Yes supposed to be similar. Ideally you're supposed to put just a small, barely there smear over butter on toast. Too much it's bad. This is second hand because I've not had the...pleasure.
Yes, this is spot on. So many Aussies introduce unsuspecting tasters to napalm levels of Vegemite that it turns people off for life. It's like, "Hey champ, let me spread this cube of beef bouillon on your toast; you're gonna love it." Marmite has more of a yeasty flavor and, for the record, Promite beats them all hands down.
From some reviews Ive seen, they taste wildly different. Same idea, behind the product though. From what Ive heard, vegemite has a more vegetal taste, while marmite has a more yeasty/bready taste like a dark ale.
They also have a completely different consistency. Spreading vegemite is very similar to butter, marmite is thick and syrupy and drips everywhere and makes a mess. I prefer vegemite.
I might actually like marmite then. As long as it's not super, super salty like I remember the Vegemite being. Though, to be fair to Vegemite, I tried it way back when I was still in the cub scouts (not even bou scouts yet) so it might just have been offensive to my undeveloped taste buds.
They taste very different. Imagine like they're both jams/jellies or something of the same family of spreads, but one is apricot and the other strawberry.
Make sure you only use a bit! Both have powerful flavour—like a ramen broth. Also use proper bread for Vegemite, not a sugar bread. The strong saltiness with sugar bread clashes terribly which, combine with putting way too much on, seems to be the two main reasons why Americans regret trying it—just doing it all wrong.
As an American is there a way to get not sugar bread without having to bake it myself? No seriously someone please just sell cheap bread without sweetening it here
If you enjoy savory and salty stuff it's pretty good. I personally enjoy it but I absolutely get the hate lol.
You're also not supposed to use too much because it's really strong. A thin layer on already buttered toast is good imo, the butter helps it spread a bit better.
I'm probably the only one who does this, but I really like a small bit of Vegemite on a buttered cinnamon raisin English muffin. The saltiness with the sweet muffin is actually really good.