Maxthon vs Vanadium
Maxthon
maxthon.com
Vanadium
grapheneos.orgSide by side
| Figure | Maxthon | Vanadium |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Web browsers | 9.0 (#12) | 8.3 (#51) |
| Browser engine | chromium | chromium |
| Built-in ad blocking | Yes | Yes |
| Cross-device sync | Yes | No |
| Extensions | Maxthon 7 supports Chrome extensions, and its desktop versions can sync extensions between Windows and macOS. | Extension support is not planned because GrapheneOS says it conflicts with site isolation and anti-fingerprinting. |
| Extension support | both | none |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Platforms | The download page offers versions for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android, including Windows desktop and portable builds. | mobile |
| Support | The site directs users to its help center, troubleshooting and bug-report page, community forum, and customer service contact information for support. | The project directs users to its community platforms for support and asks them not to contact developers directly for support requests. |
Plans
In their own words
Maxthon
Maxthon is a free Chromium-based browser with built-in notes, password management and an AI chat assistant. Signing in syncs bookmarks, settings, Maxnote, password-manager data and quick-access URLs across devices. Maxnote can record, organize, clip and share URLs, text, images and links. Maxthon 7 supports Chrome extensions, and its desktop versions can sync extensions between Windows and macOS. Reading mode removes ads and other page elements, Read Aloud converts webpages to speech, and split-screen browsing shows multiple pages in one window. Listed privacy tools include ad blocking, anti-tracking, incognito mode and a free VPN provided by Bright Data. Maxthon's privacy policy says searches through its default MaxAsk engine, which uses Google as its search content provider, involve collecting search queries, IP addresses and browser details. Maxthon says it encrypts account information and sensitive data stored locally or in the cloud, as well as data during account synchronization. Super Bookmarks requires a VIP subscription, and video downloads are limited for logged-in users.
Vanadium
Vanadium is GrapheneOS’s free, open-source Android browser and WebView, built on Chromium. It hardens the main allocator with hardware memory tagging, adds type-based control-flow integrity, a strong stack protector, and automatic zero-initialized variables, while enabling strict site isolation and sandboxed iframes. Browser JavaScript JIT is disabled by default and can be enabled per site; WebView has separate controls and enables JIT by default for user-installed apps. Content filtering uses EasyList, EasyPrivacy, and related regional lists. Third-party cookies, payment support, background sync, sensors, protected media, and hyperlink auditing are disabled by default. Native Android autofill and credential-manager support handle passkeys without sandboxed Google Play. WebGPU is disabled, and a WebRTC IP handling policy toggle is available. Vanadium has no extension support or cross-device sync planned. It is currently built for GrapheneOS, with component updates from GrapheneOS servers by default and most remote services disabled or removed.