Both Arc and Safari are popular web browsers for Apple devices like Macs, iPhones, and iPads. But which one is better for your needs? This comprehensive guide compares the key features and differences between Arc and Safari to help you decide.
History and Origin
Arc was created by The Browser Company, a startup founded in 2019 by Josh Miller and Hursh Agrawal. Arc was first released in April 2022 for macOS and iOS after undergoing closed beta testing.
Safari was developed by Apple and first released in 2003. It is the default web browser included with Apple devices.
Design and Interface
Arc uses vertical tabs located in a sidebar on the left. This sidebar contains all browser functions except the viewing window. Arc aims to integrate web browsing with built-in apps and features accessible from the sidebar.
Safari uses horizontal tabs located at the top of the screen. Safari follows a minimalist design approach with fewer built-in apps and features compared to Arc.
Key Differences
- Arc’s unique vertical sidebar design contrasts with Safari’s conventional horizontal tab layout.
- Arc emphasizes built-in apps and functionality through its sidebar, while Safari focuses on a streamlined browsing experience.
- Arc allows grouping tabs into customizable “Spaces,” while Safari lacks this feature.
Features and Tools
Browsing and Tabs
Arc allows organizing tabs into groups called Spaces. Tabs and Spaces sync across devices. Arc’s unique Air Traffic Control routes links to specific Spaces automatically. Arc also offers tab suspension and auto-archiving of inactive tabs.
Safari lacks Arc’s advanced tab organization but offers basic tab syncing with iCloud across Apple devices. Safari also lacks advanced tab management features found in Arc.
Privacy and Security
Arc blocks ads and tracking by default and doesn’t retain browsing history. Arc offers private search through DuckDuckGo. Unique cookie containers isolate sites.
Safari also blocks cross-site tracking and includes anti-fingerprinting techniques like Intelligent Tracking Prevention. Safari offers private browsing mode and secure password management.
Customization and Extensions
Arc allows customizing sites’ appearance through user-created Boosts. Arc supports Chrome extensions. Shortcuts are customizable.
Safari has limited customization options beyond default Apple themes. Safari supports App Store extensions with content blocking and password management.
Integration and Syncing
Arc fully integrates with iPhone and iPad through Handoff. Arc syncs favorites, passwords, history, and tabs with iCloud.
Safari seamlessly syncs bookmarks, history, passwords, autofill data, and open tabs across Apple devices logged into the same iCloud account.
Key Differences
- Arc offers more advanced tab organization, management, and sharing compared to Safari.
- Arc provides greater customization of the browsing experience through Boosts.
- Safari is limited to Apple-approved extensions, while Arc supports Chrome extensions.
- Both browsers offer robust privacy and security, but Arc blocks more tracking by default.
- Safari enjoys deep iCloud integration across Apple devices that Arc is still building out.
Performance
Arc uses the Google Chromium engine combined with its own performance optimizations. Unique features like tab suspension conserve memory and CPU usage.
Safari is optimized for Apple silicon chips, offering excellent performance, battery life, and efficiency especially on MacBooks.
Key Differences
- Safari is faster than Arc on Apple silicon Macs because it is tightly integrated with Apple hardware and OS.
- Arc’s tab suspension and improvements may enable better performance with many tabs compared to Safari.
- Both browsers enable smooth scrolling, quick page loading, and snappy performance under regular use.
Mobile Experience
Arc is available on iOS as a companion app enabling Sidebar access and Handoff from iPhone and iPad to Mac.
Safari delivers a seamless experience across iPhone, iPad, and Mac with shared tabs, history, passwords, and integration with Apple features.
Key Differences
- Safari provides a more native and integrated mobile experience on iOS than Arc.
- Handoff support gives Arc some cross-device capability, but Safari more deeply integrates the mobile and desktop experience.
- Arc’s iOS app is limited compared to the full desktop version, while Safari delivers the same experience across devices.
Privacy
Arc blocks online ads and trackers by default for all users without any settings changes needed. User IP addresses are masked and browsing history is not retained.
Safari also blocks cross-site tracking by default and offers intelligent fingerprinting prevention. Safari provides robust privacy protections but slightly less than Arc out of the box.
Key Differences
- Arc requires no configuration to maximize privacy and trumps Safari in default tracking and ad blocking.
- Safari still offers excellent privacy but requires tweaking settings like Enhanced Tracking Protection to match Arc’s defaults.
- Both browsers protect user privacy but Arc edges out Safari in strong default blocking behaviors.
User Support
Arc offers user support through in-browser chat, email ticketing, and the Arc Help Center available from the Command Bar.
Safari provides user support through Apple’s global technical support teams, including Genius Bar, phone, chat, email, and extensive online documentation.
Key Differences
- As a large company, Apple can provide Safari support through stores worldwide plus 24/7 phone and chat.
- As a startup, Arc’s support options are more limited but involve direct chat access from within the browser.
- Safari’s enormous user base ensures widespread availability of tutorials and guides online.
Speed and Performance
Arc is built using the Google Chromium engine, which offers excellent performance in its own right. However, Arc has implemented additional performance optimizations to further improve speed.
Unique features like tab suspension free up memory and processing power by pausing inactive tabs. Arc also utilizes efficient programming languages like Swift and intelligent caching to boost performance.
Safari is specifically optimized by Apple to provide lightning-fast speeds when running on Apple silicon chips in devices like MacBooks. The tight integration with macOS gives Safari a performance advantage.
Both browsers offer excellent page loading speeds, snappy performance, and smooth scrolling under normal usage. But Safari ekes out a slight lead over Arc when used on high-end Apple hardware like the MacBook Pro.
Page Load Speed Tests
Independent speed tests confirm Safari’s small edge overall:
- In Chrome vs Safari vs Firefox vs Edge browser speed tests, Safari scored the fastest load time on macOS by a slim margin.
- Safari loaded tested pages in an average of 2.17 seconds compared to 2.34 seconds for Chrome and 2.85 seconds for Firefox.
- However, Chrome (and Chromium-based Arc) can outperform Safari in certain individual scenarios and tests.
So while Safari is likely a bit faster on average, especially on Apple devices, the difference is quite small and Arc still provides excellent speed.
Real-World Performance
Looking beyond basic page load times at overall browser responsiveness and slick performance, both Arc and Safari score quite well.
Factors like application startup time, UI reaction speed, and snappy tab switching are difficult to quantify but highly impact the “feel” of real-world use.
Both browsers aim to minimize lag and delays for a seamless user experience. Safari’s tight integration with Apple hardware likely gives it an imperceptible edge.
But the average user is unlikely to notice a significant performance difference under most conditions. Only highly demanding workloads might tax Arc compared to Safari on a MacBook Pro.
Battery efficiency
Efficient power usage directly impacts mobile performance. The less CPU and RAM required for smooth browsing, the lighter the battery drain.
Safari’s optimization for Apple silicon again gives it an advantage for battery life. However, intelligent design choices by Arc help close the gap.
For example, Arc’s tab suspension drastically reduces background CPU and memory usage. Intelligent caching also lightens resource demands compared to rival browsers.
In practice, both browsers enable excellent battery life while maintaining performance. But Safari will likely last slightly longer on a single charge under intense browsing. For everyday use, battery life should satisfy with either option.
Reliability and Stability
Along with speed, a browser absolutely must be stable and reliable. Crashes, freezes, and bugs profoundly impact the user experience. Both Arc and Safari fare quite well when it comes to stability.
Arc, as younger software with less extensive testing, still has some occasional issues. But the developers rapidly identify and fix reported problems after each release.
Safari benefits tremendously from Apple’s extensive beta testing and engineering resources. The sheer scale of its user base also root out edge case bugs quickly.
In extensive real-world browsing, neither Arc nor Safari exhibit any serious stability issues. Of course, individual triggers may affect a subset of users.
Both browsers utilize extensive error reporting to identify and eliminate crashes through ongoing updates. But Safari’s maturity gives it an advantage in rock-solid reliability.
Troubleshooting Steps
If experiencing stability problems with Arc or Safari, try these troubleshooting steps:
- Update to the latest version of the browser
- Disable any extensions or plugins that may conflict
- Try safe mode browsing to isolate issues
- Consider switching browsers as a temporary workaround
- Report reproducible bugs and crashes to the developers
- Perform browser reset or reinstallation as a last resort
Careful troubleshooting and reporting usually resolves lingering stability problems in virtually all modern browsers.
Security
As the gateway to the internet, browsers must provide robust security against rising threats like malware, phishing, tracking, and hacking.
Both Arc and Safari invest heavily in security to protect user data and privacy as much as possible.
Arc leverages Google Chromium’s industry-leading security infrastructure and best practices. Arc couples this with its own enhanced tracking protection and privacy measures.
Safari also utilizes cutting-edge security technologies such as sandboxing, enforced HTTPS, and Apple’s Fraudulent Website Warning. Integration with Apple devices bolsters protection.
Ultimately, both browsers provide excellent security for most threat models and use cases. Safari may offer marginally better defenses when running on Apple hardware and software.
But smart precautions like avoiding suspicious links, using strong passwords, and installing security extensions close any meaningful gap.
Encryption and Protocols
Encrypted data transmission using HTTPS and other protocols prevents eavesdropping and tampering when browsing.
Both Arc and Safari utilize TLS 1.3, the latest and most secure HTTPS protocol, to encrypt connections. Both also disable insecure protocols like TLS 1.0 and 1.1.
Safari scores a small advantage by enabling TLS 1.3 by default on all web traffic. Users must manually enable TLS 1.3 universally in Arc.
But overall, any security advantage between the two browsers in encryption is negligible in practice for most users.
Sandboxing andIsolation
Sandboxing separates processes into isolated environments to limit any potential damage from threats.
Arc utilizes Google Chrome’s industry-leading sandboxing through Chromium. Meanwhile, Safari leverages Apple’s safeguards integrated with macOS and iOS.
Both browsers reap substantial security benefits from sandboxing. Safari’s ties to Apple devices may provide marginally tighter isolation in some cases.
But sandboxing in both Arc and Safari is robust enough to thwart most attacks and exploits. So this difference has minimal real-world security implications.
Vulnerability Mitigation
Rapid mitigation of newly discovered vulnerabilities is crucial for maintaining browser security.
Arc’s developers aggressively patch Chromium-related bugs in a timely manner. Safari benefits from Apple’s massive security team and resources.
In general, Apple rolls out security fixes for Safari-related issues faster than smaller vendors can patch Chromium bugs.
However, Arc’s engineers still deliver updates quickly enough to minimize any associated risk for most practical purposes.
Compatibility
To ensure a smooth browsing experience, web browsers must correctly render content and interact with websites and apps.
Both Arc and Safari score well in broad compatibility with different web technologies, platforms, and use cases.
Arc builds upon Chromium’s industry-leading compatibility as one of the most widely used browser engines.
Safari enjoys tailored optimization for Apple devices and services but sometimes struggles with niche web apps.
A few key differences stand out when comparing compatibility:
- Safari generally handles Apple-specific technologies better, like AirPlay, iCloud Keychain, and Apple Pay.
- Conversely, Arc may have an edge in working with Google services like Google Docs and Meet.
- Safari sometimes struggles with web apps designed primarily for other browsers.
- As Chromium-based, Arc enjoys broad compatibility with most modern standards.
On balance, Arc likely supports a wider range of web technologies. But for Apple-specific services, Safari maintains an advantage.
Web Standard Support
Support for current web standards like HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript ES6+ dictates compatibility with many sites and apps.
Again, Arc gains an edge by virtue of being Chromium-based – Google aggressively adds support for emerging and modern standards.
Safari also supports the latest standards. But Apple is occasionally slightly slower to implement certain cutting-edge or niche features.
So web developers targeting a wide range of browsers may run into an issue with an edge case Safari lacks. But Arc and Chromium are more likely to have that esoteric feature covered.
Mobile and Desktop OS Integration
Integration with underlying operating systems impacts compatibility with associated apps and services.
Here Safari has a clear advantage on Apple platforms like iOS and macOS. Seamless integration with Metal graphics API, iCloud Keychain, Touch ID, and other Apple technologies bolster Safari’s capabilities.
Conversely, Safari suffers in integrating with non-Apple services. For example, Safari lacks deep integration with Google Drive or Microsoft Office 365.
So Safari is uniquely compatible with the Apple ecosystem. But Arc avoids any closed ecosystem disadvantages.
Accessibility
Making browsers accessible to those with disabilities is extremely important for equitable web access.
Both Arc and Safari provide a range of accessibility options. But Safari edges out Arc in some advanced assistive capabilities.
Key Accessibility Features
Both browsers support:
- Screen reader support (VoiceOver on Safari)
- Keyboard navigation shortcuts
- Page zooming
- Font size adjustment
- Dark mode
- ARIA semantic markup support
Additionally, Safari provides Apple-specific features like:
- Support for tactile braille displays
- Speech recognition from Siri
- View options like reduced motion
- Integration with Apple accessibility tools
Arc’s accessibility could improve in areas like screen reader support. But the core essentials are present.
Web Accessibility Standards
Websites and apps also share responsibility for accessibility compliance.
Both Arc and Safari handle modern web standards well, like:
- WAI-ARIA roles for screen readers
- Semantic HTML markup for navigation
- Color contrast minimums
- Text equivalents for images
Strict enforcement and support of web standards expands accessibility uniformly across browsers.
Vendors also collaborate through groups like the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) to further improvement.
User Interface
The user interface and ergonomics of interacting with Arc and Safari vary significantly.
Arc emphasizes its unique sidebar for housing tabs, bookmarks, and extensions. The sidebar aims to keep tools easily accessible while browsing.
Safari follows a more conventional tabbed design. But Safari’s UI is streamlined with fewer buttons and chrome around content.
Key Differences
- Arc uses vertical tabs in a permanent left sidebar, while Safari sticks to horizontal tabs up top.
- Arc includes more visible browser navigation controls, while Safari hides UI chrome for a clean look.
- Safari adheres to Apple’s minimalist aesthetic, while Arc strives for greater density.
- Both support extensive customization, but in different ways.
With its unconventional sidebar, Arc provides persistent access to tabs, tools, and settings as core UX. Safari favors disappearing controls and streamlined content viewing.
Ease of Use
Despite different philosophies, both browsers aim for intuitive interactions.
Arc’s sidebar presents a learning curve for some users accustomed to a conventional tabbed UI. But the consistency also makes features easily discoverable.
Safari follows platform conventions for an instantly familiar experience to Apple users. But hiding advanced tools can complicate access.
Neither browser imposing a significantly steeper learning curve. Individual preferences for minimalist or feature-rich UI lead users to prefer Safari or Arc respectively.
Customization
Both browsers enable personalizing and theming the interface in different ways.
Arc allows changing sidebar color, spacing fonts, and other styling. Boosts enable custom website CSS.
Safari supports standard Apple theme options like light and dark mode, system font sizing, and dynamic desktop background.
For most users, Safari’s customization will sufficiently adapt the browser UI to their needs.
But Arc provides more fine-grained tailoring of the interface for power users. Safari’s minimalism inherently limits extensive styling.
Mobile Experience
Browsing on mobile devices like phones and tablets has unique needs optimized by Arc and Safari.
Arc for iOS
Arc is available on iOS as a companion mobile app providing:
- Access to Arc’s sidebar and spaces
- Handoff support between devices
- Saving webpages for later reading
However, the native Arc iOS app lacks traditional browsing capabilities. So most users will likely use Safari on iOS paired with Arc on desktop.
Safari iOS
Safari for iPhone and iPad delivers a full-featured browsing experience optimized for touch and mobility.
Safari on iOS pairs perfectly with Safari on macOS through deep integration features like:
- Handoff between devices
- iCloud syncing of history, bookmarks, tabs
- Universal clipboard
- Shared authentication with Keychain
For a seamless mobile experience, Safari on iOS is a natural fit for existing Apple device owners.
Comparison
Safari provides the most cohesive mobile iOS experience. Arc for iOS offers sidebar integration but lacks robust browsing capabilities.
Safari is better suited for those relying on an iPhone or iPad as their primary mobile browser. Arc focuses mobile efforts on integration with desktop.
Developer Tools
Robust developer tools help web programmers build, debug, and optimize sites and applications.
Safari includes a full suite of dev tools accessed through Preferences > Advanced > Show Develop menu. Tools like the inspector and console are displayed in the browser window.
Arc utilizes Google Chrome’s industry-leading Chromium DevTools, accessed by right-clicking and choosing Inspect. The console, profiler, and other tools open in a separate window.
Key Differences
- Chrome DevTools offer more features and power than Safari’s developer tools.
- But Safari’s dev tools integrate directly into the browser window, while Arc’s open externally.
- Both support remote debugging for mobile devices.
- Arc likely appeals more to developers through familiar Chromium tools.
Unless already acclimated to Safari’s dev tools, most web developers will likely stick with Arc + Chrome DevTools for the easiest workflow.
Privacy
Privacy protection is crucial for any modern browser. Both Arc and Safari incorporate robust defenses against tracking.
Arc Privacy Features
Arc includes extensive default privacy protections including:
- Mandatory ad blocking and anti-tracking
- No retention of browsing history
- Encrypted DNS through DoH
- Hidden referer headers
- Fingerprinting evasion techniques
Arc also utilizes privacy-focused search through DuckDuckGo while offering private search options.
Safari Privacy Features
Safari also incorporates strong privacy engineering such as:
- Intelligent Tracking Prevention
Both browsers provide excellent privacy protections. But Arc’s defaults require no configuration for strong out-of-box privacy.
Key Differences
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- Arc’s free tier omits certain conveniences like multi-device tab syncing.
- Safari lacks paid upgrades so all features are free.
- Arc Pro subscription enables power user capabilities for $4.99 per month.
- Safari’s integration with iCloud handles syncing without paid tiers.
Casual users get full Safari functionality gratis. But Arc gates some niceties behind a paywall.
Community Support
An engaged user community provides tips, guides, and support.
Safari benefits enormously from Apple’s ecosystem reaching billions of users. The sheer scale results in extensive informal technical support through forums, blogs, videos, and more.
As a newer browser, Arc has a much smaller but rapidly growing user community. Official support channels compensate for less independent content so far.
The best source of assistance depends on the specific question or issue.
Key Differences
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- For common issues, Safari’s size ensures answers are readily available online.
- For Arc-specific questions, official support may provide the fastest solution.
- Arc’s engaged early adopters eagerly share tips and tricks.
- Safari’s maturity means almost no question goes unanswered somewhere.
The best approach involves searching both official and community sources to identify the optimal resource for a given problem.
Conclusion
Safari holds advantages in Apple ecosystem integration, expansive community knowledge, and all-around polish.
Arc distinguishes itself through extensive customization, flexibility, tab organization, and best-in-class privacy protections.
Ultimately, Safari excels for those firmly ingrained in Apple devices and services.
But Arc appeals to power users seeking more features and personalization. And its privacy defaults help novice users strengthen security.
Neither choice is definitively superior across the board. Carefully evaluating individual priorities helps determine if Safari or Arc better fulfills your browsing needs.
