Vivaldi
Chromium compatibility with ultimate customization
Overview
Vivaldi from Opera’s founders is a power-user Chromium browser built around tab management, UI customization, and productivity. Tab stacks, tab tiling, side panels, and quick commands ship by default.
Built-in mail, calendar, RSS reader, screenshots, and notes let you do much work inside the browser. Tracker/ad blocking is included, and there is no Google account integration.
High Chrome extension compatibility plus deep UI freedom makes it ideal if you want to leave Chrome without losing features. Core UI is closed source; Chromium portions remain open.
Scores
Google Chrome — comparison
No Google account integration and far more UI customization than Chrome. Extension compatibility is equivalent. You drop Google Sync/Timeline-style collection while gaining productivity features Chrome lacks.
Pros
- ✓ Full Chrome extension compatibility
- ✓ Advanced tab management and UI customization
- ✓ Built-in mail, calendar, and feeds
- ✓ Tracker blocking included
- ✓ No Google account integration
Cons & caveats
- − Chromium engine dependency
- − Core UI is closed source
- − Feature-rich UI has a learning curve
- − Higher memory use than minimal browsers
Best for
- Power users who want Chrome extensions plus rich UI
- People focused on tab management and productivity
- Users who want mail/calendar inside the browser
Not ideal for
- People who require a non-Chromium engine
- Users who prefer a minimal browser
- Open-source-only purists
Specs
- Pricing
- Free — Completely free. Vivaldi Sync (E2EE) is also free. No paid browser tier.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Data location
- Vivaldi Sync uses Vivaldi (US/Iceland) servers with E2EE when enabled. Tracker blocking runs on-device.
- Platforms
- Windows · macOS · Linux · Android
Migration from Google Chrome
- 1 Install Vivaldi and import bookmarks/settings from Chrome
- 2 Use Chrome extensions via the Vivaldi/Chromium extension store
- 3 Customize tab management and side panels to your workflow
- 4 Enable Vivaldi Sync for bookmarks and passwords
Setup steps
- 1 Install from https://vivaldi.com/
- 2 Choose Chrome import on first launch
- 3 Settings → Privacy → confirm tracker/ad blocking
- 4 Customize tab management and side panels to taste
Related on Amazon
Books and devices that may help your migration. Verify specs and price before buying.
- Books
Permanent Record — Edward Snowden
Essential reading on surveillance and personal privacy—the “why” behind de-Googling.
View on Amazon ↗