What is the main difference between Helium and Waterfox?

Helium and Waterfox are both web browsers but differ in their approach, features, and target audience. Compare their GitHub stats, technology stack, and community adoption to make the best choice.

Which is better: Helium or Waterfox?

The choice between Helium and Waterfox depends on your specific needs, technical requirements, and team preferences. Both are quality open source solutions with active communities.

Can I migrate from Helium to Waterfox?

Migration between Helium and Waterfox is possible but requires careful planning. Consider data export/import capabilities, feature parity, and potential workflow changes.

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Helium vs Waterfox

Learn how Helium and Waterfox differ in their key features, development activity, technology stack and community adoption, so you can decide which of these web browsers is best for you.

Helium

Chromium-based desktop browser with default ad and tracker blocking, no analytics, native !bangs, split view, and full MV2 extension support.

Visit Helium Read more

21,249stars+990(+4.9%)

Last 30 days

Last commit
15 hours ago
Repository age
2 years
Version
0.18.3
License
GPL-3.0
Repository
imputnet/helium

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Waterfox

Firefox-based browser with built-in ad blocking, oblivious DNS, zero telemetry, tree-style tabs, and no AI features sending your data anywhere.

Visit Waterfox Read more

6,339stars+90(+1.4%)

Last 30 days

Last commit
6 days ago
Repository age
12 years
Version
6.7.5
Repository
browserworks/waterfox

Detailed Comparison

Helium appears to have several advantages over Waterfox, particularly in popularity, growth and licensing. Consider your specific needs regarding popularity, growth, activity, maturity, licensing and features when making your decision.

Helium wins

Community & Popularity

Helium significantly outpaces Waterfox in community adoption with 21,249 stars compared to 6,339 stars on GitHub. This 3.4x difference suggests Helium has a much larger and more active community. In terms of developer contributions, Helium has 610 forks, indicating moderate developer engagement.

Helium wins

Growth Momentum

Helium is growing faster, adding 990 stars in the last 30 days (+4.9%) against adding 90 stars for Waterfox (+1.4%). Helium is both larger and pulling further ahead.

Comparable

Development Activity

Both projects show recent activity, with Helium last updated 15 hours ago and Waterfox 6 days ago.

Waterfox wins

Project Maturity

Waterfox has been in development longer, starting 12 years ago, compared to Helium which began 2 years ago. This 10.5-year head start suggests Waterfox may have more mature features and established processes.

Helium wins