Softonic reported this weekend that OpenAI is winding down Atlas, its AI-powered browser, on a short timeline. Users have days to export bookmarks, browsing history, saved conversation contexts, and cross-device sync data before the service goes dark. The story is a specific case of a general problem: browsers accrue years of state (passwords, bookmarks, cookies, session history, extensions) and moving that state to a new browser is where most people give up and start from zero.
We tested 7 desktop apps that handle the migration cleanly: the mainstream browsers with the best import wizards, the two password managers that survive the switch even if you change browsers again next year, and the sync tool that handles bookmarks and extension data at the file level when the built-in importers miss things. Everything runs on Windows, macOS, or Linux.
What to look for in a browser data migration tool
- Native import of Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari bookmark and history formats without a plugin dance.
- Password import that respects the source’s encryption (or a password-manager pass-through).
- Extension data preservation for the extensions you actually use (uBlock Origin filter lists, translation dictionaries, etc.).
- Cookie handling that keeps you signed into the sites you don’t want to log back into today.
- A dry run: import into a fresh profile first, verify, then switch daily-driver.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | OS | Handles | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Chrome | Importing from most sources | Windows, macOS, Linux | Bookmarks, passwords, history, cookies | Free |
| Firefox | Independent destination, best privacy defaults | Windows, macOS, Linux | Bookmarks, passwords, history, cookies | Free |
| Brave | Chromium destination with import + built-in blocking | Windows, macOS, Linux | Bookmarks, passwords, history, cookies | Free |
| Vivaldi | Power-user destination with best tab session handling | Windows, macOS, Linux | Bookmarks, passwords, notes, sessions | Free |
| Bitwarden | Password portability across any browser | Windows, macOS, Linux | Passwords, notes, TOTP | Free (Premium around $10/yr) |
| KeePassXC | Fully offline password vault | Windows, macOS, Linux | Passwords, notes, TOTP | Free (open source) |
| Rclone | Manual file-level sync of profile data | Windows, macOS, Linux | Any files (bookmarks, extension data) | Free (open source) |
1. Google Chrome — best importer coverage
Google Chrome’s Settings > Import Bookmarks and Settings supports every major source: Chrome (from another profile), Firefox, Edge, Safari, Vivaldi, Brave, Bookmarks HTML file, and Passwords CSV. The import runs in a single dialog and lands the data in a chosen profile so you can verify before making it default. Chrome’s own sync then rolls the imported data to your other devices.
Where it falls short: Import respects each source’s export limits; Safari on macOS can be slower to expose full history. Extension data doesn’t transfer; you re-install extensions and re-configure them.
Pricing:
- Free
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Download: google.com/chrome
Bottom line: Best destination when the source is any major browser and you want a one-dialog import.
2. Firefox — best privacy destination
Firefox ships with a first-run wizard that imports from Chrome, Edge, and Safari; the About > Import from Another Browser flow reruns it later. Firefox’s data model separates profiles cleanly, so import into a fresh profile is easy to test, and Firefox’s Tracking Protection is on by default (unlike Chrome’s).
Where it falls short: Chrome extensions require Firefox equivalents; most exist but a few (Google-specific ones) don’t. Some sync-heavy Chrome users notice slower sync propagation in Firefox.
Pricing:
- Free (open source, MPL 2.0)
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Download: mozilla.org/firefox
Bottom line: Best when you want to leave the Chromium ecosystem entirely.
3. Brave — best Chromium alternative with built-in blocking
Brave is Chromium under the hood with ad-blocking, fingerprint protection, and Tor-mode built in. The import wizard reads Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari sources; because Brave shares Chrome’s engine, most Chrome extensions install unchanged.
Where it falls short: Vertical tab and workspace features Vivaldi ships aren’t in Brave. Brave Rewards (ads-for-tokens) is opt-in but ships in the UI, which some users find distracting.
Pricing:
- Free
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Download: brave.com/download
Bottom line: Best Chromium-based destination for users who want ad blocking without an extension.
4. Vivaldi — best for power users
Vivaldi is built by former Opera developers on Chromium and targets users who live in the browser: tab stacks, session save/restore across multiple windows, per-workspace tab groups, and a built-in note-taking panel. The import wizard handles Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, and Opera cleanly, and Vivaldi’s session handling preserves multi-window layouts across a migration.
Where it falls short: Not open source (parts of the UI are proprietary). Feature density can overwhelm; give it a week to find your setup.
Pricing:
- Free
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Download: vivaldi.com/download
Bottom line: Best if the browser is your workspace, not just a page loader.
5. Bitwarden — best cross-browser password home
Bitwarden takes the password import out of the browser entirely. Export passwords from the source browser (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, Brave, 1Password, LastPass, KeePass) as CSV or JSON, import into Bitwarden, and every browser afterwards fetches passwords from the same vault via the Bitwarden extension. Once you’re in Bitwarden, the next browser switch is trivial.
Where it falls short: CSV imports of unencrypted passwords should be deleted from disk immediately after (never leave the CSV around). Free tier limits some sharing and organisation features.
Pricing:
- Free
- Bitwarden Premium: Around $10/yr (TOTP, encrypted file attachments)
- Bitwarden Families: Around $40/yr for 6 users
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux (plus browser extensions and mobile apps)
Download: bitwarden.com/download
Bottom line: Best long-term home for passwords across every browser you’ll ever use.
6. KeePassXC — best fully offline vault
KeePassXC is a fully offline password vault: the vault is a KDBX file you store where you like (a synced folder, an encrypted volume, a USB drive). No cloud, no telemetry, no account. Every major browser has a KeePassXC-Browser extension that fills passwords from the local vault via a native messaging bridge.
Where it falls short: No cloud sync means you handle syncing the vault file yourself (Syncthing, iCloud, Nextcloud). Steeper setup than Bitwarden.
Pricing:
- Free (open source, GPLv3)
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Download: keepassxc.org/download
Bottom line: Best when the password vault must never leave your control.
7. Rclone — best file-level rescue
Rclone copies files between local disks and cloud storage, and it’s the tool of last resort when a browser’s export dialog misses something. Point rclone at a source browser’s profile directory (bookmarks JSON, extension storage, saved sessions) and copy it into place inside the destination browser’s profile. Requires knowing the profile layout; the browsers document their file structures.
Where it falls short: Not a graphical migration tool. Wrong file overwrites can corrupt the destination profile. Test on a copy first.
Pricing:
- Free (open source, MIT)
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Download: rclone.org/downloads
Bottom line: Best when a specific piece of data didn’t migrate and you need to move it by hand.
How to pick the right one
If you’re leaving Atlas (or any browser) for Chrome: Chrome with its native importer covers most sources cleanly.
If you’re leaving Chromium entirely: Firefox, with better privacy defaults.
If you want Chromium with ad blocking baked in: Brave.
If the browser is your workspace: Vivaldi.
If you want passwords to survive every browser switch from now on: Bitwarden for cloud sync or KeePassXC for offline. Either one turns future migrations into a five-minute extension install.
If a specific bookmark file or extension setting didn’t come across: Rclone to move the profile file directly.
FAQ
How do I export my data from Atlas before it shuts down?
Open Atlas Settings and look for Export or Download my data. Save the bookmarks, history, and session archive locally. Then import into Chrome, Firefox, Brave, or Vivaldi via the destination browser’s import dialog.
Do the built-in browser importers move passwords?
Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave, and Vivaldi all import saved passwords from other browsers when you allow it. Safari on macOS requires an explicit CSV export from the source. Passwords in a separate manager (1Password, LastPass, Bitwarden) don’t need to migrate; the extension fetches them wherever you install it.
Will my browser extensions transfer?
The extensions themselves don’t transfer; you re-install them in the new browser. Extension-stored data (uBlock Origin filter lists, dark mode preferences) is per-installation and usually needs to be reconfigured. A handful of extensions offer cloud sync of their own data.
Are Chrome and Brave passwords stored in the same format?
Both use Chromium’s Login Data SQLite database internally, so imports between them are lossless. Firefox and Safari use different formats; the browser’s importer handles the conversion.
What is the safest way to move passwords?
Import them into Bitwarden or KeePassXC and use the extension in whichever browser you land on. That avoids exporting passwords as unencrypted CSV, which is the risky step of any browser-to-browser migration.
Can I run two browsers side by side while I migrate?
Yes. Nothing stops you from keeping the old browser installed while you test the new one. Verify bookmarks, passwords, and workflows in the new browser for a week before uninstalling the old.
