Chromium vs Thorium Browser (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Thorium Browser grades higher than Chromium: 3.0 against 2.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Thorium Browser grades higher on platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Chromium
Open-source browser project, with builds for testing and development
Which one is for you
Pick Chromium if
- Fits if you build or study the browser source
- Makes sense if you need one specific build to check a bug fix
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a browser that updates itself, since Chromium builds do not
- Not for you if you want a build that matches a Chrome release, as snapshots come from arbitrary revisions
- Watch out: the download page offers no Android or iOS installer
- Too light for everyday use: the site says Chrome builds suit most users
Pick Thorium Browser if
- Fits if you want a Chromium build compiled for your CPU
- Makes sense if you still run Windows 7 or XP and need a Chromium build
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want one-click downloads, as links go out to separate GitHub repositories
- Not for you if you need iOS, since no version is listed
- Watch out: the 8 to 38% speed gain is the developer's own claim
- Tight if you want a finished site: its author describes the website as under construction
- Watch out: release availability varies by platform and CPU profile
How we grade them
| 2.8GPAChromiumGood | 3.0GPAThorium BrowserVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree to download, with no paid edition listed anywhere on the project site, so nothing here costs money. | AFree to download, with no paid plans listed, so under 60% of this category's cheapest quarter. |
| Free plan and trial | ASnapshot builds and Chrome for Testing builds cost nothing and have no usage cap. | AEvery build is free, and the separate GitHub repositories carry no paid edition. |
| Features | CSource, build docs and an issue tracker, but the builds are aimed at testers and the site says they suit checking a fix. | CChromium plus UI and privacy patches, CPU-specific builds and Windows 7 and XP builds. The speed figures are the developer's own claim. |
| Ease of use | CNo rating on record. Builds do not auto-update and come from arbitrary revisions, so you fetch each new one by hand. | CNo rating on record. The site says it is under construction, and you pick a build for your CPU from separate GitHub pages. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWindows, Mac and Linux builds only. The page offers no installer for Android or iOS. | BWindows, macOS, Linux and Android builds are listed, so computers and a phone, with no iOS version and no list of integrations. |
| Best for | building or testing the Chromium source | a faster-built Chromium fork on desktop |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Chromium and Thorium Browser. How we grade
Price against what you get
Chromium has no paid plan and scores 2.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Thorium Browser has no paid plan and scores 2.3.
Thorium Browser scores higher for the same starting price. Of the other browsers on the chart, none scores higher than Chromium for less, and none scores higher than Thorium Browser for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
At a glance
| Chromium | Thorium Browser | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Chromium builds are free. The project site lists no paid plans. | Free to download. The site lists no paid plans. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | The Chromium Projects | Alex313031 |
| Price read from | chromium.org | thorium.rocks |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Chromium
- Chromium builds do not auto-update, so users have to fetch new builds themselves.
- The download page says Chrome builds auto-update and suit most users; Chromium builds suit checking a fix.
- Builds come from arbitrary revisions and do not necessarily match a user-facing Chrome release.
- The page offers no installer for Android or iOS.
Thorium Browser
- The site says it is under construction, and downloads link out to separate GitHub repositories for Linux, macOS, Windows and Android.
- The performance figures on the site are the developer's own claim.
- Release availability varies by platform and CPU profile, according to the GitHub repository.
- No iOS version is listed.
Key features
Chromium
- Open-source code
- The site describes Chromium as an open-source browser project and links to the source tree, build instructions and contribution guides.
- Chromium snapshot builds
- Builds are made on a best-effort basis from arbitrary revisions for Mac, Windows, Linux and ChromiumOS, with a point-and-click download page.
- Chrome for Testing
- A flavor of Chrome made for testing, released for every Chrome release across channels and downloadable with the @puppeteer/browsers command-line tool.
- Developer documentation
- Design documents, architecture overviews, testing information and debugging guides for Windows, OS X, Linux and Android.
- Bug reporting and release calendar
- The site links an issue tracker, discussion groups, a release calendar and security contact details for people who work on the code.
Thorium Browser
- Compiler optimizations
- Builds use SSE4.2, AVX and AES instruction sets, thinLTO and PGO among other compiler flags. The site claims an 8-38% speed gain over vanilla Chromium depending on benchmark and OS.
- Patches to Chromium
- UI changes and patches for Linux and Windows aimed at fixing bugs, improving usability and strengthening privacy and security.
- Multiple CPU profiles
- The GitHub repository lists build configurations for SSE2, SSE3, SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX, AVX2 and AVX-512 processors.
- Old Windows versions
- Separate builds are linked for Windows 7 and Windows XP, in addition to the regular Windows and Windows on ARM builds.
- Companion extensions
- The developer publishes extensions and apps for Thorium, such as a theme, a scroll-speed tweaker and a system monitor.
Plans
Chromium
Free$0
Chromium snapshot builds and Chrome for Testing builds, with no paid edition listed.
Thorium Browser
Free$0
Free to download. The site lists no paid plans.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Chromium or Thorium Browser?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Chromium and Thorium Browser are free to use.
Which has a free plan, Chromium or Thorium Browser?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Chromium and Thorium Browser have a free plan.
Which platforms do Chromium and Thorium Browser run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Thorium Browser lists an Android app. Both list macOS, Windows and Linux apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.