Early
Free native Mac browser on WebKit with Spaces, profiles, nested folders, a command bar and Zen and Arc import.
Early is a free, open-source browser for Apple silicon Macs on macOS 14 or later, written in Swift 6 with SwiftUI and AppKit on the system WebKit by one developer, Ranga Nirmal. The site calls it "inspired by Arc" and the README names Arc and Zen as its model. Tabs live in a resizable, auto-hiding sidebar; Spaces have an icon and a colour that tints the chrome, and a Space can be moved to another Profile, which has its own Favorites and website data and opens in its own window. It has pins in folders nested eight levels deep, a ⌘T command bar that also runs browser commands, a ⌃Tab thumbnail switcher, two-pane split view, automatic picture-in-picture, a GitHub pull-request live folder, rebindable shortcuts, Safari Web Extensions, and import from Zen, Chromium, Firefox, Safari and (experimental) Arc. There is no Chrome Web Store, passkey support, built-in ad blocker, sync or DRM proof yet, and the app is not notarized.
Built-in AI
No AI
No built-in AI; the only machine feature is Apple's on-device page translation, which you start yourself.
github.comBloat check
None found
No ads, account, wallet, feed or analytics; Sparkle system profiling is off. Network calls: signed update checks and, by default, search suggestions from your engine (Google).
github.comAds, crypto, paid upsells, news feeds, default-on telemetry, required accounts.
Organization
| Feature | Early | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| SidebarVertical sidebarTabs live in a vertical sidebar that is the main tab UI and can be hidden. | ✓ | ✓ | All tabs live in a resizable sidebar; Auto-hide (Toggle Sidebar) collapses it and moving the pointer to the left edge brings it back.github.com |
| SpacesSeveral workspaces per window, each with its own pinned and open tabs, switched by swipe or shortcut. | ✓ | ✓ | Named Spaces with an icon and a colour, each with its own pins, folders and Today tabs; swipe over the sidebar, ⌥⌘1–9 or the command bar 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. | ✓ | ✓ | Edit Space picks its Profile; Spaces in one Profile share cookies and Favorites. Each Profile opens in its own window, so Spaces of different Profiles don't swipe together.github.com |
| FavoritesGlobal favoritesPinned icons at the top of the sidebar shared by every Space (Zen calls them Essentials). | ✓ | ✓ | Favorites are compact cards shown in every Space of a Profile; a Favorite is per Profile, not shared between Profiles.github.com |
| Pinned TabsPinned tabs & foldersPer-space pinned tabs that act like bookmarks, with nested folders. | ✓ | ✓ | Per-Space pins (closing one returns it to its saved page) in folders that nest eight levels below a root; folders and pins reorder together by drag.github.com |
| Live foldersSidebar folders that fill and refresh themselves from an outside source, such as GitHub pull requests or an RSS feed. | ✓ | ✓ | One kind: a GitHub Pull Requests folder (opened, assigned, review requested) refreshed every 15 minutes to 8 hours from your GitHub sign-in; no RSS or other sources.github.com |
| ArchiveAuto-archive tabsUnpinned tabs close automatically after a set time and stay recoverable in an archive. | ◐ | ✓ | No archive: tabs stay in the sidebar. At most 8 background pages stay live and the rest unload; Clear Today Tabs closes Today tabs by hand.github.com |
| Theme pickerSpace themesPer-space colour or gradient themes. | ✓ | ✓ | Each Space has one of eight colours that tints the sidebar and frame, adapted to light and dark; the Space themes switch is on by default.github.com |
Browsing
| Feature | Early | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Split ViewTwo or more tabs side by side in one window. | ◐ | ✓ | Resizable side-by-side pages with drag-to-split targets, but a split group is always exactly two panes.github.com |
| PeekLink previewOpen a link in an overlay without leaving the current page (Zen calls it Glance). | ✕ | ✓ | Links open as tabs (⌘-click for a background tab); the feature list has no overlay preview. Hovering a link only shows its address.github.com |
| Little ArcMini windowA small, chrome-less window for links opened from other apps or a quick search. | ✕ | ✓ | Links from other apps open as new tabs in the frontmost window (or a new window); there is no small one-page window.github.com |
| Command barA ⌘T palette that searches tabs, history, bookmarks and browser commands. | ✓ | ✓ | ⌘T opens one palette that ranks tabs, pins, Favorites and history, plus web suggestions, Spaces, profiles and browser commands (commands can be turned off).github.com |
| Air Traffic ControlLink routingRules that send links from other apps to a chosen space or profile. | ✕ | ✓ | Links from other apps always open as tabs in the frontmost window; no rules by site or app, and no default Space setting.github.com |
| BoostsSite customizationPer-site custom CSS/JS, or zapping elements off a page. | ✕ | ✓ | No per-site CSS, scripts or zapping; the Arc importer lists Boosts among the things it does not bring over.github.com |
| Auto PiPAuto picture-in-picturePlaying video pops out into picture-in-picture automatically when you switch tabs. | ✓ | ✓ | A playing video keeps going in a floating window when you switch tabs and returns when you come back; on by default, one switch in Settings.github.com |
| Mini playerMedia still playing in a tab you left keeps play/pause controls in the sidebar. | ◐ | ✓ | Only a speaker beside a tab's icon that mutes or unmutes; no play/pause bar for media in a tab you left.github.com |
| Tab SwitcherRecent-tab switcherCtrl+Tab jumps back to the tab you used last and cycles in recently used order. | ✓ | ✓ | Holding ⌃Tab shows a thumbnail strip of open tabs in recently used order; on by default, switchable to plain next-tab.github.com |
| Super CopyClean link copyA shortcut (⌘⇧C) copies the page URL with tracking parameters removed. | ◐ | ✓ | Copy Current URL (⇧⌘C) copies the address as it is, with a toast; tracking parameters are not removed.github.com |
| CaptureScreenshotsBuilt-in capture of a chosen area or element, and of the full page. | ✕ | ✓ | No area, element or page screenshot; the only page exports are Save Page, Export as PDF and Print.github.com |
Compatibility & migration
| Feature | Early | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arc importImports Arc spaces, pinned tabs and folders. | ◐ | – | Reads Arc's StorableSidebar.json (Spaces, pins, folders, Favorites), but the maker calls it experimental, tested only on synthetic fixtures; bookmarks HTML is the fallback.github.com |
| Chrome extensionsInstalls extensions from the Chrome Web Store. | ◐ | ✓ | No Chrome Web Store; it runs Safari Web Extensions from Mac apps (such as uBlock Origin Lite) or an unpacked folder or ZIP.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. | ? | ✓ | System WebKit, so FairPlay is the only DRM it could have; no DRM code, notes or playback tests in the repo or releases. |
| PasskeysWebAuthn passkeys, Touch ID and the system/iCloud keychain. | ✕ | ✓ | The README's own limitations list says no passkeys yet; the build has no browser passkey entitlement and is only ad-hoc signed.github.com |
| SyncSpaces, pinned tabs and settings sync across devices. | ◐ | ✓ | No account or sync; Settings › Sessions only exports and imports Spaces, folders, pins and Favorites as a file, by hand.github.com |
| Mobile appiPhone, iPad or Android app that shares spaces with desktop. | ✕ | ◐ | Apple silicon Macs only; no Intel build and no iPhone, iPad or other platform.github.com |
Extras
| Feature | Early | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built-in ad blockerAd and tracker blocking without installing an extension. | ✕ | ✓ | No built-in blocker; the README says content blockers come as extensions (e.g. uBlock Origin Lite). Only WebKit's phishing and malware warning is on.github.com |
| Custom ShortcutsShortcut editorMost browser keyboard shortcuts can be remapped in Settings. | ✓ | ✓ | Settings › Shortcuts rebinds almost any command with conflict checks; only ⌘1–9, ⌥⌘1–9, ⌃Tab and macOS's own shortcuts stay fixed.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 | Early | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| EaselsA shareable canvas of live page captures, notes and drawings. | ✕ | ◐ | No canvas or notes; the Arc importer lists Easels among the things it does not bring over.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. | ◐ | ✓ | Only a file: Settings › Sessions exports Spaces, folders, pins and Favorites (no passwords or cookies) to import on another Mac; no share link.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. | ✕ | ✓ | No live web app previews or unread badges; Favorites and pins are plain cards, and link hover shows only the address.github.com |
| Developer modeA developer view that turns on by itself for localhost: full URL, quick DevTools and dev tools in reach. | ✕ | ✓ | Only the standard Web Inspector (⌥⌘I, docked beside the page) and View Source (⌥⌘U); nothing switches on for localhost.github.com |
Extension support
Which extension formats and stores run, beyond the Chrome Web Store row above.
| Feature | Early | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manifest V2 extensionsThe older extension format Chrome removed in 2025. Needed for full uBlock Origin and other extensions that block requests. | ? | ✕ | Nothing in the code or tests mentions Manifest V2 (all test manifests are V3); the loader is WebKit's WKWebExtension. |
| Manifest V3 extensionsThe current extension format used by the Chrome Web Store (and supported by Firefox and Safari). | ✓ | ✓ | Safari Web Extensions (macOS 15.4+) and unpacked folders or ZIPs run on WebKit's WKWebExtension, set up per profile.github.com |
| Firefox add-onsAdd-ons from addons.mozilla.org or .xpi files install and run. | ✕ | ✕ | No Firefox add-on support; the README lists Safari Web Extensions only.github.com |
| Safari extensionsSafari web extensions (the App Store extension apps Safari uses) install and run. | ✓ | ✕ | Settings › Extensions adds Safari Web Extensions that come with Mac apps from the App Store, loaded from the app in place.github.com |