Free Lightweight Chrome Alternatives for Windows

Alternatives list

1. 

   

   Mozilla Firefox

    7754 likes

   Web browser by Mozilla with Gecko and WebKit engines. Offers tabbed browsing, HTML add-ons, Enhanced Tracking Protection, cross-device syncing, and privacy customization. Includes tools for developers and a 'Facebook Container' extension.

   271 Mozilla Firefox alternatives

   Cost / License

   • Free
   • Open Source

   Application type

   • Web Browser

   Origin

   • United States

   Platforms

   • Mac
   • Windows
   • Linux
   • Android
   • iPhone
   • Android Tablet
   • BSD
   • HUAWEI AppGallery
   • iPad
   • AppImageHub
   • Snapcraft
   • Linux Mobile
   • Flathub
   • Samsung Galaxy Store
   • PortableApps.com
   • Haiku
   • Flatpak
   • Homebrew
   • Chocolatey
   • Gecko
   • F-Droid

   • United States

   

   

   

   +8

   

   More about Mozilla Firefox  

   

   Good alternative?Is Mozilla Firefox a good alternative to Google Chrome?

    

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   98comments

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   Mozilla Firefox vs Google Chrome Comments

   Top Positive Comment by LinuxDoge · Jun 28, 2022

   Easy to use. You can make it extremely secure using one file. Perfect extension support. All the features of Chrome, without being a data harvester.

   Positive comment by El Vengamas · Sep 15, 2026

   Google Chrome and company stinks for real.

   Positive comment by venture2935 · Aug 26, 2026

   The only browser not based on chromium.

   3 of 98 comments

   

   

   • Mozilla Firefox is Free and Open SourceGoogle Chrome is Free and Proprietary
   • Mozilla Firefox is Privacy focused, Security-focused and LightweightGoogle Chrome is not according to our users
2. 

   

   Zen Browser

    394 likes

   Experience a privacy-focused, open-source browser rich with features like vertical tabs, Split View, Zen Glance, and extensive security protocols. Built on Firefox, it's currently in beta, emphasizing privacy and adaptability, with future plans for horizontal tabs.

   123 Zen Browser alternatives

   Cost / License

   • Free
   • Open Source (MPL-2.0)

   Application type

   • Web Browser

   Origin

   • Spain
   • EU

   Platforms

   • Windows
   • Mac
   • Linux
   • Flathub
   • Flatpak
   • AppImage

   • Spain
   • EU

   

   

   

   +4

   

   More about Zen Browser  

   

   Good alternative?Is Zen Browser a good alternative to Google Chrome?

    

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   3comments

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   Zen Browser vs Google Chrome Comments

   Positive comment by fabriziob · Sep 19, 2025

   The direction of the development, the current and planned features and the customization are amazing for such a young project and I am not missing anything (especially the Google tracking and the AI push) of Chrome.

   Positive comment by armchair · May 28, 2025

   Zen Browser is open source and privacy friendly. Not based on blink engine from Google but instead Gecko. What's not to like?

   Positive comment by Scepty · Sep 13, 2024

   Zen is a remarkably fast and customizable browser, and possibly the best I've ever used. Especially considering how new it is, the amount of features is astounding. Additonally, the themes can be anything from recolors to adding whole new features, and you can have multiple on at once. Pretty much the only thing it doesn't have is DRM content. Because of the $5000 price tag on DRM lisences, it's not (currently) financially advisable for Zen's developer to buy one. Hopefully someday!

   3 of 3 comments

   

   

   • Zen Browser is Free and Open SourceGoogle Chrome is Free and Proprietary
   • Zen Browser is Privacy focused and LightweightGoogle Chrome is not according to our users
4. 

   

   LibreWolf

    409 likes

   LibreWolf is a community-maintained, privacy and performance-enhanced browser forked from Firefox, independent of Mozilla. It uses over 500 settings to limit telemetry, offers an Extensions Firewall, supports all major systems, and is developed free from corporate influence.

   110 LibreWolf alternatives

   Cost / License

   • Free
   • Open Source (MPL-2.0)

   Application type

   • Web Browser

   Origin

   • International

   Platforms

   • Mac
   • Windows
   • Linux
   • AppImageHub
   • Linux Mint
   • Arch Linux
   • Gentoo
   • Flathub
   • Fedora
   • Ubuntu
   • Debian
   • Homebrew
   • Chocolatey
   • OpenBSD

   • Global

   

   

   More about LibreWolf  

   

   Good alternative?Is LibreWolf a good alternative to Google Chrome?

    
5. 

   

   Helium Browser

    142 likes

   Chromium browser with open-source ad, tracker, and cryptominer blocking by default, zero tracking, customizable privacy controls, proxy-anonymized extension downloads, split view, and efficient, unobtrusive interface for full extension compatibility.

   81 Helium Browser alternatives

   Cost / License

   • Free
   • Open Source (GPL-3.0)

   Application type

   • Web Browser

   Origin

   • United States

   Platforms

   • Mac
   • Windows
   • Linux

   • United States

   

   

   

   More about Helium Browser  

   

   Good alternative?Is Helium Browser a good alternative to Google Chrome?

    

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   4comments

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   Helium Browser vs Google Chrome Comments

   Positive comment by Guest · Feb 10, 2026

   I like Helium as an alternative to Chrome because it's lightweight, fast, privacy-respecting, comes with uBlock Origin integrated and has full Chrome Web Store support and a modern, minimal UI.

   Positive comment by Guest · Apr 9, 2026

   ublockOrigin included, very fast, privacy focused and very good layouts including compact and vertical tabs

   Positive comment by Tom Jiang · Sep 27, 2026

   It has uBlock Origin built in, and is very minimalist.

   3 of 4 comments

   

   

   • Helium Browser is Free and Open SourceGoogle Chrome is Free and Proprietary
   • Helium Browser is Privacy focused and LightweightGoogle Chrome is not according to our users
6. 

   

   Waterfox

    466 likes

   Utilize Waterfox for a high-speed, private browsing experience on 64-bit systems. Built on Firefox, it taps into Intel's C++ compiler for optimal performance, supports legacy extensions, allows full customization, and blocks ads by default, ensuring utmost control and security.

   105 Waterfox alternatives

   Cost / License

   • Free
   • Open Source

   Application type

   • Web Browser

   Origin

   • United Kingdom

   Platforms

   • Mac
   • Windows
   • Linux
   • Android
   • Android Tablet
   • Flathub

   • United Kingdom

   

   

   More about Waterfox  

   

   Good alternative?Is Waterfox a good alternative to Google Chrome?

    

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   13comments

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   Waterfox vs Google Chrome Comments

   Top Positive Comment by TerrifiedTyphlosion · May 6, 2019

   If you haven't left Google Chrome because you think other browsers can't compete with its speed (which, in my experience, hasn't been completely true), try Waterfox out. It comes with the added bonus of being far more privacy-oriented than either Chrome or Firefox.

   Top Negative Comment by Guest · Feb 13, 2020

   Compared to Firefox (from where it was forked on), Waterfox looks pretty dated and some extensions refuses to be installed due to this -- depending on what extension you want, you may have troubles.

   Positive comment by Guest · Aug 19, 2026

   no google by default, and built in adblocker

   3 of 13 comments

   

   

   • Waterfox is Free and Open SourceGoogle Chrome is Free and Proprietary
   • Waterfox is Privacy focused and LightweightGoogle Chrome is not according to our users
8. 

   

   Floorp

    157 likes

   Open-source browser based on Firefox, combining advanced privacy and tracking protection with a Chromium-inspired interface, cross-platform support, customization options, compatibility with Firefox extensions, regular updates, efficient performance, and multilingual support.

   154 Floorp alternatives

   Cost / License

   • Free
   • Open Source (MPL-2.0)

   Application type

   • Web Browser

   Origin

   • Japan

   Platforms

   • Windows
   • Mac
   • Linux
   • Flatpak
   • Flathub
   • Snapcraft
   • iPhone

   • Japan

   

   

   

   +2

   

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   Good alternative?Is Floorp a good alternative to Google Chrome?

    
9. 

   

   Mullvad Browser

    181 likes

   The Mullvad Browser is a privacy-focused web browser developed in a collaboration between Mullvad VPN and the Tor Project. It’s designed to minimize tracking and fingerprinting. You could say it’s a Tor Browser to use without the Tor Network.

   113 Mullvad Browser alternatives

   Cost / License

   • Free
   • Open Source (MPL-2.0)

   Application typeApplication types

   • Web Browser
   • Ad Blocker

   Origin

   • Sweden
   • EU

   Platforms

   • Mac
   • Windows
   • Linux
   • Flathub
   • Flatpak

   • Sweden
   • EU

   

   

   

   More about Mullvad Browser  

   

   Good alternative?Is Mullvad Browser a good alternative to Google Chrome?

    
10. 

    

    Cromite

     91 likes

    Cromite is a Chromium fork focusing on privacy, featuring built-in ad-blocking, user agent customization for privacy, DNS adjustments for security, and anti-fingerprinting measures to ensure user safety throughout browsing sessions.

    54 Cromite alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source (GPL-3.0)

    Application typeApplication types

    • Web Browser
    • Ad Blocker

    Origin

    • International

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • Android Tablet
    • F-Droid

    • Global

    

    

    

    More about Cromite  

    

    Good alternative?Is Cromite a good alternative to Google Chrome?

     

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    1comment

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    Cromite vs Google Chrome Comments

    Positive comment by Guest · May 16, 2024

    I like this app coz it has no useless features and does the basics properly. No ads, less tracking, lightweight.

    1 of 1 comments

    

    

    • Cromite is Free and Open SourceGoogle Chrome is Free and Proprietary
    • Cromite is Privacy focused and LightweightGoogle Chrome is not according to our users
11. 

    

    Pale Moon

     408 likes

    This open-source Goanna-based browser for Windows, Linux, Mac, and FreeBSD offers customization, security, and privacy. Forked from Firefox, it's optimized for modern processors, ad-free, and supports unique extensions, community-backed. Comes with a functional status bar, supports NPAPI plugins.

    209 Pale Moon alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source (MPL-2.0)

    Application type

    • Web Browser

    Origin

    • Sweden
    • EU

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD

    • Sweden
    • EU

    

    

    

    +1

    

    More about Pale Moon  

    

    Good alternative?Is Pale Moon a good alternative to Google Chrome?

     

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    2comments

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    Pale Moon vs Google Chrome Comments

    Positive comment by krbngls · May 3, 2017

    It's the old Firefox!!! Loved it!

    Negative comment by saviour-simple · May 7, 2026

    Extremely outdated and poor security

    2 of 2 comments

    

    

    • Pale Moon is Free and Open SourceGoogle Chrome is Free and Proprietary
    • Pale Moon is Lightweight, Privacy focused and Security-focusedGoogle Chrome is not according to our users
12. 

    

    SeaMonkey

     251 likes

    Web-browser, advanced e-mail, newsgroup and feed client, IRC chat, and HTML editing in one application. Itis built on the open source Mozilla Gecko engine, the same code which underlies Thunderbird and is the base for the Firefox browser.

    199 SeaMonkey alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    • Web Browser

    Origin

    • Germany
    • EU

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • PortableApps.com

    • Germany
    • EU

    

    

    

    +3

    

    More about SeaMonkey  

    

    Good alternative?Is SeaMonkey a good alternative to Google Chrome?

     

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    4comments

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    SeaMonkey vs Google Chrome Comments

    Positive comment by Oscar Sanderson · Jul 20, 2021

    Seamonkey is a internet suite which is like a swiss army knife giving you more control and it is open source and does not track you like Google do

    Positive comment by Guest · Dec 26, 2016

    More privacy, more user control of how the browser functions, More technical interface, includes a web authoring and editing tool, integrated with email, and doesn't report home to Google.

    Positive comment by Guest · Mar 2, 2018

    Open source that runs on all normal platforms. Features are what were in the original Netscape Navigator. Updated to today's HTML etc.

    3 of 4 comments

    

    

    • SeaMonkey is Free and Open SourceGoogle Chrome is Free and Proprietary
    • SeaMonkey is Lightweight and Privacy focusedGoogle Chrome is not according to our users
13. 

    

    DuckDuckGo Browser

     93 likes

    Privacy-focused open-source smartphone browser by DuckDuckGo blocks trackers, enforces encrypted connections, and provides a Privacy Grade. Partners with 'Terms of Service Didn't Read' and offers features like tabs, bookmarks, and autocomplete, keeping search data private.

    194 DuckDuckGo Browser alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Open Source (Apache-2.0)

    Application type

    • Web Browser

    Origin

    • United States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • F-Droid
    • OpenAPK

    • United States

    

    

    

    +5

    

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    5comments

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    DuckDuckGo Browser vs Google Chrome Comments

    Top Positive Comment by demianmasks · Mar 1, 2025

    I like DuckDuckGo Privacy Browser as an alternative because of how it treats data as it deserve: privacy !

    Positive comment by brandirolsen · Jan 17, 2023

    Duck duck go does have a desktop version for Mac now. I am using it now. You must have the mobile version and request the version for your desktop through the settings of your mobile app. It takes a little while but it works well.

    Comment by Tibbe · Mar 2, 2022

    It is good, but unfortunately only mobile. It depends on the web renderer the system provides, it would be better to my opinion if it used Servo for example.

    3 of 5 comments

    

    

    • DuckDuckGo Browser is Freemium and Open SourceGoogle Chrome is Free and Proprietary
    • DuckDuckGo Browser is Privacy focused and LightweightGoogle Chrome is not according to our users
14. 

    

    Arc Browser

     64 likes

    Experience a calmer, more personal internet in this browser designed for you. Let go of the clicks, the clutter, the distractions.

    51 Arc Browser alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    • Web Browser

    Origin

    • United States

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Android
    • iPhone

    • United States

    

    

    

    +3

    

    More about Arc Browser  

    

    Good alternative?Is Arc Browser a good alternative to Google Chrome?