Arc Search

Arc Search is a mobile browser whose default search experience builds answers from multiple pages. It is best for mobile readers who want synthesized search alongside everyday browsing tools. It is a compelling free option, provided you accept its search-data handling and the limits on syncing tabs.

Overview

Browse for Me searches multiple pages and presents an answer on a custom webpage, making it a useful starting point for quick questions when a conventional list of links feels like extra work. It is not aimed at deeper research: it has neither a deep research mode nor source filters. Readers who prefer a conventional search provider can choose Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo, Ecosia, Perplexity, or Kagi.

For routine browsing, Arc Search includes reader and incognito modes, website translation, voice search, and a built-in blocker that Arc says blocks ads, trackers, pop-ups, and cookie banners. Those tools broaden its appeal beyond AI answers. Automatic tab archiving is less conventional: inactive tabs are archived at intervals ranging from 12 hours to 30 days, which helps curb tab clutter but may not suit readers who want tabs to remain open indefinitely.

Key features

Browse for Me

The custom-page answer is the main reason to choose Arc Search over a browser centered on ordinary search results. It condenses material from multiple pages into a single response, but readers who need research workflows with deep research or source filtering will need another tool. Arc says Browse for Me sends command bar content and search result content to OpenAI to generate summaries, a significant consideration for anyone who would rather not send that material to an external service.

Tabs, browsing tools, and sync

Automatic archiving gives Arc Search a clear way to manage inactive tabs, with a selectable interval range from 12 hours to 30 days. That can keep a crowded browser in check, but the behavior is worth weighing if you rely on old tabs as a persistent workspace. Reader mode, incognito mode, translation, voice search, and the advertised ad and tracker blocking round out the mobile browser toolkit.

Arc Sync shares desktop Spaces, pinned tabs, and Today tabs with Arc Search on iOS. It is unavailable on Android, and tabs created in Arc Search do not sync back to desktop. The iOS integration is therefore useful for carrying selected desktop browsing into mobile, but it is not a complete two-way tab workflow; Android users should not choose Arc Search for desktop continuity.

Arc says Sync protects sidebar data with end-to-end encryption and names Argon2 and Libsodium sealed boxes in its technical details. The maker also says it is not currently SOC 2 or ISO 27001 certified and does not offer account MFA. That combination may be acceptable for personal browsing, but organizations with certification or account-security requirements should look elsewhere.

Pricing

Arc Search: free. The plan is a free mobile browser, with no paid tier or quota specified. Arc says premium and team features may be charged in the future, but has announced no specifics; readers choosing it now should treat the current free offer as the product’s present price, not a promise that every future feature will remain free.

There is no cheaper tier to compare, and no seat count, trial term, or renewal condition to weigh. Its free price makes it easy to try, but the main trade-offs are functional and privacy-related rather than subscription limits.

Platforms

Arc Search supports Android and iOS, with minimum requirements of Android 10 or later and iOS 16 or later. The product also lists macOS and Windows as platforms, but its mobile apps are the Arc Search experience described here; desktop-to-mobile Arc Sync is specifically available on iOS, not Android. There is no browser extension or API access.

Who it's for

Choose Arc Search if you browse primarily on a phone, want a generated answer from several pages for quick queries, and value an included set of everyday browsing tools at no cost. It is a particularly good fit for iOS users who want desktop Spaces, pinned tabs, and Today tabs to carry over to mobile.

It is a weaker fit for Android users who need desktop tab sync, researchers who depend on deep research or source filters, or organizations that require SOC 2 or ISO 27001 certification or account MFA. Readers uncomfortable with search content being sent to OpenAI should also use a different search experience.

Pros and cons

Pros: Browse for Me turns multiple pages into a custom-page answer, reducing the need to open results one by one for quick questions.

Pros: The free mobile browser includes reader and incognito modes, translation, voice search, and a blocker Arc says handles ads, trackers, pop-ups, and cookie banners.

Pros: iOS Arc Sync shares desktop Spaces, pinned tabs, and Today tabs, while end-to-end encryption protects sidebar data according to Arc.

Cons: Browse for Me sends command bar and search-result content to OpenAI, which may rule it out for privacy-sensitive searches.

Cons: Sync is unavailable on Android, and mobile-created tabs do not sync back to desktop, limiting continuity in both directions.

Cons: There is no deep research mode or source filtering, and the maker says it lacks SOC 2 and ISO 27001 certification and account MFA.

Alternatives

Perplexity is a better fit for readers seeking a search-focused service across web, mobile, desktop, and API platforms, with a free plan for limited daily individual use and a Pro plan at $20 a month for serious work with expanded use. Choose it over Arc Search if those broader access options or its paid tier suit your needs; Arc remains the free mobile-browser choice.

Genspark Design is worth considering if its stated credit-based plans fit your use: Free includes 100 credits per day, while Plus includes 10,000 credits per month and 50 GB of AI Drive storage at custom pricing. Those allowances make it a different option for readers comparing AI services by usage credits and storage rather than a mobile browser’s tab and search tools.

Consensus is an alternative for readers whose needs align with its research-oriented search service and free tier, which includes unlimited paper searches, limited Pro messages, three Deep reviews per month, ten Study Snapshots per month, and 30 API and MCP calls per month. Choose Arc Search instead for general mobile browsing and its everyday browser tools.

Yahoo Scout is another free option, with Android, iOS, and web access; some features require a Yahoo account. It suits readers who want a free service without a paid subscription requirement at launch, while Arc Search adds mobile-browser features and its Browse for Me experience.

You.com offers a free plan with 100 queries per day, web and news results, and $100 free credit. It is a reasonable alternative for readers comparing query-based AI search, while Arc Search is the more direct choice for a mobile browser with automatic tab archiving and conventional browser tools.

Andi AI provides a free search plan with unlimited searches, reading, summarizing, explaining, and AI text generation, plus basic support on Discord. Pick it if those search and text-generation functions matter more than Arc Search’s integrated mobile browsing.

Felo Search has a free plan that includes five professional searches per day and up to three file analyses. It may suit readers whose needs fit those daily search and file-analysis allowances; Arc Search is better positioned as a general mobile browser.

Jina AI is an alternative.

For more options, browse AI Search Engines, AI Browsers, Mobile Browser Software, or Web browsers.

Verdict

Arc Search is a strong choice for mobile readers who want quick synthesized answers and a useful browser toolkit without paying. Its clearest reasons to look elsewhere are the transfer of Browse for Me search content to OpenAI, missing Android-to-desktop sync, and the absence of deeper research features and formal security certifications.