Holoholo
Free alpha Mac browser on Chromium (CEF) with Spaces, Tweaks and Arc import; no source, Apple silicon only.
Holoholo (called Brows until 0.1.11 on 2026-11-13) is a free alpha Mac browser by Aleksei Trofimov on Chromium 156 through CEF, with a Swift AppKit/SwiftUI shell. The maker's site calls it "a post-Arc browser": a sidebar with favorites, pinned tabs and folders, Spaces you swipe between, a ⌘T command bar, an archive of closed tabs, two-pane Split View with drop zones, per-site Tweaks (zap, font, CSS), a locked Private Space, Chrome Web Store extensions and an Arc importer. It has no Peek, link routing, auto-archive, sync, passkeys, password manager or ad blocker yet. Extras: on-device tab Sort and opt-in Companions, an MCP server for your own agent. Source is closed; the public repo holds the README, privacy policy, update feed and DMGs, and calls the build a closed test. macOS 26+ on Apple silicon only.
Built-in AI
AI optional
Sort groups tabs by topic with Apple's on-device model when you press it; Companions (MCP, off by default) let your own agent drive tabs.
github.comBloat check
None found
No ads, wallet, feed, upsell or account; PRIVACY.md says no analytics. Sparkle sends no system profile; Safe Browsing sends only a short hash prefix to Google.
github.comAds, crypto, paid upsells, news feeds, default-on telemetry, required accounts.
Organization
| Feature | Holoholo | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| SidebarVertical sidebarTabs live in a vertical sidebar that is the main tab UI and can be hidden. | ✓ | ✓ | Tabs live in a vertical sidebar with favorites, pinned tabs and folders; Toggle Sidebar hides it and it slides out on hover.github.com |
| SpacesSeveral workspaces per window, each with its own pinned and open tabs, switched by swipe or shortcut. | ✓ | ✓ | Spaces each keep their own tabs and remember the last one; a two-finger swipe or Next/Previous Space switches, and Private Space sits past the last one.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. | ✕ | ✓ | One Chromium profile (logins, cookies, extensions) for every Space; only Private Space keeps its cookies and site data separate, in memory.github.com |
| FavoritesGlobal favoritesPinned icons at the top of the sidebar shared by every Space (Zen calls them Essentials). | ✓ | ✓ | One favorites row; the saved state lists favorites beside the Spaces, not inside one. ⌘1–⌘9 jump to them and icons can be changed.github.com |
| Pinned TabsPinned tabs & foldersPer-space pinned tabs that act like bookmarks, with nested folders. | ✓ | ✓ | Pinned tabs and folders per Space (right-click an empty spot for a folder), renamable and movable to another Space; folder nesting not exercised.github.com |
| Live foldersSidebar folders that fill and refresh themselves from an outside source, such as GitHub pull requests or an RSS feed. | ✕ | ✓ | No RSS or GitHub folder in the notes or binary; the only automatic folders are Sort's topic groups, made once on request from open tabs.github.com |
| ArchiveAuto-archive tabsUnpinned tabs close automatically after a set time and stay recoverable in an archive. | ✕ | ✓ | Closed tabs go to a searchable archive grouped by age (Today to 2 weeks ago) that you can clear; no setting closes open tabs on a timer.github.com |
| Theme pickerSpace themesPer-space colour or gradient themes. | ✕ | ✓ | A Space gets a name and one of 25 icons; no colour or gradient theme in the release notes, README or binary.github.com |
Browsing
| Feature | Holoholo | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Split ViewTwo or more tabs side by side in one window. | ◐ | ✓ | Two panes only, side by side or stacked; start from the menu, by dragging a tab onto drop zones over the page, or ⌥-click. Double-click the divider to swap.github.com |
| PeekLink previewOpen a link in an overlay without leaving the current page (Zen calls it Glance). | ✕ | ✓ | No link-preview overlay in the notes, README or binary; links open as a tab, in the background or in Split View. The only "peek" code is the downloads popover.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 tabs in the single window; there is no small separate window for them (one window only).github.com |
| Command barA ⌘T palette that searches tabs, history, bookmarks and browser commands. | ✓ | ✓ | ⌘T omnibox searches history, search suggestions, recent and archived tabs and commands (new tab, new Space, split, feedback), and switches tabs.github.com |
| Air Traffic ControlLink routingRules that send links from other apps to a chosen space or profile. | ✕ | ✓ | Links from other apps just open as a tab; no routing rules or per-site Space in the notes, README or binary.github.com |
| BoostsSite customizationPer-site custom CSS/JS, or zapping elements off a page. | ✓ | ✓ | Tweaks per site and its subdomains: zap elements (⌥⌘Z), font, tone, narrow page and your own CSS; the panel opens on ⌥⌘B. No JavaScript.github.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. | ✓ | ✓ | Player cards above the bottom bar for tabs playing sound: play/pause and a swipe for next or previous track; several players stack into a group.github.com |
| Tab SwitcherRecent-tab switcherCtrl+Tab jumps back to the tab you used last and cycles in recently used order. | ? | ✓ | |
| Super CopyClean link copyA shortcut (⌘⇧C) copies the page URL with tracking parameters removed. | ◐ | ✓ | A Copy URL shortcut copies the address ("Copied Current URL"), but the binary has no tracker-stripping code (no utm_ or fbclid).github.com |
| CaptureScreenshotsBuilt-in capture of a chosen area or element, and of the full page. | ✕ | ✓ | No screenshot or capture tool for you; the only capture code is a Companion tool that returns a tab's visible part.github.com |
Compatibility & migration
| Feature | Holoholo | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arc importImports Arc spaces, pinned tabs and folders. | ✓ | – | Brings over Spaces with icons, pinned tabs, folders and favorites from Arc (File → Import from Browser…, also in the welcome tour).alxxeu.github.io |
| Chrome extensionsInstalls extensions from the Chrome Web Store. | ✓ | ✓ | Installs from the Chrome Web Store and pins extensions to the sidebar; a manage panel exists. Extensions do not run in Private Space.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 WidevineCdm in the 0.1.12 bundle; PRIVACY.md says the component updater fetches Widevine. Playback on Netflix and similar was not tested. |
| PasskeysWebAuthn passkeys, Touch ID and the system/iCloud keychain. | ✕ | ✓ | README says no passkey support yet and the app has no passkey entitlement; Bluetooth prompt text mentions phone or key sign-in, untested.github.com |
| SyncSpaces, pinned tabs and settings sync across devices. | ✕ | ✓ | No accounts and no server of its own; Spaces and tabs stay on the Mac and no sync or export between devices was found.github.com |
| Mobile appiPhone, iPad or Android app that shares spaces with desktop. | ✕ | ◐ | Mac only (macOS 26+, Apple silicon); no iPhone, iPad or Android app.github.com |
Extras
| Feature | Holoholo | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built-in ad blockerAd and tracker blocking without installing an extension. | ✕ | ✓ | No built-in ad or tracker blocker; the welcome tour offers Web Store extensions such as uBlock Origin Lite and AdGuard instead.github.com |
| Custom ShortcutsShortcut editorMost browser keyboard shortcuts can be remapped in Settings. | ✕ | ✓ | Settings has a Shortcuts page, but no key-recorder or remap code is in the binary; it lists fixed combinations.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 | Holoholo | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| EaselsA shareable canvas of live page captures, notes and drawings. | ✕ | ◐ | No easel, board or canvas feature in the notes, README or binary.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. | ✕ | ✓ | No way to share a Space or folder; state stays on the Mac and the app has no server of its own.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 web-app preview or unread badge on pinned tabs found; hovering a link only shows its address.github.com |
| Developer modeA developer view that turns on by itself for localhost: full URL, quick DevTools and dev tools in reach. | ◐ | ✓ | Built-in Inspect docks DevTools next to the page (⌥⌘I or right-click); you open it by hand, nothing turns on for localhost.github.com |
Extension support
Which extension formats and stores run, beyond the Chrome Web Store row above.
| Feature | Holoholo | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manifest V2 extensionsThe older extension format Chrome removed in 2025. Needed for full uBlock Origin and other extensions that block requests. | ? | ✕ | |
| Manifest V3 extensionsThe current extension format used by the Chrome Web Store (and supported by Firefox and Safari). | ✓ | ✓ | Chromium 156 extension host with Web Store install and an extensions page (Developer mode, Load unpacked); MV3 API coverage not tested.github.com |
| Firefox add-onsAdd-ons from addons.mozilla.org or .xpi files install and run. | ✕ | ✕ | Chromium extensions only; no .xpi or addons.mozilla.org path in the binary.github.com |
| Safari extensionsSafari web extensions (the App Store extension apps Safari uses) install and run. | ✕ | ✕ | Chromium extensions only; no Safari extension (appex) support in the app.github.com |