Microsoft Edge vs Yandex Browser (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Microsoft Edge grades higher than Yandex Browser: 3.6 against 3.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Microsoft Edge 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.
Yandex Browser
Free browser from Yandex with phishing warnings and neural translation
Free
Which one is for you
Pick Microsoft Edge if
- Fits if you're on Windows and want Copilot sitting in the browser
- Works for people already using Bing, Microsoft Rewards and the Microsoft 365 web apps
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want ads blocked out of the box, which Brave does
- Tight if you lean on Copilot all day, because higher limits need a Microsoft 365 subscription from $9.99
- Not for you if you want the same features everywhere, as Microsoft says they vary by device and market
- Watch out: supported extensions differ between operating systems, and Password Generator needs sign-in with password sync on
- Watch out: a few iPhone and iPad reviewers report tabs closing when they didn't ask them to
Pick Yandex Browser if
- Fits if you want a no-cost desktop browser that imports your old browser's settings
- Makes sense if phishing warnings matter more to you than a long extension list
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you need to know which phones the mobile version supports, because the English mobile page does not say
- Not for you if you only trust measured speed: the site's figures come from studies it cites
- Watch out: the download page has a box to send usage statistics to Yandex, unticked unless you tick it
- Tight if you care about whose privacy policy governs your data: the browser is run by Yandex
How we grade them
| 3.6GPAMicrosoft EdgeExcellent | 3.0GPAYandex BrowserVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree on all five platforms, Copilot included, with no paid version of the browser at all. The only thing Microsoft sells around it is a Microsoft 365 subscription for higher Copilot limits, listed in the iPhone app from $9.99. Skip that and nothing in the browser closes. | AFree, with no price or paid plan on the download page, so there is nothing to compare against the category's $7 to $20 a month. |
| Free plan and trial | AFree outright on Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone and Android, with sync, the password manager, SmartScreen and Copilot all in. Copilot does come with a usage allowance rather than an open tap, but the browsing side has nothing metered. | AThe desktop browser downloads with no paid plan listed, and there is no cap to reach. |
| Features | BThe job is covered: Copilot summarizing pages, PDFs and videos and comparing across tabs, Journeys to pick research back up, Workspaces, split screen, a password manager that flags leaked logins, SmartScreen and a scareware blocker. No ad blocker on the list, and Microsoft says features vary by device and market. | CPhishing warnings, data import from other browsers and translation, but the speed and phishing claims rest on third-party studies the site cites. |
| Ease of use | A4.7 from about 586,000 App Store ratings. Sign in and tabs, favorites and passwords appear on their own. A few iPhone and iPad reviewers do report tabs closing when they didn't ask them to. | BNo rating on record. You install it and it copies your data and settings from your old browser on first run. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWindows, Mac, Linux, iPhone and Android, with tabs, favourites and passwords synced across every signed-in device, plus extensions, although which ones you get depends on the operating system. Computers and both phones, then, which is where our top mark stops short: that also wants a web app, and a browser isn't one. | CWindows, macOS and Linux downloads. The mobile page names no phone systems, so a phone cannot be counted. |
| Best for | Windows users who want Copilot in the browser | a free desktop browser with phishing warnings |
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: Microsoft Edge and Yandex Browser. How we grade
Price against what you get
Microsoft Edge has no paid plan and scores 3.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Yandex Browser has no paid plan and scores 2.3.
Microsoft Edge scores higher for the same starting price. Of the other browsers on the chart, none scores higher than Microsoft Edge for less, and none scores higher than Yandex 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
- Microsoft Edge also covers password manager and passkeys.
In commonFree planWindowsmacOSLinuxAI featuresWeb browser
At a glance
| Microsoft Edge | Yandex Browser | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Edge is a free download, listed as free on the App Store. Copilot is included with a usage allowance; Microsoft sells higher limits through Microsoft 365 subscriptions. | The download page lists no price or paid plan for the browser. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Microsoft | Yandex |
| Price read from | apps.apple.com | browser.yandex.com |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Microsoft Edge
- Copilot has usage limits; Microsoft says higher limits, agents and complex multi-step tasks need a Microsoft 365 subscription.
- The iPhone and iPad app lists Microsoft 365 Personal and Premium as in-app purchases, from $9.99.
- Microsoft notes that feature availability varies by device type, market and browser version, and that supported extensions differ between operating systems.
- Password Generator works only when signed in to Edge with password sync turned on.
Yandex Browser
- The download page has a checkbox to send browser usage statistics to Yandex, which is off unless ticked.
- The English site names Windows and Linux downloads; the mobile page does not state which phone systems it supports.
- Speed and phishing-detection figures on the site come from third-party studies the site cites.
- The site is run by Yandex, whose privacy policy governs the data the browser handles.
Key features
Microsoft Edge
- Copilot in Edge
- Copilot sits in the browser to summarize pages, PDFs and videos, answer questions about the page being viewed and compare details across open tabs.
- Journeys and the Copilot new tab page
- Journeys group related pages, searches and chats so earlier research can be picked up again. The Copilot new tab page takes a question, a search or a web address in one box.
- Workspaces and split screen
- Workspaces keep sets of tabs separate and color coded, split screen shows two pages side by side in one tab, and tabs can be grouped by topic in one click.
- Microsoft Password Manager and passkeys
- Password Generator, Password Monitor and Password Health suggest strong passwords, sync them between devices and flag saved credentials found in known leaks. Passkeys are supported too.
- Built-in security tools
- Microsoft Defender SmartScreen blocks known phishing sites and malicious downloads, a scareware blocker targets fake warnings and support scams, and InPrivate clears history, cookies and form data on close.
- Performance and gaming features
- Energy saver extends battery life, PC gaming boost cuts the browser's resource use when a game launches, and Edge for Game Bar is an in-game browser for PC gaming.
Yandex Browser
- Phishing warnings
- The site says neural networks were trained to recognize phishing sites and the browser warns you on arrival. It cites a Softline study for its detection claim.
- Data import from other browsers
- It transfers your data and settings from another browser on first run, so the setup looks like the one you used before.
- Neural translation and summaries
- The mobile page says the browser translates and summarizes videos and web pages.
- Cloud sync on mobile
- The mobile page says passwords, tabs and tab groups are saved in the cloud and available on other devices.
- Desktop downloads
- Windows installers come in 32-bit and 64-bit versions; Linux packages come as DEB and RPM files.
Plans
Microsoft Edge
Free$0
The full browser on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android, with Copilot built in and sync between signed-in devices.
Yandex Browser
Free$0
The desktop browser downloads with no price or paid plan listed on the site.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Microsoft Edge or Yandex Browser?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Microsoft Edge and Yandex Browser are free to use.
Which has a free plan, Microsoft Edge or Yandex Browser?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Microsoft Edge and Yandex Browser have a free plan.
Which platforms do Microsoft Edge and Yandex Browser run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Microsoft Edge lists iOS and Android apps. 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.