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Browser Extensions · head to head

Arc vs BigID

Arc logo

Arc

Browser Extensions

Chromium-based browser organized around user workflows

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
BigID logo

BigID

Cybersecurity

Data discovery and classification across cloud, on-premise and unstructured stores

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Arc has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Arc no longer receiving active feature development as of May 2025, entering maintenance mode; BigID pricing scales with data sources and volume, so the cost rises exactly as the estate you need to scan grows, and the modules shown in a demo, including AI security posture and headless deployment, are frequently separate licences that appear only in the final quote.
  • They diverge on capability: Arc covers Spaces and Profiles, BigID covers Structured and unstructured scanning.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Arc and BigID actually diverge.

Attributes where Arc and BigID differ
AttributeArcBigID
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelFreequote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsmacOS, Windows, iOSWeb, API, Self-hosted
CategoryBrowser ExtensionsCybersecurity

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Arc

  • Spaces and Profiles
  • Split View
  • Themes
  • Privacy-First Design
  • Chromium Updates

Only in BigID

  • Structured and unstructured scanning
  • Identity correlation
  • Data security posture management
  • Access intelligence
  • Privacy request support
  • Retention and minimisation
  • AI data controls
  • Policy and remediation workflow

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Arc

  • Organizing work across multiple projects within one browsernot BigID
  • Separating personal and professional browsing with spacesnot BigID
  • Privacy-conscious web browsing without trackingnot BigID
  • Tab and window management for productivitynot BigID

BigID

  • A bank that has to prove which of thirty year old file shares contain customer identifiers before a data centre migrationnot Arc
  • A privacy team that cannot fulfil deletion requests because nobody knows which unstructured stores hold a given customer’s recordsnot Arc
  • A security team wanting to find sensitive data sitting in publicly readable object storage buckets before an attacker doesnot Arc
  • A company building retrieval augmented AI that must exclude regulated personal data from the index it feeds to a modelnot Arc

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Arc

  • No longer receiving active feature development as of May 2025, entering maintenance mode
  • Limited cross-platform availability compared to mainstream browsers
  • Smaller ecosystem of extensions compared to Chrome
  • Focused on macOS and Windows, with limited iOS support

BigID

  • Pricing scales with data sources and volume, so the cost rises exactly as the estate you need to scan grows, and the modules shown in a demo, including AI security posture and headless deployment, are frequently separate licences that appear only in the final quote.
  • Scanning large unstructured estates is slow and computationally expensive, so most organisations sample rather than scan everything, which reintroduces uncertainty into the very question they bought the tool to settle.
  • Classification accuracy on messy unstructured content requires tuning, and out of the box false positives on things like reference numbers create a large triage backlog that a small governance team cannot clear.
  • It discovers and reports but does not remediate, so realising value requires a separate process and often separate tooling to actually delete, restrict or move the data it flags.
  • It is built for large enterprises and both the price and the administrative overhead are disproportionate below a few thousand employees, where a lighter DSPM tool covers the security use case for far less.

Pricing, plan by plan

Arc

Free
  • ArcFree
    • Spaces and profiles organization
    • Split view customization
    • Themes and personalization

BigID

On request
  • BigID Platform$undefined/year
    • Priced by number of data sources and data volume
    • Discovery and classification core
    • Optional DSPM, access intelligence and AI security modules licensed separately

Which should you pick?

Choose Arc if

  • You need spaces and profiles.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on macOS, Windows, iOS.
  • You also want split view.
Arc review

Choose BigID if

  • You need structured and unstructured scanning.
  • You work on Web, API, Self-hosted.
  • You also want identity correlation.
BigID review

Questions people ask

Is Arc or BigID better?
Neither clearly leads. Arc starts at Free and BigID at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Arc or BigID?
Arc has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Arc and On request for BigID.
Does Arc or BigID run on more platforms?
Arc runs on macOS, Windows, iOS. BigID runs on Web, API, Self-hosted.
Can I use Arc for free?
Yes. Arc has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. BigID starts at On request.
What is Arc best used for?
Arc is most often used for organizing work across multiple projects within one browser, separating personal and professional browsing with spaces, privacy-conscious web browsing without tracking, tab and window management for productivity. Of those, organizing work across multiple projects within one browser and separating personal and professional browsing with spaces are not what BigID is typically brought in for.
What can Arc do that BigID cannot?
Arc covers Spaces and Profiles, Split View, Themes, Privacy-First Design. BigID covers Structured and unstructured scanning, Identity correlation, Data security posture management, Access intelligence.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Arc: Does Arc Browser cost anything to use?

Arc is completely free to download and use with no subscription required. All features are available at no cost.

Source
BigID: What does BigID cost?

It is quoted by data source count and volume. Reported contracts run from roughly 15,000 to 175,000 US dollars a year, and add-on modules such as AI security posture are licensed on top.

Arc: What operating systems does Arc support?

Arc is available on macOS, Windows, and iOS. Windows and mobile versions are available for download.

Source
BigID: Does it handle unstructured data?

Yes, and that is its main advantage. It classifies data in files and shares and correlates findings back to individuals, not just to data types.

Arc: Will Arc continue to receive new features?

As of May 2025, Arc entered maintenance mode with no new features planned. The Browser Company's focus has shifted to Dia browser, though Arc continues to receive security updates.

Source
BigID: Will it delete the data it finds?

Not by itself in most deployments. It identifies and routes findings; deletion and remediation happen through your own processes or connected systems.

BigID: Is it a privacy tool or a security tool?

Both are sold from the same discovery core. Buyers increasingly come from security wanting data security posture management rather than from legal wanting privacy.

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