Firefox vs Vivaldi

Firefox

• People who want tracker blocking switched on by default
• Users who prefer an open-source browser that is not based on Chromium
• Those who want to pick their own AI chatbot, or turn AI off
• Anyone moving between Windows, macOS, Linux and a phone

Vivaldi

• Power users who keep dozens of tabs open
• People who want mail, calendar and feeds inside the browser
• Those who like to customize shortcuts, themes and layout
• Users who want a browser without a built-in AI assistant

Firefox

• The built-in VPN is capped at 50 GB per month and protects browser traffic only. Mozilla's paid VPN service costs $59.88 per year or $9.99 per month, plus tax.
• Firefox shows optional ads on its homepage to fund development. They can be turned off.
• The built-in VPN has not reached Firefox for Android or iOS; Mozilla's roadmap lists VPN on mobile as upcoming work.
• Windows 8.1 and below and macOS 10.14 and below are no longer supported by the standard release; they need Firefox ESR.

Vivaldi

• Proton VPN for Vivaldi works only in the desktop browser, and faster speeds, more servers and extra devices need a paid Proton VPN plan.
• New installs come with partner bookmarks and search engines that earn Vivaldi revenue. They can be replaced.
• Vivaldi deliberately leaves out an AI assistant, so there is no built-in chatbot or page summarizer.
• The current Mac download requires macOS 13 or later.

Firefox

Tracking and cookie protection

Enhanced Tracking Protection blocks known trackers by default, and Total Cookie Protection keeps each site's cookies separate. The shield icon in the address bar shows what was blocked.

Built-in VPN

A VPN toggle in the desktop toolbar routes browser traffic through a proxy server to hide the IP address, free for up to 50 GB per month. It covers the browser only, not other apps on the device.

Tab groups, vertical tabs and sidebar

Tabs can be grouped and color coded or stacked vertically, and a customizable sidebar gives one-click access to bookmarks, history, synced tabs and other tools.

AI chatbots in the sidebar

The sidebar can host a third-party assistant such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, Claude or Mistral Chat. AI features are optional and can be turned off entirely.

Sync with a Mozilla account

Bookmarks, history, saved passwords and open tabs sync across desktop and mobile with end-to-end encryption, and Send Tab pushes a page from one device to another.

Reader mode, PDF editor and translation

Reader mode strips clutter from articles, a built-in editor fills, signs and annotates PDFs, and pages are translated in the browser without sharing the data with anyone else.

Vivaldi

Mail, Calendar and Feed Reader

A built-in email client handles several accounts, mailing lists and feeds in one inbox, next to a private calendar and a feed reader that does not rank items by algorithm.

Tab Stacks, tiling and Workspaces

Tabs group into two-level Tab Stacks, open side by side in a split-screen view, and sort into Workspaces for switching between categories of tabs.

Ad and tracker blocker

A blocker for ads and trackers is built into the desktop and mobile browsers, so no extension is needed to remove them.

End-to-end encrypted Sync

Browsing history, passwords, bookmarks, tabs and notes sync between desktop and mobile devices, protected by end-to-end encryption.

Proton VPN for Vivaldi

An opt-in VPN from Proton is built into the desktop browser. It is free with no ads or data limits after signing in with a Vivaldi account.

Customization and Command Chains

Shortcuts, themes and features can be personalized, mouse gestures trigger actions, and Command Chains run a custom sequence of commands from one keystroke or gesture.

Firefox

• Free$0

  The full browser on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS, including tracker blocking, sync and, on desktop, the built-in VPN up to 50 GB a month.

Vivaldi

• Free$0

  The full browser on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS, including mail, calendar, feed reader, sync and the free tier of Proton VPN on desktop.