Writing for XDA, Dhruv Bhutani describes Zen as the Arc alternative he had been waiting for after several days of use. That is a useful hands-on impression, not a performance benchmark. The stronger case for Zen rests on its specific organizational tools—and on understanding where their benefits stop.
Why Arc users have a reason to look elsewhere
Arc’s future is no longer merely a question of slower development. The Browser Company’s official farewell page says Arc for Windows and macOS will stop working on December 22, 2026. New account creation ended on October 22, and existing users are advised to export their data or migrate before the shutdown. That gives the search for an alternative a rather less philosophical deadline.
There is an important qualification to the AI-versus-traditional-browser framing: The Browser Company says Dia retains familiar Arc features and makes its AI optional. Choosing Zen therefore need not mean rejecting Dia because AI is unavoidable. It can instead be a preference for Zen’s Firefox foundation, interface or particular workflow.
Likewise, “less bloat” should not be confused with demonstrated efficiency. Bhutani’s account does not establish a controlled comparison of memory consumption, startup time or battery life. The useful question is whether Zen removes friction from your browsing—not whether its cleaner presentation automatically makes it faster.
Workspaces organize projects; containers separate logins
Zen’s workspaces group related tabs by project or activity. Its documentation describes creating a workspace from the sidebar’s Default selector and + button, then assigning a recognizable name and icon. A sensible starting point is two spaces, such as Work and Personal, rather than constructing a filing system worthy of a municipal archive.
Containers solve a different problem. They separate cookie sessions within the same browser profile, allowing different accounts on the same website to remain signed in simultaneously. Zen also supports assigning a default container to a workspace.
To try that distinction using the documented controls:
- Right-click the New Tab button.
- Choose a container.
- Open a website and sign in with the account intended for that context.
An existing tab can also be reopened through Open in New Container Tab.
The boundary matters: Zen’s manual says containers do not separate browsing history or extensions. They are useful account-management tools, not fully independent browser profiles or comprehensive security boundaries.
Bhutani also highlights folders, pinned websites, Essentials and a floating command bar for navigation. His account describes Routes as a way to direct recurring browsing into an appropriate workspace. Those features reinforce the organizational pitch, but his review does not identify the tested build; it should not be treated as a version-specific setup guide.
Split View really does support four tabs
Zen’s dedicated Split View documentation explicitly supports up to four tabs together. That is more specific than the homepage’s simpler description of two tabs side by side, and it corroborates the four-pane capability described by XDA.
The documented drag-and-drop procedure is straightforward:
- Open the pages you want to compare.
- Drag another tab from the sidebar toward the left or right edge of the current page.
- Drop it when the split indicator appears.
The result is multiple pages visible within one browser window. Each split pane has controls for repositioning it or returning it to a separate tab.
Zen documents these configurable layout shortcuts:
- Ctrl + Alt + H: horizontal layout.
- Ctrl + Alt + V: vertical layout.
- Ctrl + Alt + G: grid layout.
- Ctrl + Alt + U: unsplit all tabs.
For a documentation-and-editor workflow, start with two panes. Four is a capability, not an obligation; the goal is fewer interruptions, not smaller text.
Glance handles the links that do not deserve permanent tabs
Glance opens a website over the current page without requiring a full switch. According to Zen’s manual, its default trigger in a regular tab is Alt-clicking a link. The preview can then be dismissed, expanded into a normal tab or added to Split View.
If that shortcut does not behave as expected, the documented controls are under Settings > Look and Feel > Glance, where the feature and trigger method can be changed. That makes Glance a useful first experiment for readers whose research sessions routinely produce a dozen disposable tabs.
Compact Mode addresses a separate concern: interface space. Zen describes it as hiding the tab bar when it is unnecessary and revealing it when needed. Think of it as putting the browser’s furniture away, rather than changing what the websites themselves can do.
Extensions and Mods are different tools
Zen’s Firefox base allows extensions to be installed from Mozilla Add-ons. Zen Mods, by contrast, are CSS-based changes to the browser interface. The distinction is practical: an extension supplies browser or website functionality according to its permissions, while a Mod changes the surrounding UI.
There is also a compatibility wrinkle worth knowing before a switch: Zen’s documentation says Firefox themes are not supported, because its theming system differs. Access to Firefox extensions does not mean every Firefox customization transfers unchanged.
My recommendation is to establish a usable default setup before adding interface modifications. Otherwise, troubleshooting becomes an unnecessarily elaborate game of “browser behavior or something I installed?”
The Windows caveat: Widevine is not a cosmetic issue
Zen’s FAQ says its missing Widevine license prevents DRM-protected media playback on Windows and macOS. It names services including Netflix, Spotify, Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video among those affected. The documented alternatives are a Widevine-capable browser, such as Firefox, or the service’s native application.
That is not a limitation to wave away as a minor beta inconvenience. The FAQ says approval from Google is pending; it does not provide a resolution date.
Before making Zen your default, run a small acceptance test:
- Try your essential work websites and required extensions.
- Confirm that separate accounts behave as intended in containers.
- Build one useful workspace and one split-screen workflow.
- Test your paid streaming services.
- Retain a compatible second browser for protected media.
These are practical migration recommendations, not claims of firsthand testing.
Zen’s appeal is clear: organization and multitasking take precedence over an assistant-led experience. Its documented tools make it a credible Arc alternative, but the best recommendation is conditional. Let it earn the default-browser position through your actual workload—especially before discovering that the evening’s entertainment needs a different browser.