Strait vs Balance Browser

Strait is a privacy-first network path inspector for your active browser tab. WHAT YOU SEE - Tab exit IP — IPv4 and IPv6, with ASN, owner, and coarse location - Native/system exit IP — for side-by-side comparison - iCloud Private Relay verdict — active, shadowed by VPN, or not observed, classified against Apple's published egress IP ranges - VPN-like interface and system proxy state — based on the default route, not just utun presence - TLS snapshot — version, ALPN, certificate leaf, issuer, and expiry from a native probe (clearly labeled as Strait's probe, not the browser's reused connection) - DNS comparison — system resolver vs. DNS-over-HTTPS - WebRTC leak check — surfaces public srflx candidates that bypass the tab's exit ONE-TAP COPYABLE REPORT Every check produces a clean text report you can paste into a bug ticket, a forum post, or a chat with your network admin. The copy report is the power-user source of truth. HONEST UNCERTAINTY Strait labels every value with its source and confidence. When timing data is hidden, when a probe is from the companion instead of the tab connection, or when a result is inferred — the UI says so. PRIVACY BY CONSTRUCTION - No analytics, no telemetry, no remote logging - No account, no sign-in - No browsing history or per-host log leaves the device - External calls are limited to documented probe endpoints and only run when you check a tab - Strait does not route your traffic — it is not a VPN WHO IT'S FOR - iCloud+ subscribers who want a readable answer to "is Private Relay doing anything here?" - Privacy-sensitive users who run VPNs and want to verify them - Web, SRE, and security debugging users who need a compact browser-side network report WHAT STRAIT IS NOT Not a VPN. Not a packet sniffer. Not a passive collector of browsing history. Not a replacement for Web Inspector. Strait is a focused, on-demand path inspector. TO ENABLE Strait ships as a Safari Web Extension. After installing, open Settings > Apps > Safari > Extensions and turn on Strait. Then tap the Strait icon in the browser toolbar on any page.

Balance Browser is a modern web browser that combines fast and native browsing with powerful productivity tools and private AI. Stay focused, organize your work, and browse more efficiently with built-in notes, AI assistance, Reader Mode, Split View, maps, and more. Productivity Command Palette Quickly search browser commands, switch tabs, and perform actions with a single keyboard shortcut. Productive Sidebar Access Notes, History, Downloads, RSS feeds, and your favorite pinned websites from one customizable sidebar. Split View Browse and interact with two websites side by side in a single window. Built-in Notepad Capture ideas, snippets, and to-do lists without leaving your browser. AI Local AI Chat Chat with a private, on-device AI assistant for writing, coding, brainstorming, and everyday questions. Your conversations stay on your Mac. Interactive Map Workspace Extract locations from your open tabs and visualize them on an interactive map. Smart Address Bar Automatically recognizes URLs, domains, and search queries, so you can get where you're going faster. Reader Mode Enjoy a clean, distraction-free reading experiences. RSS Reader Subscribe to RSS feeds and access them directly from the sidebar. Password Manager Securely save and autofill passwords while browsing. Profiles Separate work and personal browsing with independent profiles. Optionally connect an IMAP account to view unread email counts for each profile. Chrome Extension Support Install compatible extensions from the Chrome Web Store to personalize your browsing experience. Flexible Tabs Choose horizontal tabs, vertical tabs, or hide the tab bar entirely to create the browsing experience that works best for you. More Features • Native macOS interface • Privacy controls and content blocking • Native PDF viewer • Customizable homepage • User Agent switching Balance Browser is designed for people who spend their day on the web and want a browser that helps them stay productive, organized, and focused.