I've been using Safari almost exclusively for years now! It runs so much leaner than any other browser and doesn't try to lock you into an ecosystem. It also syncs history with iOS devices and, surprisingly, has some great extensions, like Vinegar and Baking Soda (substitutes custom HTML5 video players with the native video player).
I occasionally try to use Orion, which is based off of Safari Tech Preview. I really like it but it's buggier than I'd like it to be right now. It also low-key pushes Kagi on you, and while I use Kagi heavily, I don't want my browser to have a search engine bias.
To support Orion with Orion+ (which I did, and don't regret having done it), you need to purchase it through Kagi. I'm guessing this was done to simplify payment systems, but it is a nuanced way of associating Orion with Kagi.
Orion works with Kagi out of the box in ways that are seemingly more native than other search engines. Specifically, the way it handles my account token is more seamless than how the Kagi extension handles it with Safari (which I understand is a requirement due to technical limitations).
While it's absolutely nothing like how Google and Chrome or Bing and Edge are inseparable, it is a slight push that had me slightly worried about deeper integration in the future. This wasn't a show-stopper at all, though!
I occasionally try to use Orion, which is based off of Safari Tech Preview. I really like it but it's buggier than I'd like it to be right now. It also low-key pushes Kagi on you, and while I use Kagi heavily, I don't want my browser to have a search engine bias.