Ecosia Just Launched a Linux Browser to Help Europe Battle Big Tech
Arthur T Knackerbracket writes:
Berlin-based eco-conscious search outfit Ecosia is expanding its range of European-focused web browsers to include a Linux version, citing the growing number of users in the EU looking for open alternatives to the clutches of American tech giants.
Calling Linux users a "critical tech community that has long called for data privacy, digital sovereignty, and sustainability," Ecosia said it was launching the new browser to support the community, whose numbers it says doubled in the EU between 2024 and 2025.
The absolute share remains small, mind you - from 2.5 percent of EU computer users to 5.7 percent in the course of a year, but it's still an increase that the Linux community can be proud of. Ecosia noted that Windows' share of the market fell during that same period, from 80.2 percent to 74.2 percent. As of this writing, Linux's share of the European desktop and console market is 6.4 percent, while Windows has dropped to 68.62 percent, per Statcounter.
"Linux in particular is becoming increasingly popular among tech circles, developers, and privacy-conscious users - a target group that views commercial tech giants like Microsoft and Google with increasing skepticism," Ecosia said. Europeans don't appear completely disillusioned with American tech, however, as macOS's share in the region has nearly doubled since August 2025.
Regardless, the company said, it wants to meet Linux users where they're at with a version of the company's Chromium-based browser designed for trailblazing European digital sovereignty leaders freed from the grasp of Google.
"With our Linux version, we're finally giving them a search engine that matches their values - climate- and privacy-friendly, and free of tech-bro monopolies," said Ecosia founder and CEO Christian Kroll.
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