Bonfire Terminal vs Arc
Arc is a hybrid, free web browser backed by a $50M Series B, using OpenAI and Anthropic for AI features, with a privacy-focused, no-selling stance and partial offline. Bonfire Terminal is a different, sovereign tool: a fully on-device AI agent and terminal, your own LLM key at cost, and a perpetual license.
Bonfire Terminal vs Arc: the 16-factor comparison
| Rating factor | Arc | Bonfire Terminal |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Other | AI Terminal / Local Agent |
| Popularity | Series B $50M | Growing · indie |
| Hosting architecture | Hybrid | On-Device Local |
| Licensing model | Freemium | One-Time Perpetual |
| Data / training policy | Privacy-focused; no selling of data | Fully local — nothing leaves device |
| Offline capability | Partial | Yes |
| Pricing tier range | Free | One-time license |
| Execution unit cost | Subscription | Unlimited Local Compute |
| API-key markup | N/A | No — BYO key at cost |
| Supported LLM providers | OpenAI;Anthropic | OpenAI; Anthropic; Google; Local; Any |
| Auth / permission types | Username-Password | API Key; Local/None |
| Phone / messaging bridges | None | Telegram; WhatsApp |
| Speech recognition engine | None | Whisper (local) |
| Local media processing | No | Yes |
| Sovereign score | 50 / 100 | 93 / 100 |
The sovereignty gap
Where Arc lands on each weighted pillar (its bar) — the red marker is Bonfire's score. Auto-derived from the 16 factors above.
Which should you choose?
Choose Arc if…
Choose Arc if you want an innovative, free web browser with a privacy-minded design and built-in AI features powered by OpenAI and Anthropic.
Choose Bonfire Terminal if…
Choose Bonfire Terminal if you want a private on-device AI agent and terminal, your own model key at cost, and a one-time perpetual license.
Bonfire Terminal vs Arc: FAQ
Is Arc private?
Arc is privacy-focused, hybrid, and does not sell data, which is commendable, but browsing AI features still involve cloud components. Bonfire Terminal is fully on-device, so its agent processing never routes through a vendor cloud at all.
Is Bonfire Terminal cheaper than Arc?
Arc is free, so there is no purchase price, though its AI features rely on hosted models. Bonfire Terminal is a paid one-time perpetual license, but it uses your own key at cost with no markup and no subscription, giving predictable lifetime pricing.
Can Bonfire Terminal replace Arc?
No, for web browsing, which is Arc's purpose. Bonfire Terminal is an AI agent and terminal, not a browser. If you used Arc's AI features for assistant tasks, Bonfire can handle those locally while you keep Arc for browsing.
What can Bonfire Terminal do that Arc can't?
Bonfire Terminal runs fully offline on-device, transcribes with local Whisper, runs a complete agent and terminal, bridges to Telegram and WhatsApp, and uses any LLM key at cost. Arc is a browser with only partial offline and no messaging bridges or local speech.
How do I switch from Arc to Bonfire Terminal?
They serve different roles, so most users keep Arc for browsing. For private AI tasks, install Bonfire Terminal, add your own LLM key, and run assistant and automation work locally on your device instead of through Arc's hybrid features.
Does Bonfire Terminal work offline vs Arc?
Yes, more fully. Bonfire Terminal's on-device speech and media processing run without internet, and only external model calls need connectivity. Arc offers only partial offline, and its AI features depend on hosted models to work.