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Pale Moon alternatives: 4 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Pale Moon: many modern sites work poorly, and small team maintains the engine. We ranked 4 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Pale Moon, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Waterfox currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Waterfox logoWaterfoxOpen sourceYesWindows, macOS, Linux +13 of 366.5
2Floorp logoFloorpOpen sourceYesWindows, macOS, Linux4 of 462.6
3Firefox logoFirefoxOpen sourceYesWindows, macOS, Linux +25 of 559.6
  1. Waterfox logo

    1. WaterfoxTop pick

    Best for: Firefox users who want privacy defaults and extra customisation without breakage

    Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux, Android

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Pale Moon

    Firefox-based with customisation and far better site compatibility.

    Pros

    • Built-in ad blocking and tracking protection
    • Supports Firefox extensions and themes
    • Gentler defaults than heavily hardened forks

    Cons

    • Updates lag behind Firefox
    • Less hardening than LibreWolf
    • Small team behind it
    Visit Waterfox 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 Waterfox a good Pale Moon alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Open source
    Yes, free
    Checked Oct 25, 2026waterfox.net(opens source in a new tab)
    Ad blocking
    Built in
    Checked Oct 25, 2026waterfox.net(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Android, Linux, macOS, Windows
    Checked Oct 25, 2026waterfox.net(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Floorp logo

    2. Floorp

    Best for: Firefox users who want workspaces, web panels and deep interface customisation

    Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Pale Moon

    Modern Firefox base with deep interface customisation.

    Pros

    • Workspaces, split view and web panels built in
    • Deep interface customisation
    • Keeps Firefox extension support

    Cons

    • Smaller project than Firefox
    • No stable mobile app yet
    • Many options to learn
    Visit Floorp 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 Floorp a good Pale Moon alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Based on
    Firefox
    Checked Oct 25, 2026floorp.app(opens source in a new tab)
    Key features
    Workspaces, split view, web panels
    Checked Oct 25, 2026floorp.app(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Windows, macOS, Linux
    Checked Oct 25, 2026floorp.app(opens source in a new tab)
    Licence
    MPL-2.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Firefox logo

    3. Firefox

    Best for: People who want a mainstream, independent browser with strong privacy and ad-blocker support

    Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Pale Moon

    Full modern web support from the browser Pale Moon forked from.

    Pros

    • Independent Gecko engine
    • Full support for advanced ad blockers
    • Strong tracking protection by default

    Cons

    • Some sites are tested less and occasionally break
    • Smaller extension catalogue than Chrome
    • No longer supports Windows 8.1 and older
    Visit Firefox 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 Firefox a good Pale Moon alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Positioning
    Independent browser
    Checked Oct 25, 2026firefox.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Extensions
    30,000+
    Checked Oct 25, 2026firefox.com(opens source in a new tab)
    PDF editing
    Built in
    Checked Oct 25, 2026firefox.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux
    Checked Oct 25, 2026firefox.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Minimum Windows
    Windows 10 (8.1 and older need ESR)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026firefox.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Pale Moon alternative for…

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

Waterfox logo

Best Pale Moon alternative for most people

Waterfox

Firefox-based with customisation and far better site compatibility.

Floorp logo

Best Pale Moon alternative for a free option

Floorp

Modern Firefox base with deep interface customisation.

Firefox logo

Best Pale Moon alternative for open source

Firefox

Full modern web support from the browser Pale Moon forked from.

Vivaldi logo

Best Pale Moon alternative for Mac

Vivaldi

Highly customisable interface with modern Chromium compatibility.

Waterfox logo

Best Pale Moon alternative for Windows

Waterfox

Firefox-based with customisation and far better site compatibility.

Waterfox logo

Best Pale Moon alternative for Linux

Waterfox

Firefox-based with customisation and far better site compatibility.

Firefox logo

Best Pale Moon alternative for iPhone and Android

Firefox

Full modern web support from the browser Pale Moon forked from.

Pale Moon alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Pale Moon?

Waterfox ranks first right now. Firefox-based with customisation and far better site compatibility. Floorp and Firefox follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Pale Moon?

Yes. Waterfox (open source), Floorp (open source), Firefox (open source) and Vivaldi (free) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Pale Moon?

Yes: Waterfox, Floorp and Firefox.

Which Pale Moon alternatives work on Linux?

Waterfox, Floorp, Firefox and Vivaldi run on Linux.

Why do people switch from Pale Moon?

The complaints we hear most: many modern sites work poorly; small team maintains the engine; no official macOS or mobile builds.

How is this list ranked?

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