Google Chrome might have been an industry standard when it comes to minimalism, customization, and ease of use but that doesn’t really mean it’s the best browser depending on what you value.
Because for privacy and security, it’s safe to say that there are better alternatives out there compared to Google Chrome.
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Moreover, there are also some worrying reports that Google Chrome is out to decommission its ad blockers in 2023. Since not all advertisements are for marketing (some are thinly-veiled viruses), there goes another layer of security for the good old browser.
While that’s still not a definite edict from Google and its dear browser, it might be wise to start getting used to some competitive alternatives. Check out the following browsers, we’ll explain why they might be better along the way.
Firefox
Before Google Chrome took the throne Mozilla Firefox was one of the most popular ones, along with the dearly departed Internet Explorer. It has since been rebranded to just Firefox and is looking more and more appealing for those who are worried about Chrome’s ad blocker policy.\
Firefox actually offers good customization as well and has been making leaps and strides when it comes to improving to a more user-friendly UI.
For Privacy, it’s one of the best browsers out there and is definitely better than Chrome in keeping your information yours alone, particularly in the image cache and font cache segments.
Why It Might Be Better?
- Significantly more private and secure
- More comprehensive tracking protection
- Useful built-in features
- Utilizes RAM more efficiently (though it’s also RAM-hungry)
Brave
Brave is another open-source browser like Chrome which was released back in 2016 and is one of the more underrated options when it comes to internet browsing. Unlike Google Chrome, you don’t need to install a default ad blocker extension since Brave comes with its own by default
Moreover, Brave prides its own customizability. Since it’s open-source software, a lot of developers in their own respective communities have created some nifty changes to improve Brave’s overall user experience. Now, Brave claims to be three times faster than Chrome in responsiveness.
Why It Might Be Better?
- Significantly more private and secure
- Built-in ad blocking and tracking protection
- Built-in VPN
- Forced Dark Mode/Night Mode
- Claims to be three times faster than Chrome
- Uses less RAM
Vivaldi
Vivaldi is a cross-platform web browser that was launched back in 2016 and it was actually founded by a co-founder and ex-CEO of Opera Software, another browser.
The browser proudly paints itself as one that puts its users’ well-being first, and it even includes quick commands and handy shortcuts to make browsing with many tabs as painless as possible. More importantly, it has about the same level of customizability as Chrome, if not more so.
Why It Might Be Better?
- Excellent and unique tab management feature
- Mouse gestures and other convenience shortcuts
- Good customizability
- Uses less RAM
Edge
If you use Microsoft Windows, then you likely don’t have a choice on the matter as the OS keeps peddling this one like it’s the struggling grandchild of Internet Explorer.
Edge is actually a decent browser though it’s less secure or private compared to the more privacy-centric options here. That’s to be expected since it’s a Microsoft product and likely wants to send you some tailored ads or recommendations.
That’s where Edge’s strength and advantages come from. It has the best Windows integration out of all the browsers and it has made a significant amount of progress especially when it comes to extensions and convenience features.
Why It Might Be Better?
- Excellent tab management feature that also helps in RAM management
- Feels lighter and snappier
- Unbeatable Windows integration
- Good reader and text-to-speech implementation
- Uses significantly less RAM
Safari
Safari or Apple’s default browser of choice is also a good contender for an alternative; if you’re already using an Apple device, you might want to stick to it, especially if you value your privacy too much.
It has seamless Apple OS integration and is snappier and lighter compared to Chromium. It also has a sleeker UI and uses fewer resources which is a huge advantage when prolonging battery life, seeing as Safari was made with mobile Apple devices in mind.
Why It Might Be Better?
- More private and secure
- Sleek UI
- Impressive extension pool
- Uses fewer resources
- Great for battery life
LibreWolf
LibreWolf is a Firefox-based browser that removes the Firefox bloatware, making it lighter and more of a blank slate as far as browsers go.
The big difference between LibreWolf and its father browser is that the former uses DuckDuckGo as its default search engine whereas Firefox uses Google. It also installs ublock Origin by default for blocking ads and disables telemetry (data collection).
It’s a great option for those who don’t trust Firefox enough due to the frequent builds and updates that can ruin the security and privacy settings you’ve shored up.
Why It Might Be Better?
- Significantly more private and secure
- Installs and ad blocker by default
- Disables data collection by default
- Uses RAM more efficiently
The thing about browser preferences is that despite all the privacy and security features or the functionality tools built-in, what you like to use as your main browser is still subjective. You might find that certain websites keep crashing on non-Chromium browsers while others might run choppier.
That’s why it’s important to get a feel for all these recommendations so you can decide for yourself which one suits your needs and wants the best. They’re all free anyway.
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