Chrome vs Opera

by Gralio Apr 28, 2025

Chrome and Opera offer distinct browsing experiences for businesses. Chrome leverages its speed, vast extension library, and deep integration with Google's ecosystem, making it a solid choice for teams already using Google Workspace. Opera differentiates itself with built-in features focused on privacy and productivity, such as a free VPN, ad blocker, and unique tab management (Tab Islands), appealing to users seeking an all-in-one solution with enhanced privacy controls out-of-the-box. Chrome is better for you if your business heavily relies on Google services and requires maximum flexibility through a vast library of extensions. Opera is better for you if your business prioritizes built-in privacy features like a VPN and ad blocker, and values innovative productivity tools like Tab Islands and integrated messengers. What sets those products apart? Chrome excels with Google integration and extensions, while Opera focuses on built-in privacy (VPN, ad blocker) and unique productivity features (Tab Islands, AI).

At Gralio.ai we help to simplify your decision-making process by offering detailed, side-by-side software comparisons like this one, to help you confidently choose the tool that aligns with your business goals.

This comparison was created by analysing 1761 reviews and 60 websites, saving 10 hours, 17 minutes of reading.

About

Chrome is a free web browser created by Google, designed to provide a fast and modern web browsing experience. It's known for its speed, security features, and wide range of available extensions to customize functionality.
Opera is a web browser known for its speed and user-friendly features. It offers a built-in ad blocker, free VPN, and a visually clean interface. Opera emphasizes user privacy and security and is available across various devices, including computers and mobile phones. It aims to provide a smoother and more secure browsing experience compared to default browsers.

Summary

Main difference
Chrome's primary advantage lies in its seamless integration with the Google ecosystem and its extensive customization options via the Chrome Web Store. Opera's main distinction is its focus on built-in privacy and productivity features, offering tools like a free VPN, ad blocker, and unique organizational features directly within the browser.

Relative strengths of Chrome (compared to Opera)

  • Superior Integration with Google Ecosystem: Chrome offers seamless integration with Google Workspace, Google Search, and other Google services, streamlining workflows for businesses invested in that ecosystem. Opera, while functional, lacks this deep-level integration.

  • Vast Extension Library: Chrome has access to the extensive Chrome Web Store, offering significantly more extensions and plugins than Opera for customizing browser functionality and integrating with third-party business tools.

  • Cross-Platform Synchronization: Chrome provides robust syncing of bookmarks, history, passwords, and settings across multiple devices and platforms, ensuring a consistent user experience. While Opera offers syncing, Chrome's is often considered more seamless, especially within the Google ecosystem.

  • Chrome is better for you if your business heavily relies on Google services and requires maximum flexibility through a vast library of extensions.

  • Opera is better for you if your business prioritizes built-in privacy features like a VPN and ad blocker, and values innovative productivity tools like Tab Islands and integrated messengers.

  • What sets those products apart? Chrome excels with Google integration and extensions, while Opera focuses on built-in privacy (VPN, ad blocker) and unique productivity features (Tab Islands, AI).

Relative weaknesses of Chrome (compared to Opera)

  • Lacks Built-in VPN: Opera includes a free, built-in VPN for enhanced privacy and security, a feature Chrome lacks natively, requiring users to install third-party extensions for similar functionality.

  • No Integrated Ad Blocker: Opera features a built-in ad blocker that improves loading times and reduces distractions without needing extra installations. Chrome users must rely on extensions for ad blocking.

  • Fewer Native Productivity Features: Opera incorporates unique built-in productivity tools like Tab Islands for better organization, integrated messengers, and Aria AI. Chrome relies more heavily on extensions for comparable advanced features, though it has basic tools like Tab Groups and Reading List.

  • Chrome is better for you if your business heavily relies on Google services and requires maximum flexibility through a vast library of extensions.

  • Opera is better for you if your business prioritizes built-in privacy features like a VPN and ad blocker, and values innovative productivity tools like Tab Islands and integrated messengers.

  • What sets those products apart? Chrome excels with Google integration and extensions, while Opera focuses on built-in privacy (VPN, ad blocker) and unique productivity features (Tab Islands, AI).

Who should use Chrome VS. Opera

We find Chrome is a really popular browser for almost everyone, from individuals to large companies. People love its speed, easy-to-use design, and how well it connects with other Google services. While some mention high memory usage and privacy concerns, its huge library of extensions and cross-device syncing make it a go-to choice for many seeking a versatile browsing experience, especially in tech and education fields

Opera is known for its speed, built-in ad blocker, and free VPN, appealing to users who value privacy and a clean browsing experience. People often praise its free VPN and ad blocking capabilities. However, some users report performance issues like lagging or occasional crashes, especially when many tabs are open. We see it's a good fit for individuals or small teams wanting integrated features for privacy and productivity, despite potential performance drawbacks

  • Based on user feedback, Chrome works well for all company sizes, from small businesses and startups to large enterprises.

  • In our experience, Chrome is a particularly strong choice for users in the Software, IT, Telecommunications, and Education sectors.

  • In our experience, Opera works particularly well for individuals and small teams or businesses, typically those with up to 100 employees.

  • We find that Opera is a popular choice for users within the Software, IT, and Telecommunications sectors who value browsing efficiency.

Chrome and Opera features

Supported
Partially supported
Not supported
Type in the name of the feature or in your own words tell us what you need

  • Performance Optimization
    Supported

    Chrome prioritizes performance with features like Memory Saver and a Performance Detection tool.

    Supported

    Opera optimizes performance with features like hardware acceleration and battery saver.

  • Built-in Security
    Supported

    Chrome has several built-in security measures, including Safe Browsing, site isolation, and password management.

    Supported

    Opera offers built-in protection against malware, phishing, and other online threats.

  • Contextual Tab Grouping
    Not supported

    Chrome supports manual tab groups, but not automatic contextual grouping.

    Supported

    Opera supports contextual tab grouping with its Tab Islands feature.

  • Extension Support
    Supported

    Chrome supports the ability to extend browser functionality with extensions.

    Supported

    Opera browser supports extensions, including those designed for Chrome.

  • Chrome integration
    Supported

    Chrome supports integration with the Chrome browser in a business context.

    Supported

    Opera supports Chrome extensions.

  • Customizable Settings
    Supported

    Chrome supports customizable settings, allowing users to change browser settings according to their preferences.

    Supported

    Opera allows extensive customization of appearance, functionality, and performance.

Qualities

  • Value and Pricing Transparency
    -0.33
    Rather negative sentiment
    No data
  • Ease of Use
    +0.97
    Strongly positive sentiment
    +0.69
    Rather positive sentiment
  • Reliability and Performance
    +0.17
    Neutral sentiment
    +0.33
    Rather positive sentiment
  • Ease of Implementation
    +1
    Strongly positive sentiment
    No data
  • Scalability
    +0.6
    Rather positive sentiment
    No data

Chrome and Opera Pricing

Chrome is a free web browser.

User sentiment

Rather negative
-0.33

See full Pricing page

No data

User sentiment

Strongly positive
+1
We couldn't find a pricing page for Opera.

Chrome and Opera review insights

1761 reviews analysed from

Users love

  • Fast browsing experience
  • User-friendly interface
  • Wide range of extensions and plugins
  • Seamless integration with Google services
  • Syncs bookmarks, passwords and history across devices
  • Built-in free VPN for enhanced privacy and security.
  • Integrated ad blocker for a cleaner browsing experience.
  • Customizable UI with themes and wallpapers.
  • Sidebar with integrated messaging apps and other tools for enhanced productivity.
  • Chromium-based, allowing access to some Chrome extensions.

Users dislike

  • High RAM usage, even with a few tabs open
  • Frequent updates can be disruptive
  • Privacy concerns due to data collection
  • Some websites perform better on other browsers
  • Lags and slow performance compared to other browsers.
  • Limited extension support compared to alternatives.
  • Occasional freezing and crashing issues, especially with multiple tabs.
  • UI can feel bloated and overwhelming with various bars and options.
  • Some websites display incorrectly or have compatibility issues.

Chrome and Opera Ratings

  • G2
    4.7/5
    (1556)
  • Glassdoor
    3.5/5
    (2)
  • G2
    4.2/5
    (205)

Company health

Employee growth

69% increase in the last year
4% increase in the last year

Web traffic

2% decrease in the last quarter
9% increase in the last quarter

Financing

July 2018 - $16M
June 2024 - $166M

How important is built-in VPN functionality for your browsing needs?

Based on the comparison, built-in VPN functionality is a significant differentiator. Opera offers a free, integrated VPN, which users value for enhanced privacy and security without needing a separate application. Chrome, on the other hand, does not have a built-in VPN feature. Therefore, if you prioritize easy access to VPN for increased privacy or bypassing geo-restrictions directly within your browser, this feature is highly important and makes Opera a compelling choice over Chrome. If VPN is not a primary concern or you prefer using a standalone VPN service, its absence in Chrome might not be a factor.

Which browser's tab management features better suit your workflow?

Both Chrome and Opera offer features for tab organization, but cater to slightly different needs. Chrome provides standard tab grouping, allowing you to label and color-code groups, which is useful for general organization. Opera introduces "Tab Islands," a feature specifically designed for grouping tabs based on context, potentially better suited for managing distinct projects or tasks simultaneously within the browser. Opera also offers a Split Screen feature for viewing two tabs side-by-side. Your preference will depend on whether you need basic grouping (Chrome) or more context-specific grouping and multi-tab viewing options (Opera).

What are the advantages of Chrome?

Chrome provides a fast browsing experience and is noted for its user-friendly interface and ease of use. It offers strong cross-platform compatibility, syncing bookmarks, passwords, and history across devices. Users benefit from a wide range of available extensions and plugins for customization, seamless integration with Google services like built-in Search, and automatic updates that deliver new features and security enhancements regularly. Chrome also includes built-in tools like Reading List and Google Translate, along with features for organizing tabs.

What are the disadvantages of Chrome?

Chrome's disadvantages include high RAM usage, which can slow down systems even with few tabs open, and users rate its overall reliability and performance negatively. There are also significant privacy concerns related to Google's data collection practices. Additionally, the frequent updates can be disruptive, and some websites may perform better on alternative browsers.

Alternatives to Chrome and Opera

Logo of Brave
chrome vs Brave
Fast, private browsing with rewards for viewing ethical ads.
Read more
Logo of Mozilla Firefox
chrome vs Mozilla Firefox
Browse privately, block trackers, customize your web experience.
Read more
Logo of Firefox Multi-Account Containers
Firefox Multi-Account Containers
Isolate browsing activity, keeping accounts and data separate.
Read more
Logo of Apple Safari
Apple Safari
Fast, private browsing built for Apple devices.
Read more
Logo of Microsoft Edge
chrome vs Microsoft Edge
Secure AI browser with tools for productivity and savings.
Read more
Logo of Arc
Arc
Organized, private browser promises a calmer, powerful web experience.
Read more
Page co-authored by
MK
Michal Kaczor
CEO at Gralio

Michal has worked at startups for many years and writes about topics relating to software selection and IT management. As a former consultant for Bain, a business advisory company, he also knows how to understand needs of any business and find solutions to its problems.

TT
Tymon Terlikiewicz
CTO at Gralio

Tymon is a seasoned CTO who loves finding the perfect tools for any task. He recently headed up the tech department at Batmaid, a well-known Swiss company, where he managed about 60 software purchases, including CX, HR, Payroll, Marketing automation and various developer tools.

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