Vanadium
Vanadium is an Android browser and WebView implementation provided as the default browser with GrapheneOS.
What Vanadium is
Vanadium is an Android browser and WebView implementation provided as the default browser with GrapheneOS. Based on Chromium, it adds protections including hardware memory tagging for its main allocator, type-based control-flow integrity, a strong stack protector, and automatic zero-initialized variables. Strict site isolation and sandboxed iframes are enabled. Browser JavaScript JIT is disabled by default but can be enabled per site; WebView has its own controls, with JIT enabled by default for user-installed apps. Content filtering uses EasyList, EasyPrivacy, and related lists, including regional lists selected by enabled browser languages. Third-party cookies, payment support, background sync, sensor access, protected media, and hyperlink auditing are off by default. Vanadium includes Android autofill and credential manager support for passkeys. It is free and open source, but extension support and sync beyond OS backups are not planned. The project currently builds it for GrapheneOS and says it plans broader availability once it has more features. Most remote services are disabled or removed, with component updates connecting to GrapheneOS servers by default.
Good
- Free and open source
- Strict site isolation is enabled
- Includes content filtering
- Supports Android autofill and passkeys
- JavaScript JIT can be enabled per site
Watch out
- Currently built for GrapheneOS
- No extension support planned
- Cross-device sync is not planned
- Most browser data is excluded from OS backups
Who it suits
Vanadium is for Android users of GrapheneOS looking for a browser and WebView with added security protections and content filtering. Its current availability is tied to GrapheneOS.
Verdict
Vanadium combines Chromium with additional browser protections and privacy-oriented defaults for GrapheneOS. Its platform availability and lack of extensions or cross-device sync are key constraints.
Plans and prices
From Vanadium's own pricing page, checked 10 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Vanadium | Free | Included with GrapheneOS; Android browser and WebView |
The facts
Each one read from Vanadium's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Autofill and passkeys
- It has native Android autofill and credential manager support for passkeys, avoiding the need for sandboxed Google Play for those functions.checked 10 Oct 2026
- Availability
- Vanadium is currently built for GrapheneOS, and the project says it plans to make it available outside GrapheneOS once it has more features.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Built-in ad blocking
- Yeschecked 23 Sep 2026
- Compatibility trade-off
- Content filtering and other compatibility-impacting features are mostly available in the browser rather than the WebView library.checked 10 Oct 2026
- Content filtering
- The browser includes a content-filtering engine using EasyList, EasyPrivacy, and EasyList’s Adblock Warning Removal List as primary filters, with supplementary regional lists based on enabled browser languages.checked 10 Oct 2026
- Extensions
- Extension support is not planned because GrapheneOS says it conflicts with site isolation and anti-fingerprinting.checked 10 Oct 2026
- Extension support
- nonechecked 23 Sep 2026
- JavaScript
- JavaScript JIT is disabled by default in the browser, with a per-site toggle; WebView JIT behavior for user-installed apps has separate global and per-app controls.checked 10 Oct 2026
- Open source
- Yeschecked 23 Sep 2026
- Passkeys and autofill
- Vanadium includes native Android autofill and credential manager support for passkeys, avoiding the need for sandboxed Google Play for those features.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Privacy defaults
- Third-party cookies, payment support, website background sync, sensors access, protected media, and hyperlink auditing are disabled by default.checked 10 Oct 2026
- Project
- GrapheneOS describes itself as a non-profit, open source project and says it was founded in 2014.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Project model
- GrapheneOS describes itself as a collaborative open-source, non-profit project supported by donations and company support.checked 10 Oct 2026
- Remote services
- Nearly all remote services are disabled or removed; by default, Vanadium only connects to GrapheneOS servers, with component updates and optional DNS-over-HTTPS connectivity checks listed as default services.checked 10 Oct 2026
- Security hardening
- It adds protections including hardware memory tagging for the main allocator, type-based CFI, a strong stack protector, and automatic zero-initialized variables.checked 10 Oct 2026
- Site isolation
- It enables strict site isolation and sandboxed iframes.checked 10 Oct 2026
- Support
- The project directs users to its community platforms for support and asks them not to contact developers directly for support requests.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Sync and backups
- Sync beyond the OS backup service is not planned; most browser data is currently excluded from OS backups.checked 9 Oct 2026
Where it runs
- Browser engine
- chromiumchecked 23 Sep 2026
- Browser security
- Vanadium adds hardware memory tagging for its main allocator, type-based CFI, a strong stack protector, and automatic zero-initialized variables.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Cross-device sync
- Nochecked 23 Sep 2026
- Platform availability
- The maker describes Vanadium as the browser and WebView included with GrapheneOS, a mobile operating system; the cited Vanadium feature page does not list desktop or iOS versions.checked 10 Oct 2026
- Supported platforms
- mobilechecked 23 Sep 2026
Money
- Free plan
- Yeschecked 23 Sep 2026
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