Falkon vs Otter Browser (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Otter Browser grades higher than Falkon: 3.0 against 2.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Otter 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.
Otter Browser
Open-source Qt browser that revives the classic Opera 12 interface
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 Otter Browser if
- Fits if you miss the classic Opera 12 layout
- Makes sense if you want a light, tweakable desktop browser
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use a Mac or a phone, as macOS is not named
- Not for you if you want quick fixes: recent weekly reports show about seven commits by one author
- Watch out: the weekly reports show 254 open issues, including 7 bugs
- Too light for modern web apps if you rely on the newest standards
How we grade them
| 2.8GPAFalkonGood | 3.0GPAOtter BrowserVery 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 software under GPL v3 with no paid plan, 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 is free and open source, with no caps or paid tier. |
| Features | CAd blocker, password manager, themes, extensions, bookmarks and history. Web compatibility follows QtWebEngine rather than Chrome or Firefox releases. | CA customizable, lightweight browser for power users, with the basics but a small team behind it. |
| 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. You install a binary or AppImage and use it, with options to tune if you want. |
| Platforms and integrations | DThe download page lists Linux only. No Windows or macOS installer is shown, and no phone version. | CWindows and Linux are listed. The project's site does not name macOS or any phone version. |
| Best for | a light KDE browser on Linux | a customizable browser in the Opera 12 style |
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 Otter Browser. 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. Otter Browser has no paid plan and scores 2.3.
Otter Browser 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 Otter 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
- Falkon also covers password manager and ad and tracker blocking.
At a glance
| Falkon | Otter Browser | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 the GPL v3, with no paid plans. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | KDE | Otter Browser project |
| Price read from | falkon.org | github.com |
| 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.
Otter Browser
- The project's own site lists official binaries, with an AppImage for Linux and downloads for Windows on SourceForge; macOS is not named there.
- Development is slow: its recent weekly reports show about seven commits by one author each week.
- The weekly reports show 254 open issues, including 7 bugs.
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.
Otter Browser
- Opera 12 style interface
- The project says it aims to recreate the best aspects of the classic Opera 12.x user interface and keep its spirit alive.
- Built with Qt
- The browser is written primarily in C++ and uses the Qt framework.
- Power-user focus
- The project says it focuses on features power users want while staying fast and lightweight.
- Free software
- Released under the GNU GPL v3, so anyone can read the code and contribute.
Plans
Falkon
Free$0
The full browser, with its ad blocker and password manager, installed from distribution packages, Snap or Flatpak.
Otter Browser
Free$0
The full browser, free software under GPL v3.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Falkon or Otter Browser?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Falkon and Otter Browser are free to use.
Which has a free plan, Falkon or Otter Browser?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Falkon and Otter Browser have a free plan.
Which platforms do Falkon and Otter Browser run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Otter Browser 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.