Alternatives to Edge
Microsoft's Chromium browser tied into Windows
Edge ranks #6 of 14 in Browsers, with an Alt Score of 63. It is proprietary, free and available on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android. 10 of 12 checklist rows are verified against a public source.
Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android users who want a Chromium-based browser with built-in Microsoft 365 integration and AI assistance; Microsoft positions it as especially optimized for Windows users.
A Chromium-based browser with Copilot built in to summarize tabs, compare options, and answer questions about what's on screen (including Copilot Vision for screen analysis). It includes Microsoft Defender SmartScreen for phishing/malware protection, a password manager, an optional VPN (Edge Secure Network), and performance features like Sleeping Tabs, Startup Boost, and Efficiency Mode. Passwords, favorites, and settings sync across devices when signed in with a Microsoft account.
You browse the web as with any Chromium browser, with Copilot accessible from a sidebar to summarize pages, compare tabs, or answer questions using open-tab context. Signing in with a Microsoft account enables sync and access to integrated Microsoft 365 web apps and rewards.
Why people leave Edge
Dashed reasons are sourced facts; the rest are opinions. Vendors can dispute.
Sign in to add a reason — new reasons go through moderation before appearing.
Ranked alternatives
Ordered by Alt Score. Click any score to see the breakdown.
Feature comparison
Rows come from the Browsers checklist (16 rows). Human-verified cells only. ? means the value has not been verified.
| Browsers checklist | Edge | Vivaldi | Brave | Waterfox | Orion | Firefox |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | ||||||
| Starts at | ||||||
| License | ||||||
| Platforms | ||||||
| Engine (Chromium / Gecko / WebKit) | ||||||
| Built-in ad blocker | ||||||
| Built-in VPN or proxy | ||||||
| Vertical tabs | ||||||
| Tab groups & workspaces | ||||||
| Extension ecosystem compatibility | ||||||
| Sync (E2E encrypted) | ||||||
| Battery / memory saver mode | ||||||
| Privacy: fingerprinting protection | ||||||
| Telemetry opt-out | ||||||
| Profile containers | ||||||
| Reader mode |
Every fact and feature listed for Edge is verified against its own pages. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.
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License Proprietary verified 2026-07-11
The Software is licensed, not sold. This agreement gives you only some rights to use the Software. Microsoft reserves all other rights.
https://explore.microsoft.com/en-us/edge/terms -
Pricing model Free verified 2026-07-11
Free · In‑App Purchases
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/microsoft-edge-ai-browser/id1288723196 -
Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android verified 2026-07-11
Microsoft Edge is now available on Linux. Download for Linux (.deb)
https://explore.microsoft.com/en-us/edge/download -
Status active verified 2026-07-11
Version 150.0.4078.65: July 09, 2026 (Stable)
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/deployedge/microsoft-edge-relnote-stable-channel -
Engine (Chromium / Gecko / WebKit) Yes verified 2026-07-11
The new Microsoft Edge (Chromium) is built on the same underlying technology as Google Chrome
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/microsoft-edge-chromium-1ce9507c-f09d-4de6-a706-eb52f46be90c -
Built-in ad blocker No verified 2026-07-11
You can also manage ads with various Microsoft Edge ad blocker add-ons
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/edge/learning-center/using-ad-blockers -
Built-in VPN or proxy Yes verified 2026-07-11
When Secure Network is protecting your network traffic, your data is routed from Microsoft Edge through an encrypted tunnel to create a secure connection, even when using a non-secure URL that starts
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/edge/use-the-microsoft-edge-secure-network-to-protect-your-browsing -
Vertical tabs Yes verified 2026-07-11
In Microsoft Edge, switch to vertical tabs for a cleaner view that keeps your browsing organized and lets you see more of each page.
https://explore.microsoft.com/en-us/edge/features/vertical-tabs -
Tab groups & workspaces Yes verified 2026-07-11
Keep related sites together and easy to find with Tab groups in Microsoft Edge. Group tabs manually with custom names and colors, or use AI‑powered Organize tabs to automatically group similar tabs.
https://explore.microsoft.com/en-us/edge/features/tab-groups -
Extension ecosystem compatibility Yes verified 2026-07-11
Extensions designed for Google Chrome can also be used in Microsoft Edge.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/edge/add-turn-off-or-remove-extensions-in-microsoft-edge -
Battery / memory saver mode Yes verified 2026-07-11
Sleeping tabs puts background tabs to sleep after two hours of inactivity to free up resources for active tabs, new tabs, and other applications on your device.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/learn-about-performance-features-in-microsoft-edge-7b36f363-2119-448a-8de6-375cfd88ab25 -
Privacy: fingerprinting protection Partial verified 2026-07-11
The new Microsoft Edge is designed to detect and block potentially harmful trackers—trackers we detect as cryptomining or fingerprinting.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/edge/learn-about-tracking-prevention-in-microsoft-edge -
Telemetry opt-out Partial verified 2026-07-11
You can control whether optional diagnostic data associated with your device is shared with Microsoft to solve product issues and help improve Microsoft products and services.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/learn-more-about-diagnostic-data-collection-in-microsoft-edge-7fcee15b-39f7-ba02-bc59-9eef622c1a9f -
Reader mode Yes verified 2026-07-11
Microsoft Edge Immersive Reader improves reading accessibility by simplifying webpages, removing distractions, and offering Read Aloud, translation, and text customization tools.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/use-immersive-reader-in-microsoft-edge-78a7a17d-52e1-47ee-b0ac-eff8539015e1
FAQ
Yes. Vivaldi, Brave and Waterfox have a free tier or are fully free. Free-tier limits in the comparison table are verified and dated.
Brave, Waterfox and Firefox — every license claim links its source.