Orion browser launches on Mac with a WebKit Core, fast Performance and a strong privacy focus

Orion Browser

The team behind the Kagi search engine has launched the 1.0 version of Orion for Mac, expanding its presence beyond the existing iPhone and iPad apps. While most new browsers are leaning heavily into AI, Orion is built around a different pitch. It focuses on speed, privacy and a native Apple experience, using the same WebKit architecture that powers Safari. The result is a browser designed to feel lightweight and responsive, especially on macOS.

Kagi says Orion aims to deliver a faster browsing experience without compromising privacy or relying on intrusive data collection. Although the browser can integrate with external AI tools, it does not centre its identity on them. Instead, it emphasises features tailored to Apple users who want performance and simplicity as the default.

Orion’s feature set includes a Focus Mode that turns any webpage into a clean, distraction-free web app, ideal for writing, documentation or tools that run continuously in the background. A Link Preview tool lets users check content from email, notes or chat without opening new tabs, keeping their workspace more organised. The browser also adds a Mini Toolbar, an Overflow Menu and a Page Tweak option to adjust interface elements and fine-tune how websites behave, giving users more control over their daily browsing.

Another highlight is the Profiles as Apps feature, which allows users to create isolated spaces for work, personal browsing or hobbies. Each profile maintains its own settings, cookies and extensions, effectively creating separate app-like environments inside the browser.

Orion is free to download and includes 200 complimentary Kagi searches with no account required. Kagi plans to monetise through Orion+, a subscription priced at 5 dollars per month. Subscribers get access to floating windows that stay above other applications, additional customisation tools such as programmable buttons and custom icons, and early access to upcoming experimental features.

The company’s roadmap for the next year includes deeper personalisation options, improvements to stability and performance for complex web apps, new premium features under Orion+, and tighter integrations with Kagi’s intelligent tools. For users looking for a streamlined, privacy-first alternative to mainstream browsers, Orion marks a notable addition to the macOS ecosystem.