Safari costs $25/mo.
These cost $0.
8 free alternatives to Safari, checked for license, recent activity and real adoption. Each one tells you the catch, so you can switch with your eyes open.
The top-rated free, open-source replacement for Safari is Ladybird (Open Source Open Source). Switching a 5-person team saves up to $1,500/year compared to Safari's $25/mo subscription.
The catch: Community-driven open source project without dedicated enterprise SLAs.
Safari vs Free Alternatives
Quick side-by-side comparison · $0/mo vs $25/mo
| Alternative | Type | License | Where It Runs | Stars | Head-to-Head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ladybird | open source | Open Source | Local | ★ 66.9k | Safari vs Ladybird → |
| Zen Browser | open source | Open Source | Local | ★ 45.6k | Safari vs Zen Browser → |
| Helium | open source | Open Source | Local | ★ 22.4k | Safari vs Helium → |
| Brave | open source | Open Source | Local | ★ 24.1k | Safari vs Brave → |
| Waterfox | open source | Open Source | Local | ★ 6.4k | Safari vs Waterfox → |
| LibreWolf | open source | Open Source | Local | ★ 1.4k | Safari vs LibreWolf → |
| Flow | open source | Open Source | Local | ★ 1.1k | Safari vs Flow → |
| Midori Browser | open source | Open Source | Local | ★ 414 | Safari vs Midori Browser → |
The picks
8 open source · ranked by fit
- 01
Ladybird
open sourceOpen SourceLocal66.9knov 2026Open source web browser with its own engine, built from scratch without Blink, WebKit, or Gecko. Non-profit backed, no search deals, no user monetization.
The catch vs SafariCommunity-driven open source project without dedicated enterprise SLAs.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- desktopcross-platformone-click install
- install
- Clone https://github.com/LadybirdBrowser/ladybird or deploy with Docker Compose
- setup
- Download the native package or installer for your operating system.
- your data
- All application data lives locally on your own machine.
- checked
- 2026-11-07
- 02
Zen Browser
open sourceOpen SourceLocal45.6knov 2026A Firefox-based browser offering enhanced privacy, split views, and extensive customization options for a personalized browsing experience.
The catch vs SafariCommunity-driven open source project without dedicated enterprise SLAs.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- desktopcross-platformone-click install
- install
- Clone https://github.com/zen-browser/desktop or deploy with Docker Compose
- setup
- Download the native package or installer for your operating system.
- your data
- All application data lives locally on your own machine.
- checked
- 2026-11-07
- 03
Helium
open sourceOpen SourceLocal22.4knov 2026Chromium-based desktop browser with default ad and tracker blocking, no analytics, native !bangs, split view, and full MV2 extension support.
The catch vs SafariCommunity-driven open source project without dedicated enterprise SLAs.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- desktopcross-platformone-click install
- install
- Clone https://github.com/imputnet/helium or deploy with Docker Compose
- setup
- Download the native package or installer for your operating system.
- your data
- All application data lives locally on your own machine.
- checked
- 2026-11-07
- 04
Brave
open sourceOpen SourceLocal24.1knov 2026A secure web browser that blocks ads and trackers, protects privacy, and loads pages faster while saving data and battery life.
The catch vs SafariCommunity-driven open source project without dedicated enterprise SLAs.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- desktopcross-platformone-click install
- install
- Clone https://github.com/brave/brave-browser or deploy with Docker Compose
- setup
- Download the native package or installer for your operating system.
- your data
- All application data lives locally on your own machine.
- checked
- 2026-11-07
- 05
Waterfox
open sourceOpen SourceLocal6.4knov 2026Firefox-based browser with built-in ad blocking, oblivious DNS, zero telemetry, tree-style tabs, and no AI features sending your data anywhere.
The catch vs SafariCommunity-driven open source project without dedicated enterprise SLAs.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- desktopcross-platformone-click install
- install
- Clone https://github.com/BrowserWorks/waterfox or deploy with Docker Compose
- setup
- Download the native package or installer for your operating system.
- your data
- All application data lives locally on your own machine.
- checked
- 2026-11-07
- 06
LibreWolf
open sourceOpen SourceLocal1.4knov 2026A Firefox-based browser that strips telemetry, blocks trackers, disables DRM, and ships with a content blocker out of the box.
The catch vs SafariCommunity-driven open source project without dedicated enterprise SLAs.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- desktopcross-platformone-click install
- install
- Clone https://codeberg.org/librewolf/source or deploy with Docker Compose
- setup
- Download the native package or installer for your operating system.
- your data
- All application data lives locally on your own machine.
- checked
- 2026-11-07
- 07
Flow
open sourceOpen SourceLocal1.1knov 2026A modern browser combining minimalist design with smart features like profiles, spaces, and command palette. Full Chrome extension support and privacy-focused browsing.
The catch vs SafariCommunity-driven open source project without dedicated enterprise SLAs.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- desktopcross-platformone-click install
- install
- Clone https://github.com/multiboxlabs/flow-browser or deploy with Docker Compose
- setup
- Download the native package or installer for your operating system.
- your data
- All application data lives locally on your own machine.
- checked
- 2026-11-07
- 08
Midori Browser
open sourceOpen SourceLocal414nov 2026Midori Browser is a lightweight, fast, and secure browser that protects users' privacy, available for Windows, Linux, and Android.
The catch vs SafariCommunity-driven open source project without dedicated enterprise SLAs.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- desktopcross-platformone-click install
- install
- Clone https://github.com/goastian/midori-desktop/ or deploy with Docker Compose
- setup
- Download the native package or installer for your operating system.
- your data
- All application data lives locally on your own machine.
- checked
- 2026-11-07
Safari Head-to-Head Comparisons (2027)
Side-by-side trade-off breakdowns · 8 free alternatives
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers · Safari open-source replacements
What is the best free alternative to Safari?+
The top free alternative to Safari is Ladybird (open source, Open Source). Open source web browser with its own engine, built from scratch without Blink, WebKit, or Gecko. Non-profit backed, no search deals, no user monetization. Other popular Safari replacements include Zen Browser, Helium, Brave.
How much does switching from Safari to a free alternative save?+
Safari starts at $25/month per seat ($300/year). Switching a 5-person team to a free alternative like Ladybird saves $1,500 per year in software subscription fees.
Should I vibe-code or build my own Safari clone from scratch?+
Our build verdict for Safari is NO (use a free alternative, save the tokens). Instead of paying recurring SaaS fees for Safari or rebuilding it from scratch, deploy one of the 8 battle-tested open-source alternatives like Ladybird.
What is the catch when switching from Safari to Ladybird?+
Community-driven open source project without dedicated enterprise SLAs.
