Our verdict: Catsxp is a Chromium browser for power users who want mouse gestures, super drag and vertical tabs built in, and who still need Manifest V2 extensions that Chrome has dropped. It is a closed-source project of a single developer, with support mostly on a Chinese-language forum, which is a real trust question for a browser.
About Catsxp
Catsxp is a deeply customized browser on the Chromium core; version 6.10.3 uses the Chromium 156 kernel. It adds mouse gestures, keyboard shortcuts, super drag (drag a link or text to open or search it), vertical tabs and bookmark search, and keeps support for Manifest V2 extensions alongside the regular Chrome extension catalog.
The browser is free, contains no ads according to the developer and updates itself automatically. It is closed-source freeware: the license agreement is governed by the law of the People's Republic of China and forbids reverse engineering. Stable builds are on the home page, and beta builds are listed separately in the changelog. The interface is translated into many languages, and the community forum is mostly in Chinese.
What it does well
- Mouse gestures. Built-in gestures and shortcuts for tab and page actions without extra extensions.
- Super drag. Drag links, images or selected text to open, save or search them.
- Vertical tabs. Shows tabs in a vertical sidebar with scrolling for many open tabs.
- Manifest V2 support. Keeps running Manifest V2 extensions in addition to current Chrome extensions.
- Policy templates. Offers ADMX and registry templates to manage settings on several PCs.
Who it is for
Good fit
Experienced users who want gestures, super drag and vertical tabs in a Chromium browser, or need Manifest V2 extensions.
Look elsewhere
People who want an open-source browser or a project with a large company and English-language support behind it.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Gestures, super drag and vertical tabs built in
- Still supports Manifest V2 extensions
- Online, standalone and portable builds
- Runs on Windows 7 and later
Cons
- Closed source, developed by a single person
- Support forum and community mostly in Chinese
- Long list of extra features can feel overwhelming
How to install Catsxp
The button downloads the official online installer for 64-bit Windows; a standalone installer and a portable ZIP are also offered on the home page. Avoid the beta builds in the changelog unless you want test versions. The developer advises backing up your user data before updating and not running the browser as administrator.
Questions about Catsxp
Is Catsxp free?
Yes. Catsxp is free to download and use; the developer states it has no ads.
Is Catsxp based on Chrome?
It is built on the Chromium core, the open-source base of Chrome, and installs Chrome extensions, including Manifest V2 ones.
Is there a portable version of Catsxp?
Yes. The download section offers portable ZIP builds for Windows as well as online and standalone installers.
