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Helium alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Helium: still in beta, and no sync or mobile app. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Helium, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Brave currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Brave logoBraveOpen sourceYesWindows, macOS, Linux +25 of 566.5
2ungoogled-chromium logoungoogled-chromiumOpen sourceYesWindows, macOS, Linux3 of 362.6
3LibreWolf logoLibreWolfOpen sourceYesWindows, macOS, Linux4 of 459.6
4Thorium logoThoriumOpen sourceYesLinux, Windows, macOS +13 of 357.2
  1. Brave logo

    1. BraveTop pick

    Best for: People who want Chrome compatibility with ads and trackers blocked by default

    Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Helium

    More mature privacy Chromium browser with sync and mobile apps.

    Pros

    • Strong ad and tracker blocking without extensions
    • Runs Chrome extensions
    • Free AI assistant with no account needed

    Cons

    • Crypto wallet and rewards features feel out of place to many
    • Some Brave services are upsold in the interface
    • Still depends on Google's Chromium engine
    Visit Brave Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Brave a good Helium alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Ad blocking
    Built in (Shields)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026brave.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Engine
    Chromium
    Checked Oct 25, 2026brave.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Licence
    MPL-2.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    AI assistant
    Leo, free with a premium tier
    Checked Oct 25, 2026brave.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Desktop platforms
    Linux, macOS, Windows
    Checked Oct 25, 2026brave.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. ungoogled-chromium logo

    2. ungoogled-chromium

    Best for: Technical users who want Chromium without any connection to Google

    Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Helium

    The base Helium builds on, without auto-updates or bundled blocker.

    Pros

    • Removes Google background requests and sign-in
    • Stays close to standard Chromium
    • Free and open source

    Cons

    • No sync and awkward extension installs
    • Updates usually manual or via package manager
    • Builds come from community contributors
    Visit ungoogled-chromium Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is ungoogled-chromium a good Helium alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Licence
    BSD-3-Clause
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    What it is
    Chromium without Google integration
    Checked Oct 25, 2026ungoogled-software.github.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Project status
    Active
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. LibreWolf logo

    3. LibreWolf

    Best for: Privacy-conscious users who want a pre-hardened Firefox

    Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Helium

    Same no-telemetry, uBlock-included idea on Firefox's engine.

    Pros

    • No telemetry or sponsored content
    • uBlock Origin included
    • Strong privacy defaults without manual tweaking

    Cons

    • Strict defaults can break some sites and logins
    • DRM streaming off until you enable it
    • No mobile app
    Visit LibreWolf Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is LibreWolf a good Helium alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Based on
    Firefox
    Checked Oct 25, 2026librewolf.net(opens source in a new tab)
    Ad blocker
    uBlock Origin included
    Checked Oct 25, 2026librewolf.net(opens source in a new tab)
    DRM
    Disabled by default
    Checked Oct 25, 2026librewolf.net(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Windows, Linux, macOS, OpenBSD
    Checked Oct 25, 2026librewolf.net(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Thorium logo

    4. Thorium

    Best for: Enthusiasts who want a speed-tuned Chromium with extra codecs

    Open sourceLinux, Windows, macOS, Android

    57.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from Helium

    Chromium build tuned for speed with extra codecs.

    Pros

    • Compiler optimisations for modern CPUs
    • Extra media codecs included
    • Runs on Raspberry Pi as well as desktops

    Cons

    • Often several Chromium versions behind
    • Security fixes arrive later than in Chrome
    • Multiple CPU-specific builds to choose from
    Visit Thorium Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Thorium a good Helium alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Based on
    Chromium
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Licence
    BSD-3-Clause
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Linux, Windows, macOS, Android, Raspberry Pi
    Checked Oct 25, 2026thorium.rocks(opens source in a new tab)

The best Helium alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Brave logo

Best Helium alternative for most people

Brave

More mature privacy Chromium browser with sync and mobile apps.

ungoogled-chromium logo

Best Helium alternative for a free option

ungoogled-chromium

The base Helium builds on, without auto-updates or bundled blocker.

LibreWolf logo

Best Helium alternative for open source

LibreWolf

Same no-telemetry, uBlock-included idea on Firefox's engine.

Thorium logo

Best Helium alternative for Mac

Thorium

Chromium build tuned for speed with extra codecs.

Cromite logo

Best Helium alternative for Windows

Cromite

Privacy-patched Chromium with ad blocking, including on Android.

Brave logo

Best Helium alternative for Linux

Brave

More mature privacy Chromium browser with sync and mobile apps.

Brave logo

Best Helium alternative for iPhone and Android

Brave

More mature privacy Chromium browser with sync and mobile apps.

Helium alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Helium?

Brave ranks first right now. More mature privacy Chromium browser with sync and mobile apps. ungoogled-chromium and LibreWolf follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Helium?

Yes. Brave (open source), ungoogled-chromium (open source), LibreWolf (open source) and Thorium (open source) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Helium?

Yes: Brave, ungoogled-chromium, LibreWolf and Thorium, plus 1 more in the list above.

Which Helium alternatives work on Linux?

Brave, ungoogled-chromium, LibreWolf, Thorium and Cromite run on Linux.

Why do people switch from Helium?

The complaints we hear most: still in beta; no sync or mobile app; small, young project.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Helium, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.