NetSurf vs Pale Moon (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, NetSurf and Pale Moon share a 3.0 GPA, both are free, so the choice depends on which platforms 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
Pale Moon
Free open-source browser on its own Goanna engine, with legacy add-ons
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 Pale Moon if
- Fits if you rely on legacy Firefox-style add-ons and full theming
- Makes sense if you want a browser with no telemetry, as the site states
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you need video calls in the browser, since WebRTC is disabled
- Not for you if you stream DRM video, as there is no in-browser DRM
- Too light for phones: no iOS or Android edition is listed
- Watch out: official binaries need AVX, except the 32-bit Windows build
- Tight if you want current web standards: it follows its own engine, not Firefox or Chrome
How we grade them
| 3.0GPANetSurfVery good | 3.0GPAPale MoonVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree under GPL v2 with no paid plans, so under 60% of this category's cheapest quarter. | AFree and open source, with donations accepted and no paid plan, which is 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 full browser for Windows, macOS, Linux and FreeBSD costs nothing, with portable and 7-Zip Windows versions. |
| Features | CA browser with history and page tools on its own engine, but the site says it only strives for standards compliance. | CXUL add-ons, themes and NPAPI plugins, but WebRTC, an integrated PDF reader, DRM and parental controls are deliberately off in the main build. |
| Ease of use | BNo rating on record. It installs as a small program, built for small systems. | BNo rating on record. You install it and go, though official binaries need a CPU with AVX, except the 32-bit Windows build. |
| Platforms and integrations | CMany systems on the site, but our listing counts Linux and Windows, and the downloads page lists no Mac build. | CWindows, macOS, Linux and FreeBSD, with no iOS or Android edition on the download page. |
| Best for | browsing on old or low-powered computers | a customizable browser with legacy add-ons |
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 Pale Moon. 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. Pale Moon 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 Pale Moon 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 | Pale Moon | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Free and open source under GPL version 2, with no paid plans. | Pale Moon is free and open source; the site accepts donations and lists no paid plan. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | The NetSurf Developers | Moonchild Productions |
| Price read from | netsurf-browser.org | palemoon.org |
| 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.
Pale Moon
- Official binaries need a CPU with AVX support, except the 32-bit Windows build.
- It has no WebRTC, built-in PDF reader or DRM, so some sites and video services may not work.
- Compatibility with current web standards follows its own engine, not Firefox or Chrome.
- Windows download is also offered on the Microsoft Store, and there is no iOS or Android edition on the download page.
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.
Pale Moon
- Goanna engine
- Rendering runs on Goanna, a derivative of Gecko, on the UXP platform; the site calls it a true fork and an independent product.
- XUL add-ons and themes
- Add-ons and complete themes can change core browser functions and appearance, and many legacy Firefox extensions are compatible.
- No telemetry
- The site says the browser contains no ads, telemetry or data gathering.
- Plugin support
- It supports legacy NPAPI plugins such as Java, Flash and Silverlight, which most browsers have dropped.
- Features left out
- WebRTC, an integrated PDF reader, in-browser DRM and parental controls are deliberately disabled in the main build.
Plans
NetSurf
Free$0
The full browser, free to download under GPL version 2.
Pale Moon
Free$0
The full browser for Windows, macOS, Linux and FreeBSD, with portable and 7-Zip Windows versions.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, NetSurf or Pale Moon?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both NetSurf and Pale Moon are free to use.
Which has a free plan, NetSurf or Pale Moon?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both NetSurf and Pale Moon have a free plan.
Which platforms do NetSurf and Pale Moon run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Pale Moon 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.