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Aside vs Dia

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. Both start at $20. Both have a free tier.

AsideA macOS-only browser that logs into your existing accounts and completes multi-step tasks on its own.DiaMac browser whose assistant answers across your open tabs, Slack, Notion, calendar and GitHub

Side by side

FactAsideDia
CategoryBrowser Automation AgentsBrowser Extensions & Copilots
Pricing modelFreemiumFreemium
Starts at$20 month$20 month
Public APINoNo
PlatformsmacOS, Chrome ExtmacOS
CompanyAside Computer Inc.The Browser Company
Last verifiedSep 1, 2026Sep 6, 2026

What our research says

Aside

Aside's angle is that automating a web task doesn't require an API integration with every tool — it just needs a browser that can act like you're already logged in and click through the same steps you would. That's a real capability, but macOS-only availability shuts out a large share of business users for now, and letting a browser act on logged-in accounts raises real questions about mistakes on sensitive actions.

Pros

  • Requires no per-tool API integration since it drives the same web interfaces a person would use
  • Sensitive actions like payments and posts require human confirmation by design
  • Backed by Y Combinator with a named founding team
  • Credentials autofill without being exposed directly to the AI model, per the vendor

Cons

  • macOS-only for now, with no Windows build currently available
  • Free tier's 500 monthly credits is a thin allowance for daily task automation
  • Browser-simulated automation is inherently more fragile to site redesigns than a proper API integration

Dia

The bet is that an assistant living inside the browser, with your tabs and connected work tools already in reach, beats pasting context into a separate chat window. It mostly holds up for people whose work is genuinely spread across Slack, Notion and Workspace. The costs are real: Apple silicon only, and the tier with daily briefings is $100 a month.

Pros

  • The assistant reads open tabs and connected tools instead of sitting in a separate window
  • The free tier is a usable browser on its own
  • Privacy defaults are on: tracker and ad blocking enabled, memory optional, sync end-to-end encrypted
  • Profiles and named tab groups keep work and personal contexts apart

Cons

  • Apple silicon Macs on macOS 14+ only, with no other platform available
  • $100/month for the briefing tier is steep next to standalone assistants
  • The useful features require broad OAuth access to Slack, Notion, Calendar and Workspace
  • No API

Which one fits

Choose Aside if you need

  • Mac users wanting to automate multi-step browser tasks across tools without waiting for each one to ship an API integration
  • Operations, sales, and hiring workflows that involve repetitive steps across several web tools
  • Developers and researchers comfortable trusting an agent with logged-in browser access

Choose Dia if you need

  • Mac users whose day runs across Slack, Notion, Calendar and GitHub
  • people who want briefings and synthesis without leaving the browser
  • Arc users looking for its successor

More comparisons

Browse all Browser Automation Agents →