Beam
A sidebar-first, Arc-style browser for iPad with Spaces, a command bar, Split View and Peek
Beam is a paid, iPad-only browser built around a sidebar: Favourites, per-Space pinned tabs and nested folders, a Today list, colour-themed Spaces, a command bar, Peek link previews, two-pane Split View, a PDF viewer and a built-in ad blocker. It also has an AI chat that uses on-device Apple Intelligence or your own Anthropic, Google or OpenAI key. It is made by Henrik Singh, a solo developer in London (the App Store lists the seller as Jagjit Singh), and needs iPadOS 26 or later. iCloud sync is built in. It has no extensions, no Arc import and no desktop or iPhone version yet; the site says iPhone is in development, with Mac to follow.
Built-in AI
AI on by default
AI chat button sits in the default toolbar (Apple Intelligence on device; cloud models need your own key). Reader adds a summary. No off switch documented.
beambrowser.appBloat check
1 thing you didn't ask for
- Telemetry on by defaultPrivacy policy: PostHog analytics and Sentry crash reports, switched off by one toggle in Settings; App Store label: usage data, not linked to you.beambrowser.app
No ads, wallet, feed, upsell or account: one-time purchase, no subscription; iCloud sync is optional.
Ads, crypto, paid upsells, news feeds, default-on telemetry, required accounts.
Organization
| Feature | Beam | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| SidebarVertical sidebarTabs live in a vertical sidebar that is the main tab UI and can be hidden. | ✓ | ✓ | Sidebar is the main tab UI (Favourites, Space header, pinned tabs, Today tabs); it collapses to a floating edge.beambrowser.app |
| SpacesSeveral workspaces per window, each with its own pinned and open tabs, switched by swipe or shortcut. | ✓ | ✓ | Each Space has its own pinned tabs, folders, icon and theme colour; swipe the sidebar or use the Space picker.beambrowser.app |
| 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. | ✓ | ✓ | Help: a Space is assigned to a profile and one profile can hold several Spaces; profiles have separate history and site data.beambrowser.app |
| FavoritesGlobal favoritesPinned icons at the top of the sidebar shared by every Space (Zen calls them Essentials). | ✓ | ✓ | Favourites grid at the top of the sidebar; shared by every Space in the same profile (not across profiles).beambrowser.app |
| Pinned TabsPinned tabs & foldersPer-space pinned tabs that act like bookmarks, with nested folders. | ✓ | ✓ | Pins are per Space; folders can be nested as deep as you like.beambrowser.app |
| Live foldersSidebar folders that fill and refresh themselves from an outside source, such as GitHub pull requests or an RSS feed. | ✕ | ✓ | Help and changelog describe folders only as manual tab groups; no feed or auto-filled folder.beambrowser.app |
| ArchiveAuto-archive tabsUnpinned tabs close automatically after a set time and stay recoverable in an archive. | ◐ | ✓ | Today tabs clear automatically (end of day, one week or one month); no archive is documented, only History of closed tabs.beambrowser.app |
| Theme pickerSpace themesPer-space colour or gradient themes. | ✓ | ✓ | Each Space has its own theme colour and icon; 10 accent colours, optional film grain on a Space colour.beambrowser.app |
Browsing
| Feature | Beam | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Split ViewTwo or more tabs side by side in one window. | ◐ | ✓ | Two pages side by side, resizable divider and swap; two panes only (added in 1.4).beambrowser.app |
| PeekLink previewOpen a link in an overlay without leaving the current page (Zen calls it Glance). | ✓ | ✓ | Peek opens links in a floating preview; Option-click or long-press, and it can become half of a split.beambrowser.app |
| Little ArcMini windowA small, chrome-less window for links opened from other apps or a quick search. | ✕ | ✓ | Help lists no mini window for external links; tabs can only open in a new or incognito window.beambrowser.app |
| Command barA ⌘T palette that searches tabs, history, bookmarks and browser commands. | ✓ | ✓ | Cmd+T/Cmd+K bar searches tabs, history and bookmarks, opens URLs, switches Spaces and runs commands.beambrowser.app |
| Air Traffic ControlLink routingRules that send links from other apps to a chosen space or profile. | ✕ | ✓ | Settings tabs list no link-routing rules; support page only explains how to set Beam as default browser.beambrowser.app |
| BoostsSite customizationPer-site custom CSS/JS, or zapping elements off a page. | ✕ | ✓ | Site settings offer dark mode, translate, zoom and permissions only; no per-site CSS/JS or zapping.beambrowser.app |
| Auto PiPAuto picture-in-picturePlaying video pops out into picture-in-picture automatically when you switch tabs. | ◐ | ✓ | Picture in Picture starts from the sidebar media bar or tab menu; no automatic PiP on tab switch is documented.beambrowser.app |
| Mini playerMedia still playing in a tab you left keeps play/pause controls in the sidebar. | ✓ | ✓ | 1.4 media bar in the sidebar: pause, skip or start Picture in Picture for whatever plays, from any tab.beambrowser.app |
| Tab SwitcherRecent-tab switcherCtrl+Tab jumps back to the tab you used last and cycles in recently used order. | ? | ✓ | Help lists Control+Tab for quick tab switching but does not say whether it cycles in recently used order.beambrowser.app |
| Super CopyClean link copyA shortcut (⌘⇧C) copies the page URL with tracking parameters removed. | ◐ | ✓ | Shift+Cmd+C copies the current URL; no tracking-parameter removal is documented.beambrowser.app |
| CaptureScreenshotsBuilt-in capture of a chosen area or element, and of the full page. | ✕ | ✓ | Site settings list Share, Reader, Dark mode, Translate, Find and Print; no screenshot tool.beambrowser.app |
Compatibility & migration
| Feature | Beam | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arc importImports Arc spaces, pinned tabs and folders. | ✕ | – | Imports Favorites, folders, Reading List and history from Safari (1.4); no Arc import.beambrowser.app |
| Chrome extensionsInstalls extensions from the Chrome Web Store. | ✕ | ✓ | No extension support in help or settings (home page: 'No extensions required'); WebKit on iPadOS cannot run Chrome extensions.beambrowser.app |
| 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. | ? | ✓ | Neither the site nor the App Store listing mentions DRM or FairPlay playback. |
| PasskeysWebAuthn passkeys, Touch ID and the system/iCloud keychain. | ? | ✓ | |
| SyncSpaces, pinned tabs and settings sync across devices. | ✓ | ✓ | iCloud Sync of tabs, spaces and organisation. In 1.4, history and AI chats stay on the device.beambrowser.app |
| Mobile appiPhone, iPad or Android app that shares spaces with desktop. | ◐ | ◐ | iPad-only app; iPhone and Mac builds are 'in development', so there is no desktop app to share Spaces with.beambrowser.app |
Extras
| Feature | Beam | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built-in ad blockerAd and tracker blocking without installing an extension. | ✓ | ✓ | Built in and on out of the box: Basic, Balanced and Strict levels, per-site allowlist, auto-updating filter lists.beambrowser.app |
| Custom ShortcutsShortcut editorMost browser keyboard shortcuts can be remapped in Settings. | ✓ | ✓ | Settings > Shortcuts: search and remap shortcuts; ones the system reserves are refused.beambrowser.app |
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 | Beam | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| EaselsA shareable canvas of live page captures, notes and drawings. | ✕ | ◐ | Not in the help guide, features page or changelog.beambrowser.app |
| 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. | ? | ✓ | The Space menu has a 'share' item, but what it shares (link, file or share sheet) is not described.beambrowser.app |
| PreviewsWeb app previewsHover a pinned Gmail, Calendar or other web app to glance at it; a pinned calendar shows the next meeting with Join. | ✕ | ✓ | Favourites are plain tiles; no hover glance, calendar widget or unread badge is documented.beambrowser.app |
| Developer modeA developer view that turns on by itself for localhost: full URL, quick DevTools and dev tools in reach. | ✕ | ✓ | Help lists no developer tools or developer mode.beambrowser.app |
Extension support
Which extension formats and stores run, beyond the Chrome Web Store row above.
| Feature | Beam | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manifest V2 extensionsThe older extension format Chrome removed in 2025. Needed for full uBlock Origin and other extensions that block requests. | – | ✕ | Help and settings list no web extensions.beambrowser.app |
| Manifest V3 extensionsThe current extension format used by the Chrome Web Store (and supported by Firefox and Safari). | – | ✓ | Help and settings list no web extensions.beambrowser.app |
| Firefox add-onsAdd-ons from addons.mozilla.org or .xpi files install and run. | – | ✕ | Help and settings list no web extensions.beambrowser.app |
| Safari extensionsSafari web extensions (the App Store extension apps Safari uses) install and run. | – | ✕ | Help and settings list no web extensions.beambrowser.app |