Min vs NetSurf (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Min grades higher than NetSurf: 3.2 against 3.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Min grades higher on features. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
NetSurf
Lightweight open-source browser with its own layout engine
Which one is for you
Pick Min if
- Fits if you keep lots of tabs open and want them grouped into tasks
- Works for people who want to search the text of pages they've visited
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want it on your phone, as there are no mobile versions
- Tight if you want paid help when something breaks, since it's a small open-source project with no paid support
- Watch out: the releases are separate files for each system, such as Windows installers, Debian and RPM packages and macOS zips
Pick NetSurf if
- Fits if you have an old or low-powered computer
- Makes sense if you want a small program on RISC OS, Haiku or Linux
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you rely on modern web apps, since standards support is narrower than mainstream browsers
- Not for you if you want a Mac build: the overview names Mac OS X but the downloads page lists none
- Watch out: Drawfile export and ArtWorks images are RISC OS only
- Too light for phones: no mobile version is listed
- Tight if you need a settled engine: its own engine is still in active development
How we grade them
| 3.2GPAMinVery good | 3.0GPANetSurfVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree open-source software with no paid tier, and a program anyone can download and run. | AFree under GPL v2 with no paid plans, so under 60% of this category's cheapest quarter. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe whole browser is free, with ad and tracker blocking already on. | AThe whole browser downloads at no charge, with no paid tier or caps. |
| Features | BTabs, tasks, Focus Mode, bookmark tags and full-text history search cover the browser's job, with nothing in the listing showing a gap. | CA browser with history and page tools on its own engine, but the site says it only strives for standards compliance. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating on record. You install it and use it, with keyboard shortcuts to learn if you want them. | BNo rating on record. It installs as a small program, built for small systems. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWindows, Mac and Linux only. The release files cover no mobile versions. | CMany systems on the site, but our listing counts Linux and Windows, and the downloads page lists no Mac build. |
| Best for | a plain browser with tasks and history search | browsing on old or low-powered computers |
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: Min and NetSurf. How we grade
Price against what you get
Min has no paid plan and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. NetSurf has no paid plan and scores 2.3.
Min scores higher for the same starting price. Of the other browsers on the chart, none scores higher than Min for less, and none scores higher than NetSurf 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
- Min also covers ad and tracker blocking.
- NetSurf also covers bookmarks.
At a glance
| Min | NetSurf | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Min is free, open-source software with no paid tier. | Free and open source under GPL version 2, with no paid plans. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | Min open-source project | The NetSurf Developers |
| Price read from | minbrowser.org | netsurf-browser.org |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Min
- There are no mobile versions; the release files cover Windows, macOS and Linux.
- It is a small open-source project, so there is no paid support.
- The release list names Windows installers, Debian and RPM packages, and macOS zip files rather than a single installer per system.
NetSurf
- The site says NetSurf only strives for standards compliance, and its own engine is still in active development.
- Some features such as Drawfile export and ArtWorks images are RISC OS only.
- The overview page names Mac OS X, but the downloads page lists no Mac build.
Key features
Min
- Compact tabs and Focus Mode
- Tabs take little space, pages you have not looked at in a while fade out, and Focus Mode hides the other tabs.
- Tasks
- Tasks group and organize tabs, with keyboard shortcuts to switch between them, and tasks collapse automatically when unused.
- Full-text history search
- You can search the full text of every page you have visited, and the site says this happens on your device.
- Bookmark tags
- Bookmarks are organized with tags, and Min suggests similar pages based on what you have bookmarked.
- Ad and tracker blocking
- Most ads and trackers are blocked automatically, and the site says it does not share browsing history.
NetSurf
- Own layout engine
- Written in C with its own rendering engine, aimed at speed and low resource use.
- Runs on small systems
- The site says it keeps working from a modern PC down to a 30MHz ARM 6 computer with 16MB of RAM.
- Many platforms
- Downloads are listed for RISC OS, GTK on Linux and Unix-likes, Haiku and BeOS, AmigaOS, Windows and Atari.
- History and page tools
- Includes web page thumbnailing, local and global history, a hotlist for bookmarks, a cookie manager and search-as-you-type.
Plans
Min
Free$0
The full browser, with ad and tracker blocking on by default.
NetSurf
Free$0
The full browser, free to download under GPL version 2.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Min or NetSurf?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Min and NetSurf are free to use.
Which has a free plan, Min or NetSurf?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Min and NetSurf have a free plan.
Which platforms do Min and NetSurf run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Min lists a macOS app. Both list 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.