Google Chrome vs Thorium Browser (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, we pick Google Chrome: it is first in our ranking of browsers, and it grades higher too, 3.6 against 3.0.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Google Chrome grades higher on features, ease of use and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money and the free plan.
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
Which one is for you
Pick Google Chrome if
- Fits if you have a Google Account and want the same bookmarks and passwords on every device
- Works for mixed households, with versions for Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone and Android
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want ads and trackers blocked out of the box, which Brave and Opera do
- Not for you if your computer is short on memory, going by how often people grumble about Chrome's appetite
- Watch out: older-style extensions are switched off for good, and third-party cookies are only blocked by default in Incognito
- Pricey if auto browse is the draw: it needs a Google AI Pro or Ultra plan, priced nowhere on Chrome's pages, and is U.S. only
- Watch out: Gemini in Chrome isn't on Android, Enhanced Safe Browsing sends data to Google, and desktop needs Windows 10 or macOS 13
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
| 3.6GPAGoogle ChromeExcellent | 3.0GPAThorium BrowserVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree on every platform, with nothing in the browser itself held back: sync, the password manager, tab groups, extensions and Safe Browsing all come with it. The only paid thing nearby is auto browse, which wants a Google AI Pro or Ultra subscription, works in the U.S. only, and has no price on Chrome's pages. | AFree to download, with no paid plans listed, so under 60% of this category's cheapest quarter. |
| Free plan and trial | AFree outright, on every device, and there's no second tier of the browser to be sold up to. Sync, Google Password Manager, passkeys, Safe Browsing, tab groups and the Chrome Web Store are all in the free version. Only auto browse sits behind a subscription. | AEvery build is free, and the separate GitHub repositories carry no paid edition. |
| Features | BTab groups, vertical tabs, split view, a password manager with passkeys, Safe Browsing and Safety Check, and the biggest extension store there is. The hole is blocking. There's no ad or tracker blocker on the feature list, and Gemini depends on your account, country and device. | 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 | B4.69 from about 3.9 million App Store ratings, a hair under the 4.7 the top browsers here manage, and the iPhone reviews explain why: tabs closing on an update, typing that lags in text boxes. Setting it up is nothing, mind: sign in and your bookmarks are already there. | 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 | AWindows, Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad and Android, with bookmarks, passwords, payment details and open tabs syncing across the lot once you sign in. You can throw a tab from the laptop to the phone and walk out of the house. | BWindows, macOS, Linux and Android builds are listed, so computers and a phone, with no iOS version and no list of integrations. |
| Best for | the same browser on every device you own | 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: Google Chrome and Thorium Browser. How we grade
Price against what you get
Google Chrome has no paid plan and scores 3.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Thorium Browser has no paid plan and scores 2.3.
Google Chrome scores higher for the same starting price. Of the other browsers on the chart, none scores higher than Google Chrome 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
- Thorium Browser is open source, according to its own site.
- Google Chrome also covers password manager and passkeys.
In commonFree planWindowsmacOSLinuxAndroidWeb browser
At a glance
| Google Chrome | Thorium Browser | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| 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. | Free to download. The site lists no paid plans. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Alex313031 | |
| Price read from | support.google.com | thorium.rocks |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
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.
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
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.
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
Google Chrome
Free$0
The full browser on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iPhone and iPad, with sync through a Google Account.
Thorium Browser
Free$0
Free to download. The site lists no paid plans.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Google Chrome or Thorium Browser?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Google Chrome and Thorium Browser are free to use.
Which has a free plan, Google Chrome or Thorium Browser?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Google Chrome and Thorium Browser have a free plan.
Which platforms do Google Chrome and Thorium Browser run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Google Chrome lists an iOS app. Both list macOS, Windows, Linux and Android 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.