Zen Browser vs Edge

Zen Browser is heavily inspired by Arc Browser, with one core difference. It was built for those who want a Chromium alternative, but love the idea of a modern browser with a powerful sidebar, like Arc.

That said, with it being built atop Firefox, if you're moving over to it from Google Chrome or Safari, you're most notably going to notice how many browser extensions you use that don't exist in Firefox more than anything:

Only 2 of 29 extensions ported over

It's also built by a much smaller team, so you really have to just be somebody that absolutely loves Firefox, and wants to use a modern spin on that. That said, if youwant an Arc-like experience without the bugs? Just use Arc instead.

Edge is Microsoft's attempt to stay relevant after all the years of pain and heartache that came from Internet Explorer.

Their large investment into OpenAI has enabled them to pull in some AI into the browser (branded as Copilot), though it's more just a wrapper for ChatGPT with various pre-built functions.

While Edge is built on Chromium (like many of the best browsers on the makes), they are one of the only browsers (aside from Arc) that have managed to exist without taking that sweet sweet money from Google.

Edge makes money by promoting their many Microsoft products, making them work more seamlessly in the browser where possible.

While Microsoft has tried so hard to get back the marketshare they once had and have since lost, Edge still feels a bit dated in their UI/UX, and their unique functionality isn't all that great unless you're an avid Microsoft 365 user.

That said, if you're on this site and doing software research, you're more likely using Google Workspace and Gmail, and there are much better browser options on the market, even if you're a Windows user, as even Arc is now on Windows.