Aerium Browser

Aerium Browser — Free Download. Private fast browsing

Aerium Browser is a free web client for Android, Windows, and Linux engineered for speed, strict privacy, and minimal system resource consumption. It blocks telemetry, removes bundled Google services, and provides a lightweight alternative focused on core navigation speed without background data collection.

★★★★★
5.0(2 ratings)
Download Aerium Browser (Official links)
File size: 121 MB
The latest version of Aerium Browser is: 152.0.7977.64
Operating system: Windows, Linux, Android
Languages: English
Developer: Aerium
Price: $0.00 USD (Open Source (GPL-2.0))
  • Zero Telemetry & Privacy. The browser performs no user tracking, behavioral profiling, or background data collection. All connections to proprietary analytics services are removed from the codebase, and updates are only checked when the user manually requests them, not automatically in the background.
  • Lightweight Architecture. Optimized cold start latency and minimal idle memory footprint are achieved by stripping away unused components of the Chromium base. The browser avoids loading unnecessary modules at startup, which reduces RAM usage and speeds up the moment the window appears on screen.
  • Streamlined Tab Management. Clean session handling is engineered to prevent memory leaks and unnecessary CPU cycles. Each tab is isolated and managed so that hidden pages are slowed down and put to sleep when not actively producing sound, conserving battery and processing power.
  • Ungoogled Chromium Base. On Windows and Linux, Aerium is built on ungoogled-chromium, while Android uses a Vanadium-based fork. This foundation removes Google-specific services and binaries while retaining compatibility with standard web technologies and the Chrome Web Store for extensions.
  • Extensions That Work. The Chrome Web Store is available from the first launch, including Manifest V2 support on Android. Extensions can be installed and updated directly from the store, maintaining full compatibility with the ecosystem many users rely on for ad blocking and productivity tools.
  • Search Without a Middleman. Startpage is the default search engine, with DuckDuckGo, DuckDuckGo Lite, DuckDuckGo HTML, and SearXNG available in Settings. This selection removes reliance on engines that log queries and build advertising profiles from user activity.
  • HTTPS by Default. Balanced Mode upgrades navigations to HTTPS automatically without the disruptive full-site warnings of strict HTTPS-only enforcement. This ensures encrypted connections where possible while avoiding the breakage that often occurs with aggressive security modes.
  • Global Privacy Control. The Sec-GPC opt-out signal and navigator.globalPrivacyControl are sent on every page without requiring a toggle. This signal is recognized under CCPA and tells websites not to sell or share personal data, a feature missing from stock Chromium builds.
  • Visible Privacy Flags. Fingerprinting resistance, reduced system info exposure, and other privacy enhancements are listed plainly on first run through chrome://flags. The browser does not silently enable these options; instead, users can see exactly which flags are available and activate them as needed.
  • True Black Dark Mode. Aerium ships its own color palette rather than borrowing the wallpaper's theme. Dark mode can go fully black for the browser interface and separately for web pages, which on OLED screens means black pixels are switched off and draw no power, extending battery life.
  • Background Media Playback on Android. Video and audio continue playing when the user leaves the browser or turns off the screen. Chromium normally suspends media in hidden pages on Android; Aerium overrides this behavior, and sites that pause themselves when backgrounded are not informed, so playback continues while sound is active.
  • Optional DRM Registration. Widevine is not registered unless the user enables it manually at chrome://flags/#enable-widevine. The browser does not silently probe for DRM support on every DRM-gated site, preventing unnecessary fingerprinting and reducing connection overhead.
  • Aerium Guard Modes. On desktop, three setup modes — Recommended, Privacy, and Performance — provide named sets of defaults instead of a page of individual switches. The shield icon in the address bar always indicates which mode is active, allowing the browser configuration to shift with a single selection.
  • Ephemeral Cookie Controls. Desktop users can delete browsing data when closing Aerium, choosing which data types are removed and maintaining a keep list for sites worth staying signed into. A single site can also be marked to reset the moment its last tab closes, without affecting other browsing data.
  • No Built-in Password Manager. Aerium stores no passwords, payment methods, or addresses, and the settings for these features are removed entirely rather than merely emptied. Form filling relies on system-level autofill services such as Bitwarden, Proton Pass, or KeePass instead of a second vault inside the browser.
  • No Sync Service. Accounts and servers holding user data are treated as a liability. Passwords sync through external password managers, bookmarks sync through floccus over WebDAV, Nextcloud, Dropbox, Drive, or a Git repository, and history plus settings are not synced at all by design.
  • Auditable Patch List. Desktop versions include chrome://aerium, which lists every patch applied on top of Chromium by name. Each modification that shapes the browser is documented and readable, providing transparency about what has been changed from the upstream codebase.

Aerium Browser began development in 2023 by a developer known as Dioide. The project was created to provide a de-Googled, fast, and auditable web client for Android devices, with Windows and Linux support added shortly after. The browser is built on Chromium, using ungoogled-chromium on desktop platforms and a Vanadium-based fork on Android. The primary programming language is C++, as inherited from the Chromium codebase, with additional configuration and build scripts written in Python and shell. The name Aerium derives from aerogel, a material composed of up to 99 percent air by volume, reflecting the goal of stripping away unnecessary weight while retaining structural integrity.

Alternatives to Aerium Browser:

Sandboxie Plus — Free Download. Sandbox isolation

Sandboxie Plus

Sandboxie Plus creates isolated environments on Windows to run applications separately from the host system.
Price: Free   Size: 23.7 MB   Version: 5.73.4   OS: Windows
Symlex VPN — Free Download. Secure global access

Symlex VPN

Symlex VPN delivers encrypted connections through a network spanning over 120 servers in 80+ locations.
Price: Free   Size: 77.9 MB   Version: 6.3.2   OS: Windows, Android, iOS
Blanc — Free Download. Minimal private browser

Blanc

Blanc is a desktop browser for macOS, Windows and Linux that replaces the tab strip and toolbar with a single floating control surface called the Island.
Price: Free   Size: 117 MB   Version: 1.16.2   OS: Windows, Mac OS, Linux