This Mac-Only Web Browser Turns the Web Into Slack
The horizontal tab list worked ten years ago when we didn’t all live in our web browsers. However, these days, the browser has become its own mini-OS, and much of our work and play goes through this window to the Internet. Companies like Google and Microsoft are aware of this because they have added tab groups and vertical tabs in recent updates. But these improvements are not enough—at best, they close the gap between what the Internet used to be and how we use it now. It’s time for a complete rethink, which is why you should give SigmaOS a try .
SigmaOS is a fast Mac-only browser with a workspace-style user interface. Think of it like Slack or Microsoft Teams, but for web browsing (and yes, it supports Chrome extensions). It may seem strange, but this new way of accessing the Internet works surprisingly well.
Browsing in workspaces, not tabs
You start by creating high-level workspaces—say, one for work, one for chats, one for research, and one for entertainment. You then add pages to each, which are displayed in a vertical list. You can group these pages and even rename some. Pin your most important pages to the top so you never lose them.
The browser shines when it comes to workflow. You can navigate workspaces and tabs using keyboard shortcuts. For example, use Command + 1 to open the first workspace and then arrow keys to navigate between open tabs.
The search tool also speeds things up: press the spacebar and a Spotlight-like floating search bar will appear. Here you can search and switch between any open tabs or launch a new tab. You can also search and enter commands here (for example, if you want to view in split screen).
SigmaOS also supports Chrome extensions.
SigmaOS is a rather strange beast among browsers. It’s written using Apple’s own WebKit engine, so it runs very well on Apple Silicon Mac, but also supports Chrome extensions. (It turns out you can eat your pie too.) You can install all those Chrome extensions that won’t work in Safari, but still use all the passwords you’ve stored in your Apple keychain. Ad blocking is built in and enabled by default. If you’re frustrated with Safari’s limitations but don’t want to use Chrome (or Chromium-based browsers), SigmaOS is worth a look.
The free tier of SigmaOS is more than adequate for most users, offering you access to three workspaces, but if you want extra features like cross-device sync and unlimited workspaces, it will cost you $8 (yes, it’s weird to pay for a browser, and here we are).
If you do decide to give SigmaOS a try, my final advice is to stay there while working through the startup wizard. This is a verbose setting that will ask you to import your bookmarks, and you should be ready to make it your default browser to even get into it (easy to come back later if you need to). But if you go through the initial setup and guidance, it can literally change the way you look at the Internet.