Naver Whale vs Vivaldi (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Vivaldi grades higher than Naver Whale: 3.8 against 3.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Vivaldi grades higher on features and ease of use. 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.
Naver Whale
Naver's browser with an AI sidebar and built-in video calls
Free
Which one is for you
Pick Naver Whale if
- Fits if you already use NAVER mail or stocks and want them in a sidebar
- Works for comparing two pages side by side in one window
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you do not use NAVER services, since many features are tied to them
- Not for you if you need deep English documentation: the English site is a thin front page
- Watch out: minimums are Windows 10, macOS 13, Android 8, iOS 16 and Ubuntu 14.04 64-bit
- Watch out: Windows and macOS also have beta builds, so check which you install
Pick Vivaldi if
- Fits if you keep dozens of tabs open and want them stacked, split and sorted
- Works for people who want mail, calendar and feeds in the same window as their tabs
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a chatbot or page summaries built in, because Vivaldi leaves AI out on purpose
- Not for you if you want the free VPN on your phone, as it only works in the desktop browser
- Pricey if you want faster VPN speeds, more servers or extra devices, which need a paid Proton VPN plan
- Watch out: new installs come with partner bookmarks and search engines that earn Vivaldi revenue until you replace them
- Not for you if your Mac is older than macOS 13, which the current download needs
How we grade them
| 3.2GPANaver WhaleVery good | 3.8GPAVivaldiExcellent | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree to download, with no paid plans listed, so under 60% of this category's cheapest quarter. | AFree on every platform with no paid tier at all, and the reason is on Vivaldi's own blog: it earns from search and bookmark partner deals, a cut of Proton VPN upgrades and donations, rather than from you. There's nothing to buy and nothing withheld. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe browser for five platforms, with Whale ON video calls and the AI sidebar, is listed free. | AFree outright, with mail, calendar, feed reader, notes, the ad and tracker blocker, end-to-end encrypted sync, and Proton VPN on the desktop with no ads or data limit. New installs arrive with partner bookmarks you can swap out. |
| Features | CAI sidebar, dual tab, gestures and video calls, but the listing says many features are tied to NAVER services and accounts. | AIt builds in an email client for several accounts, a calendar, a feed reader and notes, with an ad blocker, two-level Tab Stacks, tiling, Workspaces and Command Chains that fire a string of commands off one keystroke. The deliberate gap is AI: there's none, by choice. |
| Ease of use | BNo rating on record. You install a browser and use it, and system minimums are listed from Windows 10 and macOS 13. | A4.73 from about 4,400 App Store ratings. You can leave it exactly as it comes, or change shortcuts, themes and layout until it fits. There's a lot in here, so give it an evening. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWindows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS builds are listed, though the only named connection is to NAVER's own services. | BWindows, Mac, Linux, Android and iPhone, with history, passwords, bookmarks, tabs and notes synced end-to-end encrypted. Computers and both phones is a B here, because our top mark also wants a web app and a browser isn't one, and Proton VPN is the only integration listed. |
| Best for | a free browser with an AI sidebar | tab hoarders who like to customise everything |
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: Naver Whale and Vivaldi. How we grade
Price against what you get
Naver Whale has no paid plan and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Vivaldi has no paid plan and scores 3.7.
Vivaldi scores higher for the same starting price. Of the other browsers on the chart, none scores higher than Naver Whale for less, and none scores higher than Vivaldi 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
- Vivaldi is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Naver Whale also covers chat assistant, video calls and ad and tracker blocking.
- Vivaldi also covers notes, calendar, email client, screenshots and rSS reader.
In commonFree planWindowsmacOSLinuxAndroidiOSWeb browser
At a glance
| Naver Whale | Vivaldi | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Free to download. The site lists no paid plans. | Vivaldi is free on desktop and mobile with no paid tier. The company funds itself through search engine and bookmark partner deals, a share of Proton VPN upgrades and donations. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | NAVER Corp. | Vivaldi Technologies |
| Price read from | whale.naver.com | apps.apple.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Naver Whale
- The English site is a thin front page; many features are tied to NAVER services and accounts.
- Minimum systems listed: Windows 10, macOS 13, Android 8, iOS/iPadOS 16 and Ubuntu 14.04 64-bit.
- Beta builds are offered for Windows and macOS.
Vivaldi
- Proton VPN for Vivaldi works only in the desktop browser, and faster speeds, more servers and extra devices need a paid Proton VPN plan.
- New installs come with partner bookmarks and search engines that earn Vivaldi revenue. They can be replaced.
- Vivaldi deliberately leaves out an AI assistant, so there is no built-in chatbot or page summarizer.
- The current Mac download requires macOS 13 or later.
Key features
Naver Whale
- Whale AI
- Ask questions about the current page in the sidebar, with summarizing, translating and pulling in an open tab.
- Sidebar
- Quick access to NAVER services such as mail and stocks, plus tools like translate, without switching tabs.
- Dual Tab
- Browse and compare two pages side by side in one window.
- Whale ON
- Built-in video conferencing that the site describes as needing no install and having no time limits.
- Clean Web and safety tools
- Blocks intrusive ads, and offers Safe Browsing and malware protection for downloads.
- Mouse gestures and Quick Search
- Gesture controls for navigation and instant search or translation of selected text.
Vivaldi
- Mail, Calendar and Feed Reader
- A built-in email client handles several accounts, mailing lists and feeds in one inbox, next to a private calendar and a feed reader that does not rank items by algorithm.
- Tab Stacks, tiling and Workspaces
- Tabs group into two-level Tab Stacks, open side by side in a split-screen view, and sort into Workspaces for switching between categories of tabs.
- Ad and tracker blocker
- A blocker for ads and trackers is built into the desktop and mobile browsers, so no extension is needed to remove them.
- End-to-end encrypted Sync
- Browsing history, passwords, bookmarks, tabs and notes sync between desktop and mobile devices, protected by end-to-end encryption.
- Proton VPN for Vivaldi
- An opt-in VPN from Proton is built into the desktop browser. It is free with no ads or data limits after signing in with a Vivaldi account.
- Customization and Command Chains
- Shortcuts, themes and features can be personalized, mouse gestures trigger actions, and Command Chains run a custom sequence of commands from one keystroke or gesture.
Plans
Naver Whale
Free$0
Browser downloads for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS, with Whale ON video calls and the AI sidebar included.
Vivaldi
Free$0
The full browser on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS, including mail, calendar, feed reader, sync and the free tier of Proton VPN on desktop.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Naver Whale or Vivaldi?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Naver Whale and Vivaldi are free to use.
Which has a free plan, Naver Whale or Vivaldi?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Naver Whale and Vivaldi have a free plan.
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.