Arc → Zen Browser

Arc is ending. Its own notice says the browser stops working on macOS and Windows on December 22, 2026, accounts are deactivated that day, and personal data is deleted within 30 days. The company directs people to Dia. Zen Browser is a different kind of landing place: a free, open-source browser built on Firefox that keeps the idea of tabs organised into workspaces.

What Zen is

Zen describes itself on GitHub as a Firefox-based browser aimed at productivity, and its code is published under the MPL-2.0 licence. The download page lists a universal build for macOS, installers for Windows on x86-64 and ARM64, and Linux archives for x86_64 and aarch64, with Flathub also offered. Zen is desktop only; its FAQ says there are no plans for Android or iOS because of limited time and resources. Its user manual describes workspaces, which separate tabs by project, along with Compact Mode and window sync, where open windows mirror each other. The FAQ also refers to vertical tabs, which is the feature most associated with Arc.

Cost and who runs it

The site calls Zen free and open source. The FAQ says it accepts one-time or recurring donations through Ko-fi and Patreon, and no price is listed for the browser. There is no paid tier to compare. The project is small: the About page names 15 main team members, nine on the browser and six on the website and branding, and the FAQ says the team has limited resources and prioritises the most critical and popular requests. The download page labels Zen as currently in beta. For a daily browser, that is a reason to check how often updates arrive and to keep a second browser available.

What moves, and what does not

Because Zen is derived from Firefox, it uses the Firefox add-ons ecosystem rather than the Chrome Web Store. Each Arc extension needs a Firefox version, and some will have no equivalent. Zen integrates with Firefox Sync, which the FAQ says can sync add-ons, bookmarks, history and passwords between devices signed in to the same Mozilla account. The Zen pages reviewed do not describe an importer for Arc, so the dependable route is Arc’s own export. On macOS, open Arc, then Settings, then Advanced, then Export Data. On Windows, the option is called Export Spaces and tabs. CyberInsider describes the Spaces and tabs export as a list of links, and says locally stored browsing history and passwords are not part of it and need separate handling. Arc Boosts and Easels are Arc-only, so they have no counterpart.

Moving over

• Export Arc Spaces and tabs from Settings, Advanced, while Arc still runs.
• Move passwords with a password manager or a browser export, and keep the file private.
• Install Zen and create one workspace per Arc Space.
• Open the exported links in each workspace.
• List Arc extensions and look for Firefox add-ons with the same job.
• Sign in to Firefox Sync if cross-device bookmarks matter.

Anyone wanting the closest successor from the same company can read the separate Arc to Dia page instead.