Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Setapp VS Arc

Compare Setapp VS Arc and see what are their differences

Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Setapp logo Setapp

The one place for trusted apps. Hundreds of high-quality apps for your Mac and iPhone, including AI tools.

Arc logo Arc

This new web browser is going to kill Chrome
  • Setapp
    Image date //
    2026-06-25
  • Setapp
    Image date //
    2026-06-25
  • Setapp
    Image date //
    2026-06-25
  • Setapp
    Image date //
    2026-06-25
  • Setapp
    Image date //
    2026-06-25
  • Setapp
    Image date //
    2026-06-25

A unified marketplace for Mac and iPhone users to get hand-picked, trusted apps. Get over 260 apps for a flat fee with Setapp Membership, or purchase individual apps on flexible terms through Setapp Marketplace.

  • Arc Landing page
    Landing page //
    2024-05-18

Setapp

Website
setapp.com
$ Details
paid Free Trial $14.99 / Monthly (1 Mac)
Release Date
2017 January

Arc

Website
arc.net
Pricing URL
-
$ Details
-
Release Date
-

Setapp features and specs

  • Diverse Application Library
    Setapp provides access to a wide range of high-quality Mac applications across different categories, all from a single subscription service.
  • Cost-Effective
    For a monthly fee, users gain access to multiple paid applications, which can be more cost-effective than purchasing individual app licenses.
  • Updates and Upgrades Included
    All apps within Setapp come with automatic updates and upgrades included in the subscription, ensuring users always have the latest features and security patches.
  • Easy Installation and Management
    The Setapp platform provides a user-friendly interface for browsing, installing, and managing applications, simplifying the overall user experience.
  • Free Trial Available
    Setapp offers a 7-day free trial, allowing potential users to explore and evaluate the service before committing to a subscription.

Arc features and specs

  • Innovative Design
    Arc offers a sleek and modern interface that is different from traditional web browsers, prioritizing accessibility and user experience.
  • Enhanced Privacy
    The browser comes with strong privacy features, including tracker blocking and advanced security settings to protect users' data and browsing habits.
  • Performance Optimization
    Arc is built on a performance-optimized engine that ensures fast browsing speeds and efficient resource management.
  • Customizability
    Users can personalize their browsing experience with a variety of themes, extensions, and settings that cater to individual preferences.
  • Cross-Platform Synchronization
    Arc supports the synchronization of tabs, bookmarks, and preferences across multiple devices, providing a seamless experience for users who switch between desktop and mobile.

Possible disadvantages of Arc

  • Limited Extension Support
    Compared to more established browsers, Arc has a smaller library of compatible extensions, which might limit functionality for some users.
  • Learning Curve
    The unique design and features of Arc may require users to spend some time learning how to navigate and utilize the browser effectively.
  • Compatibility Issues
    Some websites and web applications may not be fully compatible with Arc, potentially leading to rendering issues or functionality limitations.
  • Resource Intensive
    Despite its optimizations, Arc can be more resource-intensive compared to some other browsers, possibly impacting system performance on older or less powerful devices.
  • Maturity
    As a relatively new entrant in the browser market, Arc may lack the robustness and refinement that come with years of development and user feedback seen in more established browsers.

Analysis of Setapp

Overall verdict

  • Overall, Setapp is considered good for users who frequently use multiple Mac apps and value convenience and flexibility. It provides excellent value for money by offering a diverse selection of reliable and well-crafted applications. However, it might not be the best choice for those who only need a few specific applications or prefer to own their software outright.

Why this product is good

  • Setapp is a subscription-based service that provides access to a wide range of Mac applications for a single monthly fee. Users often find it beneficial because it offers a curated selection of high-quality apps without the need to purchase each one individually. It saves time and money for those who require multiple tools, ensuring they always have the latest versions without additional costs. Furthermore, it simplifies software management by centralizing the process of discovering, updating, and accessing various applications.

Recommended for

    Setapp is recommended for professionals, creatives, and productivity enthusiasts who use a variety of Mac applications regularly and appreciate the ease of access to a comprehensive software library without the hassle of individual purchases. It's also suitable for users who enjoy exploring new tools and apps to enhance their workflow.

Analysis of Arc

Overall verdict

  • Arc is a solid and innovative web browser that has quickly gained positive traction among both casual users and professionals, particularly those looking for a feature-rich and privacy-focused browsing experience.

Why this product is good

  • Arc (arc.net) is considered a good choice by many users and tech reviewers because it offers modern features, a sleek and user-friendly design, and improved performance compared to some other browsers. Its focus on privacy, security, and customization, along with effective integration with various web services, makes it appealing to a broad audience. Regular updates and community feedback incorporation further enhance its reputation.

Recommended for

  • Users who prioritize privacy and security.
  • Individuals seeking a modern and customizable browser interface.
  • Professionals and tech-savvy users who value integration with web services.
  • People searching for an alternative to mainstream browsers with unique capabilities.

Setapp videos

What's Setapp?

Arc videos

Arc Browser Review: 10 Reason Why YOU Should Switch!

More videos:

  • Review - Intel Arc 2023 Revisit & Benchmarks: A770 & A750 GPU Updated Tests
  • Review - Please Buy Intel GPUs. - Arc A750 & A770 Review

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Setapp and Arc)
Project Management
100 100%
0% 0
Web Browsers
0 0%
100% 100
Productivity
100 100%
0% 0
Customisable Web Browser
0 0%
100% 100

Questions & Answers

As answered by people managing Setapp and Arc.

What's the story behind your product?

Setapp's answer

Setapp was created in 2016 by MacPaw, the company behind apps such as CleanMyMac, ClearVPN, and more. The key idea behind Setapp was to give users a simple way to discover high-quality apps for Mac. Over the years, the catalog has grown to over 260 apps and now includes tools for Mac, iOS, and web. Setapp is localized in eight languages and has users all over the world. Here are the key dates:

November 2016: Setapp closed beta is launched for the press, opinion leaders, and influencers. December 6, 2016: Setapp Beta release. January 25, 2017: Setapp public release. August 6, 2020: Setapp let users install iOS apps. August 11, 2021: Setapp arrives on iPhone and iPad. March, 2026: Single app purchase via Setapp Marketplace is introduced. Now, Setapp includes 260+ apps, 50+ iOS apps, and about 10 web apps with more to come.

What makes your product unique?

Setapp's answer

Setapp's key differentiators:

-Curation. Setapp is a curated platform with trusted, hand-picked apps โ€” not a place filled with self-submitted apps.

-Professional focus. Setapp includes apps aimed at improving productivity and workflows for professionals who rely on their Macs. Setapp users range from developers and marketers to educators, healthcare experts, logistics and retail professionals, and more.

-Flexible access. Users have two ways to get apps: a single-fee subscription to 260+ fully unlocked Mac, iOS, and web apps; or individual app purchases via Setapp Marketplace, for those who need just a few apps rather than the full catalog.

-Security. Setapp holds ISO/IEC 27001:2022, SOC 2, and GDPR certifications. Apps are not permitted to display ads or include hidden in-app purchases.

-AI access. AI+ plans give access to all popular LLM models โ€” GPT, Claude, Gemini, and Grok โ€” through a single gateway.

Setapp gives users apps they can count on. Itโ€™s not an endless store but a curated collection of apps worth usersโ€™ time and money.

Why should a person choose your product over its competitors?

Setapp's answer

-Quality over volume. The catalog includes only hand-picked, trusted apps. When downloading an app from Setapp, users can be sure it is high quality and safe to use.

-Trusted apps, no fillers. Every app is Apple-notarized, ad-free, fully unlocked, and has no features locked behind additional paywalls. Getting apps through Setapp means avoiding malware and unpleasant surprises.

-Save costs. Setapp Membership offers access to over 260 apps for a flat fee โ€” no need to subscribe to multiple individual apps and juggle subscriptions. In Setapp Marketplace, users can purchase hand-picked, trusted apps individually, with no need to double-check quality or security.

How would you describe the primary audience of your product?

Setapp's answer

Setapp is actively used by professionals who rely heavily on their Macs and want to improve their workflows โ€” including developers, IT specialists, content creators, designers, marketers, writers, educators, students, and specialists in agriculture, logistics, retail, healthcare, and other fields.

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Setapp and Arc

Setapp Reviews

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Arc Reviews

The 7 best web browsers in 2025
Arc comes equipped with plenty more productivity-focused tools, too. Its built-in universal search function allows you to instantly jump to a tab or find and execute a shortcut. Plus, you can have up to four tabs in a split-screen layout, instead of firing up a new window each time you want to operate on multiple web pages side-by-side. And Arc's AI can tidy up your...
Source: zapier.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Arc should be more popular than Setapp. It has been mentiond 77 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Setapp mentions (15)

  • Ask HN: How to Sell as a Software Engineer?
    > I've reached the conclusion that software quality and even price matters much less than distribution, especially now. I highly doubt that is true. We don't yet know how end-users will make purchasing decisions now that almost anyone can build something that "works". Taking AI out of the picture: you still need to define the target market segment before you build anything. You still need to find a way to... - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
  • Show HN: BoringBar โ€“ a taskbar-style dock replacement for macOS
    There could be 4x buyers at $10. Iโ€™d be one of the now, the dock is a constant annoyance. The app looks great, downloading the trial now. To the appโ€™s author Iโ€™d say get as many licensees as you can fast before youโ€™re Sherlocked or somebody vibecodes a clone out of โ€œwhy notโ€. I use many free and paid apps, little QoL types, like BetterDisplay, Coctail, etc and for me the included support is of little value. These... - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
  • Coders Coded Their Job Away. Why Are So Many of Them Happy About It?
    I used a bunch of tools from https://setapp.com/ and no longer subscribe. I used to pay for Linear for all my personal projects, built one with CC that perfectly fits my needsโ€ฆ I also built a myriad of small tools that help me automate bunch of busy work I used to do manually, both for professional and personal projects. - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago
  • Italian Competition Authority Fines Apple $115M for Abusing Dominant Position
    > are there any real 3rd-party AppStores for iOS now "Always has been": Setapp. Very interesting model. Readily recommend devs subscribing to this collection, but non-devs as well if you're into "there's an app for that" and fatigued with IAP. https://setapp.com/. - Source: Hacker News / 8 months ago
  • The One Productivity Tool You Didn't Know You Can't Live Without
    I use Paste, a very feature rich clipboard manager for Mac with gorgeous UI. It's not free, but it comes along with a Setapp license that I got from work, so if you already have a license you can use it to install Paste. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
View more

Arc mentions (77)

  • Nook Browser
    Because both are trying to be response to the death of Browser Company's Arc. (https://arc.net). - Source: Hacker News / 8 months ago
  • I tried 6 next-gen browsers - here's what I found
    Arc was first recommended to me by a fellow dev. It felt like the browser I was looking for but never quite found. The Browser Company released this trendsetter in 2023, and among the frontend and tech community it quickly became the new shiny browser. I joined the trend in December 2023, and Arc became my default browser for more than a year. The browser focuses on user experience and brings minimal but modern... - Source: dev.to / 9 months ago
  • Arc vs. Dia: A Developerโ€™s Take on Two Browsers from The Browser Company (Plus: How to Get Access to Both)
    Arc was first recommended to me by a fellow developer, and it immediately felt like the browser Iโ€™d always wanted but never quite found. Iโ€™m a sucker for clean interfaces, and as both a frontend developer and a designer, I notice the details - beautiful UI, intuitive flows, and features that actually solve daily annoyances. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • My Recommended Zen Mods Plugins (Bite-size Article)
    In a previous article, I mentioned that unlike Arc Browser, Zen does not allow pinned tabs to be organized into folders (at this point), which I found inconvenient. While this plugin doesn't directly solve that issue, it does help organize pinned tabs neatly in a row, which I like. - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • I tested Arc Browser
    Arc Browser is available on Windows, macOS and Linux (no, negative point). It's based on Chromium, so if you've already used Chrome, you won't feel out of place. Installing it couldn't be easier: go to the official website and download the version corresponding to your operating system. - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Setapp and Arc, you can also consider the following products

Konfigure - APARTMENTS | VILLA | WORKSPACE | RETAIL

Brave - Fast and secure, ad and tracker blocking browser.

Metavine Platform - Metavine Platform is a comprehensive Platform-as-a-Service that help businesses build agility and compete effectively in the digital world by enabling them to iterate and create apps quickly.

Google Chrome - Google Chrome is a fast, secure, and free web browser, built for the modern web. Give it a try on your desktop today.

QuickBase - Quickbase provides a no-code operational agility platform that enables organizations to improve operations through real time insights and automation across complex processes and disparate systems. โ€‹โ€‹

Sidekick Browser - The fastest browser for work ever made