AI Assistant Alternatives, Honestly Compared
Gemini, Circle to Search, Sider, Copilot — and Arc. What each one actually does well, who they're for, and where they fall short. Written by the developer of Arc.
Full disclosure: I make Arc. I've tried to keep this comparison genuinely useful anyway — every tool below is good at something, and I'll tell you exactly when not to use Arc. — Mamata, indie developer
The short version
| App | Best at | Platforms | Screen-aware? | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arc | Screen-aware assistant inside every app | Android, macOS | ✅ Full | Freemium |
| Google Gemini | General assistant, deep Google integration | Android, iOS, Web | Partial (screen context) | Free / AI Premium |
| Circle to Search | Quick visual lookups | Pixel/Samsung | ✅ Visual only | Free |
| Sider | Browser-based AI sidebar | iOS, Web, Desktop | Browser pages | Freemium |
| Copilot | Microsoft ecosystem | Windows, iOS, Android | ❌ | Free / 365 |
1. Arc — the assistant that lives on your screen
Best for: people who want AI help inside whatever they're already doing — reading, emailing, studying, texting.
Arc is a floating sidebar that appears over any app. It reads the screen, so "summarize this" needs no copy-paste. It extracts OTP codes before they expire, turns articles into summaries or flashcards, drafts replies using your saved personal info, reads aloud, transcribes calls, and runs custom automations. Works alongside Samsung Edge Panel and OnePlus Shelf.
Weak spot: it's not a desktop-first assistant — the Mac app is newer and lighter than full desktop AI suites.
2. Google Gemini
Best for: Google-native users — Gmail, Docs, Maps, Assistant replacement.
Gemini is the default AI on Android and has improved dramatically at screen-awareness on Pixel and Galaxy devices. If your life runs on Google services, Gemini's integrations are unmatched. The free tier is capable; AI Premium unlocks the larger models.
Weak spot: one app at a time — you leave what you're doing to use it, and it can't extract OTPs or transcribe calls.
3. Circle to Search
Best for: "what is this?" moments — circle anything and search.
Built into Pixel and Samsung flagships. Brilliant for visual lookups (identify products, landmarks, homework problems). It's a feature, not an assistant — it won't write, summarize long docs, or automate anything.
Weak spot: lookup-only. No writing, no memory, no automation.
4. Sider
Best for: browser-based sidebar AI on desktop and iOS.
Sider popularized the "AI sidebar" idea — a panel beside any webpage with ChatGPT/Claude models. Great for web research and summarizing pages in a browser.
Weak spot: Android support is limited compared to its desktop experience; it doesn't see native app screens the way Arc does.
5. Microsoft Copilot
Best for: Microsoft 365 users on Windows.
Strong Windows integration and Office features. On Android it's a competent chatbot, but it doesn't overlay other apps or act on your screen.
Weak spot: screen-awareness and Android integration are minimal.
Which should you pick?
- You live inside apps on Android and want AI everywhere: Arc — it's the only one that works on top of everything.
- You're deep in Google's world: Gemini — especially if you pay for AI Premium.
- You just want quick lookups: Circle to Search — it's already on your phone.
- You do web research on desktop: Sider.
- You're a Microsoft shop: Copilot.
Honestly? Most people benefit from two: Gemini as the deep-Google assistant, Arc as the one that works inside every other app.