Google Chrome and Chromium are two different browsers with the same source code. ‘Google Chrome’ is a web browser that uses the open source code of the Chromium and is developed and maintained by the Google.

In a nutshell, Chromium is a source code of the browser that Chrome is using right now with the additional features of Google.

What is Chromium browser?

Chromium is an open-source web browser that is developed and maintained by ‘The Chromium Project’.

What is Chrome browser?

Google Chrome is a web browser that uses the source-code of the Chromium and is developed and maintained by the ‘Google’.

GITs of Chromium browser

The Chromium web browser was introduced for the first time in 2008. Its further versions were released with various different free software licenses that include, BSD License for the part that is written by Google. MIT License, LGPL, and other licenses for the part other than Google.

GITs of Chrome browser

Google Chrome was also introduced in 2008. Chrome web browser is developed and maintained by the Google.

Why Chrome and Chromium are tied up together?

The only reason why Chrome and Chromium browser are tied up together is that both of them share the same source code.

Difference between Chrome and Chromium:

Automatic Updates

The Chrome browser uses Google Updates for automatic updating on the Windows. The Chrome browser automatically updates itself to the latest version.

Automatic update feature is not available for Chromium browser. On a Linux, chromium updates are made available via package repositories.

Usage tracking and crash reporting

Google believes in customizing and helping the user in the best way it can. Chrome facilitates the crash reporting and also has the usage statistics options. Chrome sends all its data to the Google servers. The data sent to Google servers by chrome includes very general data such as, the information about your device and OS, essential and default Chrome settings, the websites that you have visited that has malware, search queries, etc. This information enables the Google to serve you better by providing the suggestions, results, and ads that are very relevant and helpful to you.

The option of Crash reporting and usage tracking is not available in Chromium.

Chrome Web Store

Chrome has a Web store with a variety of web applications and tools. Google Chrome extensions can be instantly added up by the users to use it in the browser with an ease.

Web store service is unavailable in Chromium browser.

Media-Codec support

Both Chrome and Chromium supports the media in HTML5 audio/video codec available in Theora, Vorbis, WebM, VP9, etc. Chrome also supports AAC, MP3, and H.264 additionally.

Non-optional tracking

Google Chrome installer generates a token after installation and sends it to google for the tracking purpose that is meant for the safety of the Chrome and to know the operational success rate. Google uses the RLZ identifier to keep an eye while the user is on the search bar of the Chrome. The identifier is safe and concerns about your privacy. It does not steal any personal information. An identifier is only used to predict and recommend the users while they are searching, in order to show up the most relevant results and to run ad campaigning effectively. The Chrome browser, downloaded from Google’s website does not have the RLZ identifier by default.

Chromium browser is not maintained and controlled by Google and hence do not have any of the non-optional tracking options.

Sandbox support

Both the Chrome and Chromium browsers have this Sandbox support available for them. Sandbox support is always enabled by default for Google Chrome.

For Chromium, some Linux distributions have disabled the Sandbox feature.

Adobe Flash Plugin

Adobe Flash Plugin is supported by Chrome. The Pepper API version of Adobe Flash that gets updated automatically with Chrome update, is very smoothly supported by Chrome.

Chromium browser does not support the Plugin.

Which one is better between Google Chrome and Chromium?

It depends on the user’s need and OS used.

Google Chrome is better for Windows and Mac users.

For Linux users, Chromium browser can be a better option.

But the cons of Chromium browser will exist in Linux too. However, not to worry much as Linux has come up with many features for Chromium.

Google Chrome also works perfectly well with Linux.

Also Read:

Is Chromium a virus?

Absolutely not.

Chromium browser is open-source code. Few malicious versions of the Chromium browser are created by hackers and attackers and it is quite easy as the Chromium source code is open source.