Alternatives to Chrome

A browser is the program you use to access the internet — the one your parents call "open Google." The vast majority of people use Google Chrome today without even realising that alternatives exist, many of which are significantly better for privacy.

Chrome collects a staggering amount of data: browsing history, searches, location, passwords, autofill data. All of it ends up on Google's servers and is used to build a highly detailed advertising profile about you. Even "Incognito mode" doesn't protect you from this — Google continues to collect data about your activity regardless.

The alternatives below fall into two broad families: those based on Chromium (the open-source project Chrome is derived from) and those based on Firefox. Chromium-based browsers will give you an experience very similar to Chrome, which can make the transition smoother. Firefox and its derivatives represent an independent ecosystem entirely separate from Google.

You don't need to be technically savvy to switch browsers. Almost all of them automatically import your bookmarks, passwords, and history from Chrome. The whole thing takes about five minutes. Below you'll find our recommendations for both desktop and mobile, with a focus on privacy, security, and open-source code.

If you're still on the fence, we recommend taking a look at this excellent comic called ContraChrome.