Alternatives to Waterfox
Privacy-focused Firefox fork
Waterfox ranks #3 of 14 in Browsers, with an Alt Score of 77. It is licensed under MPL-2.0, free and available on Windows, macOS and Linux. 10 of 12 checklist rows are verified against a public source.
Power users and privacy-conscious people who want a Firefox-based browser without telemetry or AI integrations, including those who rely on legacy/classic browser extensions no longer supported by mainstream Firefox.
An independent, open-source fork of Firefox with no telemetry, analytics, or remote experiments, plus a built-in Rust-based ad/tracker blocker compatible with uBlock Origin filter lists. It adds tree-style vertical tabs with parent-child hierarchies, flexible sidebar placement, and private tab containers for isolated sessions. Waterfox retains compatibility with legacy/classic extensions that newer Firefox releases have dropped, and includes local on-device translation instead of cloud AI features.
Download and install Waterfox for desktop (Windows, macOS, Linux) or Android in place of, or alongside, another browser, then import bookmarks and settings from an existing browser during setup. From there it functions like Firefox day-to-day, with tab organization, ad blocking, and extension management handled through its built-in UI rather than third-party add-ons.
Where Waterfox stands out
Verified capabilities most alternatives don't have.
Why people leave Waterfox
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 | Waterfox | Vivaldi | Brave | Orion | Firefox | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 Waterfox is verified against its own pages. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.
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License MPL-2.0 verified 2026-07-11
Waterfox is licensed under the Mozilla Public License 2.0
https://github.com/BrowserWorks/Waterfox -
Pricing model Free verified 2026-07-11
Privacy is Priceless. But servers aren't. Help keep Waterfox running
https://www.waterfox.com/docs/policies/privacy/ -
Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux verified 2026-07-11
Requires Windows 10 or later and a processor with SSE4.2.
https://www.waterfox.com/download/ -
Status active verified 2026-07-11
Waterfox 6.7 moves from Gecko ESR 140 to Gecko ESR 153. This brings a year of upstream engine, performance, and security work into one release.
https://www.waterfox.com/releases/6.7.0-beta.1/ -
Engine (Chromium / Gecko / WebKit) Yes verified 2026-07-11
Waterfox 6.7 moves from Gecko ESR 140 to Gecko ESR 153. This brings a year of upstream engine, performance, and security work into one release.
https://www.waterfox.com/releases/6.7.0-beta.1/ -
Built-in ad blocker Yes verified 2026-07-11
Block ads natively, no extension required. A Rust-based blocking engine is built straight into the browser. Subscribe to the same filter lists you'd use with uBlock Origin
https://www.waterfox.com/features/ -
Vertical tabs Yes verified 2026-07-11
Optional toolbar button for vertical tab layouts.
https://www.waterfox.com/features/ -
Tab groups & workspaces Yes verified 2026-07-11
New tabs inherit their parent's group, can be delayed with a cancel shortcut, and bypassed entirely with an alternate hotkey when you need a clean slate.
https://www.waterfox.com/features/ -
Extension ecosystem compatibility Yes verified 2026-07-11
You can install add-ons from the Firefox Add-ons website (AMO)
https://www.waterfox.com/support/android/add-ons-waterfox-android/ -
Sync (E2E encrypted) Yes verified 2026-07-11
whichever third party you use for this service receives the information that you sync across devices in encrypted form
https://www.waterfox.com/docs/policies/privacy/ -
Privacy: fingerprinting protection Yes verified 2026-07-11
Waterfox already has an Enhanced Tracking Protection feature that blocks a list of known 'fingerprinters' when your privacy settings are set to Standard (the default) or Strict.
https://www.waterfox.com/support/waterfox-protection-against-fingerprinting/ -
Telemetry opt-out Yes verified 2026-07-11
Waterfox does not collect telemetry about your installation - any telemetry modules are disable when the browser is built.
https://www.waterfox.com/docs/policies/privacy/ -
Profile containers Yes verified 2026-07-11
Clone any tab into a dedicated Private container with one click. It purges history, search suggestions, and form data for that container automatically.
https://www.waterfox.com/features/ -
Reader mode Yes verified 2026-07-11
Reader View is a Waterfox feature that strips away clutter like buttons, ads, background images, and videos while also letting you customize the layout and theme to fit your reading preferences.
https://www.waterfox.com/support/waterfox-reader-view-clutter-free-web-pages/
FAQ
Yes. Vivaldi, Brave and Orion have a free tier or are fully free. Free-tier limits in the comparison table are verified and dated.
Brave, Firefox and LibreWolf — every license claim links its source.