Helium Browser vs Thorium Browser (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Helium Browser and Thorium Browser share a 3.0 GPA, both are free, so the choice depends on whether you care more about ease of use, where Helium Browser grades higher, or platforms, where Thorium Browser does.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan and features.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Helium Browser
Free open source Chromium browser with privacy defaults and !bangs
Which one is for you
Pick Helium Browser if
- Fits if you want a Chromium browser that collects nothing and you do not need sync
- Works for people who like !bangs and Chromium extensions
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you stream protected video, as there is no Widevine DRM
- Not for you if you want a password manager or sync across devices, as it has neither
- Watch out: the download page warns that unexpected issues may occur in beta
- Skip it if you want a phone browser, as there is no mobile version yet
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
| 3.0GPAHelium BrowserVery good | 3.0GPAThorium BrowserVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree, with no paid upgrade, and the FAQ says there is no ad-supported tier. | AFree to download, with no paid plans listed, so under 60% of this category's cheapest quarter. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe whole browser is free, with no paid tier or ad-supported tier. | AEvery build is free, and the separate GitHub repositories carry no paid edition. |
| Features | CPrivacy defaults, Chromium extensions, tab tools and !bangs. The listing shows no password manager, no sync and no DRM, and it is still beta. | 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 | BNo store rating on record. Install and browse, with nothing to set up. | 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 | CDesktop only: macOS, Windows and Linux. No mobile version yet. | BWindows, macOS, Linux and Android builds are listed, so computers and a phone, with no iOS version and no list of integrations. |
| Best for | a private Chromium browser with no tracking | 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: Helium Browser and Thorium Browser. How we grade
Price against what you get
Helium Browser has no paid plan and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Thorium Browser has no paid plan and scores 2.3.
On this chart the two sit in the same place: the same score for the same starting price. Of the other browsers on the chart, none scores higher than Helium Browser 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
- Helium Browser is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Helium Browser also covers passkeys and ad and tracker blocking.
At a glance
| Helium Browser | Thorium Browser | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | The whole browser is free; the FAQ says there is no ad-supported free tier and no paid upgrade. | Free to download. The site lists no paid plans. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | imput LLC | Alex313031 |
| Price read from | helium.computer | thorium.rocks |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Helium Browser
- It is in beta, and the download page warns that unexpected issues may occur.
- There is no Widevine DRM support, so some streaming services and protected media may not play.
- There is no built-in password manager and no data sync, and no mobile version yet.
- Automatic updates on macOS and Windows depend on Helium services being enabled.
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
Helium Browser
- Privacy by default
- It blocks ads, trackers, cookie banners and third-party cookies, and adds noise to some web APIs to resist fingerprinting.
- No data collection
- The site says it makes no web requests on first launch and has no analytics; requests to Helium services must be approved by you.
- Chromium extensions
- All Chromium extensions are supported, and Chrome Web Store requests are anonymized through Helium services.
- Layout and tab tools
- Four layout options, a frameless mode, vertical tabs, split view, tab groups, MRU tabbing and tab hibernation.
- !bangs
- More than 13,000 bangs are processed locally and send you directly to a site, skipping the results page.
- Open source services
- Browser components and online services are open source on GitHub, and Helium services can be self-hosted.
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
Helium Browser
Free$0
The full browser. Development is crowdfunded through user sponsorships, which the FAQ says are temporarily disabled.
Thorium Browser
Free$0
Free to download. The site lists no paid plans.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Helium Browser or Thorium Browser?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Helium Browser and Thorium Browser are free to use.
Which has a free plan, Helium Browser or Thorium Browser?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Helium Browser and Thorium Browser have a free plan.
Which platforms do Helium Browser and Thorium Browser run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Thorium Browser lists an Android app. Both list macOS, Windows and Linux 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.