NetSurf
A featherweight with its very own engine.
A tiny browser with a from-scratch engine that runs on hardware as humble as a Raspberry Pi 1 or RISC OS machine. Great CSS support; JavaScript is minimal.
- Engine
- NetSurf (own)
- License
- Open source
- Runs on
- Linux, Windows, macOS
- Top marks
- Light on resources, Open source, Independence
- Updated
- September 2026
Why it shines
- Astonishingly small and fast
- Independent engine
- Runs on ancient/exotic hardware
Worth knowing
- Minimal JavaScript = much of the modern web breaks
- Best for docs and simple sites
Origins
NetSurf belongs to The independents — descended from Own engines.
Does well
Ranked in
Scorecard
- Tracking protection1/3
- Fingerprinting resistance0/3
- Anonymity0/3
- Built-in ad blocking0/3
- Customization0/3
- Keyboard control0/3
- Built-in tools0/3
- Minimal interface2/3
- Fresh design0/3
- Classic interface0/3
- Light on resources3/3
- Raw speed2/3
- Battery efficiency0/3
- Extension ecosystem0/3
- Cross-device sync0/3
- Site compatibility0/3
- Low maintenance1/3
- Open source3/3
- Independence3/3
- Built-in AI0/3
- Gaming features0/3
- Dev tooling0/3
0–3 on each of the 22 criteria the quiz and the guides rank by. How we score.
