Helium Browser Review: A Lightweight, Privacy-Focused Alternative to Chrome

It feels like a new browser is released every month these days — some powered by AI (like ChatGPT Atlas, Comet, or BrowserOS), others built entirely around privacy and security. Helium belongs firmly in the second camp.

Currently in alpha and based on Chromium, Helium is an open-source, lightweight browser designed to offer a clean, ad-free, and telemetry-free experience. After spending a few days testing it, we can say this: even in its early stage, Helium already shows real promise.

Helium: A Browser as Light as Air

When you first launch Helium, you’re greeted with a simple setup wizard. It walks you through choosing a default search engine (DuckDuckGo, Startpage, Brave Search, Google, etc.), importing your history or extensions, and enabling or disabling optional privacy features.

Among the configuration options, you’ll find:

• Extension proxy: hides your identity when downloading or updating extensions from the Chrome Web Store.
• Search bangs: shortcuts like !w for Wikipedia or !gh for GitHub, inspired by DuckDuckGo.
• Spell checker: lets you download dictionary files for offline correction.
• uBlock Origin filter updates: automatic or manual, depending on your privacy preferences.
• Helium Services: optional self-hosted tools for users who want maximum privacy.

You can also customize the look a bit — choose between light or dark mode, pick an accent color, and decide whether to show most-visited sites on your new tab page. Minimal, but effective.

Built on Ungoogled Chromium: Full Privacy, Zero Noise

Under the hood, Helium runs on Ungoogled Chromium, a version of Chromium stripped of all Google services and background connections. This means:

• No telemetry
• No silent calls to external servers
• No cloud sync or data collection

Everything stays local, giving you full control over your browsing data.

Helium also comes with uBlock Origin preinstalled and enabled by default, blocking ads and trackers out of the box. This is especially welcome now that Google is limiting new installations of uBlock Origin on Chrome. You can even update filters automatically through Helium Services or manage them manually if you prefer a hands-on approach.

Useful Features You’ll Actually Appreciate

Despite its simplicity, Helium packs several thoughtful features that make everyday browsing smoother:

• Split View: lets you open two websites side by side in one window — no need for multiple tabs or split-screen juggling.
• Quick shortcuts: for instance, pressing Ctrl + Shift + C (or ⌘ + Shift + C on Mac) instantly copies the current page link, ready to share.
• Full extension support: Helium supports all Chromium extensions, including older Manifest V2 ones that Chrome is phasing out.
• Install web apps: like Chrome, you can turn any website into a standalone desktop app.

It’s a clean, efficient setup — ideal for users who want a fast, uncluttered experience without sacrificing compatibility.

The Current Limitations

Helium’s alpha status means there are still a few rough edges. The most noticeable? No DRM support. Streaming services like Netflix, Spotify, or Disney+ simply won’t work — at least not yet. The developers plan to add this later, but it’s not a priority right now.

Another omission is the lack of a built-in password manager. Helium’s team believes sensitive credentials shouldn’t be stored in browsers, even locally — a stance many privacy advocates would agree with. You’ll need to use external solutions like Bitwarden, KeePassXC, or similar tools.

There’s also no cloud sync. No account system, no syncing of bookmarks or settings between devices. Everything remains local, which makes sense for privacy — but could be inconvenient if you switch between multiple computers.

Finally, updates on Windows aren’t automatic yet. Users must manually download new releases from GitHub and install them themselves. It’s a bit old-school, though the team has confirmed that an integrated update system is coming.

Final Verdict:

Helium isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel — it’s trying to clean it. By removing ads, telemetry, and unnecessary features, it offers a refreshingly minimalistic browser that feels light, fast, and genuinely private.

It’s not ready to replace Chrome or Brave for everyone just yet — missing DRM and cloud sync will be dealbreakers for some — but for privacy-focused users or those tired of bloated browsers, Helium is already a solid alternative worth watching.

If development continues at this pace, Helium could soon become one of the best privacy-first browsers available — a modern, open-source tool that puts user control back where it belongs.