Tech - News
What's the Difference Between Google Chrome and Chromium?
MATT MILANO
Google Chrome, which is virtually included on all Android smartphones and tablets, benefits from being a core part of Google's ecosystem, as users are often prompted to download it when they visit any of Google's online properties using another browser. Chromium, on the other hand, is the open-source version of Chrome.
Chromium is used as the foundation of other leading browsers — including Microsoft Edge, Opera, Vivaldi, and Brave — and it offers compatibility and allows a browser's developers to focus on features and functionality, rather than reinventing the rendering engine wheel. Microsoft Edge and Opera are two browsers that have adopted Chromium as their foundation, benefiting from the work Google had already done.
Google is an advertising company that makes its money selling ads and monetizing user data, so it has no real incentive to protect the privacy of its Chrome users. However, Chromium avoids many of these issues, since it's built off of the open-source codebase — before Google adds in privacy-compromising features.
Unless there is a very specific reason to use Chrome, anyone concerned about their privacy should use Chromium (or a Chromium-based alternative), which still has the same speed, compatibility, and access to Google Chrome extensions. Chromium can be directly downloaded, letting users enjoy a Chrome-style browser without Google's add-ons.