SurfPad
An Arc-inspired browser designed for iPad
SurfPad is a paid, iPad-only browser with a sidebar, color-coded Spaces, split view, a Cmd+K command bar and a built-in ad blocker. It is made by an individual developer (Muhammad Masykur, publishing as privdev) and requires iPadOS 17 or later. The developer states that data stays on the device and that there are no accounts or tracking. It has no desktop or iPhone version.
36% Arc feature parity (yes = 1, partial = ½).
Built-in AI
No AI
No AI feature in the App Store listing or official help guide.
surfpad.appNot counted in Arc parity: some people want AI, some avoid it.
Bloat check
None found
No ads, wallet, feed, upsells or account: one-time purchase, no subscription. Privacy policy: no analytics or tracking; App Store label: Data Not Collected.
surfpad.appAds, crypto, paid upsells, news feeds, default-on telemetry, required accounts.
Organization
| Feature | SurfPad | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vertical sidebarTabs live in a vertical sidebar that is the main tab UI and can be hidden. | ✓ | ✓ | Sidebar is the main tab UI; locked beside the page by default, or floating and hideable.surfpad.app |
| SpacesSeveral workspaces per window, each with its own pinned and open tabs, switched by swipe or shortcut. | ✓ | ✓ | Each Space has its own tabs, folders, color and icon; swipe the sidebar to switch.surfpad.app |
| 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. | ? | ✓ | Spaces are said to keep browsing separate, but separate cookies/logins per Space are not documented. |
| Global favoritesPinned icons at the top of the sidebar shared by every Space (Zen calls them Essentials). | ? | ✓ | A favorites grid exists; whether it is shared by every Space is not stated.surfpad.app |
| Pinned tabs & foldersPer-space pinned tabs that act like bookmarks, with nested folders. | ✓ | ✓ | Pinned tabs plus colored folders; tabs and folders belong to each Space.surfpad.app |
| Auto-archive tabsUnpinned tabs close automatically after a set time and stay recoverable in an archive. | ✓ | ✓ | Inactive tabs auto-archive (Never/12 Hours/Daily/Weekly) into a Library list you can restore.surfpad.app |
| Space themesPer-space colour or gradient themes. | ✓ | ✓ | Each Space has its own name, color and icon; sidebar theme follows the Space.surfpad.app |
Browsing
| Feature | SurfPad | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Split ViewTwo or more tabs side by side in one window. | ◐ | ✓ | Two panes only, side by side or stacked; resize 25-75%, swap panes.surfpad.app |
| Link previewOpen a link in an overlay without leaving the current page (Zen calls it Glance). | ✕ | ✓ | Not in the official help guide; tab menu only offers Open in Split View.surfpad.app |
| Mini windowA small, chrome-less window for links opened from other apps or a quick search. | ✕ | ✓ | Not in the official help guide or App Store listing.surfpad.app |
| Command barA ⌘T palette that searches tabs, history, bookmarks and browser commands. | ◐ | ✓ | Cmd+K searches tabs, bookmarks, history and runs a few actions (New Space, Split View, Settings).surfpad.app |
| Link routingRules that send links from other apps to a chosen space or profile. | ✕ | ✓ | Settings list has no link-routing rules; only a default-browser setup guide.surfpad.app |
| Site customizationPer-site custom CSS/JS, or zapping elements off a page. | ✕ | ✓ | Not in the official help guide; page menu has Reader Mode and Desktop Mode only.surfpad.app |
| Auto picture-in-picturePlaying video pops out into picture-in-picture automatically when you switch tabs. | ? | ✓ |
Compatibility & migration
| Feature | SurfPad | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arc importImports Arc spaces, pinned tabs and folders. | ✕ | – | Not in the official help guide or settings; only photo import is documented.surfpad.app |
| Chrome extensionsInstalls extensions from the Chrome Web Store. | ✕ | ✓ | No extension support in the guide; WebKit app on iPadOS cannot install Chrome extensions.surfpad.app |
| DRM (Widevine)Netflix, Disney+, Spotify web and other DRM video/audio play. Chromium forks need a Google Widevine licence. | ? | ✓ | Neither the listing nor the help guide mentions DRM or FairPlay playback. |
| PasskeysWebAuthn passkeys, Touch ID and the system/iCloud keychain. | ? | ✓ | |
| SyncSpaces, pinned tabs and settings sync across devices. | ✕ | ✓ | Privacy policy: data stored only on the iPad (SwiftData/UserDefaults); no accounts.surfpad.app |
| Mobile appiPhone, iPad or Android app that shares spaces with desktop. | ◐ | ◐ | iPad-only app; there is no desktop version to share Spaces with.apps.apple.com |
Extras
| Feature | SurfPad | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built-in ad blockerAd and tracker blocking without installing an extension. | ✓ | ✓ | Bundled filter lists, Basic/Balanced/Strict levels, YouTube ad skipper, per-site toggle.surfpad.app |
Extension support
Which extension formats and stores run, beyond the Chrome Web Store row above. Not counted in Arc parity.
| Feature | SurfPad | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manifest V2 extensionsThe older extension format Chrome removed in 2025. Needed for full uBlock Origin and other extensions that block requests. | – | ✕ | Help guide lists no web extensions; its only 'extension' is a share-sheet one for images.surfpad.app |
| Manifest V3 extensionsThe current extension format used by the Chrome Web Store (and supported by Firefox and Safari). | – | ✓ | Help guide lists no web extensions; its only 'extension' is a share-sheet one for images.surfpad.app |
| Firefox add-onsAdd-ons from addons.mozilla.org or .xpi files install and run. | – | ✕ | Help guide lists no web extensions; its only 'extension' is a share-sheet one for images.surfpad.app |
| Safari extensionsSafari web extensions (the App Store extension apps Safari uses) install and run. | – | ✕ | Help guide lists no web extensions; its only 'extension' is a share-sheet one for images.surfpad.app |