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Arc Max vs Side Space

Two fact sheets from our own research, side by side — pricing, platforms, API access and status re-checked by us rather than quoted from the vendors. Side Space publishes a starting price ($2.90); Arc Max does not. Both have a free tier.

Arc MaxOpt-in AI layer inside the Arc browser: link previews, tidier tab titles and renamed downloadsSide SpaceBrowser sidebar that groups tabs into spaces and runs an agent over what you have open.

Side by side

FactArc MaxSide Space
CategoryBrowser Extensions & CopilotsBrowser Extensions & Copilots
Pricing modelFreeFreemium
Starts at—$2.90 month
Public APINoNo
PlatformsmacOS, Windows, iOSChrome Ext
CompanyThe Browser Company of New YorkCursorDance, LLC
Last verifiedSep 6, 2026Sep 6, 2026

What our research says

Arc Max

Max is a small, well-judged set of browser conveniences rather than a chatbot bolted into a sidebar, and the shift-hover link preview is the rare AI feature you keep using. It is free and opt-in per feature. The problem is what it sits on: the vendor says Arc now gets Chromium updates only and directs users to Dia for security patches, so this is a feature set on a browser that is no longer being built.

Pros

  • Free with the browser, with no separate subscription or credits
  • Each of the four features is opt-in individually from the command bar
  • Five-second previews work on any link without opening a tab
  • Ask ChatGPT runs on your own account rather than a metered pool
  • Download and tab renaming are quiet background wins rather than prompts

Cons

  • Arc is on Chromium updates only and the vendor recommends Dia for security patches
  • The feature set is narrow — four conveniences, not an assistant
  • Ask ChatGPT needs a separate ChatGPT account signed into the profile
  • Mac, Windows and iPhone only
  • No settings sync story for teams and no admin controls

Side Space

Tab management plus a chat that can actually see the tabs is a better combination than either half alone, and at $2.90 a month it is one of the cheapest paid extensions in this category. Note the rename: the product you find as Side Space is now Side Copilot, which matters when you search for support or reviews. Agent mode driving your live browser is the part to think about before installing.

Pros

  • Vertical tab sidebar with named spaces, free up to five
  • Chat mode answers across the tabs currently open
  • Agent mode automates grouping, history search and workspace rearrangement
  • Installs on Chrome, Edge, Brave, Vivaldi, Comet, Dia, Sigma, Firefox and Zen
  • $2.90/month is low for the category, with a 7-day refund window

Cons

  • Rebranded from Side Space, so older reviews and links point at a dead name
  • Agent mode needs broad permissions over your browsing
  • No Safari support
  • CursorDance, LLC publishes no address or team page

Which one fits

Choose Arc Max if you need

  • Existing Arc users who want previews and tab tidying
  • People already paying for ChatGPT who want it in the command bar
  • Anyone wanting AI browser features without a second subscription

Choose Side Space if you need

  • people who keep dozens of tabs open across projects
  • researchers who want to query several open pages at once
  • anyone on a Chromium browser other than Chrome

More comparisons

All Side Space alternatives →Browse all Browser Extensions & Copilots →