Comparing Web browsers and Chrome alternatives



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You probably do not think much about your phone's web browser. No matter which browser you are used to, there are many other options that could enhance your experience. Unlike Apple, which requires all third-party browsers to use the Safari rendering engine (and does not allow other browsers to run by default), Google allows the publication on the Play Store of any web browser with any engine. ⁠- Give Android phones and tablets more options for browsing the web than any iOS device.

In this article, we will review some of the best web browsers available for Android. You may have heard of some of them, but we will compare them directly to see what might be missing.

Mozilla Firefox

Most of the web browsers available for Android are based on Chromium, the open source version of Google Chrome. This means that they charge all web pages the same way, that their performance is about equal, that they have the same quirks, and so on. Firefox is the main exception to this rule This is one of the few browsers on Android with a fully custom rendering engine (in this case, the same engine 'gecko' that used by the Firefox desktop).

Firefox for Android has always lagged Chrome in Android in terms of performance and responsiveness, but in recent years, many "Quantum" speed improvements from the desktop browser have been upgraded to version Android. Nowadays, Firefox is more or less tied with Chrome on Android (depending on the page).

The main advantage of Firefox on Android (apart from the fact that you are helping to reduce the near-monopoly of Chrome in the browser market) lies in the massive collection of extensions. Firefox for Android works with almost any extension created for the desktop browser, including uBlock Origin, Ghostery, HTTPS Everywhere, NoScript, Privacy Badger, and more.

Other features include syncing with Firefox accounts, an auto-reading blocker, and an optional blocker for script tracking. There is also a completely new version of Firefox for Android currently in beta, which, according to Mozilla, is twice as fast as the current browser.

Fast and private Firefox browser
Fast and private Firefox browser
Preview of Firefox
Preview of Firefox

Google Chrome

A list of the best web browsers for Android would not be complete without Google Chrome. This is the default browser on most phones and tablets, but Google has not rested on its laurels yet. Chrome updates are released every six weeks. Each update usually has several new features (though most of them are for web designers).

Chrome is the dominant web browser on desktop and mobile platforms. So there is not much to say about it. most of you probably use it nowand you probably know what he can (and can not) do. Since the majority of Chrome is open source and most other browsers on Android use this open source database, the vast majority of Chrome's features end up being duplicated in other applications.

However, the Android version of Chrome has some nice features that you can use. could not heard of. You can change tab by dragging the slider from left to right in the address bar. This can force websites to be dark when your phone is in dark mode, and so much more. Check out our list of Chrome tips and tricks for more information.

The main version of Chrome for Android is probably already on your phone, but if you want to try out the Google features that allow you to bake, we've also linked the beta (slightly buggy) and Dev (buggy) versions below.

Google Chrome: Fast & Secure
Google Chrome: Fast & Secure
Chrome Beta
Chrome Beta
Chrome Dev
Chrome Dev

DuckDuckGo

You may already know that DuckDuckGo is a web search engine focused on privacy, but did you know that the company also has a web browser? The DuckDuckGo browser for Android is very (very) light on features, but it still provides a pleasurable experience.

This is probably the most basic browser on this list because there is no support for desktop synchronization, no extensions, and no advanced features. However, the tracking scripts are blocked by default and the browser assigns each site a confidentiality rating with a complete list of all blocked traces. Most browsers (with the exception of Chrome) have some kind of tracking protection right now, but DuckDuckGo presents the information in a very easy-to-understand way.

DuckDuckGo also has a touch button to clear all tabs and local data, similar to Firefox Focus. Under the hood, DuckDuckGo uses the integrated rendering engine of Android. It should work as well as Chrome.

DuckDuckGo Privacy Browser
DuckDuckGo Privacy Browser

Samsung Internet

Samsung Internet started as a web browser preinstalled on Galaxy phones and tablets, but Samsung has opened it to all Android devices in 2017. It is now one of the most popular browsers of the platform, which is full of features.

Samsung Internet is based on Chrome, but its interface is fully customized and suitable for Samsung's One UI design language. Some of the advantages it offers over Chrome include tracking protection, a limited choice of add-ons and a button layout that is easier to use on larger phones.

My favorite feature is full support for dark mode Not only can the browser interface become dark, but it can also change the look of sites to make them look darker as well. It does not always work as expected, but it's still good to have a late reading. Google is working on a similar feature for Chrome, but it is not ready yet.

Like Chrome and Firefox, Samsung Internet has a stable version and a beta version. If you like to be on the cutting edge, try the beta.

Samsung Internet Browser
Samsung Internet Browser
Beta of the Samsung Internet browser
Beta of the Samsung Internet browser

Kiwi Browser

Kiwi Browser was released for the first time last year, again another Chrome-based browser for Android. However, last year, the app added something that no other browser on Android has. support for Chrome desktop extensions. That's right, almost every extension running on Chrome will work on Kiwi.

Firefox for Android supports Firefox extensions, most of which are functionally similar to their Chrome equivalents, but Kiwi compatibility is still very impressive. Beyond that, all the usual features are present blocking ads, blocking tracking scripts, dark mode, etc. There is also a feature to block AMP pages, although the same is possible with Firefox and this add-on, and dark mode also darkens pages (like Samsung Internet).

Kiwi Browser - Fast and Quiet
Kiwi Browser - Fast and Quiet

Opera Mini

Opera Mini is one of the most popular mobile browsers since Flip phones are in fashion. It is designed to record cellular data, either by downgrading images and other resources, or by displaying the entire page on a server before it is sent to your phone. If you are on a cell plan with little data available or if you often end up with an uneven connection, Opera Mini is a solid option.

Beyond the data-saving features, Opera Mini also features anti-tracking protection, an ad blocker, and a streamlined interface with easy-to-reach buttons. Unfortunately, there is no dark mode, only a "night mode" that simply reduces the brightness. Opera Mini can also synchronize bookmarks, tabs and other data with other Opera browsers.

Opera Mini - fast web browser
Opera Mini - fast web browser

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