10 Best Google Chrome Alternatives (2018)
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It’s been 10 years since Google Chrome was launched and the browser has basically taken over the world by becoming the most used browser in the world. As of May 2018, the browser has captured 66% market share. In contrast, the second biggest browser in the world, the Mozilla Firefox, has just 11% market share. That data is enough to show the dominance that Google Chrome exerts in the browser space.
That said, while it’s the most used browser in the world, it is not flawless as it too comes with its own fair share of problems. By far, the biggest problem with Chrome is that it is too resource heavy. I mean, just open a few tabs in Chrome and if your machine has less than 8 GB of RAM, you will know what I am talking about. Secondly, and what concerns me the most is the privacy issues that come with using Google Chrome. Google is a giant in the data collection industry, and as Chrome users, we are basically signing over our entire web data to Google.
If for these reasons or some reason of yours, you would like to switch from Google Chrome, you have come to the right place. In this article, I am going to share with you the 10 best Google Chrome alternatives that you can use to browse the internet:
Best Google Chrome Alternatives You Can Use
1. Mozilla Firefox Quantum
There used to be a time when Google Chrome had clear speed advantages over other browsers and hence it was hard to recommend any other browser despite its faults. However, that is not the case anymore. With the launch of Firefox Quantum, the beloved Firefox browser has become as speedy as Google Chrome, even beating it in certain metrics. Firefox Quantum has been build from scratch with a new and powerful engine which brings rapid performance. That means users experience faster and better loading times with less consumption of computer memory. Firefox also solves one of the biggest problems we encounter while using Google Chrome browser which is the memory usage.
Firefox Quantum is very light on resources and even after opening a dozen tabs at a time, I don’t feel any noticeable system slowdown. As per Firefox, the new browser consumes 30% less memory than Google Chrome and while I cannot attest to that number, I have noticed significant improvements. Firefox also brings improvements to the private browsing experience. Not only the browser deletes all your data after your private browsing session ends but it also blocks online trackers which chase you across websites to serve you ads. If you are looking for a Chrome alternative and haven’t used Firefox for a while, I urge you to give it a chance. I am sure that you won’t go back.
Compatibility: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
Install: Free
2. Opera
Another great alternative to Google Chrome is the Opera browser which is based on the same Chromium architecture which Google Chrome uses. What this means is that you will find many features here which are similar to Chrome. That is a good thing as even longtime Chrome users will feel right at home here. Apart from bringing features similar to Chrome, Opera brings its own set of features which make this browser very unique. My favorite Opera feature is the built-in unlimited VPN tool. The tool is not only great when it comes to unlocking region locked content but it also helps in protecting your privacy by making your IP address.
Opera also comes with built-in ad-blocker, thus allowing you to surf the internet without seeing any ads. Another good feature of Opera is the Opera Turbo Mode which when enabled compresses all the data. This results in not only faster load times but also less usage of data making it perfect for users with limited internet data connections. There’s also a battery saver mode which makes the browser consume less battery thereby giving you up to 50% more battery life. As you can see, there’s a lot of features which can come in really handy, and you should certainly consider Opera if you are looking for a Chrome alternative.
Compatibility: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
Install: Free
3. Tor Browser
If you value your privacy over everything else, then Tor Browser is just for you. As I mentioned in the introduction of this article, one of my personal major concern with using Chrome is its data collection policies. With Tor Browser you don’t have to worry about any such problem. In fact, When you are using Tor Browser, nothing can track your data and you can surf the internet fully anonymously. The Tor Browser achieves this by bouncing your communications around a distributed network of relays run by volunteers all around the world.
That means if somebody is watching your internet connection they won’t be able to learn the sites that you are visiting. Not only that, the browser even prevents the sites you visit from learning your physical location, and lets you access sites which are blocked in your location. Tor is also the browser which lets you access Deep Web but that’s not something I recommend that you do if you don’t have any knowledge about it. You can get a primer on both Deep Web and Dark Web by clicking on the links. That said, try accessing them at your own risk. The bottom line here is that for anonymous browsing, there is no better browser out there than Tor.
Compatibility: Windows, macOS, Linux
Install: Free
4. Vivaldi
While Google Chrome is customizable, its customizability has limits. If you want a browser which can be customized to look and behave exactly the way you want it to, you should be using Vivaldi. Vivaldi has become a popular browser in the recent months as it brings a ton of customizability features that no other browser offers. For starters, you can use ultra-customizable themes to give your browser a look that’s uniquely yours. Not only that, you can even create a schedule to change your browser’s theme throughout the day. The browser also comes with an editable sidebar allowing users to add any website as they deem fit. Whether it’s your favorite chat apps, social feeds, or news sites, you can add as many website as you want. You can even rearrange those websites’ position by using simple drag and drop tool.
One of my favorite features of Vivaldi is its adaptive interface. Basically, the browser picks up the main color of the website you are viewing and uses it as an accent color. Other features of the browser include the ability to save open tabs as sessions, a built-in fully functional notes extension, excellent keyboard shortcuts and mouse gestures for navigation, and more. The browser also brings extra security for its users as it never tracks or collects user data. Vivaldi is also working on end-to-end encryption of your data while syncing across devices which is supposed to release soon. Overall, I quite like this browser and if you want a browser that gives you control over how it looks and behaves, you should certainly use it.
Compatibility: Windows, macOS, Linux
Install: Free
5. Microsoft Edge
If you are a Windows user and you still haven’t gotten over Internet Explorer’s debacle to give Microsoft Edge a try, it’s time you rethink your decision. Microsoft Edge is a very nimble and fast browser which brings a great browsing experience. Microsoft Edge also brings some unique features which are not found in Chrome. One of my favorite features of Microsoft Edge is that it natively allows me to read both PDF files and eBooks. Not only that, I can even annotate on PDF using its built-in tools. If you have a Windows device which supports pen input, you can use that to annotate your PDFs too.
Microsoft Edge also allows users to store favorite websites right in the taskbar of Windows 10. That makes it very handy for you when you want to access websites instantly. One of the drawbacks of using Microsoft Edge in the past was the lack of extension support. However, that has changed and now Microsoft Edge supports extension. While its extensions store is nowhere near as big as Chrome’s, you will be able to find most of the popular extensions here. Overall, I live Microsoft Edge as it brings a clean UI which is easy to navigate along with a fast browsing experience. If you have not used it in a while, it’s time that you use it back again.
Compatibility: Windows, Android, iOS
Install: Free
6. Torch Browser
If you are someone who downloads a ton of media from the internet and is always looking out for software which can help you do that, how about you try a browser which can help you download everything you want without the need of a third-party software? Well, that’s what Torch Browser does and it is pretty good at it. The browser comes with a built-in media grabber which gives you a download button next to videos hosted on any website allowing you to easily download media for offline consumption.
One of the best thing about the Torch browser is that it comes with a built-in media player which allows you to play the videos which have not been fully downloaded. Torch Browser also brings built-in support for torrents allowing users to download torrent files without needing third-party software. The browser also comes with a music extension allowing users to listen to their favorite music without paying anything. Finally, there’s a game extension which allows users to play browser powered games for free. Torch Browser is the best browser for entertainment and a worthy alternative to Chrome for media lovers out there.
Compatibility: Windows, macOS
Install: Free
7. Safari
If you use an iOS or macOS device, Safari is the best Chrome alternative that you can use. Not only the browser is fast but it is also pretty secure. Over the last couple of years, Apple has primarily worked on user privacy features and that has turned Safari into a heaven for privacy concerned users. First of all, Safari automatically blocks ad trackers from following you along websites thereby thwarting their efforts to access your browsing pattern. That means that when you search for shoes on Amazon, you won’t be seeing ads for shoes for the next couple of days.
Safari also blocks videos from auto playing on websites. I hate websites that keep auto-play videos on their website as it takes away control from users. With Safari, I don’t have to worry about that anymore. One of my favorite features of Safari is its reading mode which when activated removes all the distractions and lets me read articles in a clean user interface. If you want, you can even save articles for offline reading. This feature feels especially useful on iPhone as I don’t have to waste my mobile data to read articles. Safari is very speedy, has a clean UI, and syncs astoundingly well across devices which makes this one of the best Chrome Alternatives that you can get.
Compatibility: iOS, macOS
Install: Comes pre-installed
8. Epic Privacy Browser
Epic Privacy Browser is yet another Chrome alternative that focuses on the privacy of its users. The web browser includes built-in protection against thousands of tracking scripts, tracking cookies and other tracking agents, ad networks, cryptocurrency mining scripts, dangerous malvertising, and third-party widgets. As per their website, on an average, the browser is blocking more than 600 trackers in a single browsing session. That number alone should make you fear a browser like Chrome which doesn’t come with any ad track blocking features.
One of the biggest features of Epic is its one-click encryption tool which when activated hides your IP address and encrypts your browsing. The best part is that even DNS requests are routed through the encrypted proxy. This protects your browsing history from your ISP, your employer, your government, data collectors, and other network snoops. If you want to save yourself from all those pesky trackers which track you across websites and collect data on you, Epic Privacy Browser is just the right thing for you.
Compatibility: Windows, macOS
Install: Free
9. Chromium
Chromium is an open-source browser project that aims to build a safer, faster, and more stable way for all users to experience the web. If you have never heard of it before, you will be surprised to know that most of your favorite browsers are running on Chromium including Google Chrome and Opera. What differentiates Chromium from browsers like Google Chrome and Opera is the fact that it is an open-source project so potentially anyone can review its code. Chromium is also the go to browser for many of the Linux distributions as they only support open-source projects. Chromium browser is also more private than Chrome as it doesn’t collect user data. That said, if you are using the extension store, you will giving some kind for information to the extensions’ developers. If you love Chrome but want its open-source alternative, Chromium is for you.
Compatibility: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android
Install: Free
10. Slimjet
Slimjet is a Chrome alternative for users who are tired of seeing numerous ads when surfing the internet. The browser automatically blocks all the ads and ad-tracking scripts which hound you across websites. The browser is based on the same Chromium project which Chrome uses, however, it doesn’t send your data back to Google. Slimjet is also armed with the most advanced anti-tracking technology to thwart various attempts to invade on your privacy. The browser also brings protection against phishing and malware, advanced privacy control options, robust sandboxed, and multi-process architecture. There’s also a built-in high-speed download manager which can download multiple files in parallel without impacting the overall internet speed. If none of the above browsers meet your needs, you should check Slimjet out.
Compatibility: Windows, macOS, Linux
Install: Free
SEE ALSO: 10 Best Window Manager Apps for Mac
Experience Fast and Secure Internet With These Chrome Alternatives
That ends our list of the best Chrome alternatives that you can use. I have tried to include browsers which should meet the needs of most users. Do check these browsers out and let us know which is your favorite Chrome alternatives amongst them all. Also, if you are already using another browser which is not on the list but should be here, share its name in the comments section below.
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