Vivaldi vs. Firefox
Both Vivaldi and Firefox have a strong anti-Big Tech stance. However, one is based in San Francisco and primarily funded by Google, and the other is an Oslo-based employee-owned company funded by Jon von Tetzchner. Whilst Vivaldi has no AI built in, Firefox includes AI tools enabled by default.
Firefox relies heavily on features only being available by users installing add-ons, Vivaldi has the biggest range of built-in features, for a seamless and secure browsing experience. Let’s take a closer look at the feature differences between these two browsers.
Productivity
Vivaldi is the most customizable browser in the world! Why is this important to your productivity? Elementary. It means you can make Vivaldi work just the way you need it to.
Everyone uses their browser to get something done: work, studies, shopping, research, or simply for entertainment. Vivaldi is packed with useful features to minimize distractions and help you get the task done, efficiently.
With unrivaled tab management features, a myriad of customizable shortcuts and powerful built-in tools, you’ll be able to get more done, and have fun while doing it.
Full support
Partial support
No support
| Features |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Two-level tab groups |  Full support |  No support |
| Tab groups | Full support | Full support |
| Unlimited tabs in split-screen | Full support | No support |
| Custom tab bar placement | Full support |  Partial support |
| Custom address bar placement | Full support | No support |
| Periodic tab reload | Full support | No support |
| Install websites as desktop apps (PWAs) | Full support | Partial support |
| Custom macros | Full support | No support |
| Custom mouse gestures | Full support | No support |
| Custom keyboard shortcuts | Full support | Full support |
| Pomodoro timer | Full support | No support |
| To-do list | Full support | Partial support |
| Custom apps & sites in the browser sidebar | Full support | Partial support |
| Manual tab hibernation (RAM saver) | Full support | Full support |
| Break mode | Full support | No support |
| Built-in note editor | Full support | No support |
| Built-in mail | Full support | No support |
| Built-in calendar | Full support | No support |
| Workspaces | Full support | No support |
Vivaldi leads on tab management and productivity — with unique built-in features that make it stand out from the crowd.
Privacy
Most browsers claim to protect your privacy, but their business models often depend on some level of profiling or surveillance.
At Vivaldi, we reject these practices and believe what you do on your browser is your business and nobody else’s. We give you the tools you need to protect yourself from Big Tech’s prying eyes, like a built-in ad and tracker blocker with custom lists, Proton VPN and end-to-end encrypted data sync. With Vivaldi, you’re in control!
Full support
Partial support
No support
| Features | | |
|---|---|---|
| Built-in ad blocker | Full support | No support |
| Protection from trackers | Full support | Full support |
| Custom blocking lists | Full support | Partial support |
| Secure sync with encryption key | Full support | Full support |
| No tracking & profiling of user behavior | Full support | No support |
| Free unlimited VPN | Full support | Partial support |
| European | Full support | No support |
| Data stored in Europe | Full support | No support |
Private by default: no profiling, no data selling, with built-in tracker & ad blocker and a free VPN provided by Proton.
Built-in features
At Vivaldi, our goal is to provide you with a browser that has all the built-in functionality you need. Our mantra is “a browser that adapts to you, not the other way around”, and because we all have different needs and likes, that means a browser packed with powerful built-in features.
If what you need somehow isn’t already built into Vivaldi, you can install extensions from the Chrome Web Store (they work great in Vivaldi too!), or come to our Forum and make a feature request. We thrive on user feedback: that’s how we develop and grow, as we have no shareholders or investors pulling our strings.
Vivaldi has features you want, and the features you didn’t know you needed that you won’t be able to live without.
Full support
Partial support
No support
| Features | | |
|---|---|---|
| In-browser screenshot tool | Full support | Full support |
| Private full-page translate tool | Full support | Full support |
| Pop-out video on any website | Full support | Full support |
| Custom shareable themes | Full support | Partial support |
| Editable toolbars | Full support | Full support |
| Full Chromium extensions compatibility | Full support | No support |
| Custom search engines | Full support | Full support |
| Page Actions to modify the look of pages | Full support | No support |
| Reader mode | Full support | Full support |
| Built-in mail | Full support | No support |
| Built-in calendar | Full support | No support |
| Built-in feed reader | Full support | No support |
| Visual history with statistics | Full support | No support |
| Image details inspector | Full support | Partial support |
| On/off image animation | Full support | Partial support |
| On/off image load | Full support | No support |
| Free from AI | Full support | No support |
| UI Auto-hide | Full support | No support |
| Desktop mode on Android | Full support | Full support |
Mail, Calendar, Feed Reader, Notes and Translate — all built-in, no extensions required.
No AI
Unlike most of our competitors, Vivaldi is free from generative AI features. No summarizing tools, no chatbots, you remain in control. We have taken a stand and have chosen humans over hype.
We will not turn the joy of exploring into inactive spectatorship. Without exploration, the web becomes far less interesting. Our curiosity loses oxygen and the diversity of the web dies.
Jón von Tetzchner - CEO, Vivaldi Technologies
Vivaldi is the haven for people who still want to explore. We will continue building a browser for curious minds, power users, researchers, and anyone who values autonomy.
Unlimited tabs in split-screen
Tab Tiling lets you view more than one page at a time, side by side or in a grid. For work and play — great for comparing deals or monitoring multiple Twitch streams!
Multi-level tab groups
A key example of our unparalleled tab management. Just drag and drop your tabs to organize them in tab groups, which we call stacks. These can be renamed and colour-coded. Your stacks will remain in the main tab bar, and a second level will appear once you click on them, showing you the tabs within that group.
Make your tabs work for you
You know the feeling when you’re reading something good, there’s an interesting link, you click it, and twenty minutes later you’ve lost the original thread entirely and have eleven tabs open?
Not in Vivaldi. Our Follower Tab lets you open links in split-screen view, keeping the original page to your left.
Control everything with Quick Commands
Quick Commands is Vivaldi's universal search and control center. Instantly search tabs, bookmarks, history, or the web, and quickly execute browser commands, all in one place.
Frequently asked questions
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Is Vivaldi based on Firefox?
No. Vivaldi runs on the Chromium engine, the open-source project behind Chrome and most other major browsers. Firefox runs on Mozilla’s own Gecko engine. Both browsers are often recommended as independent and customizable alternatives to Big Tech defaults.
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Which is better for privacy, Firefox or Vivaldi?
Both browsers have tracker blocker protection, but while Vivaldi’s ad blocker is built in, Firefox users need a third-party extension. Vivaldi is also built and headquartered in Norway and hosts encrypted user data in Iceland, being therefore bound by European GDPR laws.
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Once I first install Vivaldi, will my Firefox and Vivaldi bookmarks stay in sync, or is the import a one-time transfer?
Import is one-time, not continuous. Vivaldi’s setup wizard pulls in your existing Firefox bookmarks, passwords, and history when you switch, but the two browsers won’t stay mirrored, because Firefox Sync and Vivaldi Sync are separate systems. If you keep using both, you'll manage bookmark syncing yourself from then on.
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Will my Firefox extensions and add-ons work in Vivaldi?
Vivaldi is compatible with Chromium extensions, not Firefox’s add-ons, so anything installed from addons.mozilla.org won’t be carried over. Many extensions Firefox users install aren’t needed in Vivaldi due to our built-in functionality. Others can be found in the Chrome Web Store.
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Does Vivaldi have an ad blocker?
Vivaldi has its own built-in ad and tracker blocker rather than rely on third-party extensions. Some websites will continuously test different ways of fighting ad blockers, so we are constantly working on updates and improvements.
Compare Vivaldi with other browsers
Last updated: October 2026