Arc Search

Browse for Me is Arc Search's flagship feature. Instead of returning a list of blue links, it dispatches AI agents to browse multiple websites in the background, read what they find, and compile a custom-built single-page answer that looks hand-crafted for your specific query. It includes a summary, relevant images, citations to sources, and suggested follow-up questions. For many queries, it delivers what you actually want to know faster than Google Search + clicking through links. Critics argue it concentrates too much authority in the AI's interpretation; supporters see it as the future of search.

Partially. In mid-2025, The Browser Company of New York announced it was shifting focus to Dia, a new AI-first desktop browser, and putting Arc (desktop) and Arc Search (mobile) into maintenance mode. Arc Search still works and receives bug fixes, but new features are rare. The Browse for Me experience remains functional. If you like Arc Search today, it is still worth downloading — just know that the product is unlikely to evolve further in the near term. Heavy users may want to consider Perplexity or ChatGPT for longer-term bets.

Different trade-offs. Arc Search is a full browser with Browse for Me as a headline feature, so you get a complete web browsing experience with AI search layered on top. Perplexity is a dedicated AI search tool with more advanced modes (Pro Search, Deep Research, focus modes), more regular updates, and a clear long-term business. For mobile-first users who want a browser, Arc Search is more polished. For dedicated AI search with ongoing development, Perplexity is stronger.

Arc Search has strong privacy defaults — ad-free browsing, tracker blocking, incognito mode — and The Browser Company has publicly committed to not selling user data or showing ads. Queries sent to Browse for Me are processed by AI services that may retain transient data for processing; for highly sensitive queries, consider a dedicated privacy browser like Brave or Tor. For everyday mobile browsing, Arc Search is significantly more privacy-respecting than Chrome or Safari with default settings.

For most mobile users, yes — at least for a trial. Arc Search handles normal web browsing fine and layers Browse for Me on top for when you want AI answers. The main limits are lack of extensions, limited tab management, and sparse desktop parity. For users who live in their mobile browser for reading, researching, and quick lookups, Arc Search is often an improvement over Safari or Chrome. For users who need sync across devices with extension support, traditional browsers remain better.

Dia is The Browser Company's new AI-first desktop browser, announced in 2024 and launching through 2025. It represents the team's bet on where AI browsing is going and receives active development, while Arc Search and desktop Arc are in maintenance. For users wanting The Browser Company's latest thinking on AI browsing, Dia is the direction. For mobile-first Arc Search users, there is currently no direct Dia-mobile replacement — Arc Search remains the mobile offering, even in maintenance.