Yab

Opera Neon vs Arc

We make Yab, the third column.facts checked Oct 9 ↓

Opera Neon is Opera’s agent browser for Mac and Windows. Its own agents act in your live session on a $19.90 plan, and since August 2026 outside agents like Claude Code can use it free through its MCP Connector.

Arc is The Browser Company’s Chromium browser for Mac and Windows that put tabs down the side, with spaces, folders and Split View. It has had no new features since May 2025; it still gets security fixes, and its makers point people to Dia.

The short answer

Pick Opera Neon
  • if you want Claude Code or another MCP client to use a real signed-in browser, free
  • if you want one plan for an in-browser agent, deep research and making apps and media
  • if you want a VPN and an ad blocker built in
Pick Arc
  • if you use it today and want its sidebar, spaces and Split View exactly as they are
  • if you want a free browser with no paid AI plans
  • if you need the same layout on Windows
Or Yabours
  • if you miss Arc and want spaces, pins and folders kept, on a Mac
  • if you already pay for Claude or ChatGPT and want it to work in your signed-in tabs
  • if you want Claude Code, Codex or Cursor to drive a real browser over MCP

At a glance

Opera Neon and Arc, with Yab beside them for a Mac.

Opera Neon vs Arc
WhatOpera NeonArcYab
Made byOperaThe Browser Company (Atlassian)Serafim Korablev
StatusUpdatedSecurity fixes onlyUpdated
Runs onMac and WindowsMac and WindowsMac
Phone appNone yet; Opera says a mobile version will come, no date givenArc Search on iPhone, iPad and Android; on iPhone it shows your desktop spaces and pinsNot yet
PriceFree, and free for outside agents; Opera’s own agents $19.90/monthFree; its Arc Max AI helpers are free tooFree; its AI runs on your own Claude or ChatGPT plan
AIAn agent that works in pages, on its own AI serviceChat about pages, on its own AI serviceAn agent that works in pages, on your Claude or ChatGPT plan
Driven by outside agentsMCP and a command lineNoMCP and a command line
EngineChromiumChromiumWebKit
Tabs down the sideNot statedYesYes
SpacesYesYesYes
Split ViewNot statedYesYes
ExtensionsNot statedChrome Web StoreChrome Web Store
Ad blockerBuilt inNoBuilt in
Open sourceNoNoNo

Checked October 9, 2026 on each maker’s own pages, linked under Sources. Prices are per month, in US dollars.

Where they differ

What separates them, area by area. Where one plainly has more, it says who; where it comes down to taste, it says so.

AIOpera Neon leads

Only Opera Neon has an agent that clicks, types and finishes tasks in your pages. Neon Chat talks about your tabs, Neon Do acts in your live session, research agents dig, and Make builds apps and media on Opera’s servers. Arc Max helpers tidy tab titles and downloads, preview links and put ChatGPT in the command bar; Ask on Page was removed in August 2025, and there is no agent.

Agents like Claude Code and CodexOpera Neon leads

Opera Neon can be driven over MCP and a command line, through its MCP Connector, read-only unless you allow more, and opera-browser-cli. Arc has no MCP server or command line for outside agents.

Tabs and windowsArc leads

Opera Neon has spaces. Arc has tabs down the side, spaces, Split View, folders in the sidebar and tabs that sleep.

PriceArc leads

Opera Neon: Free, and free for outside agents; Opera’s own agents $19.90/month. Arc: Free; its Arc Max AI helpers are free too.

Where it runseven

Both run on Mac and Windows. On a Mac, Arc needs macOS 13 or later. Opera Neon has no phone app yet: Opera says a mobile version will come, no date given. On the phone, Arc: Arc Search on iPhone, iPad and Android; on iPhone it shows your desktop spaces and pins.

Engine and extensionsa matter of taste

Both are built on Chromium, as Chrome is, so sites work as they do in Chrome. Opera Neon takes no extensions, Arc from the Chrome Web Store.

PrivacyOpera Neon leads

Opera Neon has an ad blocker built in and a VPN. Page content used with Neon’s AI goes to Opera’s and OpenAI’s servers, kept up to 365 days; passwords, cards and cookies stay on your device. Arc has no ad blocker of its own. Arc needs an account; The Browser Company says it doesn’t see which sites you visit, and Arc Max sends page data to OpenAI and Anthropic.

UpdatesOpera Neon leads

Opera Neon is updated as usual. Arc: No new features since May 2025; Chromium security updates still come, the latest on October 8, 2026.

What their pages don’t lead with

Real limits, from the makers’ own words and our own use.

Opera Neon

  • Opera’s own agents need the $19.90 a month plan
  • Mac and Windows only; the phone version isn’t out
  • Its AI and the MCP Connector need an Opera account
  • Page content used with its AI goes to Opera’s and OpenAI’s servers, kept up to 365 days

Arc

  • No new features since May 2025, only security updates
  • Needs an Arc account
  • No ad blocker of its own
  • On phones, Arc Search is a separate search app

Yab, honestly

  • Mac only: macOS 15.4 or later, no Windows, iPhone or Android
  • New: first released in September 2026
  • Its AI needs a Claude or ChatGPT plan; ChatGPT’s free plan may work with low limits
  • WebKit, as in Safari: a site tested only in Chrome can misbehave
  • Closed source

What changed lately

  • August 12, 2026Opera Neon: Free plan: outside agents can use Neon without a subscription
  • May 12, 2026Opera Neon: opera-browser-cli command line released
  • March 31, 2026Opera Neon: MCP Connector lets outside AI clients act in Neon
  • October 21, 2025Arc: Atlassian completed its purchase of The Browser Company
  • August 28, 2025Arc: Ask On Page removed from Arc Max
  • May 26, 2025Arc: The Browser Company stopped feature work on Arc to focus on Dia

Questions

Is Opera Neon free?

Yes, with limits on its AI. Free, and free for outside agents; Opera’s own agents $19.90/month.

Is Arc free?

Yes. Free; its Arc Max AI helpers are free too.

Which has an AI agent, Opera Neon or Arc?

Opera Neon. Neon Chat talks about your tabs, Neon Do acts in your live session, research agents dig, and Make builds apps and media on Opera’s servers. Arc Max helpers tidy tab titles and downloads, preview links and put ChatGPT in the command bar; Ask on Page was removed in August 2025, and there is no agent.

Do Opera Neon and Arc run on Windows?

Yes, both. Opera Neon runs on Mac and Windows; Arc on Mac and Windows.

Do Opera Neon and Arc have phone apps?

Opera Neon has no phone app yet: Opera says a mobile version will come, no date given. On the phone, Arc: Arc Search on iPhone, iPad and Android; on iPhone it shows your desktop spaces and pins.

Is Arc still being updated?

No new features since May 2025; Chromium security updates still come, the latest on October 8, 2026.

Is there a third option on a Mac?

Yab, Yet Another Browser, is free for the Mac: tabs down the side with spaces, folders and Split View, as in Arc; an agent in your signed-in tabs like Opera Neon’s, on the Claude or ChatGPT plan you already pay for. Claude Code, Codex and any MCP client can drive it too. It runs on WebKit, the engine Safari uses, and takes Chrome extensions. It is Mac only, and new.

More comparisons

Opera Neon vs DiaOpera Neon vs CometOpera Neon vs AtlasAside vs Opera NeonOpera Neon vs ChromeOpera Neon vs SafariOpera Neon vs EdgeOpera Neon alternativesYab vs Opera NeonVivaldi vs ArcZen vs ArcOrion vs ArcSigmaOS vs ArcArc vs ChromeArc vs SafariArc vs EdgeArc alternativesYab vs Arc
Sources, read October 9, 2026. Something out of date? Write to hello@serafimlabs.io and we fix it.

Yab, Yet Another Browser.

Free for the Mac. Arc’s sidebar, your own Claude or ChatGPT as the agent, Chrome extensions on WebKit.

it’s freeMove from ArcDownload