Ardia
Free open-source Chromium browser for Mac: Arc's sidebar, Dia's polish, uBlock Origin built in, no AI.
Ardia is a free, open-source Mac browser that pairs Arc's sidebar with Dia's look, built on Chromium 157 with ungoogled-chromium/Helium privacy patches. Each Arc space imports as its own profile, and profiles are swipeable workspaces with their own pinned tabs, logins and themes. It has no Widevine, so streaming sites open in WebKit, and sync runs end-to-end encrypted through a folder in iCloud Drive. It requires Apple silicon and macOS 14 or later.
Bloat check
1 thing you didn't ask for
- Telemetry on by defaultOne anonymous "opened today" count (version, macOS, chip) goes to ardia.dev even with sharing off; crash and usage stats are opt-in.github.com
No ads, wallet, feed, upsell or account; sync is a folder you pick. Full crash and usage sharing is off unless you turn it on.
Ads, crypto, paid upsells, news feeds, default-on telemetry, required accounts.
Organization
| Feature | Ardia | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| SidebarVertical sidebarTabs live in a vertical sidebar that is the main tab UI and can be hidden. | ✓ | ✓ | Tabs and address bar live in the sidebar, left or right; ⌘S auto-hides it.github.com |
| SpacesSeveral workspaces per window, each with its own pinned and open tabs, switched by swipe or shortcut. | ✓ | ✓ | Each profile is a Space with its own pinned and open tabs; swipe or ⌃1–9 to switch.github.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. | ◐ | ✓ | Space = profile (1:1). New profiles can share another's data store, but each is still its own Space.github.com |
| FavoritesGlobal favoritesPinned icons at the top of the sidebar shared by every Space (Zen calls them Essentials). | ◐ | ✓ | Top Apps are per profile; shared only by profiles with shared data that opt in (off by default).github.com |
| Pinned TabsPinned tabs & foldersPer-space pinned tabs that act like bookmarks, with nested folders. | ✓ | ✓ | Per-profile pinned tabs and pinned groups that nest; Arc folders import as nested groups.github.com |
| Live foldersSidebar folders that fill and refresh themselves from an outside source, such as GitHub pull requests or an RSS feed. | ✓ | ✓ | Sidebar folders for GitHub or Bitbucket PRs and Notion, Confluence or Drive docs; refresh every 3 to 10 minutes.github.com |
| ArchiveAuto-archive tabsUnpinned tabs close automatically after a set time and stay recoverable in an archive. | ✓ | ✓ | Optional auto clean-up after 12h/24h/7d/30d/custom; cleaned tabs stay in Recently Cleaned for 7 days.github.com |
| Theme pickerSpace themesPer-space colour or gradient themes. | ✓ | ✓ | Per-profile gradient themes (up to 3 stops, grain, texture, translucency); Arc themes can be imported.github.com |
Browsing
| Feature | Ardia | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Split ViewTwo or more tabs side by side in one window. | ✓ | ✓ | Up to three panes (MAX_SPLIT_PANES = 3), side by side or stacked.github.com |
| PeekLink previewOpen a link in an overlay without leaving the current page (Zen calls it Glance). | ✓ | ✓ | Links to other sites and links that open a new tab open in a Peek by default; Shift-click (or Option-click, configurable) opens any link in one. A Peek can become a tab.github.com |
| Little ArcMini windowA small, chrome-less window for links opened from other apps or a quick search. | ✓ | ✓ | Little Ardia (⌥⌘N) is a one-page window; links from other apps open in it by default.github.com |
| Command barA ⌘T palette that searches tabs, history, bookmarks and browser commands. | ✓ | ✓ | ⌘T opens a command bar in the middle, ⌘L edits the address in place (or centred if chosen); it searches tabs, history, bookmarks and commands.github.com |
| Air Traffic ControlLink routingRules that send links from other apps to a chosen space or profile. | ✓ | ✓ | hooks.json rules route links by URL pattern and source app to a profile; no GUI, needs Settings approval.github.com |
| BoostsSite customizationPer-site custom CSS/JS, or zapping elements off a page. | ◐ | ✓ | No Boosts editor or zap; per-site userscripts only via the separate ardia CLI, or extensions.github.com |
| Auto PiPAuto picture-in-picturePlaying video pops out into picture-in-picture automatically when you switch tabs. | ✓ | ✓ | Audible video floats into picture-in-picture when you switch tabs or leave Ardia, WebKit tabs included; on by default.github.com |
| Mini playerMedia still playing in a tab you left keeps play/pause controls in the sidebar. | ✓ | ✓ | Sidebar player for a tab playing in the background, with seek bar, play/pause, skip, mute and PiP.github.com |
| Tab SwitcherRecent-tab switcherCtrl+Tab jumps back to the tab you used last and cycles in recently used order. | ✓ | ✓ | ⌃⇥ opens a Tab Switcher listing open tabs by last use; ⌃⇧⇥ steps backwards.github.com |
| Super CopyClean link copyA shortcut (⌘⇧C) copies the page URL with tracking parameters removed. | ✓ | ✓ | ⇧⌘C copies the URL with tracking parameters removed and a toast says so; ⌥⇧⌘C copies a Markdown link.github.com |
| CaptureScreenshotsBuilt-in capture of a chosen area or element, and of the full page. | ✕ | ✓ | No screenshot or capture command in the command catalogue, menus or app source (searched).github.com |
Compatibility & migration
| Feature | Ardia | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arc importImports Arc spaces, pinned tabs and folders. | ✓ | – | Reads Arc's StorableSidebar.json: spaces with themes, pinned tabs, nested folders, favorites and split views.github.com |
| Chrome extensionsInstalls extensions from the Chrome Web Store. | ✓ | ✓ | Chrome Web Store installs work; Ardia relabels the button to Add to Ardia.github.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. | ◐ | ✓ | No Widevine CDM; 15 streaming sites (Netflix, Spotify…) auto-open in WebKit with FairPlay.github.com |
| PasskeysWebAuthn passkeys, Touch ID and the system/iCloud keychain. | ◐ | ✓ | Touch ID passkeys work; iCloud Keychain passkeys wait on Apple's browser entitlement.github.com |
| SyncSpaces, pinned tabs and settings sync across devices. | ✓ | ✓ | E2E-encrypted folder sync (iCloud Drive by default): profiles, pins, bookmarks, history, passwords, settings.github.com |
| Mobile appiPhone, iPad or Android app that shares spaces with desktop. | ◐ | ◐ | An iPhone app (apps/ios) syncs tabs, pins and bookmarks with the Mac; it is a public TestFlight beta linked from ardia.dev, not on the App Store.github.com |
Extras
| Feature | Ardia | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built-in ad blockerAd and tracker blocking without installing an extension. | ✓ | ✓ | Full uBlock Origin 1.76.0 bundled in every profile, and WebKit pages use its Lite lists; cookie-banner lists are a Settings toggle.github.com |
| Custom ShortcutsShortcut editorMost browser keyboard shortcuts can be remapped in Settings. | ✓ | ✓ | Settings > Shortcuts records new keys for commands, flags conflicts and filters customized ones; per-command defaults restorable.github.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 | Ardia | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| EaselsA shareable canvas of live page captures, notes and drawings. | ✕ | ◐ | Ardia's own Arc comparison page says it has no Easels.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. | ✓ | ✓ | Share Folder... on a pinned folder binds it to an iCloud Drive directory of .webloc links; others add it with Add Shared Folder.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. | ✓ | ✓ | Pinned calendar tabs show a next-meeting badge and a hover preview with a Join button; unread badges on tabs are opt-in (off by default since 0.2.46).github.com |
| Developer modeA developer view that turns on by itself for localhost: full URL, quick DevTools and dev tools in reach. | ✕ | ✓ | Standard Developer Tools, Inspect and View Source commands plus a Show Full URL toggle; no developer mode.github.com |
Extension support
Which extension formats and stores run, beyond the Chrome Web Store row above.
| Feature | Ardia | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manifest V2 extensionsThe older extension format Chrome removed in 2025. Needed for full uBlock Origin and other extensions that block requests. | ✓ | ✕ | Helium's extensions-manifestv2 patch lifts Chromium's MV2 block; full uBlock Origin (MV2) is bundled.github.com |
| Manifest V3 extensionsThe current extension format used by the Chrome Web Store (and supported by Firefox and Safari). | ✓ | ✓ | Stock Chromium 157 runs MV3 (max manifest version 3); no Ardia or Helium patch removes it.chromium.googlesource.com |
| Firefox add-onsAdd-ons from addons.mozilla.org or .xpi files install and run. | ✕ | ✕ | Chromium only installs Chrome-format (.crx) extension downloads; Firefox .xpi add-ons don't install.chromium.googlesource.com |
| Safari extensionsSafari web extensions (the App Store extension apps Safari uses) install and run. | ✕ | ✕ | Safari web extensions ship as Safari app extensions; Chromium has no host for them.developer.apple.com |