Ubiquity
Chrome is the default for most of the web, around two thirds of users. Sites, support docs, and corporate tools are tested against it first, so you almost never hit a compatibility wall.
The Chrome alternative that answers to your AI, not Google’s.
Chrome is the default everyone has, and it now ships Gemini inside. Sessionat is the open-source, local-first browser that any AI can drive through MCP, with Arc-style workspaces and auto-saved sessions, built on the same Chromium core so your sites still just work.
At a glance
Sessionat
Chrome
Engine
Chromium
Blink (Chromium)
AI control (MCP)
Built in: Claude, Cursor, any MCP client
Gemini side panel only
Auto-saved sessions
Every 30s, named restore
Reopen last tabs only
Workspaces
Arc-style sidebar
Profiles, tab groups
Open source
Yes (MIT)
Closed (Chromium core is open)
Price
Free
Free (ads, data, search)
Compiled June 2026 from public sources. Browser features change fast, so verify before relying on a detail.
The trade-off
Chrome puts Google’s AI in your browser. Sessionat puts your AI in control of it.
Chrome is the browser most of the world already uses, and it is genuinely good at the basics. It is fast, it syncs flawlessly across phone, tablet, and desktop through your Google account, and it has the largest extension ecosystem on the web through the Chrome Web Store. Gemini now lives in a side panel with some cross-tab awareness and an Auto-Browse mode.
The difference is whose assistant it is. Gemini in Chrome is Google’s assistant, wired to Google, and Chrome itself leans heavily on telemetry and data collection. Sessionat takes a different stance: connect Claude Desktop, Cursor, or any MCP client, and that AI clicks, types, and navigates in your real browser on the accounts you are already signed into. Auto-saved sessions every 30 seconds mean an agent run never costs you your place, and a local visit history lets your AI search where you have actually been. Nothing is sent to a vendor by default, because Sessionat is local-first with no telemetry.
The honest catch: Chrome runs on every platform with best-in-class mobile apps and the deepest ecosystem, while Sessionat is Mac-first today (Linux is targeted for mid-2026, Windows for late 2026). If you live across Android and iOS or depend on Google account sync, Chrome is hard to leave. Both run Chromium, so your extensions and sites behave the same in either.
| Feature | Sessionat | Chrome |
|---|---|---|
| Built-in AI control via MCP | ✗ | |
| Bring your own AI (Claude, Cursor, any MCP client) | Gemini only | |
| AI acts on your real logins | Auto-Browse | |
| Arc-style workspaces | Profiles | |
| Auto-saved session journal | ✗ | |
| Local visit analytics your AI can search | ✗ | |
| Local-first, no telemetry | ✗ | |
| Open source (MIT) | ✗ | |
| Chrome Web Store extensions | ||
| Cross-device sync and mobile apps | Mac now |
Honest assessment
Where Chrome is the better choice.
Mobile and sync
Chrome has polished apps on Android and iOS, and Google account sync ties tabs, passwords, and history together across every device. Sessionat is Mac-only for now, with no mobile app yet.
The largest extension ecosystem
Chrome runs the biggest extension catalog on the web through the Chrome Web Store. Sessionat installs those same extensions because it is Chromium, but Chrome is the platform they target first.
Gemini included for free
If you want a capable built-in assistant at no cost and you are happy for it to be Google’s, Gemini in Chrome is right there with cross-tab features and Auto-Browse.
FAQ
Real questions about switching from Chrome.
Is Sessionat based on Chrome?
Sessionat is built on Chromium, the same open-source core that powers Chrome, Edge, Brave, and Arc. It is not Chrome itself, and it is not made by Google. The shared core means your sites and extensions behave the same way.
How is Sessionat’s AI different from Gemini in Chrome?
Gemini in Chrome is Google’s assistant in a side panel, with some cross-tab awareness and an Auto-Browse mode. Sessionat instead exposes the open MCP standard, so you connect your own AI (Claude Desktop, Cursor, or any MCP client) and it clicks, types, and navigates in your real browser on your existing logins.
Will my Chrome extensions work in Sessionat?
Yes. Sessionat is Chromium, so it installs extensions from the Chrome Web Store, including uBlock Origin, 1Password, and the rest. They run the same as they do in Chrome.
Can I sync with my Google account like in Chrome?
Not today. Sessionat is local-first by design: sessions and visit history stay on your Mac and there is no Google account sync or built-in cross-device sync. If full Google sync across devices is essential, Chrome is the better fit for now.
Does Sessionat run on Windows, Linux, Android, or iOS like Chrome?
macOS today, on every Mac from 2018 onward. Linux is targeted for mid-2026 and Windows for late 2026. There is no mobile app yet, so Chrome remains the better choice if you need Android or iOS.
Give your AI a real browser.
Free, open source, no account needed. Keep Chrome installed and try Sessionat side by side.
Download Sessionat for Mac (free)