6 obscure browsers that are better than Chrome

I've lost count of how many web browsers I've tested and used over the years. From text-based to the weird and wonderful, I've tried them all. Knowing how many web browsers are available, it never ceases to amaze me that some languish in the shadows of obscurity -- even those that are superior to the ones most people use.

I believe that many of those alternative browsers aren't more widely used because most people simply don't know about them.

Also: I speed-tested 11 browsers - and the fastest might surprise you

Let's fix that. Below are five web browsers worth your time to test and compare to your current default.

Let's dig in.


1. Arc




Arc browser has one of the most elegant UIs on the market. Jack Wallen/ZDNET

Arc browser should not be obscure. I expect that anyone who tests out this alternative browser will want to make the permanent switch from whatever browser they're using. Yes, Arc is that good. It took me all of five minutes to realize that Arc needed to be my default web browser on MacOS, and I haven't regretted the decision yet.

Also: 5 alternative browsers that might just replace Safari on your Mac

What appeals to me most about the Arc browser is how well it manages tabs with a feature called Spaces. With Spaces, you can create different workspaces for related tabs and easily swipe right or left (on your trackpad) between them. You can also move tabs between Spaces and save Spaces as a folder.

Arc has a beautiful interface that makes other browsers look boring and uninspired. Arc performs as well as any browser on the market and is frequently updated.

Arc browser is available for free on MacOS, Windows, and iOS. Maybe someday, The Browser Company will see fit to create a Linux version of the browser.


2. Colibri




Colibri offers a pared-down UI for a sleek and user-friendly look. Jack Wallen/ZDNET

Colibri is a stripped-down browser with an uncluttered UI designed to be light, compact, and fast. Colibri is unique among modern browsers in that it doesn't include tabs. You get one site per window, and that's it. Want to visit a different site? You open a new Colibri window!

With Colibri, you sign up for an account to which you can save links, lists, and feeds. Toggle between the current site you are viewing and your account view to locate the site you want to visit from there. This system keeps the Colibri UI minimal and easy to use. Yes, this is a far cry from what you're accustomed to, but once you get a feel for the flow and see the clean interface, you'll soon appreciate this alternative browser for the fast, uncluttered tool that it is.

Colibri is available for Linux, MacOS, and Windows. You can request a download link for free at the bottom of the main page on the official website.

3. Maxthon

Maxthon is everything you need in a modern web browser.

Jack Wallen/ZDNET

Maxthon combines several impressive features into a web browser that anyone would enjoy using. These features include text-to-speech, AI chat, reader mode, built-in notepad, pinned tabs, extensions, ad blocking, incognito mode, a free VPN, a built-in password manager, split screen, a video downloader, data cleaning, and a customizable UI with themes.

Also: Too many tabs? Try these browsers with better tab management than Chrome

With the built-in AI chat, you're limited to the number of free queries you get. However, you can select the type of AI you want to use, including chats for technology, writing, well-being, and an alien just for fun. The AI chat feature has two modes: Fast Mode offers daily free uses, and Expert Mode requires diamonds (an in-app purchase) and charges based on the number of conversations.

Maxthon is based on Chromium and can be installed on MacOS, Windows, Android, and iOS for free.

4. Aloha

If Aloha looks familiar, that's because it's based on Chromium.

Jack Wallen/ZDNET

Another fork of Chromium, Aloha brings a level of security that Chrome cannot match (at least without serious tweaking).

With Aloha, you get a VPN, ad blocking, passcode or biometric lock, a privacy report, simple data management, third-party security audits, HTTPS everywhere, and Private AI chat. There's also page translation, reading mode, a media player, night mode, a built-in file manager, multi-threaded downloads, locked folders, Wi-Fi file sharing, profiles, themes, and much more.

Aloha also offers Premium access, which gives you a faster VPN (with more locations), auto VPN connect, more customizations, advanced file management, and more. Of all the alternative browsers, Aloha is the one that looks and feels most like Chrome, so if you're someone who doesn't crave change, this is a great option.

Aloha can be downloaded and installed for free on MacOS, Windows, Android, and iOS. Find out more from the Aloha download page.

5. LibreWolf

LibreWolf will look familiar to anyone who's used Firefox.

Jack Wallen/ZDNET

If you had to guess which browser LibreWolf was based on, what would you say? If you said Firefox, congratulations! The big difference between LibreWolf and Firefox is that LibreWolf is focused primarily on privacy, security, and freedom. This browser was designed to protect against tracking and fingerprinting, with the addition of a few extra security improvements via patches and settings. LibreWolf also guarantees that it will send no telemetry and offers private searches via DuckDuckGo, Searx, Qwant, and more.

Also: My 5 favorite web browsers - and what each is ideal for

LibreWolf is configured to delete cookies and website data automatically on closing, features uBlockOrigin out of the box, strips tracking elements from all URLs, and so much more. You can read all about the privacy and security enhancements added to LibreWolf here. LibreWolf is for those who like the Firefox UI but want to get serious about web security.

LibreWolf can be installed for free on Linux, MacOS, and Windows.

6. Bonus: Ulaa

The Ulaa browser is the fastest browser I've ever tested.

Jack Wallen/ZDNET

Recently, I discovered another obscure browser that I felt belonged on this list. That browser is Ulaa and is created by the makers of the Zoho suite of tools. Ulaa focuses on privacy, security, and speed. With Ulaa, you get anonymized statistics, a 24-hour security patch policy, protection against high-risk security threats, auto updates on all platforms, auto reset of browser IDs, geographical data isolation, zero data sent to third parties, no push client channel updates, no metrics reported, no motion sensors, no third-party account integration, no network time tracker, and much more. 

Also: I found the most private and secure way to browse the web - and it isn't incognito mode

Consider Ulaa a Chrome clone with considerably more security. You can also run the browser in different modes, such as Work, Personal, Developer, Kids, Open Season, and Incognito. Another thing that sets Ulaa apart from many Chrome clones is that it's insanely fast. I don't think I've seen a browser render the ZDNET page faster. The page render speed is beyond any browser I've used to date.

Ulaa can be installed on Linux, MacOS, Android, and iOS.

Source: https://www.zdnet.com/home-and-office/work-life/6-obscure-browsers-that-are-better-than-chrome/

You will Switch from CHROME to EDGE After watching this!

 

Browser market share: The most popular browsers of 2025

Browser market share: The most popular browsers of 2024 https://soax.com/research/browser-market-share

Browser market share worldwide

• Chrome is the most popular browser with a 67.08% share, which is almost 4 times as much as the next competitor
• Safari is in second place with an 18.35% share. It's way behind Chrome but still much more popular than other browsers
• Edge is the third most popular browser, with only 5.19% of the market. 
• Firefox has a 2.91% share, making it the fourth most popular browser. However, it's used a lot less than Edge
• Samsung Internet and Opera have similar market shares, with 2.61% and 2.43% respectively
• The top three browsers (Chrome, Safari, and Edge) together make up 88.70% of the market. This leaves all the other browsers to fight over the remaining 11.30% of the global share

Browser	Market share
Chrome	65.16%
Safari	18.35%
Edge	5.19%
Firefox	2.91%
Samsung Internet	2.61%
Opera	2.43%
UC Browser	0.89%
Android	0.53%
QQ Browser	0.43%
360 Safe Browser	0.39%
Other	1.11%

Market share by device

Desktop browser market share

• Chrome remains the dominant desktop browser in 2024 with a 65.14% market share
• Edge is the second most popular desktop browser with a 13.06% share, significantly higher than its share in the overall market. This could be due to being the default browser on Windows
• Safari holds the third position on desktops with 8.78%, reflecting its solid user base, particularly among Apple users
• Firefox ranks fourth with a 6.89% share, showing it still maintains a loyal user base despite fierce competition
• The top three browsers (Chrome, Edge, and Safari) together account for 86.98% of the desktop market, leaving the remaining browsers to compete for just 13.02% of the share

Browser	Market share
Chrome	65.14%
Edge	13.06%
Safari	8.78%
Firefox	6.89%
Opera	3.04%
360 Safe Browser	1.02%
Yandex Browser	0.60%
QQ Browser	0.45%
IE	0.42%
Coc Coc	0.14%
Other	0.46%

Mobile browser market share

• Chrome is the dominant browser on smartphones with a 65.84% market share
• Safari holds the second position with a 23.80% share, primarily due to its integration with iPhones
• Samsung Internet ranks third with a 4.36% share
• Opera has a 2.10% share
• Edge has a 0.34% share, showing it is less favored on smartphones compared to its desktop usage

Browser	Market share
Chrome	65.84%
Safari	23.80%
Samsung Internet	4.36%
Opera	2.10%
UC Browser	1.47%
Firefox	0.50%
QQ Browser	0.44%
Android	0.38%
Edge	0.34%
Yandex Browser	0.20%
Other	0.57%

Tablet browser market share

• Chrome is the leading browser on tablets with a 47.25% market share
• Safari holds a significant share of 35.79%, making it the second most popular browser for tablet users, largely due to its integration with Apple devices
• Android browser ranks third with a 14.29% share
• Opera has a minor presence on tablets with a 0.81% share
• Edge also has a small share of 0.71%, significantly less compared to its desktop share
• Firefox has a minimal presence on tablets with a 0.08% share, significantly lower than its desktop usage
• The top three browsers (Chrome, Safari, and Android) together account for 97.33% of the tablet market, leaving only 2.67% for all other browsers combined

Browser	Market share
Chrome	47.25%
Safari	35.79%
Android	14.29%
Opera	0.81%
Edge	0.71%
Puffin	0.32%
Yandex Browser	0.24%
UC Browser	0.18%
Firefox	0.08%
Silk	0.05%
Other	0.28%

The most popular browsers by region

The most popular browsers in Africa

• Chrome is the overwhelmingly dominant browser in Africa with a 75.41% market share, indicating its widespread usage across the continent
• Opera holds the second position with a 7.98% share, showcasing its significant popularity in Africa
• Safari closely follows Opera with a 7.91% share, reflecting its strong user base, likely among Apple device users
• Samsung Internet has a 3.46% share, showing moderate usage among Samsung smartphone users in Africa
• Edge has a 2.77% share, indicating some presence but much lower than the top browsers
• The top three browsers (Chrome, Opera, and Safari) together account for 91.30% of the market share in Africa, leaving only 8.70% for all other browsers combined

Browser	Market share
Chrome	75.41%
Opera	7.98%
Safari	7.91%
Samsung Internet	3.46%
Edge	2.77%
Firefox	1.38%
UC Browser	0.36%
Android	0.32%
Yandex Browser	0.07%
IE	0.05%
Other	0.29%

The most popular browsers in Asia

• Chrome is the leading browser in Asia with a 71.34% market share
• Safari holds the second position with a 13.52% share, showing significant use among Apple users
• Edge ranks third with a 3.72% share
• Samsung Internet has a 2.61% share, showing reasonable use among Samsung smartphone users
• Firefox holds a 1.54% share, maintaining a smaller yet dedicated user base in Asia
• The top three browsers (Chrome, Safari, and Edge) together account for 88.58% of the market share in Asia, leaving only 11.42% for all other browsers combined

Browser	Market share
Chrome	71.34%
Safari	13.52%
Edge	3.72%
Samsung Internet	2.61%
Opera	1.85%
UC Browser	1.82%
Firefox	1.54%
QQ Browser	0.93%
360 Safe Browser	0.83%
Android	0.55%
Other	1.29%

The most popular browsers in North America

• Chrome remains the most popular browser in North America with a 51.93% market share, which is lower than its share in Europe (61.46%), Africa (75.41%), and Asia (71.34%).
• Safari holds a significant 31.79% share, reflecting the strong presence of Apple devices in North America. This is notably higher compared to its shares in Europe (19.00%), Africa (7.91%), and Asia (13.52%)
• Edge ranks third with a 7.63% share
• Firefox has a 4.28% share, slightly lower than in Europe (4.97%), but higher than in Africa (1.38%) and Asia (1.54%)
• The top three browsers (Chrome, Safari, and Edge) together account for 91.35% of the market share in North America, leaving only 8.65% for all other browsers combined

Browser	Market share
Chrome	61.46%
Safari	19.00%
Edge	6.47%
Firefox	4.97%
Samsung Internet	3.34%
Opera	2.83%
Yandex Browser	0.97%
Android	0.37%
UC Browser	0.12%
IE	0.10%
Other	0.37%

The most popular browsers in Oceania

• Chrome is the leading browser in Oceania with a 55.98% market share, lower than its share in Africa (75.41%), Asia (71.34%), but comparable to North America (51.93%)
• Safari holds a 28.29% share, higher than in Europe (19.00%), Africa (7.91%), and Asia (13.52%), but slightly lower than in North America (31.79%)
• Edge ranks third with an 8.20% share, the highest of all regions
• Firefox has a 2.94% share
• The top three browsers (Chrome, Safari, and Edge) together account for 92.47% of the market share in Oceania, leaving only 7.53% for all other browsers combined

Browser	Market share
Chrome	55.98%
Safari	28.29%
Edge	8.20%
Firefox	2.94%
Samsung Internet	2.80%
Opera	1.12%
Android	0.17%
360 Safe Browser	0.11%
IE	0.06%
UC Browser	0.06%
Other	0.27%

The most popular browsers in South America

• Chrome dominates the browser market in South America with a 78.25% share, the highest compared to other regions
• Safari holds a 7.66% share, the lowest of all regions
• Edge ranks third with a 4.17% share
• The top three browsers (Chrome, Safari, and Edge) together account for 90.08% of the market share in South America, leaving only 9.92% for all other browsers combined.

Browser	Market share
Chrome	78.25%
Safari	7.66%
Edge	4.17%
Opera	3.60%
Samsung Internet	2.22%
Firefox	2.04%
Yandex Browser	1.03%
Android	0.35%
IE	0.24%
Instabridge	0.19%
Other	0.25%

Market Share by browser

Chrome market share

• In 2024, Chrome's global market share increased to 65.16%, marking a 2.02% rise from 2023
• From 2011 to 2012, Chrome experienced its highest annual growth rate, with market share jumping by 48.05%
• In 2010, Chrome's market share was just 9.95%, but it achieved an extraordinary growth rate of 208.05% from the previous year, 2009
• The market share of Chrome has consistently grown year-on-year except for minor declines in 2021 and 2023
• South America has the highest Chrome market share at 78.25%
• Chrome’s market share in South America and Africa is significantly higher compared to other regions, suggesting that users in these regions may have a stronger preference for Chrome or fewer competing alternatives
• The relatively lower market share in North America and Oceania could be due to stronger competition from browsers like Safari and Edge
• North America has the lowest share at 51.93%, but Chrome still leads the market

Chrome market charge per region

Region	Chrome market share
North America	51.93%
Europe	61.46%
Africa	75.41%
Asia	71.34%
Oceania	55.98%
South America	78.25%

Chrome market share by year

Date	Chrome Market Share	Change
2024	65.16%	↑ 2.02%
2023	63.87%	↓ -1.4%
2022	64.78%	↑ 0.51%
2021	64.45%	↓ -0.23%
2020	64.60%	↑ 2.04%
2019	63.31%	↑ 7.09%
2018	59.12%	↑ 9.56%
2017	53.96%	↑ 9.94%
2016	49.08%	↑ 9.38%
2015	44.87%	↑ 15.23%
2014	38.94%	↑ 12.32%
2013	34.67%	↑ 18.33%
2012	29.30%	↑ 48.05%
2011	19.79%	↑ 98.89%
2010	9.95%	↑ 208.05%
2009	3.23%	–

Safari market share

• In 2024, Safari's global market share declined to 18.35%, a 7.23% decrease from 2023
• Despite the growth in 2023, Safari's market share saw a 7.23% drop in 2024
• Comparing 2009 to 2024, Safari's market share increased by 14.94 percentage points
• Safari experienced its highest annual growth rate between 2009 and 2010, with an increase of 44.57%
• The highest market share for Safari is in North America (31.79%), while the lowest is in South America (7.66%)
• Safari is the second most popular browser in most regions with the exception of Africa

Safari market charge per region

Region	Safari Market Share
North America	31.79%
Europe	19%
Africa	7.91%
Asia	13.52%
Oceania	28.29%
South America	7.66%

Safari market share by year

Date	Safari Market Share	Change
2024	18.35%	↓ -7.23%
2023	19.78%	↑ 4.49%
2022	18.93%	↑ 0.16%
2021	18.90%	↑ 5.94%
2020	17.84%	↑ 12.48%
2019	15.86%	↑ 9.91%
2018	14.43%	↓ -0.55%
2017	14.51%	↑ 9.02%
2016	13.31%	↑ 1.91%
2015	13.06%	↓ -5.16%
2014	13.77%	↑ 25.87%
2013	10.94%	↑ 21.02%
2012	9.04%	↑ 42.14%
2011	6.36%	↑ 29.01%
2010	4.93%	↑ 44.57%
2009	3.41%	–

Opera market share

• In 2024, Opera's global market share dropped to 2.43%, a significant 11.31% decline from 2023
• Over the last decade, Opera's market share fell from 4.00% in 2014 to 2.43% in 2024, a decrease of 1.57 percentage points
• The highest annual growth for Opera occurred in 2015, with a significant increase of 25%
• Despite some growth spurts, Opera's overall market share trend from 2009 to 2024 shows a decrease from 2.85% to 2.43%
• Africa stands out with a 7.98% share, significantly higher than in any other region
• North America and Oceania have the lowest shares at 1.32% and 1.12% respectively

Opera market charge per region

Region	Opera Market Share (%)
North America	1.32%
Europe	2.83%
Africa	7.98%
Asia	1.85%
Oceania	1.12%
South America	3.6%

Opera market share by year

Date	Opera Market Share	Change
2024	2.43%	↓ -11.31%
2023	2.74%	↑ 22.87%
2022	2.23%	↓ -0.45%
2021	2.24%	↑ 12.56%
2020	1.99%	↓ -22.57%
2019	2.57%	↓ -26.99%
2018	3.52%	↓ -8.33%
2017	3.84%	↓ -29.8%
2016	5.47%	↑ 9.4%
2015	5.00%	↑ 25%
2014	4.00%	↑ 8.7%
2013	3.68%	↑ 0.27%
2012	3.67%	↑ 19.16%
2011	3.08%	↑ 18.46%
2010	2.60%	↓ -8.77%
2009	2.85%	–

Microsoft Edge market share

• In 2024, Edge's global market share increased to 5.19%, marking a 3.18% rise from the previous year
• Edge has shown consistent growth since its introduction, with a significant increase of 20.33% in 2023 and 16.43% in 2022
• From its introduction in 2019 to 2024, Edge's market share grew to 5.19%
• Oceania leads with an 8.20% share
• Africa has the lowest share at 2.77%, suggesting that Edge is less popular compared to other regions.

Edge market charge per region

Region	Edge Market Share (%)
North America	7.63%
Europe	6.47%
Africa	2.77%
Asia	3.72%
Oceania	8.2%
South America	4.17%

Edge market share by year

Date	Edge	Change
2024	5.19%	↑ 3.18%
2023	5.03%	↑ 20.33%
2022	4.18%	↑ 16.43%
2021	3.59%	↑ 147.59%
2020	1.45%	–
2019	0.00%	–
2018	0.00%	–
2017	0.00%	–
2016	0.00%	–
2015	0.00%	–
2014	0.00%	–
2013	0.00%	–
2012	0.00%	–
2011	0.00%	–
2010	0.00%	–
2009	0.00%	–

Internet Explorer market share

• Internet Explorer has experienced a continuous decline, with its market share dropping from 59.10% in 2009 to 0.16% in 2024
• The most substantial yearly decline for Internet Explorer occurred between 2020 and 2021, with a 54.07% drop in market share
• Internet Explorer has the highest market share in South America (0.24%), indicating some continued despite Microsoft retiring Internet Explorer in favor of Edge
• Africa and Asia both have the lowest shares at 0.05%, showing that Internet Explorer is almost phased out in these regions

IE market charge per region

Region	IE Market Share
North America	0.18%
Europe	0.1%
Africa	0.05%
Asia	0.05%
Oceania	0.06%
South America	0.24%

IE market share by year

Date	Internet Explorer Market Share	Change
2024	0.16%	↓ -23.81%
2023	0.21%	↓ -43.24%
2022	0.37%	↓ -40.32%
2021	0.62%	↓ -54.07%
2020	1.35%	↓ -39.73%
2019	2.24%	↓ -25.33%
2018	3.00%	↓ -24.05%
2017	3.95%	↓ -36.8%
2016	6.25%	↓ -44.4%
2015	11.24%	↓ -27.3%
2014	15.46%	↓ -33.22%
2013	23.15%	↓ -21.95%
2012	29.66%	↓ -26.42%
2011	40.31%	↓ -19.27%
2010	49.93%	↓ -15.52%
2009	59.10%	–

Firefox market share

• In 2024, Firefox's global market share declined to 2.91%, a 1.36% decrease from 2023
• Firefox has experienced a continuous decline in market share since 2009, when it held 30.17%, dropping to 2.91% in 2024
• The most substantial annual decline for Firefox occurred between 2016 and 2017, with a 22.33% drop in market share
  .
• Europe leads with a 4.97% share, reflecting a solid user base and possibly stronger privacy and open-source preferences among European users
• North America follows with a 4.28% share, showing substantial usage and a dedicated user base
• Africa has the lowest share at 1.38%, indicating that Firefox is less popular compared to other regions

Firefox market charge per region

Region	Firefox Market Share
North America	4.28%
Europe	4.97%
Africa	1.38%
Asia	1.54%
Oceania	2.94%
South America	2.04%

Firefox market share by year

Date	Firefox	Change
2024	2.91%	↓ -1.36%
2023	2.95%	↓ -12.72%
2022	3.38%	↓ -6.63%
2021	3.62%	↓ -14.22%
2020	4.22%	↓ -7.66%
2019	4.57%	↓ -12.28%
2018	5.21%	↓ -15.83%
2017	6.19%	↓ -22.33%
2016	7.97%	↓ -24.17%
2015	10.51%	↓ -20.2%
2014	13.17%	↓ -20.42%
2013	16.55%	↓ -22.19%
2012	21.27%	↓ -19.71%
2011	26.49%	↓ -12.72%
2010	30.35%	↑ 0.6%
2009	30.17%	–

Top 5 Best Web Browsers (2025)

 

Chrome vs Edge - Microsoft Edge beats Chrome. Here's why...

 

Microsoft Edge has better features than Chrome

10 Chrome Settings I Always Keep Disabled

Using Chrome with its default settings can hinder your experience, compromise your privacy and security, and use up significant system resources. If you want to optimize your Chrome experience, improve your workflow, and protect your privacy, I recommend turning off the following features.

1 Autofill and Passwords

Like most browsers, Chrome allows you to save personal information, passwords, and payment details, which it then autofills the next time you need them. While convenient, this feature poses a security risk since anyone with access to your device could misuse or retrieve sensitive information, and a breach could leave your data in the wrong hands.

For this reason, I always keep the autofill settings disabled. To disable them, click on the three vertical dots in the top-right corner and select "Settings." Then, navigate to "Autofill and Passwords." In the Payment Methods section, turn off the toggles for any information you don’t want the browser to save.




Then, open "Google Password Manager," select "Settings," and turn off "Offer to Save Passwords and Passkeys."


2 Pop-Ups and Redirects

By default, websites can send pop-ups for ads, promotions, and other intrusive content and use redirects to take you to potentially harmful sites. Not only does this pose a security risk, but it can also disrupt your browsing experience. Fortunately, Chrome allows you to block pop-ups and redirects. I recommend turning off these options.

To block pop-ups in Chrome, go to Settings > Privacy and Security > Site Settings, scroll down to "Pop-Ups and Redirects," and select "Don't allow sites to send pop-ups or use redirects."


3 Preload Pages

Chrome includes a feature that preloads pages in the background, loading certain links you've visited before you click on them to make them open faster next time. While this can speed up browsing and save time, it also consumes additional system resources, potentially affecting your browser's performance. That's why I prefer to keep it disabled.

To turn off page preloading, go to Settings > Performance, find the Speed section, and toggle off the "Preload Pages" option. Turning off this feature improves Chrome's speed.


4 Third-Party Cookies

As you browse the web, third-party cookies track your activity and create a profile of your online behavior, which is then shared with third-party advertisers to target you with personalized ads. I view this as a significant privacy issue. To prevent trackers from following me and to avoid intrusive targeted ads, I block third-party cookies.

To disable them, go to Settings > Privacy and Security > Cookies and Site Data, and select “Block Third-Party Cookies.” Some websites might not work properly with this setting turned off.


5 Camera and Microphone Permissions

When you visit websites that may require microphone or camera access, a pop-up asks for your permission to allow the site to use your hardware. This can appear even if you don't plan to participate in a meeting, and granting permission by mistake could let others hear sounds or see your face unintentionally.

To avoid this, I prevent websites from requesting these permissions and only enable them when I choose to give specific sites access. To disable these permissions, go to Settings > Privacy and Security > Site Settings. Under Camera, select "Don't allow sites to use your camera," and under Microphone, select "Don't allow sites to use your microphone."


6 Background Apps

By default, Google Chrome is set to run apps in the background even after you close the browser. While this helps websites load faster, allows Chrome to check for updates, and lets you quickly reopen the browser, it can consume system resources and drain your battery. For these reasons, I prefer to disable this feature.

To turn off this setting, go to Settings > System and turn off the toggle for "Continue running background apps when Google Chrome is closed." This will stop Chrome-related processes from running in the background. However, this option is only available in Chrome for Windows, not in Chrome for macOS.


7 Web Notifications

When browsing websites, you may encounter pop-ups asking for permission to send notifications. If accidentally clicked, these notifications can become a nuisance and even lead you to harmful websites. To avoid this, I disable the feature, ensuring that sites don't send notifications, even if I mistakenly approve them.

To block notifications, click the three vertical dots in the top-right corner and go to "Settings." Then, navigate to Privacy and Security > Site Settings, and find "Notifications" under Permissions. Select "Don’t allow sites to send notifications" to prevent any notification requests, keeping your browsing experience free from distractions.


8 Hardware Acceleration

Hardware acceleration lets Chrome use your computer's GPU to handle tasks like video rendering or image processing, which helps ease the load on the CPU. While it can improve the performance of both your CPU and browser, I’ve found that keeping this feature enabled often causes crashes, especially during live-streaming. Disabling it resolves this issue for me.

To prevent glitches, I keep hardware acceleration turned off. To turn it off, go to Settings > Advanced > System, and toggle off "Use Graphics Acceleration When Available."


9 Automatic Downloads

By default, websites are allowed to automatically download related files alongside the main file you’re downloading, which can save time. While convenient, this also opens the door for malicious files to be downloaded without your knowledge or consent. For this reason, I always block this feature to prevent websites from automatically downloading multiple files at once.

To disable automatic multiple downloads, go to Settings > Privacy and Security > Site Settings, and scroll to "Automatic Downloads" under Additional Permissions. From there, select "Don't allow sites to automatically download multiple files." Now, you’ll be asked to grant permission before any additional files are downloaded.


10 Continue Where You Left Off

Chrome allows you to set which pages or websites open when you launch the browser. You can choose to open specific pages, a new tab page, or restore all the pages that were open when you last closed Chrome. I used to use the "Continue Where You Left Off" option, but I found it to be a privacy concern because others could see the pages I was using during my last session.

The option to open a specific page or set of pages can also cause unnecessary load at startup, and malicious sites may be set to open automatically. For these reasons, I keep both options turned off and set Chrome to open only a New Tab page on startup. To do this, go to Settings > On Startup, and select "Open the New Tab page."


These are a few settings I always keep disabled in Chrome to improve privacy, performance, and security. If you're using Chrome with its default settings, I recommend disabling them to enjoy a smoother and more secure browsing experience. If you find that disabling any of these settings negatively impacts your experience, you can always go back and revert the changes.

Source: https://www.howtogeek.com/chrome-settings-always-keep-disabled/

Browser speed showdown: Chrome vs. Edge vs. Firefox and more

The most popular browsers in a speed duel: Who will win the race?

Waiting — nobody likes it. Especially not on the web: With slow page loading and long loading times, you quickly lose interest in any content. To avoid such tests of patience, however, it’s not just a matter of having a good broadband connection — your surfing speed also depends on the browser you use.

When interpreting HTML, executing scripts, or loading graphics and videos, browsers like Chrome, Edge, or Firefox often perform differently. We want to get to the bottom of these differences in performance: We let the most popular browsers battle it out for the winner’s podium in a benchmark duel.

The environment: Test system and browser candidates

We ran the benchmarks on a mid-range system with the following specifications:

• CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600, 3.6GHz
• RAM: 16GB, DDR4, 1,600MHz
• GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, 8GB VRAM
• Hard drive: 970 EVO Plus, M.2 SSD
• Operating system: Windows 10, version 22H2

The browsers we’re testing for speed:

• Google Chrome: The most widely used browser in the world since 2012. Google makes most of the source code publicly available. (Download Chrome)
• Mozilla Firefox: Firefox has been available since 2002, but has since lost its former dominance of over 70 percent — to a market share of around 4 percent. The open-source browser can be flexibly configured with numerous add-ons. (Download Firefox)
• Opera: This proprietary browser is also available free of charge and now relies on the HTML renderer of the latest Chromium. (Download Opera)
• Microsoft Edge: Microsoft’s new browser was first released in 2015 and is usually an integral part of Windows. (Download Edge)
• Brave Browser: This open-source browser is available for many operating systems from Windows to Android to macOS. The developers attach particular importance to security and privacy. (Download Brave)
• Vivaldi: Originates from Norway and is developed by one of the founders of Opera Software. The browser scores with good ideas and flexibility. (Download Vivaldi)

These benchmarks demand everything from browsers

Put through its paces: When running through these three benchmarks, our browsers have to give their best in everyday applications.

Foundry

Three demanding browser benchmarks are available free of charge on the browserbench.org website. Browsers are pushed to their performance limits in disciplines such as page loading, response speed, JavaScript or web assembly, and graphics performance. The focus of these evaluation procedures is on different areas in each case:

• Speedometer 3.0: This benchmark measures the response speed of web applications. Demo scenarios are used to simulate user interactions.
• Jetstream2: This tests the performance of web assembly and Javascript. To perform well in this test, browsers must start quickly and not waste time executing code.
• Motionmark 1.3: In this graphics benchmark, browsers have to fulfill complex tasks and achieve a certain frame rate in complex animations (60 hertz on our test system).

Which is the fastest browser?

The six browsers now have to assert themselves one after the other in the selected benchmarks. The requirements are always the same: We use the latest versions without extensions or add-ons.

Benchmark 1: Speedometer

We use the Speedometer to measure the response speed of the browser in various (simulated) web applications.

Foundry

• 1st place: Chrome with 18.5 points
• 2nd place: Firefox with 17.2 points
• 3rd place: Brave with 17.0 points
• 4th place: Vivaldi with 16.8 points
• 5th place: Edge with 16.3 points
• 6th place: Opera with 13.9 points

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Benchmark 2: JetSsream2

In this benchmark, browsers have to assert themselves with fast code processing such as the execution of Javascript, among other things.

Foundry

• 1st place: Opera with 223,719 points
• 2nd place: Chrome with 223,631 points
• 3rd place: Brave with 222,616 points
• 4th place: Vivaldi with 219,628 points
• 5th place: Edge with 217,623 points
• 6th place: Firefox with 154,365 points

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Benchmark 3: Motionmark

High demands: In the graphics benchmark, a browser has to animate hundreds of objects in parallel.

Foundry

• 1st place: Edge with 2054.54 points
• 2nd place: Chrome with 2033.72 points
• 3rd place: Opera with 1817.31 points
• 4th place: Vivaldi, with 1816.79 points
• 5th place: Brave with 1763.51 points
• 6th place: Firefox with 113.69 points

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Conclusion: Chrome wins the race

First place once and second place twice: According to our browser race, Chrome is the clear winner — especially as Google’s web browser is only a few points short of taking first place three times.

Whether you’re a normal user or a power user, Chrome is almost always faster online. However, the high-speed browser also has a few disadvantages that go beyond its speed: Google’s business model is based on data processing and the company is repeatedly criticized for collecting a disproportionate amount of user data.

Further reading: I got sick of Chrome’s BS and switched to Vivaldi. Here’s what happened

The situation is very different for the last-placed browser in this comparison — Firefox, which makes data protection a priority, comes in last place for Jetstream and the graphics benchmark, by some distance. To its credit, Firefox can be said to have achieved a good second place in the processing of web applications (Speedometer), but overall its performance falls behind the competition.

However, the extent this is noticeable in everyday use also depends on individual user behavior. Anyone looking for a suitable browser with more than just theoretical top speeds in mind will also find good arguments in favor of Firefox: countless add-ons and many configuration options, for example. This means that Mozilla can also impress when browsing beyond the accelerator pedal — but you can only dream of the working speed of Google Chrome with Mozilla.

This article originally appeared on our sister publication PC-WELT and was translated and localized from German.

Source: https://www.pcworld.com/article/2390201/browser-speed-2024-this-is-how-fast-chrome-firefox-edge-co.html

The Best Web Browser in 2024

Choosing the best web browser can significantly impact your online experience, from how fast your favourite websites load to how secure your personal data remains. With each browser bringing their own set of strengths and features to the table, it can be challenging to determine which one aligns best with your specific needs.


To help with this, we’ve objectively tested Safari, Chrome and Firefox to discover the best web browser across speed, standards compliance, graphics performance, energy efficiency and privacy safeguards.

These browsers are regularly updated, so what was once a browser’s competitive advantage can quickly become its achilles heel.

Whether you’re a tech lover, a casual surfer, or just looking to improve your browsing experience, our detailed comparison will help you find the best browser for your needs.
On this pageFastest Web Browser
Most Standards Compliant Web Browser
Best Graphics Performance
Most Energy Efficient Web Browser
Most Privacy Compliant Web Browser
Overall Winner
Fastest Web Browser

The speed of your web browser has the biggest impact on your online experience. We’ve tested which browser offers the quickest load times, best responsiveness, and overall performance, helping you choose the one that delivers the smoothest and most efficient browsing.

Speed RankBrowserSpeedometer Score (Avg)
1st Safari 38.1
2nd Chrome 34.3
3rd Firefox 33.9


By using the Speedometer v3.0 test suite, we see that Safari ranks first for page rendering speed.

Three tests were conducted for each browser, with the average of results used for the ranking. Speedometer measures Web application responsiveness by timing simulated user interactions on various workloads.

We can see that in this test, Safari has leapt ahead in terms of web browsing speed. It is approximately 11% faster than its nearest competitor Chrome while, as historically been the case, Firefox lags behind.

However Firefox is closer in web browsing speed to Chrome than Chrome is to Safari, so with more optimisation work Firefox could get to second place.
Most Standards Compliant Web Browser

Standards compliance ensures websites function seamlessly across different browsers.

We’ve examined how well each browser adheres to contemporary web standards, focusing on reliability and consistency in website rendering for both developers and everyday users.
Standards RankBrowserInterop 2024 scoreCaniuse scoreAverage score
1st Chrome 90 461 275.5
2nd Safari 90 437 263.5
3rd Firefox 87 439 263


To properly rank standards compliance, we have used two different tests and then averaged the results from both.

First we took the score from the Interop 2024 (Stable) standards compliance suite. This scores browsers on their current conformance to the set of priority standards which all browser makers, as part of the WHATWG group, have agreed should be the focus for implementation in the current year.

Secondly we used the caniuse.com browser scores which are tallies of all features tracked on caniuse, excluding those marked as “unofficial”. Note that while caniuse tracks a wide variety of features, it only covers a subset of all web technologies so the scores are not 100% representative of any browser’s capabilities. Caniuse may also track features which are not deemed priority, privacy compliant or necessary by all browser vendors.

From a standards compliance perspective, Chrome is the clear leader. It is currently equal first in Interop compliance and far ahead in its breadth of feature support according to Caniuse.

In second and third place is Safari and Firefox, with nary half a point separating them. If standards compliance is your key consideration in a browser, Chrome is currently your best choice.
Web Browser with the Best Graphics Performance

Graphics performance can greatly enhance your web experience.

For today’s complex applications and games, smooth visuals and animations are essential. By testing graphics performance, we’ll identify which browser handles these tasks best.
Graphics Performance RankBrowserMotion Mark score (Avg)
1st Safari 7226.37
2nd Chrome 5989.24
3rd Firefox 1749.50


Using the Motion Mark v1.3.1 test suite at 60 fps, we see that it is far from a close race as Safari easily ranks first for web browser graphics performance.

Once again, Firefox lags in the performance department, trailing both Chrome and Safari for graphics rendering speed by a large margin.

Historically Chrome was the leader in the graphics rendering field but over the last couple of major releases, Safari has improved considerably. Safari is now head and shoulders the leader with a 20% graphics performance lead over Chrome.
Most Energy Efficient Web Browser

Energy-efficient browsers can significantly enhance your web experience by extending battery life on portable devices and minimizing heat and fan noise.

For eco-conscious users, choosing a browser that consumes less energy also contributes to a more sustainable environment.
Energy Efficiency RankBrowserAverage Energy Impact
1st Firefox 3593.87
2nd Safari 4827.48
3rd Chrome 4962.16


Energy efficiency testing relies on the macOS Activity Monitor to track the total energy usage of each browser since the device started, represented by the 12 hrs Power figure. In this test, lower figures are better. Each browser underwent one round of the Speedometer and Motion Mark benchmarks to assess their energy impact.

In this round of testing, Firefox emerged as the clear energy efficiency champion, consuming about 25% less energy than its closest competitor, Safari, and significantly outpacing Chrome.

While Safari has long touted its energy efficiency, Firefox’s advantage may be attributed to the benchmarks running less efficiently on this browser, resulting in lower energy consumption. If Firefox’s browsing speed and graphics performance was to improve it may come at the cost of more energy usage.
Most Privacy Compliant Web Browser

Privacy is crucial, and your browser plays a key role in protecting your data.

We’ve evaluated which option provides the strongest privacy features and best safeguards for your online activities.
Privacy featureSafariFirefoxChromeTrackers blocked by default ✔ ✔ -
Third Party Cookies blocked by default ✔ ✔ -
Fingerprinting defences included ✔ ✔ -
Default search engine is private - - -

Overall Privacy score 3 3 0
Privacy Compliance Rank 1st 1st 3rd


Unlike the other tests, privacy compliance ranking is based upon a browsers compliance with a set of privacy features, not via a benchmark. Each of these features has been identified as particularly useful in ensuring that your browsing is as private as possible while minimising the amount of data that a website may be able to gather: reducing potential for personal identification.

The overall Privacy score is the sum of the number of features that each browser provides as an in-built, default enabled inclusion.

Despite performing well in other categories, privacy is an area where Chrome is significantly lagging behind. On the features tested, it scored a zero.

Both Safari and Firefox supported the same set of included privacy features, making it an equal first ranking for this category.

A potential area for improvement for all browsers is to include a privacy focused search engine as the default option. At the moment, all three browsers tested use Google as the default search engine, which is notorious for its collection and tracking of user data.

The Overall Best Web Browser

The overall winner is the browser which has performed best across all of the categories: speed, standards compliance, graphics performance, energy efficiency and privacy protections.

As of October 2024, the best browser we tested is Safari. For all of the tests, Safari ranked either first or second.

It has amazing browsing speed, great graphics performance and improving standards compliance. Also, if you’re at all concerned with your privacy, then Safari is a great choice.

Safari blocks trackers and third party cookies by default and reduces the potential for personal identification via fingerprinting defences.

All Rankings   SafariChromeFirefoxSpeed 1 2 3
Standards Compliance 2 1 3
Graphics Performance 1 2 3
Energy Efficiency 2 3 1
Privacy Protections 1 3 1

Total score (lower is better) 7 11 11
Overall Rank 1st 2nd 2nd


Coming in equal second were Chrome and Firefox.

Overall Chrome performed well, but falls down when it comes to energy efficiency and privacy protections.

If you care about your privacy, then we cannot recommend Chrome.

By lacking basic privacy safeguards, Chrome fails to meet the privacy expectations of users in 2024. If this is not a concern for you, then Chrome does manage to deliver the most standards compliant browser we tested and performed generally well in browsing speed and graphics performance.

If you do care about your privacy, and don’t want to use Safari, then Firefox is a good third option.

However, Firefox is lacking in browsing speed and graphics performance but – perhaps due to this – is relatively energy efficient. It is also the only cross platform, privacy compliant browser included in our tests, so from that perspective it may fill a certain niche for some users.

This comparison was last updated in September 2024 and compares Safari v18.0 (20619.1.26.31.6), Chrome v129.0.6668.59 and Firefox v130.0.1 all running on macOS Sequoia 15.0.

The test machine was an M2 MacBook Air 15” with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage.

Source: https://www.magiclasso.co/insights/best-web-browser/