{
  "slug": "helium",
  "category": "browsers",
  "name": "Helium",
  "description": "Chromium-based desktop browser from imput built on ungoogled-chromium, with uBlock Origin built in, Google services removed and no telemetry.",
  "website": "https://helium.computer",
  "source": "https://github.com/imputnet/helium",
  "license": "GPL-3.0",
  "platforms": [
    "windows",
    "macos",
    "linux"
  ],
  "jurisdiction": null,
  "pick": false,
  "pick_reason": null,
  "disclosure": null,
  "grade": "A",
  "score": 90,
  "coverage": 100,
  "summary": "Helium scores 90 out of 100 (grade A) on the browsers criteria. It meets 7 of 8 criteria: open source, no trackers or telemetry, no ads or data sales, blocks trackers by default, fingerprinting protection, no calls to big-tech services and timely security updates. It does not meet independent audit.",
  "url": "https://privacyratings.com/browsers/helium/",
  "markdown": "https://privacyratings.com/browsers/helium/index.md",
  "answers": {
    "open_source": {
      "title": "Open source",
      "weight": 3,
      "answer": "yes",
      "evidence": "https://github.com/imputnet/helium/blob/main/LICENSE",
      "note": "GPL-3.0."
    },
    "no_trackers": {
      "title": "No trackers or telemetry",
      "weight": 3,
      "answer": "yes",
      "evidence": "https://helium.computer/",
      "note": "No third-party trackers. The browser collects no data, and the website's Plausible analytics are cookieless and aggregate-only."
    },
    "no_ads": {
      "title": "No ads or data sales",
      "weight": 2,
      "answer": "yes",
      "evidence": "https://helium.computer/",
      "note": "Crowdfunded by users. No browser ads and no data collection."
    },
    "independent_audit": {
      "title": "Independent audit",
      "weight": 2,
      "answer": "no",
      "evidence": null,
      "note": "No independent audit is published."
    },
    "transparency_report": {
      "title": "Transparency report",
      "weight": 2,
      "answer": "n/a",
      "evidence": null,
      "note": "Only applies to hosted services with a website to test."
    },
    "user_notice": {
      "title": "Tells users about requests",
      "weight": 1,
      "answer": "n/a",
      "evidence": null,
      "note": "Only applies to hosted services with a website to test."
    },
    "tls": {
      "title": "TLS configuration",
      "weight": 2,
      "answer": "n/a",
      "evidence": null,
      "note": "Only applies to hosted services with a website to test."
    },
    "security_headers": {
      "title": "Security headers",
      "weight": 1,
      "answer": "n/a",
      "evidence": null,
      "note": "Only applies to hosted services with a website to test."
    },
    "web_standards": {
      "title": "Modern web standards",
      "weight": 1,
      "answer": "n/a",
      "evidence": null,
      "note": "Only applies to hosted services with a website to test."
    },
    "tracker_blocking": {
      "title": "Blocks trackers by default",
      "weight": 3,
      "answer": "yes",
      "evidence": "https://helium.computer/",
      "note": "Blocks ads, trackers, cookie banners and third-party cookies by default."
    },
    "fingerprinting_protection": {
      "title": "Fingerprinting protection",
      "weight": 2,
      "answer": "yes",
      "evidence": "https://helium.computer/",
      "note": "Adds noise to certain web APIs by default to resist fingerprinting."
    },
    "no_google_services": {
      "title": "No calls to big-tech services",
      "weight": 2,
      "answer": "yes",
      "evidence": "https://helium.computer/",
      "note": "All Google service dependencies are removed, and no background requests are made without consent."
    },
    "security_updates": {
      "title": "Timely security updates",
      "weight": 3,
      "answer": "yes",
      "evidence": "https://helium.computer/",
      "note": "Releases follow Chromium stable updates within days and install automatically on macOS and Windows."
    }
  },
  "tests": {
    "ssllabs": null,
    "observatory": null,
    "internetnl_web": null,
    "internetnl_mail": null,
    "trackers": [
      {
        "name": "Cloudflare Web Analytics",
        "host": "static.cloudflareinsights.com",
        "effect": "partial"
      }
    ],
    "tested_at": "2026-10-01T07:02:37.708Z"
  },
  "last_modified": "2026-10-01T07:44:20Z"
}