Softwr

Developer Tools · head to head

IAR Embedded Workbench vs Microsoft Edge

IAR Embedded Workbench logo

IAR Embedded Workbench

Developer Tools

Complete toolchain for embedded software development

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
Microsoft Edge logo

Microsoft Edge

Technology

Microsoft's Chromium-based browser, distinguished by IE mode for legacy applications and by its integration with Microsoft 365 management.

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Microsoft Edge has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: IAR Embedded Workbench no pricing information published on product page; prospective customers directed to free trial or sales contact only; Microsoft Edge outside the European Economic Area, Edge cannot be uninstalled from Windows, and Windows components such as Widgets, help links and taskbar search results open in it whatever the default browser is set to, so an organisation standardising on Chrome still has to manage and patch Edge.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which IAR Embedded Workbench and Microsoft Edge actually diverge.

Attributes where IAR Embedded Workbench and Microsoft Edge differ
AttributeIAR Embedded WorkbenchMicrosoft Edge
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotefree
Free tierNoYes
CategoryDeveloper ToolsTechnology

Identical on both: platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in IAR Embedded Workbench

Nothing recorded that Microsoft Edge does not also cover.

Only in Microsoft Edge

  • Internet Explorer mode
  • Enterprise Mode Site List
  • Entra ID integration
  • Purview DLP for browsing
  • Intune and Group Policy
  • Vertical tabs and Workspaces
  • Sleeping tabs
  • Chrome extension compatibility

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

IAR Embedded Workbench

  • Embedded software development and debuggingnot Microsoft Edge
  • Compiler and linker tools for embedded systemsnot Microsoft Edge
  • Multi-architecture embedded development supportnot Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge

  • A Windows estate with intranet applications that still require Internet Explorer, where IE mode buys years before a rewritenot IAR Embedded Workbench
  • Microsoft 365 organisations that want browser sessions covered by Purview DLP and conditional access without a separate secure browser productnot IAR Embedded Workbench
  • Fleets managed through Intune that need one browser configured by the same console as the rest of the desktopnot IAR Embedded Workbench
  • Users who work with many tabs at once and want vertical tabs and automatic tab suspension without installing extensionsnot IAR Embedded Workbench

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

IAR Embedded Workbench

  • No pricing information published on product page; prospective customers directed to free trial or sales contact only
  • Pricing model not specified; customers must request quote or try free trial to understand licensing costs
  • Embedded development tools typically require expensive licenses, but specific IAR costs unavailable online

Microsoft Edge

  • Outside the European Economic Area, Edge cannot be uninstalled from Windows, and Windows components such as Widgets, help links and taskbar search results open in it whatever the default browser is set to, so an organisation standardising on Chrome still has to manage and patch Edge.
  • It is Chromium downstream, so Manifest V3 applies exactly as it does in Chrome; full-strength blocking extensions cannot run, and Microsoft's add-ons store adds a second review process rather than a workaround.
  • Almost all of its advantage is conditional on Microsoft 365 and Entra ID; a Google Workspace or AWS-centred organisation gets Chromium plus Microsoft's promotional surfaces and none of the Purview, Intune or conditional access value.
  • Consumer-facing features including Copilot, the Discover pane, shopping notifications and sidebar apps default to on and reappear after feature updates, so suppressing them requires a maintained policy set rather than a one-off configuration.
  • IE mode is a bridge with a maintenance owner attached: the Enterprise Mode Site List must be curated by somebody, and MSHTML receives security fixes but no new capability, so an application parked there gains nothing and its eventual rewrite is only deferred.
  • By default browsing data feeds Microsoft services for Copilot, Discover and shopping features, which in a regulated environment turns the deployment into a policy exercise before it can be approved.

Pricing, plan by plan

IAR Embedded Workbench

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the IAR Embedded Workbench review.

Microsoft Edge

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Microsoft Edge review.

Which should you pick?

Choose IAR Embedded Workbench if

Nothing in the data separates IAR Embedded Workbench from Microsoft Edge on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

IAR Embedded Workbench review

Choose Microsoft Edge if

  • You need internet explorer mode.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want enterprise mode site list.
Microsoft Edge review

Questions people ask

Is IAR Embedded Workbench or Microsoft Edge better?
Neither clearly leads. IAR Embedded Workbench starts at On request and Microsoft Edge at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, IAR Embedded Workbench or Microsoft Edge?
Microsoft Edge has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for IAR Embedded Workbench and Free for Microsoft Edge.
Does IAR Embedded Workbench or Microsoft Edge run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Microsoft Edge for free?
Yes. Microsoft Edge has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. IAR Embedded Workbench starts at On request.
What is IAR Embedded Workbench best used for?
IAR Embedded Workbench is most often used for embedded software development and debugging, compiler and linker tools for embedded systems, multi-architecture embedded development support. Of those, embedded software development and debugging and compiler and linker tools for embedded systems are not what Microsoft Edge is typically brought in for.
What can IAR Embedded Workbench do that Microsoft Edge cannot?
Microsoft Edge covers Internet Explorer mode, Enterprise Mode Site List, Entra ID integration, Purview DLP for browsing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

IAR Embedded Workbench: How much does IAR Embedded Workbench cost?

IAR Embedded Workbench pricing is not published on the product page. Prospective customers are directed to free trials or must contact the sales team to request pricing.

Source
Microsoft Edge: Can I uninstall Edge from Windows?

In the European Economic Area, yes, because the Digital Markets Act requires it. Elsewhere you cannot, and several Windows components will continue to open it regardless of your default browser.

IAR Embedded Workbench: Does IAR Embedded Workbench offer a free trial?

Free trials are available for IAR Embedded Workbench evaluation at https://www.iar.com/embedded-development-tools/free-trials, though specific trial length and limitations are not detailed on the product page.

Source
Microsoft Edge: How long will Internet Explorer mode be supported?

Microsoft has committed to supporting IE mode in Edge through at least 2029. It is a migration window rather than a permanent home, since the underlying MSHTML engine gets security fixes but no new capability.

IAR Embedded Workbench: What is the pricing model for IAR Embedded Workbench?

The pricing model is not disclosed on the product page. Customers must contact the sales team to obtain quotes and understand licensing terms.

Source
Microsoft Edge: Do Chrome extensions work?

Yes. Edge installs extensions from the Chrome Web Store as well as its own store. Manifest V3 restrictions apply identically, so extensions that Chrome no longer supports do not work here either.

Microsoft Edge: Is it worth deploying if we are not a Microsoft 365 organisation?

Usually not for the management features, which depend on Entra ID, Intune and Purview. Without that stack it is Chromium with a different interface and additional Microsoft promotion.

Microsoft Edge: Does it run on Linux?

Yes, there are official Linux builds. Some Windows-specific features, including IE mode, are not available there.

Share

Related pages

More on IAR Embedded Workbench

More on Microsoft Edge

Keep looking

Other head to heads