# Helium Browser review (2026): is it any good? > Free open source Chromium browser with privacy defaults and !bangs Checked Nov 13, 2026 ยท graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA. Helium is a Chromium-based desktop browser that blocks ads, trackers and cookie banners by default and says it collects no personal data. It supports Chromium extensions, vertical tabs, split view and tab groups, and has built-in !bangs for jumping straight to sites. It is free, open source and currently in beta. - **Category:** Browsers - **Made by:** imput LLC - **Website:** https://helium.computer - **Runs on:** macOS, Windows, Linux - **Who should skip it:** Skip it if you stream protected video, as there is no Widevine DRM. - **Facts last checked:** Nov 13, 2026 ## Pricing As of Nov 13, 2026, Helium Browser is free to use. - **Pricing model:** Free - **Free plan:** The whole browser is free; the FAQ says there is no ad-supported free tier and no paid upgrade. - **Free trial:** None listed. | Plan | Price | What you get | | --- | --- | --- | | Free | $0 | The full browser. Development is crowdfunded through user sponsorships, which the FAQ says are temporarily disabled. | Read from https://helium.computer/ on Nov 13, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Helium Browser before buying. ## Key features - **Privacy by default:** It blocks ads, trackers, cookie banners and third-party cookies, and adds noise to some web APIs to resist fingerprinting. - **No data collection:** The site says it makes no web requests on first launch and has no analytics; requests to Helium services must be approved by you. - **Chromium extensions:** All Chromium extensions are supported, and Chrome Web Store requests are anonymized through Helium services. - **Layout and tab tools:** Four layout options, a frameless mode, vertical tabs, split view, tab groups, MRU tabbing and tab hibernation. - **!bangs:** More than 13,000 bangs are processed locally and send you directly to a site, skipping the results page. - **Open source services:** Browser components and online services are open source on GitHub, and Helium services can be self-hosted. ## Good for - People who want an ad-blocking Chromium browser with no account - Users of Chromium extensions who want fewer Google dependencies - Those who want to inspect or self-host the browser's services ## Worth knowing - It is in beta, and the download page warns that unexpected issues may occur. - There is no Widevine DRM support, so some streaming services and protected media may not play. - There is no built-in password manager and no data sync, and no mobile version yet. - Automatic updates on macOS and Windows depend on Helium services being enabled. ## ToolGPA grades **GPA: 3.0 out of 4**, graded Nov 13, 2026. Helium is a free open source Chromium browser with privacy by default, no data collection and !bangs. It is in beta, has no Widevine DRM, no password manager and no data sync, and has no mobile version yet. Updates on macOS and Windows depend on Helium services being enabled. - **Value for money: A.** Free, with no paid upgrade, and the FAQ says there is no ad-supported tier. - **Free plan and trial: A.** The whole browser is free, with no paid tier or ad-supported tier. - **Features: C.** Privacy defaults, Chromium extensions, tab tools and !bangs. The listing shows no password manager, no sync and no DRM, and it is still beta. - **Ease of use: B.** No store rating on record. Install and browse, with nothing to set up. - **Platforms and integrations: C.** Desktop only: macOS, Windows and Linux. No mobile version yet. These are ToolGPA's own grades. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Helium's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. ## Where it stands among browsers - Helium Browser's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 34 of the 60 other browsers we grade, and level with 9. - It stands best on value for money (A, above 22 of 60) and worst on features (C, above 2). - Helium Browser has no paid plan. - On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price. The category's chart of price against score: https://toolgpa.com/charts/browsers ## Keep it, or make your own? **Keep it.** Helium Browser is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. - You could make: Ad and tracker blocking: an app builder makes this well. - You could not: A web browser. - You could not: Passkeys, which rest on security you cannot improvise. - You could not: Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other. A judgement by ToolGPA from this listing, by rules that are the same for every tool. Nothing was built to test it. **Tags:** Web browser, Open source, Self-hostable, Ad and tracker blocking, Passkeys, Keyboard-first ## Alternatives - [Brave](https://toolgpa.com/tools/brave): Open-source browser that blocks ads and trackers by default. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/brave-vs-helium-browser) - [Thorium Browser](https://toolgpa.com/tools/thorium-browser): Chromium fork tuned with compiler optimizations. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/helium-browser-vs-thorium-browser) - [LibreWolf](https://toolgpa.com/tools/librewolf): Free, privacy-hardened browser built on Firefox. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/helium-browser-vs-librewolf) - [Vivaldi](https://toolgpa.com/tools/vivaldi): Customizable browser with built-in mail, calendar and feed reader. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/helium-browser-vs-vivaldi) ## Sources The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 13, 2026: - https://helium.computer/ - https://helium.computer/download - https://helium.computer/terms Page: https://toolgpa.com/tools/helium-browser Listed by ToolGPA (toolgpa.com).