What’s the Difference Between the Web Browsers? (Edge, Firefox, Chrome, etc.)

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What's the Difference Between the Web Browsers? (Edge, Firefox, Chrome, etc.)

How do you know which web browser is the right one to use? There are multiple browsers to choose from, and beyond the most popular options, there are other less well-known options out there like Brave.

People spend a lot of their online time in a web browser searching online or using cloud solutions, which means the one you choose can have a big impact on your overall online experience.

Which browser is most popular?

As of October 2020, Chrome was far out ahead of the pack with 48.29% of the U.S. browser market share. Safari is next with 35.55%, followed by Edge with 4.97%, and Firefox with 3.81%.

But just because a browser is the most popular, doesn’t mean it’s the one that you’re going to find the most productive and secure for your needs.

We’ll go through a rundown below of several different types of browser and what they offer.

Internet Browser Comparison

Below, we’ll review the main features of several different browsers, including their strengths and weaknesses, to help you make an informed decision.

Google Chrome

Google Chrome has become the most popular browser used globally. It doesn’t hurt that Google will recommend it when you land on its search engine (also the most used globally).

Many people like the multiple extensions and ease of use. Chrome is simple and uncomplicated.

Pros of Chrome:

  • Speed: Chrome is fairly fast and has been sped up over the years.
  • Lots of Extensions: Because Chrome is the most popular browser, you won’t have any trouble finding it supported and it offers tons of browser extensions.
  • Developer Tools: Developers appreciate the tools they have available for troubleshooting websites.
  • Regular Automatic Updates: Chrome updates regularly about every 6-8 weeks.

Cons of Chrome:

  • Memory Hog: Chrome is known to be a memory hog, which can cause a computer with low RAM to slow down and experience freezing issues.
  • Privacy Concerns: Because Google’s main business is selling advertising based upon user behavior, may people worry about the tracking and privacy of the browser.

Apple Safari

Safari is the second most popular browser because it’s the default on Apple devices. The same streamlined simplicity you find in Apple products, you also find in its browser.

Pros of Safari:

  • Clean Layout: The browser has a clean layout, which is a benefit to many business users who just want to work undistracted.
  • Security: Safari has an Intelligent Tracking Prevention feature that makes it hard for advertisers to target you with tracking.
  • Very Fast: Safari is very fast, especially when used on Apple devices.

Cons of Safari:

  • Not Always Supported: You can often run into websites or forms not working properly in Safari.
  • Fewer Extensions: Because Apple doesn’t always like to openly share its product details, there are fewer developed 3rd party extensions 

Microsoft Edge

Microsoft has been working hard to improve Microsoft Edge ever since it came out, and recently upgraded the platform to a much faster Chromium-based version.

The company is transitioning Internet Explorer users to the newer Edge browser, which comes as the default on Windows devices.

Pros of Microsoft Edge:

  • Fast and Responsive: The Chromium upgrade made Edge much faster to use and it’s not nearly as much of a memory hog as Chrome.
  • Collections Feature: Edge has a handy Collections feature which makes it easier to save a group of websites on a certain topic than using bookmarks.
  • Security: Edge has multiple security features including a main setting that allow you to choose “Basic,” “Balanced,” or “Strict” tracking controls.

Cons of Microsoft Edge:

  • Not Always Supported: Because this browser is still fairly young, you will still run across applications that don’t support it.
  • You Need to Be Upgraded: Earlier versions of Edge were missing important features (like “reopen last tab”), so you need to make sure you’re updated to the latest version to have the best features.

Mozilla Firefox

For a while a few years back, Firefox was giving Chrome a run for its money, but lately the browser has lagged behind. Mozilla is now trying to recapture some of the market share and is still a recognizable name.

Pros of Firefox:

  • Great Default Security: Firefox is one of the more secure browsers from installation because it defaults to several protective features.
  • Healthy Extension Choices: Firefox has several 3rd party extension options to choose from.
  • Simple Interface: Many people like Firefox because it has a low learning curve.

Cons of Firefox:

  • Memory Hog: Like Chrome, Firefox is also a memory hog and can take up a lot of resources, which can freeze low RAM computers.
  • Issues with HTML 5: Firefox has some web compatibility issues and one of these is with reading HTML 5. This can cause page loading problems.

Brave

Brave is a newer contender in the browser market and is trying to beat everyone by combining both privacy and speed. On the browser’s website it claims to be “three times faster than Chrome” and to have better default privacy than Firefox.

Pros of Brave:

  • Very Secure: Brave is one of the most secure of the browsers and defaults to highly secure settings.
  • Fast Speeds: The browser does come through on its claim of being faster than Chrome, with pages loading faster on both desktop and mobile.

Cons of Brave:

  • Lack of Extensions: You won’t find many extensions yet for Brave because it’s so new.
  • Site Problems: You can run across problems with not having site features work correctly when using the browser.

Are Your Computers Using the Most Productive Browsers?

The browser that’s best for you can have a lot to do with the workflows you have and the apps you use. C Solutions do a browser need evaluation for your central Florida business to ensure your browsing is fully optimized.

Schedule a free consultation today! Call 407-536-8381 or reach us online.