Unmatched customization
Tab stacking, tab tiling, side panels, custom themes, mouse gestures, and keyboard commands for nearly everything. No other browser lets a power user shape the workspace this precisely.
The Vivaldi alternative built for the age of AI.
Vivaldi is the most customizable browser there is, and it refuses to add AI on principle. Sessionat takes the opposite bet: an open-source Chromium browser your AI controls through MCP, with Arc-style workspaces and auto-saved sessions.
At a glance
Sessionat
Vivaldi
Engine
Chromium
Chromium (Blink)
AI control (MCP)
Built in: Claude, Cursor
None, by design
Auto-saved sessions
Every 30s, named restore
Manual sessions panel
Workspaces
Arc-style sidebar
Tab stacks, tiling, panels
Open source
Yes (MIT)
Partly (UI is closed)
Price
Free
Free
Compiled June 2026 from public sources. Browser features change fast, so verify before relying on a detail.
The trade-off
Vivaldi keeps the AI out. Sessionat puts it in the driver’s seat.
Vivaldi is the browser for people who want to bend the tool to their will. Tab stacking and tiling, a side panel for web apps, a built-in mail client, calendar, and feed reader, and granular controls almost nowhere else offers. Its team has also taken a clear, principled stance: humans over hype, and no AI features bolted on. If you actively do not want AI anywhere near your browser, that position is a feature, not a gap.
Sessionat makes the opposite call. It is built so an AI assistant can actually drive the browser. 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. Auto-saved sessions every 30 seconds mean a long agent run never loses your place, and a local visit history lets the AI search where you have been. This is not a chat sidebar bolted on. It is the browser built around the open MCP standard.
The honest framing: this is a philosophy split, not a scoreboard. Vivaldi and Sessionat are both Chromium, so page rendering is similar, but they want opposite things. If you crave deep customization or a built-in mail suite, or you simply do not want AI in the loop, Vivaldi is the right tool. If you want your AI to use the web for you, that is the whole point of Sessionat.
| Feature | Sessionat | Vivaldi |
|---|---|---|
| Built-in AI control via MCP | ✗ | |
| AI acts on your real logins | ✗ | |
| Arc-style workspaces | Tab stacks | |
| Auto-saved session journal | Manual | |
| Local visit analytics your AI can search | ✗ | |
| Fully open source | UI closed | |
| Built-in mail, calendar, feed reader | ✗ | |
| Deep UI customization and tiling | Basic | |
| Windows, Linux, and mobile today | Mac now | |
| Chrome Web Store extensions |
Honest assessment
Where Vivaldi is the better choice.
A built-in office suite
Vivaldi ships a real mail client, calendar, and feed reader inside the browser. Sessionat does not try to be your inbox. If you want one app for browsing and email, Vivaldi wins outright.
Everywhere, today
Vivaldi runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android right now. Sessionat is Mac-first, with Linux and Windows on the roadmap.
The right pick if you do not want AI
Vivaldi has chosen, on principle, not to add AI. If that matches how you want to browse, it is the better fit. Sessionat is the opposite by design.
FAQ
Real questions about switching from Vivaldi.
Is Sessionat based on Vivaldi?
No. Both are built on Chromium (the Blink engine), so rendering is similar, but they are separate projects with opposite goals. Vivaldi avoids AI on principle; Sessionat is built around AI control via MCP.
Does Vivaldi have AI features like Sessionat?
No, and that is deliberate. Vivaldi’s team has publicly chosen not to add AI to the browser. Sessionat takes the other side: it exposes the open MCP standard so Claude Desktop, Cursor, or your own scripts can click, type, navigate, and read pages for you.
Will my Vivaldi extensions work in Sessionat?
Yes, in most cases. Both browsers install Chrome Web Store extensions, so tools like uBlock Origin, 1Password, and others carry over. Vivaldi’s built-in panels, mail, and tiling are native to Vivaldi and do not transfer.
Can I customize Sessionat as much as Vivaldi?
Not yet. Vivaldi is in a class of its own for customization, tab stacking, tiling, and panels. Sessionat focuses on workspaces, sessions, and AI control rather than deep UI configuration.
Does Sessionat run on Windows or Linux like Vivaldi?
Not today. Sessionat is macOS only for now, on every Mac from 2018 onward. Linux is targeted for mid-2026 and Windows for late 2026. Vivaldi already runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android.
Give your AI a real browser.
Free, open source, no account needed. Keep Vivaldi installed and try Sessionat side by side.
Download Sessionat for Mac (free)