Chromium vs Safari: is it a good Linux alternative?

Chromium as a Linux alternative to Safari

Updated October 23, 2026

Our verdict

Chromium is a solid replacement for Safari on Linux if you prioritize web standards, speed, and extension support over Apple ecosystem integration. It handles modern HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript reliably, with strong performance even on older hardware. Privacy controls like tracking protection and cookie management are fully available. While it doesn’t sync with iCloud, you can use Chrome sync or manual export for bookmarks. It’s ideal for users who want a no-nonsense, open-source browser without vendor lock-in.

Feature parity85%

License: BSD-3-Clause and LGPL-2.1+ and…
Price: Free
Latest version: 156.0.8078.47 (October 20, 2026)
Rating: —

Install Chromium Website ↗

What works the same

Both use WebKit-derived rendering engines (Safari uses WebKit directly, Chromium uses Blink, a WebKit fork)
Full support for HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript, including modern web APIs
Built-in privacy features like tracker blocking, cookie controls, and private browsing
Support for extensions, though Safari uses its own store while Chromium uses Chrome Web Store
Fast startup and responsive performance on low-end systems

What is different

No iCloud integration — bookmarks, passwords, and tabs don’t sync with Apple devices
Chromium lacks Safari’s energy efficiency optimizations on macOS
Interface follows Chrome-style design, not macOS or Apple Human Interface Guidelines
No native support for Safari Reader or iCloud Keychain
Chromium receives updates via Linux package managers or Flatpak, not Apple Software Update

Opening your Safari files

Chromium can import Safari bookmarks if exported as HTML from Safari’s Bookmarks Manager. Passwords and reading lists won’t transfer directly since Safari stores them in iCloud or macOS Keychain. You’ll need to manually export and import bookmark files. There’s no built-in tool to convert Safari’s native data formats, but third-party scripts exist for advanced users. For general use, exporting bookmarks as HTML is the most reliable method.

Switching from Safari to Chromium, step by step

Export bookmarks from Safari as an HTML file using Bookmarks > Export Bookmarks
Install Chromium via your distro’s package manager or Flathub
Launch Chromium and go to Settings > Bookmarks > Import bookmarks
Select the HTML file to import your favorites
Install privacy extensions like uBlock Origin or Privacy Badger from the Chrome Web Store
Set Chromium as default browser in your Linux desktop settings

Key features of Chromium

Open-source core of Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge
Fast rendering engine with strong JavaScript performance
Full support for Chrome Web Store extensions
Regular security updates and stable release cycles
Available via Flathub, Snap, and native distro packages
No proprietary telemetry or forced Google account sign-in

How to install Chromium on Linux

Flatpak (Flathub)flatpak install flathub org.chromium.Chromium

Ubuntu / Mintsudo apt install chromium-browser

Debiansudo apt install chromium

Fedorasudo dnf install chromium

Arch / Manjarosudo pacman -S chromium

openSUSEsudo zypper install chromium

Frequently asked questions

Can Chromium sync with Safari on macOS or iOS?

No. Chromium doesn’t support iCloud sync. You’ll need to manually transfer bookmarks via HTML export or use a third-party service like Firefox Sync or Google Account sync.