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Find the right AI tool in 2 minutes. Independent reviews and honest comparisons of 875+ AI tools.

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Arc Search

Free AI-powered mobile browser that builds custom summary pages from multiple sources for every search. Atlassian acquired The Browser Company for $610M, and active development now targets the Dia browser instead.

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💡

In Plain English

AI-powered mobile search app that creates personalized web pages from multiple sources for comprehensive answers.

OverviewFeaturesPricingGetting StartedUse CasesLimitationsFAQSecurityAlternatives

Overview

Arc Search is the one mobile browser that responds to your query by building a custom webpage, pulling and synthesizing information from multiple sources into one clean summary. No other browser does this. But there's a catch: Atlassian bought the company, and the team now focuses on Dia.

What Arc Search Does

The core feature is Browse for Me. Type a question, and instead of showing ten blue links, Arc Search reads multiple websites, extracts the relevant information, and generates a single custom page with the answer. Think of Perplexity built into a browser.

Pinch to Summarize condenses any webpage into key bullet points. Useful for long articles when you need the gist fast. Voice search and Call Arc let you search hands-free.

The browsing experience itself is clean: no ads, minimal UI, well-placed navigation buttons. Users praise the design. The app is free on iOS and Android with no subscription tier and no premium upsell.

The Atlassian Acquisition

In September 2025, Atlassian acquired The Browser Company for $610 million. The Browser Company had shifted its primary development focus from Arc to a new AI-native browser called Dia before the deal closed. The company's leadership confirmed that Arc Search is now in maintenance mode, receiving security patches and bug fixes only. The team operates as an independent unit under Atlassian, focused full-time on Dia.

What This Means for Users

Arc Search still works today and remains completely free. However, no new features are planned. The long-term roadmap calls for porting Arc Search's best features — Browse for Me, Pinch to Summarize, and voice search — into Dia's upcoming mobile app, expected sometime in 2026. If you want a free AI browser right now, Arc Search delivers. If you want something with a future, keep an eye on Dia.

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Editorial Review

A free AI browser with a unique Browse for Me feature that synthesizes search results into custom pages. Excellent for quick mobile research, but now in maintenance mode after Atlassian's $610M acquisition of The Browser Company.

Key Features

Browse for Me+

The flagship AI feature that reads multiple websites in response to your query and generates a single custom summary page. It handles four content types — instant answers, recommendations, comparisons, and step-by-step guides — adapting the output format to match the nature of your question. This eliminates the need to open and read multiple tabs on a small mobile screen.

Built-in Ad and Tracker Blocking+

Arc Search blocks ads, trackers, pop-ups, and cookie banners by default with no configuration required. The website claims it blocks all 17 trackers found on google.com. While not as aggressive as Brave's blocking, it provides a noticeably cleaner browsing experience than Chrome or Safari out of the box.

Pinch to Summarize+

A gesture-based feature that condenses any webpage into key bullet points when you pinch the screen. Designed for quickly extracting the gist of long articles, news stories, or blog posts without reading the full text. Particularly useful on mobile where scrolling through lengthy content is cumbersome.

Voice Search and Call Arc+

Two hands-free search modes: voice search lets you speak your query instead of typing, while Call Arc takes it further by letting you hold the phone to your ear and have a conversational interaction with the search engine. Both features are designed for on-the-go use when typing on a mobile keyboard is inconvenient.

Auto-Archive and Tab Management+

Arc Search automatically archives inactive tabs after one day, preventing the common mobile browser problem of accumulating dozens of forgotten tabs. Combined with Arc Sync for cross-device tab synchronization across Mac, Windows, and iOS, it keeps your browsing organized without manual effort. Password sync works through iCloud Keychain or third-party password extensions.

Pricing Plans

Free

$0

  • ✓Browse for Me AI-generated summary pages
  • ✓Pinch to Summarize for any webpage
  • ✓Built-in ad, tracker, and pop-up blocking
  • ✓Voice search and Call Arc hands-free search
  • ✓Auto-archive inactive tabs
  • ✓Arc Sync across Mac, Windows, and iOS
  • ✓Reader mode
  • ✓Incognito mode
  • ✓Page translation
  • ✓iCloud Keychain and password extension support
See Full Pricing →Free vs Paid →Is it worth it? →

Ready to get started with Arc Search?

View Pricing Options →

Getting Started with Arc Search

  1. 1Download Arc Search app from the iOS App Store or Google Play Store
  2. 2Open the app and tap the search bar to enter your query
  3. 3Try the 'Browse for Me' feature by asking a complex question that needs research
  4. 4Use 'Pinch to Summarize' gesture on any webpage to get key bullet points
  5. 5Explore voice search by tapping the microphone icon for hands-free queries
Ready to start? Try Arc Search →

Best Use Cases

đŸŽ¯

Quick mobile research when you need a synthesized answer fast — use Browse for Me to get a summary page instead of clicking through ten links while commuting or waiting in line

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Reading long-form articles on mobile without distractions — Pinch to Summarize extracts key points from lengthy news articles, blog posts, or reports when you only have a minute

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Privacy-conscious mobile browsing — Arc Search blocks ads, trackers, pop-ups, and cookie banners by default, making it useful for browsing sites heavy with tracking scripts like news outlets

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Hands-free search while driving or cooking — voice search and Call Arc let you ask questions and get answers without touching your phone, useful for recipe lookups or quick fact checks

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Comparing products or options on mobile — Browse for Me generates structured comparison pages that pull from multiple review sites, saving you from tab-juggling on a small screen

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Students doing quick homework lookups — the step-by-step answer format from Browse for Me breaks down explanations clearly, and the free price point means no barrier to entry

Limitations & What It Can't Do

We believe in transparent reviews. Here's what Arc Search doesn't handle well:

  • ⚠Product in maintenance mode with no new feature development planned
  • ⚠Limited to mobile platforms only — no standalone desktop browser version for Arc Search specifically
  • ⚠Battery consumption higher than Safari on Apple devices due to AI processing overhead
  • ⚠Weak ad blocking compared to dedicated privacy browsers like Brave that use more aggressive filter lists
  • ⚠Small user base and community compared to mainstream browsers, meaning fewer extensions, less third-party support, and limited troubleshooting resources
  • ⚠Browse for Me summaries lack source citations and verification depth, making it unsuitable for academic or professional research requiring traceable references

Pros & Cons

✓ Pros

  • ✓Browse for Me creates custom summary pages from multiple sources at no cost
  • ✓Clean, ad-free browsing experience with thoughtful UI design
  • ✓Free with no subscription or premium tier
  • ✓Pinch to Summarize condenses any webpage into key points in seconds
  • ✓Available on both iOS and Android
  • ✓Built-in tracker blocking — claims to block all 17 trackers on google.com alone

✗ Cons

  • ✗In maintenance mode as The Browser Company focuses on Dia browser
  • ✗Weak ad blocking compared to Brave or dedicated content blockers
  • ✗Limited adoption with small user base and community
  • ✗Noticeable battery drain on Mac compared to Safari
  • ✗The team plans to port features to Dia, raising questions about Arc Search's future

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Arc Search really free, and how does it make money?+

Arc Search is completely free with no subscription tiers, premium upsells, or ads. The Browser Company funded development through venture capital and later the $610M Atlassian acquisition, not through user monetization. There are no hidden costs — every feature including Browse for Me, Pinch to Summarize, voice search, and Call Arc is available at no charge. Whether Atlassian will eventually monetize the underlying technology through enterprise products remains to be seen, but the consumer app itself has no pricing plans.

What happens to Arc Search now that Atlassian acquired The Browser Company?+

Atlassian acquired The Browser Company for $610 million in September 2025, primarily for the Dia browser and the team's AI expertise. Arc Search has been placed in maintenance mode, meaning it receives security patches and bug fixes but no major new features. The Browser Company operates as an independent unit under Atlassian, with the team focused full-time on Dia. The plan is to eventually port Arc Search features into Dia's mobile app, expected sometime in 2026. Arc Search still works today, but its long-term future is uncertain.

How does Browse for Me work and how is it different from a regular search engine?+

When you type a query and tap Browse for Me, Arc Search reads multiple websites related to your question, extracts the most relevant information, and generates a single custom webpage with a synthesized answer. Unlike a traditional search engine that returns a list of blue links for you to click through, Browse for Me does the reading for you. It supports instant answers, recommendations, comparisons, and step-by-step guides. The trade-off is that you get a curated summary rather than direct access to original sources, so it works best for quick factual queries rather than deep research.

Can I sync Arc Search with the Arc desktop browser?+

Yes, Arc Search supports Arc Sync, which lets you sync tabs instantly across Mac, Windows, and iOS devices. You can pick up where you left off on any device. The sync works through iCloud Keychain for passwords, or you can use your preferred password extension. Note that Arc Sync is tied to the Arc ecosystem — if the team eventually sunsets Arc Search in favor of Dia, this cross-device sync feature may be affected.

Should I switch to Arc Search or wait for Dia?+

If you want a free, well-designed AI-powered mobile browser right now, Arc Search still works well and costs nothing. However, it would be unwise to build important workflows around it since no new features are coming and the product may eventually be sunset. If you can wait, Dia's mobile app is expected in 2026 and will likely inherit Arc Search's best features with additional AI capabilities. For a more future-proof option today, Perplexity offers similar AI search features across both desktop and mobile, though it costs $20/month for the Pro tier.

🔒 Security & Compliance

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API Key Auth
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Encryption at Rest
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Encryption in Transit
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What's New in 2026

The Browser Company was acquired by Atlassian for $610M in September 2025. Arc Search is now in maintenance mode receiving only security patches, while the team focuses full-time on Dia, a new AI-native browser. The website now prominently features a banner directing users to 'Meet Dia, a new AI browser from the makers of Arc.' Dia's mobile app is expected in 2026 and will likely inherit Arc Search's core features.

Alternatives to Arc Search

Bing AI

AI Search

Microsoft's free AI search assistant (now Copilot) combining GPT-powered conversational answers with web citations, image generation, and deep Microsoft 365 integration.

Kagi

AI Search

Premium ad-free search engine with AI assistant, offering unbiased results, complete privacy, and personalized search customization through a subscription model.

Phind

Coding Agents

Revolutionary developer-focused AI search engine that delivers instant, accurate answers to coding questions with working code examples and technical explanations, transforming how programmers research and solve problems.

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Quick Info

Category

AI Search

Website

arc.net/search
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