Ever since I got my new MacBook, I have been using Safari. It is fast, clean, and works perfectly fine, but it feels a bit basic. I got tired of using the same browser every day, so I decided to test a few alternatives to see which one I actually prefer. I tested them with real multitasking, multiple tabs, and my usual daily workflow. The lineup included Brave, Zen, Arc, and Helium. Here is how they compared.
Brave
Brave focuses heavily on privacy and security. It blocks ads and cookie banners straight out of the box, and you do not need to connect an email account to use it. The layout is simple, but you can easily customize the color palettes, the toolbar, and the background picture of your start page in the settings. In my performance test, Brave actually used less RAM than Safari, though Safari still performed better regarding CPU usage and disk write speeds.
Zen
The installation process for Zen feels premium, and like Brave, it respects your privacy by not requiring an account. The layout is intuitive, featuring your opened tabs on the left and a quick search menu that resembles Apple’s Spotlight search. You can change the color themes, although the options are restricted to pre-selected palettes. When I checked the performance, Zen used significantly more RAM than Safari—about 400 percent more. It also did not perform as well in CPU and disk usage.
Arc
Arc shares a very similar layout with Zen but unfortunately requires an email login to use. Despite this downside, the browser offers great features, including workspace management, direct media access, and built-in note-taking. A standout feature is the picture-in-picture mode that keeps videos playing in the corner even when you navigate away. Performance-wise, Arc manages CPU usage better than Safari, though Safari remains more efficient with RAM and disk space.
Helium
Helium is a newer browser based on Chromium, and its design is practically identical to Google Chrome. While the customization options are mostly limited to changing the background, the performance is where it really stands out. Helium beats Safari in both CPU and RAM efficiency, making it a great option if you like the Chrome interface but want better resource management.
My personal favorite ended up being Arc. Despite the required login, the built-in features and overall design make it the best fit for my workflow. If you want maximum privacy, Brave is the way to go. If you prefer an open-source browser without an account requirement, Zen is a good choice, provided your system has enough RAM to handle it. Finally, if you want a lighter, more efficient alternative to Chrome, Helium is definitely worth checking out.
