Skip to main content
aitoolsatlas.ai
BlogAbout

Explore

  • All Tools
  • Comparisons
  • Best For Guides
  • Blog

Company

  • About
  • Contact
  • Editorial Policy

Legal

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Affiliate Disclosure
Privacy PolicyTerms of ServiceAffiliate DisclosureEditorial PolicyContact

© 2026 aitoolsatlas.ai. All rights reserved.

Find the right AI tool in 2 minutes. Independent reviews and honest comparisons of 880+ AI tools.

  1. Home
  2. Tools
  3. Arc Search
OverviewPricingReviewWorth It?Free vs PaidDiscountAlternativesComparePros & ConsIntegrationsTutorialChangelogSecurityAPI
Coding Agents🟢No Code
A

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.

Starting atFree
Visit Arc Search →
💡

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 a free, AI-powered mobile browser developed by The Browser Company, designed as a companion to the desktop Arc browser. Rather than presenting a traditional list of blue links, Arc Search uses its signature 'Browse for Me' feature to read across multiple websites on the user's behalf and assemble a single custom summary page tailored to each query. The result is a clean, ad-free reading experience that bundles the answer, key facts, related links, images, and follow-up questions into one scrollable view, often eliminating the need to click through multiple tabs.

The app launched in early 2024 for iOS and later expanded to Android, positioning itself as a fast, opinionated alternative to Safari, Chrome, and Google Search on mobile. Beyond AI summarization, Arc Search includes practical browser features such as a built-in ad and tracker blocker, pinch-to-summarize on any webpage, an AI-powered call transcription mode for live audio capture, and a 'Tidy Tabs' organizer that uses AI to group open tabs by topic. The browser also strips clutter, autoplay videos, cookie banners, and pop-ups by default, prioritizing reading speed and battery efficiency.

In September 2025, Atlassian acquired The Browser Company for approximately $610 million, and the team has publicly shifted its primary development focus to Dia, a newer AI-first desktop browser. Arc Search remains available, free, and functional on mobile, but the original Arc desktop browser and Arc Search are no longer receiving active feature development beyond maintenance. For users seeking a frictionless, summary-first mobile search experience, Arc Search is still one of the most polished AI search apps available, though long-term support is uncertain. It is best understood as a mature, stable product rather than a roadmap-driven one, making it a strong fit for casual research, quick lookups, and distraction-free mobile browsing rather than mission-critical workflows that depend on continuous updates.

🎨

Vibe Coding Friendly?

▼
Difficulty:intermediate

Suitability for vibe coding depends on your experience level and the specific use case.

Learn about Vibe Coding →

Was this helpful?

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

  • ✓Unlimited Browse for Me AI summaries
  • ✓Pinch-to-summarize on any webpage
  • ✓Built-in ad and tracker blocker
  • ✓Tidy Tabs and auto-archive
  • ✓Voice search and AI call transcription
  • ✓No account required
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

🎯

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

⚡

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

🔧

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

🚀

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

💡

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

🔄

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:

  • ⚠Arc Search is mobile-only and has no dedicated desktop counterpart, limiting workflow continuity for users who switch between phone and computer. AI summaries lack inline per-claim citations, so verifying specific facts requires manually opening source links. The product is now in maintenance mode following Atlassian's acquisition of The Browser Company, with active development focus shifted to the Dia browser, meaning new features, bug fixes, and platform support may slow significantly over time. There is no API, no team or enterprise tier, no offline mode for summaries, and limited control over which search engines or AI models power results. Heavy reliance on summarization can also reduce engagement with primary sources, which is a poor fit for academic or legally sensitive research.

Pros & Cons

✓ Pros

  • ✓Browse for Me generates a single clean summary page from multiple sources, reducing the need to open and compare tabs manually
  • ✓Completely free with no subscription tiers, sign-up requirements, or usage caps for AI summaries
  • ✓Built-in ad blocker, tracker blocker, and clutter remover deliver a noticeably faster and cleaner mobile reading experience
  • ✓Pinch-to-summarize gesture works on any webpage, turning long articles into bullet-point briefs in seconds
  • ✓Polished, opinionated UI with thoughtful touches like swipe-to-archive tabs, voice search, and AI call transcription
  • ✓Privacy-conscious defaults including HTTPS upgrades and minimal data collection compared to mainstream mobile browsers

✗ Cons

  • ✗The Browser Company has shifted active development to Dia after the Atlassian acquisition, leaving Arc Search in maintenance mode with an unclear long-term roadmap
  • ✗Summaries can occasionally hallucinate or omit nuance, and there are no inline citations next to individual claims, only a list of source links
  • ✗No desktop version of Arc Search itself — the AI search experience is mobile-only, which limits cross-device continuity
  • ✗Heavy reliance on AI summaries can encourage skipping primary sources, which is problematic for academic or fact-sensitive research
  • ✗Limited customization of search behavior, default search engine routing, or summary depth compared to power-user tools like Kagi

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

—
SOC2
Unknown
—
GDPR
Unknown
—
HIPAA
Unknown
—
SSO
Unknown
—
Self-Hosted
Unknown
—
On-Prem
Unknown
—
RBAC
Unknown
—
Audit Log
Unknown
—
API Key Auth
Unknown
—
Open Source
Unknown
—
Encryption at Rest
Unknown
—
Encryption in Transit
Unknown
🦞

New to AI tools?

Read practical guides for choosing and using AI tools

Read Guides →

Get updates on Arc Search and 370+ other AI tools

Weekly insights on the latest AI tools, features, and trends delivered to your inbox.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

What's New in 2026

As of 2026, Arc Search remains available on iOS and Android but is no longer the primary focus of The Browser Company following Atlassian's roughly $610 million acquisition in late 2025. The team's engineering attention has shifted to Dia, a newer AI-first desktop browser, and public communications have indicated that Arc and Arc Search are effectively in maintenance mode. Existing AI features such as Browse for Me, pinch-to-summarize, Tidy Tabs, and call transcription continue to work, but users should not expect significant new capabilities, and migration to Dia is being positioned as the long-term path for Browser Company users seeking ongoing AI browser development.

Alternatives to Arc Search

Bing AI

AI Agent Builders

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 Agent Builders

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.

View All Alternatives & Detailed Comparison →

User Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your experience!

Quick Info

Category

Coding Agents

Website

arc.net/search
🔄Compare with alternatives →

Try Arc Search Today

Get started with Arc Search and see if it's the right fit for your needs.

Get Started →

Need help choosing the right AI stack?

Take our 60-second quiz to get personalized tool recommendations

Find Your Perfect AI Stack →

Want a faster launch?

Explore 20 ready-to-deploy AI agent templates for sales, support, dev, research, and operations.

Browse Agent Templates →

More about Arc Search

PricingReviewAlternativesFree vs PaidPros & ConsWorth It?Tutorial

📚 Related Articles

AI Coding Agents Compared: Claude Code vs Cursor vs Copilot vs Codex (2026)

Compare the top AI coding agents in 2026 — Claude Code, Cursor, Copilot, Codex, Windsurf, Aider, and more. Real pricing, honest strengths, and a decision framework for every skill level.

2026-03-1612 min read