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Microsoft Edge vs pnpm

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
pnpm logo

pnpm

Developer Tools

Fast, disk space efficient package manager

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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.; pnpm requires command-line proficiency to use
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Microsoft Edge and pnpm actually diverge.

Attributes where Microsoft Edge and pnpm differ
AttributeMicrosoft Edgepnpm
Pricing modelfreeUnknown
PlatformsWebLinux, Windows, macOS
CategoryTechnologyDeveloper Tools
FoundedUnknown2017

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 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

Only in pnpm

Nothing recorded that Microsoft Edge does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Microsoft Edge

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

pnpm

  • Installing dependencies faster than npm in monorepo workspacesnot Microsoft Edge
  • Sharing common dependencies across multiple projects to save disk spacenot Microsoft Edge
  • Preventing dependency version conflicts in workspace environmentsnot Microsoft Edge
  • Managing workspaces with many interdependent packagesnot Microsoft Edge

Where each one falls short

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

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.

pnpm

  • Requires command-line proficiency to use
  • Community-driven support only

Pricing, plan by plan

Microsoft Edge

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Microsoft Edge review.

pnpm

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the pnpm review.

Which should you pick?

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

Choose pnpm if

  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, macOS.
pnpm review

Questions people ask

Is Microsoft Edge or pnpm better?
Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Edge starts at Free and pnpm at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Microsoft Edge or pnpm?
Microsoft Edge starts at Free and pnpm at Free.
Does Microsoft Edge or pnpm run on more platforms?
Microsoft Edge runs on Web. pnpm runs on Linux, Windows, macOS.
Can I use Microsoft Edge for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Microsoft Edge best used for?
Microsoft Edge is most often used for a windows estate with intranet applications that still require internet explorer, where ie mode buys years before a rewrite, microsoft 365 organisations that want browser sessions covered by purview dlp and conditional access without a separate secure browser product, fleets managed through intune that need one browser configured by the same console as the rest of the desktop, users who work with many tabs at once and want vertical tabs and automatic tab suspension without installing extensions. Of those, a windows estate with intranet applications that still require internet explorer, where ie mode buys years before a rewrite and microsoft 365 organisations that want browser sessions covered by purview dlp and conditional access without a separate secure browser product are not what pnpm is typically brought in for.
What can Microsoft Edge do that pnpm cannot?
Microsoft Edge covers Internet Explorer mode, Enterprise Mode Site List, Entra ID integration, Purview DLP for browsing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

pnpm: Is pnpm free and open source?

Yes. pnpm is free and open source software developed for Node.js. Version 10 and 11 are currently available.

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.

pnpm: How does pnpm save disk space?

pnpm uses a content-addressable store with hard linking and symlinks to avoid duplication. All files are saved in a single place on disk and hard-linked to individual projects, dramatically reducing storage requirements compared to npm.

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.

pnpm: Is pnpm faster than npm?

Yes. pnpm performs installation in three stages: dependency resolution, directory structure calculation, and linking. Packages are fetched and linked as soon as possible, making it significantly faster than npm's sequential approach.

Source
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.

pnpm: Does pnpm support monorepos?

Yes. pnpm has built-in support for monorepositories. You can create a workspace using pnpm-workspace.yaml to unite multiple projects in a single repository.

Source
Microsoft Edge: Does it run on Linux?

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

pnpm: How does pnpm handle node_modules differently than npm?

pnpm uses symlinks to add only direct dependencies to node_modules root, preventing accidental access to undeclared dependencies. This encourages more explicit dependency management compared to npm's flattened node_modules structure.

Source
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