Side by side
Chromium vs NetSurf
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 AndroidExtensioniPhone+3
Choose Chromium if you want an open-source browser project with code, technical documentation, and ways to contribute. Its available builds require manual updating and may come from revisions that do not match user-facing Chrome releases.
Visit Chromium Free plan Open source LinuxMacWindows
NetSurf focuses on compact browsing and broad platform front ends rather than modern web compatibility claims. Its Windows build limitation and listed standards should be considered before installation.
Visit NetSurfThe facts
| Chromium | NetSurf | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Yes | Yes |
| Runs on | Android, Extension, iPhone, Linux, Mac, Windows | Linux, Mac, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Not published | Free or on request |
| Plans published | None | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | NetSurf |
| Website | chromium.org | netsurf-browser.org |
| On web browsers | #19 of 154 | #23 of 154 |
Chromium: what it does well
- Source code is released under a permissive BSD license.
- Build instructions cover Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android.
- The project develops the V8 JavaScript and Blink rendering engines.
- Security documentation covers sandboxing, Safe Browsing, and defense in depth.
- Developers can contribute code, report bugs, and join discussions.
What to know first
- Available builds may not match user-facing Chrome releases.
- Builds do not auto-update and do not include symbols.
- Site Isolation is unsupported in Android WebView and some lower-memory Android devices.
NetSurf: what it does well
- Free and open source
- Designed for resource-constrained hardware
- Includes bookmarks, history, and cookie management
- Supports several listed image formats
- Available for Linux, macOS, and Windows
What to know first
- Windows build is not ready for general use
- Listed standards are HTML 4.01 and CSS 2.1
- Latest listed release is dated 28 December 2023
Alternatives to Chromium Alternatives to NetSurf The whole list