-business) - [Arc for macOS — 2024-2026 Release Notes](https://resources.arc.net/hc/en-us/articles/20498293324823-Arc-for-macOS-2024-2026-Release-Notes) - [Arc (web browser) — Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arc_(web_browser)) ## Related - [Arc vs Google Chrome](https://bundl.run/compare/arc-vs-chrome) - [Arc vs Firefox](https://bundl.run/compare/arc-vs-firefox) - [Arc vs Safari](https://bundl.run/compare/arc-vs-safari) - [Arc vs Brave](https://bundl.run/compare/arc-vs-brave-browser) - [Arc vs Zen Browser](https://bundl.run/compare/arc-vs-zen-browser) - [Arc vs Vivaldi](https://bundl.run/compare/arc-vs-vivaldi) - [Orion Browser vs Arc](https://bundl.run/compare/orion-vs-arc) - [Microsoft Edge vs Google Chrome](https://bundl.run/compare/edge-vs-chrome) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://bundl.run/#organization", "name": "Bundl.run", "url": "https://bundl.run", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://bundl.run/og-image.png", "width": 1200, "height": 630 }, "description": "The Ninite for Mac. 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