Google Chrome vs Opera
We give Google Chrome and Opera the same GPA: 3.6 out of 4.0. Google Chrome grades higher on ease of use. Opera grades higher on features. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Google Chrome
Google's free browser for desktop and mobile, with Gemini built in
Free
Opera
Browser with a built-in ad blocker, free VPN and sidebar messengers
Free plan · from $4/mo
How we grade them
| 3.6GPAGoogle ChromeExcellent | 3.6GPAOperaExcellent | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | BThe browser is free, so there's no bad deal to be had. The one thing to pay for is auto browse, which needs a Google AI Pro or Ultra subscription and only works in the U.S. Chrome's pages don't say what that costs. | BThe browser is free, VPN and all. The only thing to buy is VPN Pro, from $4 a month. Opera doesn't say which billing term gets you that price, though. |
| Free plan and trial | AAll of it, on every device: sync, the password manager, Safe Browsing, tab groups and extensions. No trial and no locked buttons. Only auto browse sits behind a subscription. | AAll of it is free: the ad blocker, a VPN with no data cap, and Opera AI with no login. The price is a few sponsored tiles on the start page. |
| Features | BTab groups, vertical tabs, split view, a password manager with passkeys, and the Chrome Web Store for everything else. But no ad or tracker blocker is on the feature list, and Gemini in Chrome depends on your account, country and device. | ATab Islands, split screen, WhatsApp and Slack in the sidebar, ChatGPT and Gemini next to Opera's own AI. Few browsers come with this much built in. |
| Ease of use | A4.7 from about 3.9 million App Store ratings. Download it, sign in with your Google Account, and your bookmarks and passwords are already there. A new version lands every four weeks. | B4.7 from about 260,000 App Store ratings. But there's a lot on screen, and on a computer the ad blocker and VPN stay off until you switch them on. |
| Platforms and integrations | AWindows, Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad and Android. Sign in and tabs, bookmarks, passwords and payment details sync across all of them. You can even send a tab from your laptop to your phone. | AWindows, Mac, Linux, Chromebook, iPhone and Android, with a free account to sync them. The desktop versions run Chrome extensions too. |
| Best for | the same browser on every device you own | a free VPN and ad blocker built in |
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: Google Chrome and Opera. How we grade
Where they differ
- Google Chrome is free. Opera starts at $4 per month (VPN Pro; billing term for this rate not stated).
- Google Chrome also covers password manager and passkeys.
- Opera also covers screenshots.
In commonFree planWindowsmacOSLinuxiOSAndroidAI featuresWeb browser
At a glance
| Google Chrome | Opera | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | $4 per month (VPN Pro; billing term for this rate not stated) |
| Free plan | Chrome is downloaded and installed at no charge on every platform. The auto browse feature of Gemini in Chrome needs a separate Google AI Pro or Ultra subscription. | The browser is free to download and use on desktop and mobile, including the ad blocker, the browser VPN with no data cap and Opera AI with no login. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Opera Norway | |
| Price read from | support.google.com | blogs.opera.com |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Google Chrome
- Google Account users who want the same bookmarks, passwords and tabs on every device
- People who depend on extensions from the Chrome Web Store
- Those who want Gemini and Google's AI search inside the browser
Opera
- People who want an ad blocker and a VPN without installing extensions
- Keeping messengers and music in a sidebar next to the page
- Trying Opera AI, ChatGPT and Gemini from one browser
Worth knowing
Google Chrome
- Auto browse, where Gemini carries out multi-step tasks, is available only to Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers in the U.S.
- Gemini in Chrome needs a signed-in, eligible account in a supported country, and Google's FAQ says it is not available on Android yet.
- Enhanced Safe Browsing requires browsing data to be sent to Google.
- Desktop requirements start at Windows 10, macOS 13 Ventura, and 64-bit Ubuntu 18.04, Debian 10, openSUSE 15.5 or Fedora Linux 39.
Opera
- The free VPN protects the browser only. VPN Pro, which covers the whole device, is a paid subscription from $4 per month.
- Opera earns revenue from ads, sponsored Speed Dials and promoted address-bar suggestions. The sponsored items can be replaced or switched off in settings.
- The Android app lists in-app purchases of $5.99 to $29.99 per item on the US Google Play store, without naming them.
- Opera GX, Opera Air, Opera Mini and Opera Neon, an AI browser at $19.90 a month, are separate products; this entry covers the main Opera browser.
Key features
Google Chrome
- Tab groups, vertical tabs and split view
- Tabs can be grouped, labeled and color coded, stacked down the side of the window as vertical tabs, or shown two at a time in split view.
- Sync across devices
- Signing in to Chrome brings bookmarks, saved passwords, payment info and open tabs to any phone, tablet or computer, and a tab can be sent from one device to another.
- Google Password Manager and passkeys
- Google Password Manager is built in to save, manage and generate passwords. Passkeys allow sign-in with a fingerprint, face, PIN or pattern.
- Safe Browsing and Safety Check
- Safe Browsing warns before a dangerous site or download, with an optional enhanced mode. Safety Check reviews saved passwords, extensions and settings and points out anything that needs attention.
- Gemini in Chrome and AI Mode
- Gemini in Chrome answers questions using the context of open tabs, and Skills save prompts for reuse. AI Mode, Google's AI search, accepts tabs, files and images as context.
- Extensions and performance controls
- Extensions from the Chrome Web Store add features, Energy Saver and Memory Saver limit resource use, and Google ships a new Chrome update every four weeks.
Opera
- Ad blocker and free VPN
- The ad blocker removes ads and pop-ups without an extension. The browser VPN is free, has no data cap, needs no subscription or login and follows a no-logs policy; on Android it offers three virtual locations.
- Opera AI, ChatGPT and Gemini
- Opera AI is free with no sign-up and can read the current tab or a group of tabs for context. ChatGPT and Gemini open in the sidebar, and an AI image generator is included.
- Tab Islands, workspaces and split screen
- Tab Islands keep related tabs together in groups that collapse and expand, workspaces separate tab groups, split screen shows several tabs at once and vertical tabs are available.
- Sidebar messengers and music
- WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, Discord, Slack and Bluesky open in the sidebar, as do Instagram, X and a music player that works with services such as Spotify.
- Flow and sync
- Flow sends files, links and notes between a person's own devices, and a free Opera Account syncs open tabs, bookmarks and speed dials between mobile and desktop.
- Built-in utilities
- Extras include a snapshot tool for capturing and editing screenshots, video pop-out, page translation, a unit and currency converter, a battery saver and a volume booster of up to 5x.
Plans
Google Chrome
Free$0
The full browser on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iPhone and iPad, with sync through a Google Account.
Opera
Free$0
The full browser with the ad blocker, the free browser VPN, Opera AI, sidebar messengers, Flow and sync through a free Opera Account.
VPN ProFrom $4
per month; billing term for this rate not stated
Device-wide VPN for up to six desktop and Android devices at once, with servers in 48 countries. Sold on monthly or annual plans.
