NetSurf is an open-source web browser which uses its own layout engine. Its design goal is to be lightweight and portable. NetSurf provides features including tabbed browsing, bookmarks, and page thumbnailing.
The NetSurf project was started in April 2002 in response to a discussion of the deficiencies of the RISC OS platform's existing web browsers. Shortly after the project's inception, development versions for RISC OS users were made available for download by the project's automated build system. NetSurf was voted "Best non-commercial software" four times in Drobe Launchpad's annual RISC OS awards between 2004 and 2008.
NetSurf supports both mainstream systems (e.g. macOS and Unix-like) and older or uncommon platforms (e.g. AmigaOS, Haiku, Atari TOS, RISC OS, and Redox).
The browser was ranked in 2011 as number 8 in an article highlighting 10 browsers for Linux published in TechRepublic and ZDNet.
What is NetSurf?
NetSurf by NetSurf is open-source Windows software in the web browsers category. It ranks 39th by popularity among web browsers in this catalogue. It is written in C. Besides Windows, it is available for Unix-like operating system, Haiku, MiNT, RISC OS and AmigaOS 4.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides EXE (NSIS) installers for 32-bit Windows. Installation asks for administrator rights. A silent install is possible with the installer’s documented switches.
Updates and version history
The current version is 3.11.0, released on December 28, 2023. The version history goes back to May 24, 2020: 2 releases, all linked to the official files. That is about 0.6 releases a year. The last update is more than a year old.
Popularity and file types
The Chocolatey package has been downloaded 1,492 times. Wikipedia has an article about it in 15 of our languages. On Windows it registers 2 file types, including .html and .htm. Similar programs include Brave, Waterfox and qutebrowser.
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Documented silent install
- Also runs on Unix-like operating system, Haiku and MiNT
Cons
- No native ARM64 build
- 32-bit only
- Installation needs administrator rights
- No update for more than a year
In short: NetSurf is an open-source web browser tool for 32-bit PCs. Updates have slowed down. Administrators can deploy it unattended.
Is NetSurf safe to download?
- The file is served by download.netsurf-browser.org, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
3E3A2FC6FCA8A26CD26751F49590E4AD0BE408EAA7349919F8FA58E9057D987F· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link has not been checked yet
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Recent versions
All 2 versions ›2 versions over 4 years · about 0.6 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.11.0Latest | December 28, 2023 | — | 32-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 3.10.0 | May 24, 2020 | — | 32-bit EXE (NSIS) |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id NetSurf.NetSurf -echoco install netsurf -y3.11-netsurf.exe /SRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Also for other systems
flatpak install flathub org.netsurf_browser.NetSurfInformation
- Publisher
- NetSurf
- Category
- Web browsers
- Licence
- GPL-2.0
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- download.netsurf-browser.org
- Written in
- C
- Content rating
- All ages
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 32-bit
- Installer
- EXE (NSIS)
- Other platforms
- Unix-like operating system, Haiku, MiNT, RISC OS, AmigaOS 4, Linux
- Version
- 3.11.0
- Released
- December 28, 2023
- Added to the catalogue
- June 13, 2021
- Versions listed
- 2
- Updates / year
- 0.6
- Chocolatey downloads
- 1,492
- Website
- netsurf-browser.org
- winget ID
- NetSurf.NetSurf
- Chocolatey package
- netsurf
File types it opens (2)
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
Alternatives to NetSurf
See all ›-
Open source4.9M ↓ -
Open source155.2K ↓ -
Open source47.5K ↓ -
Proprietary102.6M ↓ -
Free58.3K ↓ -
Open source461.9K ↓ -
Open source139.8K ↓ -
Free394.1M ↓
Frequently asked questions
Is NetSurf free?
Yes. NetSurf is open-source software under the GPL-2.0 licence.
Is NetSurf safe to download?
The download comes from download.netsurf-browser.org, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install NetSurf with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Can NetSurf be installed silently?
Yes. The silent install page lists the exact command for each installer.
Does NetSurf run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
There is no ARM64 build; Windows 11 on Arm can run the 32-bit version through emulation.
Where can I download an older version of NetSurf?
The versions page lists all 2 versions with links to their official installer files, back to May 24, 2020.
What are alternatives to NetSurf?
Brave, Waterfox, qutebrowser, Microsoft Edge and Safari. The alternatives page compares them.
