# GNOME Web (Epiphany)

11 Hacker News commenters recommended GNOME Web (Epiphany) and 1 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 7 of 13 months. It meets the Hacker Approved badge rule.

**Verdict:** Free, open-source GNOME browser that people recommend for cross-platform desktop use and webapps. Critics say it is rough on performance, has limited extensions, and lacks stability and power-user features.

## Why people recommend it

- Open-source WebKit-based browser (2 comments): "Anything webkit-based and open source like Epiphany or Konqueror/Rekonq" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48019802)) "shows this correctly, as expected for a Webkit-based browser" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46708505))
- Good for webapps (2 comments): "I do use some webapps, but with Epiphany rather than Firefox." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48690773)) "with Epiphany's webapps it's just there as an app to launch" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48796768))
- Native cross-platform desktop browser (2 comments): "Why wouldn't I use a native browser like Epiphany instead?" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48752133)) "Epiphany web browser for cross-platform desktop support" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48132308))

## What people warn about

- Rough performance (1 comments): "it has just been a pretty, though unfortunately rough performance-wise, browser with limited extension support" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47429778))
- Lacks stability and power-user features (1 comments): "which I'll admit while is a noble effort, lags a bit in the stability and power-user features department" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46554476))
- Limited extension support (1 comments): "it has just been a pretty, though unfortunately rough performance-wise, browser with limited extension support" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47429778))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [Firefox for Android](https://hackerapproved.com/p/firefox-for-android.md): 76 recommend
- [Opera browser](https://hackerapproved.com/p/opera-browser.md): 70 recommend
- [NetSurf](https://hackerapproved.com/p/netsurf.md): 17 recommend
- [Dia browser](https://hackerapproved.com/p/dia-browser.md): 14 recommend
- [Floorp Browser](https://hackerapproved.com/p/floorp.md): 13 recommend

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "GNOME Web (Epiphany)", https://hackerapproved.com/p/epiphany/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).