Alternatives to Opera
Chromium browser with an ad blocker, a free proxy VPN and a messenger sidebar. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
Opera
Chromium browser with an ad blocker, a free proxy VPN and a messenger sidebar.
Replacements
Listings that take over the same core job as Opera.
Opera GX
Gaming edition of Opera with CPU, RAM and network limiters.
Opera GX is the gaming edition of Opera, adding CPU, RAM and network limiters and loud styling, with the same ownership and telemetry questions.
Brave
A Chromium browser that blocks ads and trackers out of the box, with no extension to install first.
Brave is an open-source Chromium browser with ad and tracker blocking on by default and built-in Tor windows, but no proxy VPN, and adds Android builds.
Microsoft Edge
Microsoft's Chromium-based browser, bundled with Windows.
Microsoft Edge offers vertical tabs, tab groups, sleeping tabs and a PDF reader, runs Chrome extensions unchanged, but has no built-in VPN and pushes Microsoft services.
Vivaldi
A Chromium browser for people who want tab stacks, split screen and a mail client in the same window.
Vivaldi comes from former Opera developers' approach of tab stacks, split screen and built-in mail, calendar and feeds, but lacks Opera's proxy VPN.
Google Chrome
Google's browser, the Chromium-based one most web development is tested against.
Google Chrome drops the built-in ad blocker, VPN and messenger sidebar but offers guaranteed site compatibility and the largest extension library, tied to Google accounts.
Firefox
The main browser not built on Chromium, with tracking protection turned on by default.
Firefox moves you to the open-source Gecko engine with tracking protection on by default and mobile builds, though ad blocking and VPN features come from extensions.
Epic Privacy Browser
Chromium browser that blocks trackers and routes traffic through an encrypted proxy.
Epic Privacy Browser is a closed-source Chromium browser with an always-on private mode, uBlock-based ad blocking and a built-in encrypted proxy, with Android but no Linux build.
Yandex Browser
Chromium browser from Yandex with built-in translation and AI features.
Yandex Browser is a closed-source Chromium browser with built-in translation and AI features instead of a VPN, operated by a Russian company.
Also worth comparing
These listings name Opera as their own alternative, so the relationship runs both ways.
Avast Secure Browser
A free browser from Avast with built-in ad blocking and anti-tracking protection.
Opera adds a free proxy VPN, workspaces and sidebar messengers to built-in ad blocking and runs on Linux, but it is closed source and has no Android build listed.
AVG Secure Browser
A free privacy-focused web browser from AVG that blocks ads, trackers and online threats.
Opera adds a free proxy VPN, workspaces and sidebar messengers to built-in ad blocking and runs on Linux, but it is closed source and has no Android build listed.
Cốc Cốc
A Chromium-based web browser made for Vietnamese users, with ad blocking and video downloading built in.
Opera stays Chromium-based and closed source with a built-in ad blocker, and adds a free proxy VPN, workspaces and sidebar messengers, with builds for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Lunascape
Japanese browser with built-in ad blocking and a crypto wallet.
Opera is a closed-source Chromium browser with a built-in ad blocker, a free proxy VPN and a messenger sidebar, with a Linux build and English-language support.
Maxthon
Long-running Chromium browser with built-in notes, passwords and AI chat.
Opera swaps Maxthon's notes and AI chat for an ad blocker, a free proxy VPN and sidebar messengers, remains closed source and adds a Linux build.
Naver Whale
Korean Chromium browser with a sidebar, split tabs and built-in capture tools.
Opera is a closed-source Chromium browser with a messenger sidebar, workspaces, an ad blocker and a free proxy VPN, aimed at a general rather than Korean audience.
Opera Air
A browser from Opera designed to reduce distractions, with focus support and break reminders.
Opera is the standard edition from the same company, adding a Linux build, proxy VPN and messenger sidebar but dropping the break and focus prompts.
Otter Browser
Use a configurable browser inspired by classic Opera.
Opera is the current closed-source Chromium browser from the Opera name, with an ad blocker, proxy VPN and messenger sidebar rather than classic Opera controls.
Puffin Browser
A cloud-accelerated browser that loads and renders web pages on remote servers before sending them to you.
Opera renders pages locally on Windows, macOS and Linux and includes a free proxy VPN and ad blocker, but its VPN is a browser proxy, not system-wide.
QQ Browser
Tencent's Chinese-language web browser with a built-in Yuanbao AI assistant, split-screen browsing and file tools.
Opera is a closed-source Chromium browser with an ad blocker, free proxy VPN and messenger sidebar, adding Linux support in place of the file viewer and subtitle translation.
Sleipnir
Japanese Chromium browser from Fenrir built around mouse gestures and text rendering.
Opera keeps a Chromium base and adds an ad blocker, a no-account proxy VPN and sidebar messengers, with Linux builds, but remains closed source.
Slimjet
Chromium browser with ad blocking, form filling and download tools built in.
Opera bundles ad blocking plus a no-account proxy VPN, workspaces and sidebar messengers on Chromium, and like Slimjet it remains closed source.
Similar software
Related functionality, not a direct replacement.
Arc
Chromium browser organised around spaces, a sidebar and split views.
Opera Neon
Opera's agentic web browser that uses AI agents to research, manage tabs and act on web pages.
