Acira
Chromium browser for Mac, Windows and Linux with workspaces, split view and an Arc importer; no AI or sync.
Acira is a Chromium-based desktop browser from Acira, Inc., pitched as a privacy-first Arc alternative. Tabs can sit in a sidebar with Favorites on top, with up to eight workspaces per profile, split view of up to four panes and Alt-click link previews. It imports Arc Spaces as workspaces, pinned tabs, Favorites, bookmarks and history. It has built-in ad blocking, private and Tor tabs, locked workspaces and an optional AI-free mode that hides AI answers on search sites. It has no AI features, no account, no sync and no mobile app. The sidebar is optional (tabs are along the top by default). It is an open beta; Windows builds are unsigned.
Built-in AI
No AI
No AI features in the beta; the optional AI-free mode only hides AI answers and buttons on search sites.
acirabrowser.comBloat check
1 thing you didn't ask for
- Telemetry on by defaultAnonymous usage counts start on in setup (random ID, version, system, coarse counts, at most daily); a switch in setup and Settings turns them off.acirabrowser.com
No ads, wallet, feed, upsells or account; no crash reports sent.
Ads, crypto, paid upsells, news feeds, default-on telemetry, required accounts.
Organization
| Feature | Acira | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| SidebarVertical sidebarTabs live in a vertical sidebar that is the main tab UI and can be hidden. | ◐ | ✓ | Sidebar layout is optional; tabs sit along the top by default. Sidebar can hide and sit left or right.acirabrowser.com |
| SpacesSeveral workspaces per window, each with its own pinned and open tabs, switched by swipe or shortcut. | ✓ | ✓ | Up to 8 workspaces per profile, each with its own tabs, pinned tabs and splits; Alt+1 to Alt+8 switch.acirabrowser.com |
| ProfilesProfiles per Space (shareable)Each Space can use its own browser profile (separate cookies, logins, history), and one profile can be shared by several Spaces. | ◐ | ✓ | Workspaces share their profile's sign-ins; separate profiles are separate windows, not per workspace.acirabrowser.com |
| FavoritesGlobal favoritesPinned icons at the top of the sidebar shared by every Space (Zen calls them Essentials). | ✓ | ✓ | Favorites grid (up to 24) at the sidebar top or bottom, shared by every workspace in a profile.acirabrowser.com |
| Pinned TabsPinned tabs & foldersPer-space pinned tabs that act like bookmarks, with nested folders. | ◐ | ✓ | Pinned tabs are per workspace, but a pinned tab cannot sit in a group (folder).acirabrowser.com |
| Live foldersSidebar folders that fill and refresh themselves from an outside source, such as GitHub pull requests or an RSS feed. | ✓ | ✓ | Opt-in Pull requests folder fills from GitHub PRs every few minutes, like Arc's GitHub Live Folder.github.com |
| ArchiveAuto-archive tabsUnpinned tabs close automatically after a set time and stay recoverable in an archive. | ◐ | ✓ | Idle tabs sleep after a set time but stay open; closed tabs are kept 1-7 days in Rewind, no auto-close.acirabrowser.com |
| Theme pickerSpace themesPer-space colour or gradient themes. | ◐ | ✓ | Each workspace has an icon and colour that tints the frame; the finish picker is global.acirabrowser.com |
Browsing
| Feature | Acira | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Split ViewTwo or more tabs side by side in one window. | ✓ | ✓ | Two to four panes per split, many layouts, via shortcut, menu or drag.acirabrowser.com |
| PeekLink previewOpen a link in an overlay without leaving the current page (Zen calls it Glance). | ✓ | ✓ | Alt-click, press-and-hold or a Preview button opens a link in a floating card.acirabrowser.com |
| Little ArcMini windowA small, chrome-less window for links opened from other apps or a quick search. | ? | ✓ | |
| Command barA ⌘T palette that searches tabs, history, bookmarks and browser commands. | ◐ | ✓ | Ctrl+Shift+K searches open tabs, history and commands, not bookmarks; not bound to the new-tab key.acirabrowser.com |
| Air Traffic ControlLink routingRules that send links from other apps to a chosen space or profile. | ◐ | ✓ | Default profile receives links from other apps; no per-site rules.acirabrowser.com |
| BoostsSite customizationPer-site custom CSS/JS, or zapping elements off a page. | ◐ | ✓ | No built-in per-site CSS/JS or zapper; userscripts only via Tampermonkey-style extensions.acirabrowser.com |
| Auto PiPAuto picture-in-picturePlaying video pops out into picture-in-picture automatically when you switch tabs. | ? | ✓ | |
| Mini playerMedia still playing in a tab you left keeps play/pause controls in the sidebar. | ✓ | ✓ | Sidebar media card with play/pause and volume for each tab playing sound; needs the sidebar layout.github.com |
| Tab SwitcherRecent-tab switcherCtrl+Tab jumps back to the tab you used last and cycles in recently used order. | ✓ | ✓ | Settings > Tabs > "Ctrl+Tab switches to" offers Recently used tab (default is Next tab); holding Ctrl shows recent tabs, release switches.github.com |
| Super CopyClean link copyA shortcut (⌘⇧C) copies the page URL with tracking parameters removed. | ◐ | ✓ | Ctrl+Shift+C copies the page address unchanged; "Copy clean page link" strips tracking parameters, but only in the right-click menu.acirabrowser.com |
| CaptureScreenshotsBuilt-in capture of a chosen area or element, and of the full page. | ✕ | ✓ | No screenshot or capture command in the documented shortcuts, menus or settings; only Chromium DevTools.acirabrowser.com |
Compatibility & migration
| Feature | Acira | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arc importImports Arc spaces, pinned tabs and folders. | ✓ | – | Imports Arc Spaces as workspaces with pinned tabs, folders as groups, Favorites, bookmarks, history.acirabrowser.com |
| Chrome extensionsInstalls extensions from the Chrome Web Store. | ✓ | ✓ | Installs from the Chrome Web Store; 20 of 26 tested extensions work, a Chrome API subset exists.acirabrowser.com |
| DRM streamingNetflix, Disney+, Spotify web and other DRM video/audio play, through Widevine or, on WebKit, FairPlay. Chromium forks need a Google Widevine licence; FairPlay counts once a major service is confirmed playing in the app. | ◐ | ✓ | Widevine auto-installs on Mac and Windows via castlabs Electron; none on Linux. Playback not verified.github.com |
| PasskeysWebAuthn passkeys, Touch ID and the system/iCloud keychain. | ◐ | ✓ | Off by default; Windows passkeys and security keys only, iCloud passkeys on Mac not available yet.acirabrowser.com |
| SyncSpaces, pinned tabs and settings sync across devices. | ✕ | ✓ | No account and no cloud sync by design; data stays on the computer.acirabrowser.com |
| Mobile appiPhone, iPad or Android app that shares spaces with desktop. | ✕ | ◐ | No iOS or Android app.acirabrowser.com |
Extras
| Feature | Acira | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built-in ad blockerAd and tracker blocking without installing an extension. | ✓ | ✓ | On by default; EasyList, EasyPrivacy and uBlock Origin lists, per-site off switch.acirabrowser.com |
| Custom ShortcutsShortcut editorMost browser keyboard shortcuts can be remapped in Settings. | ✓ | ✓ | Settings > Shortcuts: click a command's keys, press new ones; conflicts offer Replace. Reset all and Export to acira-shortcuts.json.acirabrowser.com |
More Arc features
Arc features shown but not counted in the score, because almost no replacement has them or only a few people need them.
| Feature | Acira | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| EaselsA shareable canvas of live page captures, notes and drawings. | ✕ | ◐ | No easel or whiteboard code in the repo at ed303ed.github.com |
| Shared CollectionsShared spaces & foldersShare a Space, folder or set of tabs as a link anyone can open, or another user can add to their sidebar. | ✓ | ✓ | Tab sets (acira://routines) export to a .acira-routine.json file that another Acira user imports, recreating tabs, groups and splits.github.com |
| PreviewsWeb app previewsHover a pinned Gmail, Calendar or other web app to glance at it; a pinned calendar shows the next meeting with Join. | ✕ | ✓ | Favorites and pinned tabs show icons only; no web-app glance, unread badge or next-meeting widget in docs or source (searched).acirabrowser.com |
| Developer modeA developer view that turns on by itself for localhost: full URL, quick DevTools and dev tools in reach. | ✕ | ✓ | Only Chromium developer tools (F12, Inspect element); no developer mode, localhost styling or JSON viewer.acirabrowser.com |
Extension support
Which extension formats and stores run, beyond the Chrome Web Store row above.
| Feature | Acira | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manifest V2 extensionsThe older extension format Chrome removed in 2025. Needed for full uBlock Origin and other extensions that block requests. | ? | ✕ | Docs say Manifest V2 extensions were not checked and are not offered on import. |
| Manifest V3 extensionsThe current extension format used by the Chrome Web Store (and supported by Firefox and Safari). | ✓ | ✓ | Own declarativeNetRequest engine (uBlock Origin Lite runs); only a subset of Chrome APIs is implemented.github.com |
| Firefox add-onsAdd-ons from addons.mozilla.org or .xpi files install and run. | ✕ | ✕ | Does not install Firefox add-ons.acirabrowser.com |
| Safari extensionsSafari web extensions (the App Store extension apps Safari uses) install and run. | ✕ | ✕ | Installs only from the Chrome Web Store or an unpacked folder.acirabrowser.com |