# Thorium Browser review (2026): is it any good? > Chromium fork tuned with compiler optimizations Checked Nov 13, 2026 ยท graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA. Thorium is a Chromium fork that is built with extra compiler optimizations and a set of patches for usability, privacy and security. Its developer lists builds for Linux, Windows, macOS, Android and Raspberry Pi. The website is described by its author as under construction, and releases are served from GitHub repositories. - **Category:** Browsers - **Made by:** Alex313031 - **Website:** https://thorium.rocks - **Runs on:** Windows, macOS, Linux, Android - **Who should skip it:** Skip it if you want one-click downloads, as links go out to separate GitHub repositories. - **Facts last checked:** Nov 13, 2026 ## Pricing As of Nov 13, 2026, Thorium Browser is free to use. - **Pricing model:** Free - **Free plan:** Free to download. The site lists no paid plans. - **Free trial:** None listed. | Plan | Price | What you get | | --- | --- | --- | | Free | $0 | Free to download. The site lists no paid plans. | Read from https://thorium.rocks/ on Nov 13, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Thorium Browser before buying. ## Key features - **Compiler optimizations:** Builds use SSE4.2, AVX and AES instruction sets, thinLTO and PGO among other compiler flags. The site claims an 8-38% speed gain over vanilla Chromium depending on benchmark and OS. - **Patches to Chromium:** UI changes and patches for Linux and Windows aimed at fixing bugs, improving usability and strengthening privacy and security. - **Multiple CPU profiles:** The GitHub repository lists build configurations for SSE2, SSE3, SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX, AVX2 and AVX-512 processors. - **Old Windows versions:** Separate builds are linked for Windows 7 and Windows XP, in addition to the regular Windows and Windows on ARM builds. - **Companion extensions:** The developer publishes extensions and apps for Thorium, such as a theme, a scroll-speed tweaker and a system monitor. ## Good for - Linux and Windows users who want a faster Chromium build - People running older Windows versions - Tinkerers who are comfortable downloading releases from GitHub ## Worth knowing - The site says it is under construction, and downloads link out to separate GitHub repositories for Linux, macOS, Windows and Android. - The performance figures on the site are the developer's own claim. - Release availability varies by platform and CPU profile, according to the GitHub repository. - No iOS version is listed. ## ToolGPA grades **GPA: 3.0 out of 4**, graded Nov 13, 2026. Thorium is a Chromium fork built with extra compiler optimizations, with builds for Linux, Windows, macOS and Android. The 8 to 38% speed gain is the developer's own claim, and the site says it is under construction. - **Value for money: A.** Free to download, with no paid plans listed, so under 60% of this category's cheapest quarter. - **Free plan and trial: A.** Every build is free, and the separate GitHub repositories carry no paid edition. - **Features: C.** Chromium plus UI and privacy patches, CPU-specific builds and Windows 7 and XP builds. The speed figures are the developer's own claim. - **Ease of use: C.** No rating on record. The site says it is under construction, and you pick a build for your CPU from separate GitHub pages. - **Platforms and integrations: B.** Windows, macOS, Linux and Android builds are listed, so computers and a phone, with no iOS version and no list of integrations. These are ToolGPA's own grades. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Alex313031's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. ## Where it stands among browsers - Thorium 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). - Thorium 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.** Thorium Browser is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. - You could not: A web browser. - You could not: Apps for macOS, Windows, Linux and Android 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 ## Alternatives - [Chromium](https://toolgpa.com/tools/chromium): Open-source browser project, with builds for testing and development. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/chromium-vs-thorium-browser) - [Brave](https://toolgpa.com/tools/brave): Open-source browser that blocks ads and trackers by default. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/brave-vs-thorium-browser) - [Vivaldi](https://toolgpa.com/tools/vivaldi): Customizable browser with built-in mail, calendar and feed reader. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/thorium-browser-vs-vivaldi) - [Iridium Browser](https://toolgpa.com/tools/iridium-browser): Privacy-hardened desktop browser built on Chromium. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/iridium-browser-vs-thorium-browser) - [Google Chrome](https://toolgpa.com/tools/google-chrome): Google's free browser for desktop and mobile, with Gemini built in. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/google-chrome-vs-thorium-browser) ## Sources The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 13, 2026: - https://thorium.rocks/ - https://github.com/Alex313031/Thorium Page: https://toolgpa.com/tools/thorium-browser Listed by ToolGPA (toolgpa.com).