Built-in free proxy
Opera ships a free, no-signup proxy it brands as a VPN. It is not a full VPN, but for casual region changes and a bit of extra privacy on a shared network, it is convenient and costs nothing.
The Opera alternative built for AI, not just bundled features.
Opera packs in a free proxy, a sidebar full of tools, and a gamer edition. Sessionat is the open-source browser your AI controls through MCP, with Arc-style workspaces and auto-saved sessions, and no telemetry.
At a glance
Sessionat
Opera
Engine
Chromium
Chromium (Blink)
AI control (MCP)
Built in: Claude, Cursor
Aria chat, Neon concept
Auto-saved sessions
Every 30s, named restore
Tab restore on reopen
Workspaces
Arc-style sidebar
Workspaces (lite)
Open source
Yes (MIT)
No (proprietary)
Price
Free
Free
Compiled June 2026 from public sources. Browser features change fast, so verify before relying on a detail.
The trade-off
Opera bundles the most features. Sessionat hands the web to your AI.
Opera is the kitchen-sink browser. It ships a free built-in proxy it markets as a VPN, a busy sidebar of messengers and tools, lightweight workspaces, and Opera GX, a gamer-focused edition with CPU, RAM, and network limiters. It runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS, and it installs both Chrome and Opera extensions.
What Opera does not do is let an AI assistant drive it. Its Aria assistant is a chat sidebar, and Opera Neon is a newer agentic concept rather than something steering your everyday browser. Sessionat is built around that gap: connect Claude, Cursor, or any MCP client and it clicks, types, and navigates in your real browser, on the accounts you are already signed into, with sessions auto-saved every 30 seconds so you never lose your place.
The honest catch: Opera is more feature-rich out of the box, it is cross-platform including mobile today, and its bundled proxy is genuinely handy. Sessionat is Mac-first (Linux and Windows are on the roadmap) and does not bundle a VPN. It is also worth knowing Opera is proprietary and owned by a Chinese-led consortium, which some people weigh in their privacy choices.
| Feature | Sessionat | Opera |
|---|---|---|
| Built-in AI control via MCP | ✗ | |
| AI acts on your real logins | ✗ | |
| Arc-style workspaces | Lite | |
| Auto-saved session journal | ✗ | |
| Local visit analytics your AI can search | ✗ | |
| Open source | ✗ | |
| No telemetry, local-first | ✗ | |
| Built-in free VPN/proxy | ✗ | |
| Gamer edition with resource limits | ✗ | |
| Windows, Linux, and mobile today | Mac now |
Honest assessment
Where Opera is the better choice.
Loaded with features
Sidebar messengers, a unit converter, screenshot tools, lite workspaces, and tab islands all come bundled. If you like everything in one window without hunting for extensions, Opera delivers.
Opera GX for gamers
GX adds CPU, RAM, and network limiters, Razer and Discord integrations, and a heavily themeable UI. There is no Sessionat equivalent for that gaming-focused crowd.
Everywhere, today
Opera runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS right now. Sessionat is Mac-first, with Linux and Windows on the roadmap.
FAQ
Real questions about switching from Opera.
Is Sessionat based on Opera?
No. Both are built on Chromium (the Blink engine, the same base as Chrome and Edge), but they are separate browsers. Sessionat is free and open source under the MIT license; Opera is proprietary.
Can Opera be controlled by AI the way Sessionat can?
Opera has Aria, a sidebar chat assistant, and has shown Opera Neon as an agentic concept, but neither drives your everyday browser for you. Sessionat exposes the open MCP standard so Claude Desktop, Cursor, or your own scripts can click, type, navigate, and read pages in your real browser.
Does Sessionat include a free VPN like Opera?
No. Opera bundles a free proxy it markets as a VPN; Sessionat does not. Sessionat is local-first with no telemetry, so your sessions and visit history stay on your Mac, but for region switching you would add your own VPN or extension.
Will my Opera extensions work in Sessionat?
Chrome Web Store extensions work in both, since both are Chromium. Opera-specific add-ons from its own gallery will not carry over, but most popular tools (uBlock Origin, 1Password, and so on) have a Chrome version.
Does Sessionat run on Windows, Linux, and mobile like Opera?
Not yet. Sessionat is macOS today, on every Mac from 2018 onward. Linux is targeted for mid-2026 and Windows for late 2026. Opera is already on Windows, Linux, Android, and iOS.
Give your AI a real browser.
Free, open source, no account needed. Keep Opera installed and try Sessionat side by side.
Download Sessionat for Mac (free)