Key Differences Between Chrome vs Chromium You Should Know

Chrome is built upon Chromium, an open-source project maintain by Google. Chromium is the base for Chrome and also other browsers like Microsoft Edge and Opera.

Let's explore the differences between Chrome vs Chromium in depth!

What is Google Chrome?

Google Chrome is a widely used web browser developed by Google. Since its launch in 2008, it has become one of the most popular browsers globally due to its speed, simplicity, and the robust ecosystem of extensions.

Key Features of Chrome

1. Origin

Google Chrome was officially launched on September 2, 2008, as a response to the growing complexity and demands of modern web applications. At the time, existing browsers struggled to handle the increasingly sophisticated needs of web users.

This is the Chrome logo back in the day.

Chrome's development began as a secretive project within Google, aimed at creating a fast, secure, and stable browser that could handle the next generation of web applications. The initial release was a beta version for Windows, but its speed, minimalist design, and reliability quickly garnered attention. 

Google’s decision to base Chrome on the open-source Chromium project allowed for a collaborative development environment. Developers worldwide contributed to it. Over time, Chrome introduced groundbreaking features like the Omnibox ('omni' here means all or universal in Latin). 

Back then, Yahoo and Internet Explorer separated the URL box and the search box. Chrome combined both of them, and that is an innovation that immediately sets Chrome apart, paving the way for its future success.

2. Performance and Resource Usage

Google Chrome is widely recognized for its speed and efficiency, largely due to the V8 JavaScript engine and the Blink rendering engine. These technologies allow Chrome to load pages quickly and handle complex web applications with ease. 

However, this performance comes at a cost—Chrome has been criticized for its high resource usage, particularly its demand for RAM. 

The browser’s multi-process architecture enhances stability and security by isolating each tab and extension. That very advantage leads to increased memory consumption. You can easily notice this when you open many tabs or use resource-intensive extensions. 

Despite these concerns, Chrome's development team continuously works on optimizing resource management, introducing features like tab freezing and throttling to mitigate the browser's impact on system resources, especially on devices with limited memory.

3. Security and Privacy

Security has always been a cornerstone of Chrome’s development. Chrome's multi-process architecture is integral to its security as it isolates each tab, preventing malicious code from affecting the entire browser or the system. 

Regarding privacy, there have always been heated debate. The Omnibox knows you, deep down. When you search something in Google Chrome, the Omnibox can immediately suggests you a lot of related searches based on your search history. 

In other words, Chrome remembers everything about you: your interests, hobbies, politics. Even your darkest secrets that you wouldn't even tell your best friends. 

Chrome’s Incognito mode is often misunderstood by users. While it prevents browsing data from being stored locally on the device, it does not make the user anonymous on the internet. Websites, ISPs, and Google itself can still track users’ activities even in Incognito mode, which can create a false sense of security.
 

This has raised a lot of privacy concerns for Chrome users. This is why many decided to make the switch to Chromium.

What is Chromium?

Chromium is an open-source web browser project started by Google. It provides the foundation for many other browsers, including Microsoft Edge, Opera, Brave, Arc, even Discord, Slack, Spotify, and of course, Google Chrome. 

In fact, most contemporary browsers are based on Chromium, except for Firefox.

Source: r/ProgrammerHumor

Unlike Chrome, which is a commercial product, Chromium is available for anyone to use, modify, and distribute.

As an open-source project, Chromium does not include the proprietary code that Google adds to Chrome. It lacks some of the built-in tracking and data collection features that Chrome has. Chromium also does not automatically send usage statistics, crash reports, or other telemetry data to Google, making it a more privacy-conscious option out of the box. It is meant for browser developers, not for the consumer browser market.
 

1. Origin

The Chromium project was initiated to provide a transparent and community-driven foundation for Chrome so that developers from around the world to contribute to the evolution of the web browser. 

Chromium serves as the base from which Google builds Chrome, but it is also used by other browsers like Microsoft Edge, Opera, and Brave. Over the years, Chromium has continued to evolve. Chromium continues to be favored by developers and tech enthusiasts who appreciate its open-source nature. They often use it to create custom browsers or test web applications.

2. Key Feature Differences From Chrome

The user interface of Chromium is very similar to that of Chrome, featuring the same minimalist design with a focus on content.

By default, Chromium lacks the deep integration with Google services that Chrome has. For example, Chromium does not include Google Sync, which automatically syncs your bookmarks, history, passwords, and other data across devices. This makes Chromium more appealing to users who want to avoid Google’s ecosystem and retain greater control over their data.

Chromium does not automatically update. Users must manually download and install updates of Chromium or rely on third-party update systems. It also doesn't support  proprietary media codecs like H.264, AAC, or MP3, which are used for playing videos and audio on many websites. It also lacks support for Digital Rights Management (DRM) features, which are required for streaming services like Netflix. Users can manually add support for these codecs, but this requires technical knowledge.

ChromeOS vs. Chromium OS

• Development and Support: ChromeOS is developed and maintained by Google. It comes pre-installed on Chromebooks and receives regular updates directly from Google. In contrast, Chromium OS is an open-source project that serves as the foundation for ChromeOS. Developers and hobbyists can download, modify, and build Chromium OS, but it lacks official support from Google.
• Software Features: ChromeOS includes proprietary software and features that are not available in Chromium OS. This includes media codecs, Google Play Store access, and enhanced security tools. Chromium OS, being open-source, does not include these proprietary elements by default.
• Update Mechanisms: ChromeOS benefits from an automatic update system managed by Google. This ensures that users always have the latest security patches and features. Chromium OS does not have an automatic update system and relies on manual updates from the community or individual developers.