YalqenChrome and Yalqen render pages with Chromium, so sites and DevTools behave the same in both. The difference is the browser around the engine.
Chrome is proprietary freeware built on the open-source Chromium project, made for every platform and tied into Google’s services. Yalqen is an open-source browser for developers on the Mac, with no account and no telemetry.
What feels the same
- Chromium underneath, so pages render the way they do in Chrome and the full Chromium DevTools are one shortcut away.
- Extensions from the Chrome Web Store, with limits: not every extension works in Yalqen yet.
What Yalqen does differently
- Vertical tabs are the default layout, with pinned tabs, a foldable panel and a hideable sidebar. Chrome added vertical tabs as an option in 2026.
- A command bar on ⌘L that searches, jumps to tabs and history, and runs commands by name, including developer commands.
- Ad and tracker blocking from the first launch with no extension, and HTTPS-only mode, third-party cookie blocking and secure DNS one switch away in settings.
- Developer tools built in: phone view with device presets, network throttling, request rules, user-agent switching and screenshots.
- Open source under the MIT license, with no account and no telemetry.
Where Chrome is ahead
- Chrome runs on Windows, Linux, Android and iOS. Yalqen is macOS 13+ on Apple silicon only.
- Chrome syncs bookmarks, history and settings between devices. Yalqen has no sync yet.
- Chrome supports the full extension platform. Yalqen supports part of it.
- Chrome has years of polish and imports from other browsers. Yalqen is young, and importing is not built yet.
Yalqen and Chrome side by side
| Topic | Yalqen | Chrome |
|---|---|---|
| Source code | Open source (MIT) | Proprietary, built on open-source Chromium |
| Engine | Chromium, through Electron | Chromium |
| Platforms | macOS 13+ on Apple silicon | macOS, Windows, Linux, Android, iOS |
| Vertical tabs | Default layout | Optional, rolled out in 2026 |
| Command bar | Yes, with developer commands | Address bar |
| Extensions | Chrome Web Store, with limits | Chrome Web Store, full support |
| Ad blocking | Built-in filter engine | Intrusive ads only; blockers are extensions |
| Sync | Not yet | With a Google account |
| Account | None needed | Google account optional |
| Price | Free | Free |
Try it next to Chrome
Yalqen does not need to replace your current browser to be worth a try. Install it, learn the keyboard shortcuts and see whether the layout suits you. Missing something? Open an issue, and see what is coming on the roadmap.
Other comparisons: Arc · Brave · Zen
Sources: Google Chrome, Wikipedia · New vertical tabs in Chrome, Google