Falkon vs NetSurf (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, NetSurf grades higher than Falkon: 3.0 against 2.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
NetSurf 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.
NetSurf
Lightweight open-source browser with its own layout engine
Which one is for you
Pick Falkon if
- Fits if you run a KDE Plasma desktop and want a browser that follows its theme
- Makes sense if you want an ad blocker on from the first launch
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use Windows or macOS, since the download page lists only Linux
- Not for you if you want the newest web features at once: it follows QtWebEngine, not Chrome or Firefox
- Tight if you want frequent updates: releases arrive with KDE Gear about three times a year
- Too light for phones: no mobile version is listed
Pick NetSurf if
- Fits if you have an old or low-powered computer
- Makes sense if you want a small program on RISC OS, Haiku or Linux
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you rely on modern web apps, since standards support is narrower than mainstream browsers
- Not for you if you want a Mac build: the overview names Mac OS X but the downloads page lists none
- Watch out: Drawfile export and ArtWorks images are RISC OS only
- Too light for phones: no mobile version is listed
- Tight if you need a settled engine: its own engine is still in active development
How we grade them
| 2.8GPAFalkonGood | 3.0GPANetSurfVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree and open source, with no paid plan. KDE takes donations. That is below this category's $7 cheapest quarter. | AFree under GPL v2 with no paid plans, so under 60% of this category's cheapest quarter. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe whole browser, ad blocker and password manager included, installs from distribution packages, Snap or Flatpak at no cost. | AThe whole browser downloads at no charge, with no paid tier or caps. |
| Features | CAd blocker, password manager, themes, extensions, bookmarks and history. Web compatibility follows QtWebEngine rather than Chrome or Firefox releases. | CA browser with history and page tools on its own engine, but the site says it only strives for standards compliance. |
| Ease of use | BNo rating on record. You install it from your distribution and use it, with nothing to set up. | BNo rating on record. It installs as a small program, built for small systems. |
| Platforms and integrations | DThe download page lists Linux only. No Windows or macOS installer is shown, and no phone version. | CMany systems on the site, but our listing counts Linux and Windows, and the downloads page lists no Mac build. |
| Best for | a light KDE browser on Linux | browsing on old or low-powered computers |
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: Falkon and NetSurf. How we grade
Price against what you get
Falkon has no paid plan and scores 2.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. NetSurf has no paid plan and scores 2.3.
NetSurf scores higher for the same starting price. Of the other browsers on the chart, none scores higher than Falkon for less, and none scores higher than NetSurf 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
- Falkon also covers password manager and ad and tracker blocking.
- NetSurf also covers bookmarks.
At a glance
| Falkon | NetSurf | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Falkon is free and open source. KDE accepts donations but the site lists no paid plan. | Free and open source under GPL version 2, with no paid plans. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | KDE | The NetSurf Developers |
| Price read from | falkon.org | netsurf-browser.org |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Falkon
- The download page lists Linux only (distribution packages, Snap and Flatpak); no Windows or macOS installer is shown there.
- It uses QtWebEngine, so web compatibility follows that engine rather than Firefox or Chrome releases.
- Falkon releases arrive with KDE Gear, about three times a year.
- The about page says the project was started for educational purposes.
NetSurf
- The site says NetSurf only strives for standards compliance, and its own engine is still in active development.
- Some features such as Drawfile export and ArtWorks images are RISC OS only.
- The overview page names Mac OS X, but the downloads page lists no Mac build.
Key features
Falkon
- Ad blocker on by default
- A built-in AdBlock plugin is enabled by default, and the 25.04 release notes mention fixes and new features for it.
- Password manager
- Falkon ships with a password manager and lets you tighten privacy and security settings further.
- Theming and extensions
- Themes change how the browser looks, and the site has an extensions page, including a Greasemonkey-style plugin mentioned in release notes.
- Plasma integration
- The site says Falkon integrates inside Plasma and follows Plasma theming preferences.
- Standard browser features
- Bookmarks, history and tabs are included, with bookmarks and history also shown in the sidebar.
NetSurf
- Own layout engine
- Written in C with its own rendering engine, aimed at speed and low resource use.
- Runs on small systems
- The site says it keeps working from a modern PC down to a 30MHz ARM 6 computer with 16MB of RAM.
- Many platforms
- Downloads are listed for RISC OS, GTK on Linux and Unix-likes, Haiku and BeOS, AmigaOS, Windows and Atari.
- History and page tools
- Includes web page thumbnailing, local and global history, a hotlist for bookmarks, a cookie manager and search-as-you-type.
Plans
Falkon
Free$0
The full browser, with its ad blocker and password manager, installed from distribution packages, Snap or Flatpak.
NetSurf
Free$0
The full browser, free to download under GPL version 2.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Falkon or NetSurf?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Falkon and NetSurf are free to use.
Which has a free plan, Falkon or NetSurf?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Falkon and NetSurf have a free plan.
Which platforms do Falkon and NetSurf run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only NetSurf lists a Windows app. Both list a Linux app. 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.