While Google Chrome is reported to hold 70% of the web browser market share, there are certain privacy aspects that are concerning with Google’s browser. Some of these issues can be avoided by disabling the sync settings that store your history, preferences and passwords in the cloud. With a majority of Google’s revenue coming from adverting, it should not be surprising that your personal privacy isn’t their number one concern.
With that in mind, here is my list of the Top Five web browsers that DO respect your privacy.
5) Vilvaldi
Available on Windows, Mac OS, Linux and Android
Vilvaldi is a privacy focused browser that is based on the Chromium web browser. Chromium is the open source project on which Google Chrome is built on. It should be noted, that being Chromium does not mean it is tied to Google. This browser aims to resurrect some of the rich features the Opera web browser once had, including a built in Mail client. They promise: “We don’t know who you are, we don’t track you, and we don’t know what you do with Vilvaldi.”
One neat feature that this browser has is the ability to view tabs in a split-screen. Making multi-tasking easier. In addition, all the extensions that work for Google Chrome will work with this privacy focused browser!
4) Ungoogled Chromium
Available for Windows, Mac OS and Linux
This browser is an open source project that, as the name suggests, strips the Chromium web browser of any trace to Google. The download for this is available through the projects GitHub page. The added benefit is that it is fully open source. This means that the community sees the code and knows what is in it. Also, if you have the knowledge to code and want to make it your own, you are fully free to do so! (OpenSource is the way to go!) All of the extensions that work with Chrome will work with this, but it is important to remember that extensions can reduce the security and privacy of any browser.
3) WaterFox
Available for Windows, Mac OS and Linux
Waterfox is a fork of the popular Firefox browser. They claim to strike a balance between privacy and usability. One notable advantage of this browser is that it can use extensions from the Firefox store, the Chrome web store and the Opera store. They do not collect any telemetry data, and boast of “very limited data collection”. (error reporting is the data collected). With the recent controversy of the new design of Firefox’s tabs (honestly, people it’s not that bad, get a life.), Waterfox boasts of the customization options to keep your tabs how you want them.
2) Brave
Available for Windows, Mac OS, Linux, and Android
Brave is another browser based on the Chromium engine. However, it boasts of not being the hungry hungry hippo of resources that Google Chrome is. Brave claims to use 35% less battery on mobile devices than Chrome. The browser has out of the box ad-blocking features and also can pull in any extensions from the Chrome web-store. While I am not a fan of using Tor, Brave does give you an option to use the Tor Browser inside.
One side note that makes me a little hesitant about Brave is their rewards program. They allow you to have advertising in the browser and then donate “tokens” to certain projects. Brave assures that no privacy is violated by doing this and it is an opt-in program.
1) Firefox
Available on Everything, Including Potatoes
While other browsers claim to take privacy a step further than Firefox, I have long preferred the stability of Mozilla’s browser that I have used since my high school years. The initial release of this browser was in 2002. Firefox is third place in market share with about 9%. (Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge, both Chromium based, hold the top two spots).
Mozilla boasts that it’s Firefox browser has no shady privacy policies and no back-doors. They are one of the longest and biggest contributors to the open source movement, which gives extra points on my scoreboard. Firefox has an extensive extension library. I have always found it quick, privacy respecting, and secure. It is my go to browser on ALL operating systems since around 2004!
