Oblada
Chromium browser with a Zen-style sidebar, workspaces, Firefox-style containers and Firefox add-ons
Oblada is a free, open-source Chromium fork for Apple silicon Macs, kept as a patch set over Chromium 156 (not Electron). It puts tabs, the address bar and workspaces in a left sidebar, with split view, compact mode, a peek card for links, and Firefox-style containers with 'always open this site in' rules. It installs extensions from the Chrome Web Store and Firefox add-ons (including MV2), and its Barrier blocks ads and trackers with Brave's adblock-rust engine. The maker says it was built with AI help. It is in beta, and the macOS build is ad-hoc signed, not notarized.
55% Arc feature parity (yes = 1, partial = ½).
No AI
No built-in AI: Google's AI Mode in the address bar is turned off, and Settings' page about Google's AI features is hidden.
github.comNot counted in Arc parity: some people want AI, some avoid it.
None found
No ads, wallet, feed, upsell or account (Google sign-in removed). Devlog: non-Google Chromium builds never start metrics recording. DuckDuckGo is the default search.
github.comAds, crypto, paid upsells, news feeds, default-on telemetry, required accounts.
Organization
| Feature | Oblada | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vertical sidebarTabs live in a vertical sidebar that is the main tab UI and can be hidden. | ✓ | ✓ | Seven window layouts; sidebar is the default, compact mode hides it until the left edge is hovered.github.com |
| SpacesSeveral workspaces per window, each with its own pinned and open tabs, switched by swipe or shortcut. | ◐ | ✓ | Workspaces with their own tabs, swipe to switch; pinned tabs are shared, not per workspace.github.com |
| Profiles per Space (shareable)Each Space can use its own browser profile (separate cookies, logins, history), and one profile can be shared by several Spaces. | ◐ | ✓ | A workspace can open its tabs in a container (cookies, logins); history stays shared.github.com |
| Global favoritesPinned icons at the top of the sidebar shared by every Space (Zen calls them Essentials). | ✓ | ✓ | Pinned tabs (the maker calls them Zen's Essentials) show in every workspace.github.com |
| Pinned tabs & foldersPer-space pinned tabs that act like bookmarks, with nested folders. | ◐ | ✓ | Pinned tabs are global, not per workspace; no folders (tab groups are the workspaces).github.com |
| Auto-archive tabsUnpinned tabs close automatically after a set time and stay recoverable in an archive. | ◐ | ✓ | Memory Saver on by default unloads idle tabs; no archive and tabs are not closed.github.com |
| Space themesPer-space colour or gradient themes. | ✓ | ✓ | Per-workspace theme: up to three gradient colours, opacity, grain, light or dark.github.com |
Browsing
| Feature | Oblada | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Split ViewTwo or more tabs side by side in one window. | ◐ | ✓ | Two panes only (Chromium's split view); drag a tab onto the page to split.chromium.googlesource.com |
| Link previewOpen a link in an overlay without leaving the current page (Zen calls it Glance). | ✓ | ✓ | Option-click or force-click opens a link in a card over the page; can become a tab or a split.github.com |
| Mini windowA small, chrome-less window for links opened from other apps or a quick search. | ✕ | ✓ | No mini window in code or patch list; links from other apps open as a normal tab.github.com |
| Command barA ⌘T palette that searches tabs, history, bookmarks and browser commands. | ◐ | ✓ | ⌘L/⌘T float the address bar over the page; stock Chromium suggestions, no command palette.github.com |
| Link routingRules that send links from other apps to a chosen space or profile. | ◐ | ✓ | 'Always open this site in…' rules send a site to a container, not a workspace.github.com |
| Site customizationPer-site custom CSS/JS, or zapping elements off a page. | ◐ | ✓ | Block an element hides picked page elements for good; no per-site CSS/JS editor.github.com |
| Auto picture-in-picturePlaying video pops out into picture-in-picture automatically when you switch tabs. | ◐ | ✓ | Manual PiP button in the sidebar's media controls; no Oblada auto-PiP.github.com |
Compatibility & migration
| Feature | Oblada | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arc importImports Arc spaces, pinned tabs and folders. | ◐ | – | Imports bookmarks, history and passwords from an Arc profile; no Spaces or pinned tabs.github.com |
| Chrome extensionsInstalls extensions from the Chrome Web Store. | ✓ | ✓ | Chrome Web Store extensions on Chromium 156; Firefox add-ons run too.github.com |
| DRM (Widevine)Netflix, Disney+, Spotify web and other DRM video/audio play. Chromium forks need a Google Widevine licence. | ✕ | ✓ | Widevine is off in stock Chromium and not set in args.gn; no CDM in the 0.5.2 app bundle.chromium.googlesource.com |
| PasskeysWebAuthn passkeys, Touch ID and the system/iCloud keychain. | ◐ | ✓ | Ad-hoc signed, no entitlement for Chromium's Touch ID passkeys; security keys only (not run).chromium.googlesource.com |
| SyncSpaces, pinned tabs and settings sync across devices. | ✕ | ✓ | No account or sync; Settings' 'You and Google' page is removed.github.com |
| Mobile appiPhone, iPad or Android app that shares spaces with desktop. | ✕ | ◐ | macOS on Apple Silicon only; Linux and Windows announced, no phone app.oblada-browser.github.io |
Extras
| Feature | Oblada | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built-in ad blockerAd and tracker blocking without installing an extension. | ✓ | ✓ | Barrier: adblock-rust with EasyList/uBO/Brave lists, on by default, per-site controls.github.com |
Extension support
Which extension formats and stores run, beyond the Chrome Web Store row above. Not counted in Arc parity.
| Feature | Oblada | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manifest V2 extensionsThe older extension format Chrome removed in 2025. Needed for full uBlock Origin and other extensions that block requests. | ✓ | ✕ | Patch stops Chromium 156 disabling MV2 and drops warnings; its smoke test expects blocking webRequest.github.com |
| Manifest V3 extensionsThe current extension format used by the Chrome Web Store (and supported by Firefox and Safari). | ✓ | ✓ | Chromium 156 supports manifest versions 2 and 3; not patched.chromium.googlesource.com |
| Firefox add-onsAdd-ons from addons.mozilla.org or .xpi files install and run. | ◐ | ✕ | addons.mozilla.org add-ons are converted on install; Firefox-only APIs (theme, find, dns…) are dropped.github.com |
| Safari extensionsSafari web extensions (the App Store extension apps Safari uses) install and run. | ✕ | ✕ | Not supported; extensions come from the Chrome Web Store and addons.mozilla.org.github.com |