Sustainable Substitutes for Chrome

A data-harvesting web browser developed by Google.

Reasons to avoid Chrome

Avoid Google Chrome due to its invasive tracking, persistent privacy violations and ongoing reliance on third-party cookies.

Its leading position restricts competitive alternatives. Its lavish use of AI is bad for the environment and Google is aggressively avoiding paying taxes which gives them a competitive edge against other Browser vendors.

Opt for privacy-focused, ethical browsers that respect user data and offer better security.

Ethical and Sustainable Chrome Alternatives

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  • Feasibility: How easily can the average user switch to this substitute? Higher feasibility results in a higher ranking.
  • Editor's Rating: How sustainable is the substitute? The more sustainability attributes it fulfils, the higher it is ranked.

LibreWolf

A fork of Firefox, with enhanced security and privacy settings.

LibreWolfs’s built-in ad and tracker blocking reduces unnecessary data and energy consumption. The decision to avoid AI bloat in its browser saves even more resources.
LibreWolf does not allow third-party cookies or share user data with external parties.Source: LibreWolf Features
LibreWolf is fully open-source, allowing for community audits, contributions and transparency in its development.Source: Codeberg Repos
LibreWolf blocks trackers, ads and fingerprinting by default, with enhanced protections like uBlock Origin pre-installed and stricter privacy settings.Source: LibreWolf Features
LibreWolf is mostly ad-free, ensuring a cleaner and more private user experience.Source: LibreWolf Features
Website
firefox logo

Firefox

A popular open-source web browser developed by Mozilla.

Firefox is fully open-source, allowing for community audits, contributions and transparency in its development.Source: Github Repo
Firefox’s Enhanced Tracking Protection blocks third-party trackers and fingerprinting scripts by default, especially in Private Browsing Mode and Strict mode.Source: Firefox blocks fingerprinting
Firefox does not allow third-party trackers in its default browsing experience.Source: Third-party cookies and Firefox tracking protection
Firefox’s built-in ad and tracker blocking reduces unnecessary data and energy consumption, making it more efficient for users on limited data plans or battery-powered devices, especially when combined with the uBlock Origin Plugin.
Website
vivaldi logo

Vivaldi

A highly customisable ad and AI free web browser based on Chromium.

By default Vivaldi does not allow third-party cookies.
Vivaldi is mostly ad-free, ensuring a cleaner and more private user experience.
Vivaldi blocks ads and trackers by default, with a privacy dashboard for visibility into blocked content.Source: Fighting for a better web
Vivaldi Technologies is based in Norway.
Vivaldi’s built-in ad and tracker blocking reduces unnecessary data usage and saves energy. Additional energy is saved by avoiding AI bloat in its browser.
Website
duckduckgo logo

DuckDuckGo Browser

A privacy focused alternative to Google and Bing, offering a NoAI version of its service.

DuckDuckGo does not track users, store personal information, or create user profiles, ensuring complete privacy.
DuckDuckGo offers a browser and extensions that block third-party trackers, enforce encryption and provide features like Global Privacy Control and CNAME Cloaking Protection.
DuckDuckGo’s tracker blocklists, browser extensions and some tools are open-source and auditable.
DuckDuckGo can be used anonymously without registration.
DuckDuckGo is free of charge. Its business model is based on keyword based advertisement.
Website
brave logo

Brave

A privacy-focused web browser based on Chromium.

Brave’s built-in ad and tracker blocking reduces unnecessary data and energy consumption, making it more efficient for users on limited data plans or battery-powered devices.
Brave does not use third-party trackers or allow external parties to collect user data.
Brave blocks ads, trackers and third-party cookies by default, reducing exposure to online tracking and fingerprinting.
Brave is ad-free by default, ensuring a cleaner and more private user experience.
Website

The 6 main issues with Chrome

Big Tech - Big Tech companies do not nourish people and planet. This is especially true in times of political tension.

Chrome is developed by Google, one of the largest tech companies, contributing to market monopolisation and exploitative data practices. Source: EFF: Google Search Monopoly and Privacy Concerns (2025)

Privacy Concerns - User data is likely to be stored and used against users' best interest.

Using Chrome comes with significant risks to your privacy. They recently backed away from retiring third party cookies. And just to name one example of untrustworthy tracking behaviour: it was revealed that Google stored records from users of 'incognito mode'.Sources: Gizmodo: Google’s Ambitious Privacy Sandbox Project Signals Its End (2025)Wired: The Incognito Mode Myth Has Fully Unraveled (2024)

No Carbon Neutrality Goals - No goals for carbon neutrality is a bad sign as it shows lack of commitment to holding crucial thresholds for global climate warming.

Google recently erased its Carbon Neutrality Goals in favour of massively increasing its use of AI in its various products, including Chrome. Source: Toms Hardware: Google quietly removes net-zero carbon goal from website amid rapid power-hungry AI data center buildout (2025)

Tax Avoidance - Aggressive strategies are being deployed to avoid paying taxes.

Google is known for aggressively avoiding paying taxes, so much that taxing it got its own term: "Google tax". Source: Wikipedia: Google Tax

Lack of Transparency - Opacity in operations, data handling, or supply chains, making it difficult for users to understand practices.

Google lacks transparency in its data collection and usage practices. They are facing trial for collecting user data even for users who opted out.Source: FTC: Google Antitrust Violations (2025)Arstechnica: Google loses in court, faces trial for collecting data on users who opted out (2025)

Support of Authoritarian Regimes - Companies actively supporting, financing and legitimising regimes and unethical policies.

Google has kissed Trump's ring by donating $1 million to his inauguration. Google has updated its products and policies to align with Trump’s political views.Time: How Google Appears to Be Adapting Its Products to the Trump Presidency (2025)

Suggestions and Feedback

If you have suggestions for more alternatives or general feedback, please contact me via email or create an issue over on Codeberg. Suggest Substitute on Codeberg Write an Email