Fun & Facts   Tech
By Consumer Team | 05 July 2023

Which Browser Should You Use?

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In this day and age, there are countless internet browsers available for people to use. You may be wondering what the differences between them are. Which one is the most secure? Are any of them significantly faster than the rest? Perhaps you just want something with lots of add-on options. All internet browsers have positives and negatives. The best one for you is the one that best matches your values. Five of the most popular browsers are Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Opera, Microsoft Edge and Safari.

Mozilla Firefox

If customizable aesthetics are important to you, Mozilla Firefox may be your best shot. This browser, first launched in 2002, is known for its artistic themes that can vastly change the look and feel of the program. It is also a free and open source browser, in contrast to many other options. While it’s great in these regards, Firefox is not without its problems. Some older computers have difficulty running it. Additionally, some websites will load very slowly.

Google Chrome

Google’s Chrome is one of the most popular internet browsers today. It has a well-earned reputation for being quite fast. Do you visit many websites in foreign languages? If so, Chrome is likely the browser for you, since it has a built-in automatic translator. On the downside, Chrome is often considered ugly to look at. Many computer users scoff at using it for this very reason. It is also not open-source, despite being based upon open-source software.

Opera

Another internet browser option is Opera. Do you hate advertisements? Then you will enjoy the fact that newer versions of Opera come with an ad-blocker. Opera also boasts a free VPN, arguably making it the most private and secure browser out there. Issues with opera include an inability to load some sites properly and being more suited towards advanced users.

Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge is a modern internet browser that comes pre-installed on many new computers. It’s one of the fastest browsers. It has a reading mode that will simplify the look of websites and remove distractions, so it’s perfect if you like to read long articles online. Unfortunately, Edge is far too basic for some people. There aren’t extensions available for it like many other browsers, so if you like add-ons, this one isn’t for you. Another major issue is the fact that it will only run on Microsoft computers.

Safari

Safari is a browser found on Apple products. If you are a fan of iOS, chances are you’ll like how well-integrated this browser is. Safari is seen as one of the more secure browsers out there, since it automatically attempts to block all pop-ups. While Safari is great for some people, there are some negative aspects to it as well. First of all, it works poorly on non-Apple computers. If you use Windows, you’ll probably want to choose something that will run better on your operating system. Also, there is no way to customize Safari. If you needs cool themes or ad-blockers to enjoy browsing the internet, this one is definitely not for you.