If Chrome Were Handed to Mozilla, Would Firefox Change for the Better?
If Google were forced to give up Chrome, handing it to Mozilla could reshape Firefox and the web itself. Here’s what that could mean for performance, privacy, and everyday browser users.
Lately, there’s been a lot of talk about the antitrust case against Google and what the remedies might look like. One of the unintended consequences? Mozilla could end up being collateral damage. If courts block Google from paying to be the default search engine in browsers, Firefox, ironically, Google’s biggest “competitor”, could collapse. Mozilla’s CFO has already said that their search deal with Google provides 85% of Firefox’s revenue.
So here’s the wild idea that’s been floated: what if Chromium, the engine that powers Chrome, Edge, Brave, and others, was taken away from Google… and handed over to Mozilla?
Let’s think through what that could actually mean for Firefox users.
Firefox Would Probably Switch to Chromium
If Mozilla got control of Chromium, the first thing they’d likely do is stop maintaining their own engine, Gecko. Gecko is unique, but it’s also expensive and losing relevance fast. The modern web is optimized for Chromium. Keeping Gecko going while every other browser builds on Chromium just doesn’t make financial sense anymore.
By switching to Chromium, Mozilla could free up huge amounts of resources. That could go toward user-facing features, privacy tools, UI design, performance improvements, rather than just keeping up with web compatibility issues Gecko users constantly run into.
Firefox Wouldn’t Just Be “Chrome With a Different Logo”
Some people fear that a Chromium-based Firefox would be just another Chrome clone. But here's the key difference: Mozilla doesn’t make its money from tracking you. Google does.
If Mozilla owned Chromium, it could:
Reverse or block harmful changes like Manifest v3, which Google introduced to weaken ad blockers.
Put privacy first, genuinely, not just as a marketing phrase.
Collaborate with other browser makers to turn Chromium into a proper open standard, not just an open-source project controlled by Google.
In short, the engine might be the same, but what Mozilla builds on top of it could still feel very much like Firefox—and even better in many ways.
What Happens Without Google Money?
The big question is, what replaces that funding if Google stops paying Mozilla?
Currently, Mozilla gets paid to make Google the default search engine in Firefox. That’s a huge chunk of their revenue. If that deal ends, Mozilla would either need to:
Strike deals with other search engines (DuckDuckGo, Bing, or even a new player).
Build out a sustainable business model, possibly with premium services or user-supported features.
Run leaner, which becomes more realistic if they’re not pouring money into Gecko.
Switching Firefox to Chromium Wouldn't End the Google Search Deal on Its Own
Switching Firefox to Chromium wouldn’t end the Google search deal. Those are two separate things. The search agreement is a business contract, not tied to Gecko. But if the courts ban such deals as part of the antitrust remedy, Mozilla loses that funding either way. That’s why some see adopting Chromium and cutting costs as Mozilla’s best shot at long-term survival without relying on Google.
Would Firefox Still Feel Like Firefox?
Honestly, it might feel more like Firefox than it does today. Gecko has become a burden. It makes Firefox slower to adapt and sometimes less compatible with modern websites. A Chromium-based Firefox, under Mozilla’s values, could be:
Faster
More stable
More compatible
And still radically better for privacy than Chrome.
It would let Mozilla focus on its mission: a healthier, more open web. Not keeping its rendering engine on life support out of stubbornness.
Final Thoughts
Mozilla is in a tough spot. Gecko arguably isn’t an option anymore. But if Mozilla took over Chromium, they could really improve Firefox, and make it faster, more modern, open, and built around us, not advertisers.
And if nothing else, it might be the one thing that keeps Firefox alive.
Would you keep using Firefox if it switched to Chromium, as long as Google didn’t own it?
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