NetSurf vs Otter Browser (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, NetSurf and Otter Browser share a 3.0 GPA, both are free, so the choice depends on which features you need.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
They get the same grade on all five counts.
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
Otter Browser
Open-source Qt browser that revives the classic Opera 12 interface
Which one is for you
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
Pick Otter Browser if
- Fits if you miss the classic Opera 12 layout
- Makes sense if you want a light, tweakable desktop browser
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use a Mac or a phone, as macOS is not named
- Not for you if you want quick fixes: recent weekly reports show about seven commits by one author
- Watch out: the weekly reports show 254 open issues, including 7 bugs
- Too light for modern web apps if you rely on the newest standards
How we grade them
| 3.0GPANetSurfVery good | 3.0GPAOtter BrowserVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree under GPL v2 with no paid plans, so under 60% of this category's cheapest quarter. | AFree software under GPL v3 with no paid plan, so under 60% of this category's cheapest quarter. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe whole browser downloads at no charge, with no paid tier or caps. | AThe whole browser is free and open source, with no caps or paid tier. |
| Features | CA browser with history and page tools on its own engine, but the site says it only strives for standards compliance. | CA customizable, lightweight browser for power users, with the basics but a small team behind it. |
| Ease of use | BNo rating on record. It installs as a small program, built for small systems. | BNo rating on record. You install a binary or AppImage and use it, with options to tune if you want. |
| Platforms and integrations | CMany systems on the site, but our listing counts Linux and Windows, and the downloads page lists no Mac build. | CWindows and Linux are listed. The project's site does not name macOS or any phone version. |
| Best for | browsing on old or low-powered computers | a customizable browser in the Opera 12 style |
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: NetSurf and Otter Browser. How we grade
Price against what you get
NetSurf has no paid plan and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Otter 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 NetSurf for less, and none scores higher than Otter 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
- NetSurf also covers bookmarks.
At a glance
| NetSurf | Otter Browser | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Free and open source under GPL version 2, with no paid plans. | Free and open source under the GPL v3, with no paid plans. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | The NetSurf Developers | Otter Browser project |
| Price read from | netsurf-browser.org | github.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
Otter Browser
- The project's own site lists official binaries, with an AppImage for Linux and downloads for Windows on SourceForge; macOS is not named there.
- Development is slow: its recent weekly reports show about seven commits by one author each week.
- The weekly reports show 254 open issues, including 7 bugs.
Key features
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.
Otter Browser
- Opera 12 style interface
- The project says it aims to recreate the best aspects of the classic Opera 12.x user interface and keep its spirit alive.
- Built with Qt
- The browser is written primarily in C++ and uses the Qt framework.
- Power-user focus
- The project says it focuses on features power users want while staying fast and lightweight.
- Free software
- Released under the GNU GPL v3, so anyone can read the code and contribute.
Plans
NetSurf
Free$0
The full browser, free to download under GPL version 2.
Otter Browser
Free$0
The full browser, free software under GPL v3.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, NetSurf or Otter Browser?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both NetSurf and Otter Browser are free to use.
Which has a free plan, NetSurf or Otter Browser?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both NetSurf and Otter Browser 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.