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STEP VS VIVALDI

Step vs Vivaldi Browser

Vivaldi is the power-user browser. Step is the context-preservation browser. Both target serious users, but the philosophies are opposite: Vivaldi gives you everything to configure, Step gives you opinions to follow.

Vivaldi is the most configurable browser ever shipped. Tab stacks, tiling, panels, a built-in calendar, mail and feed reader. It is a productivity Swiss army knife. If you love tweaking, Vivaldi is unmatched. Step takes the opposite approach: a small set of strong opinions about how a browser should remember your work, with very little to configure. It is a calmer surface for people who want their browser to disappear into the work, not become a project.

Side by side

Engine

StepChromium
VivaldiChromium

Configurability

StepLight. Strong defaults
VivaldiExtreme. Every pixel is customizable

Tab tiling / split

Step2-pane split with proper chrome
VivaldiMulti-pane tiling, more flexible

Workspaces

StepPersistent Spaces with full state restore
VivaldiWorkspaces, session restore

Persistence

StepTabs, groups, splits, scroll, annotations restored
VivaldiTabs and tab stacks restored

Built-in mail / calendar

StepNot a feature
VivaldiYes (Vivaldi Mail, Calendar)

Annotations

StepNative Marginalia layer
VivaldiNotes panel (not annotation overlay)

Navigation graph

StepStep Trail records exploration
VivaldiLinear history

Cross-page search

StepGraph Find across the entire Space
VivaldiCmd+F on current page

Local-first

StepYes by default, no account required
VivaldiOptional sync, account not required

Platform

StepmacOS
VivaldimacOS, Windows, Linux, Android

Where Vivaldi wins

  • Vivaldi has more configuration options than any browser. If you love tweaking, nothing beats it.
  • Built-in mail, calendar, and feed reader for users who want one app for everything.
  • Multi-pane tiling more flexible than Step's 2-pane split.
  • Cross-platform including Android.

Where Step wins

  • Step's persistence is built around the assumption you'll come back tomorrow. Vivaldi's is standard session restore.
  • Step Trail and Marginalia treat the shape of your exploration as data, not features bolted onto the side.
  • Step is calmer by design. Less to configure means less to maintain.
  • Graph Find searches the content of every page in your Space.

Which one should you pick?

Pick Step if

  • You want strong defaults and a calm surface, not a tweaking project.
  • Persistence is your top priority.
  • You're on macOS and want a polished native shell.

Pick Vivaldi if

  • You love customizing every pixel of your browser.
  • You want built-in mail, calendar, or feed reader.
  • You need multi-pane tiling beyond 2 panes.
  • You're on Linux or Android.

Frequently asked

Will Step ever match Vivaldi's level of configurability?
No. We deliberately ship strong defaults instead of options. Customization is a tax on everyone, not just power users. Step picks reasonable defaults and stays out of the way.
Can I import from Vivaldi?
Yes. The import tool brings over bookmarks, history, and passwords. Vivaldi-specific features like notes panels don't transfer.

More comparisons

Step vs Arc Browser

Arc rebuilt the window manager around your tabs. Step rebuilt the memory layer around your work. Here is how the two compare.

Step vs Dia Browser

Dia bet on AI in the URL bar. Step bet on memory in the browser. Two completely different answers to the same question: what should the next browser do?

Step vs Zen Browser

Zen is the most beautiful Firefox fork ever shipped. Step is a Chromium fork built around persistence. Different engines, different bets.

Step vs the other browsers.