Side by side
Basilisk vs Nyxt
Both stand on web browsers. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan Open source LinuxMacWindows
Basilisk focuses on a traditional desktop browsing experience, broad web technology support and older extension formats. Its single-process design, X11 target and lack of Firefox WebExtensions matter when choosing it.
Visit Basilisk Free plan Open source LinuxMacWindows
Nyxt focuses on keyboard-driven browsing, Lisp extensibility, and research-oriented knowledge extraction. Its free, open-source desktop download provides substantial control, while platform and extension limitations matter for some users.
Visit NyxtThe facts
| Basilisk | Nyxt | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Yes | Yes |
| Runs on | Linux, Mac, Windows | Linux, Mac, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | See the plans |
| Plans published | 1 | 4 |
| Maker | Not published | Nyxt |
| Website | basilisk-browser.org | nyxt-browser.com |
| On web browsers | #22 of 154 | #26 of 154 |
Basilisk: what it does well
- Free and open source
- Runs on Windows, Linux and macOS
- Supports XUL and overlay extensions
- Optional NPAPI plugin support
- Optional Pale Moon Sync support
What to know first
- Firefox WebExtensions are unsupported
- Wayland is unsupported directly
- Uses single-process browsing
- Not anonymous or anti-fingerprinting by default
Nyxt: what it does well
- Keyboard navigation includes link hints and fuzzy heading search
- Built-in REPL supports Common Lisp customization
- Tagged bookmarks and branching history tree
- Built-in ad blocking through blocker-mode
- Free download and open-source code
What to know first
- Official macOS and Windows ports remain in development
- Windows availability currently uses WSL
- Firefox and Chrome WebExtensions are unavailable
- WebEngine support is described as experimental
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