The 7 Best Web Browsers For Every Kind of User – 2024 Edition

Web browsers are as important as the existence of the internet itself. You can not surf the web without one. Over the years, several types of browsers with extensive features have emerged, but only a have established themselves as the real deal. There’s an abundance of options to choose from, but which is the best? 

It depends on how you mean to use the browser and what are your privacy concerns. Some browsers provide excellent speed but fail to keep your data secure and private. Others might be good at safeguarding you from third-party trackers and ads, but might be slow in turn. To help you with this decision, we have compiled a list of the 5 best web browsers you can use without worrying about speed, security, and privacy.

1. Google Chrome

Google Chrome
Google Chrome | Google

Chrome was released to the public a little over ten years ago. Yet it was so much better than the rest that it rapidly rose to become a market leader. Google Chrome has captured a staggering 67.19% of the web browser market. Microsoft Edge, the closest “competition,” lags behind at 11.27 percent.

This browser runs on the free and open-source Chromium engine. It can be used on any device running pretty much any version of Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, or iOS. It’s impossible to find a browser that offers more options than Chrome. 

Google’s popular browser offers a variety of protective capabilities against malware, tracking, and keyloggers all around. It certainly seems promising with all the cyber threats that afflict the internet.

Safety Check

The safety check improves the safety and privacy of your surfing session. Passwords stored in Chrome will be protected, malicious add-ons will be flagged, and your security settings will be kept up to date.

Sync Chrome Across Devices

Everything you store in Chrome syncs across all your devices, whether you’re using a laptop, tablet, or smartphone. Your bookmarks, passwords, and other sensitive data, like payment information, will be accessible after you activate sync.

Keep your Accounts Separate with Multiple Profiles

Chrome released a feature for making multiple profiles on a single device. All your Chrome data, such as bookmarks, history, passwords, and settings, can be kept in the respective profile accounts. Profiles are helpful when several people need access to a single computer or when you want to maintain separation between your business and personal accounts.

2. Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge
Microsoft Edge | Microsoft

Microsoft Edge is the company’s first truly successful web browser in years, following Internet Explorer’s missteps and a difficult beginning in and of itself. Microsoft Edge, the new default browser for Windows 10 and Windows 11, is the official replacement for Internet Explorer.

Microsoft developers have revamped all the Google-based services and activities by replacing them with their own offerings, but the source code itself remains unaltered, which makes the browser very similar to Chrome. But the lack of Google’s add-ons can alleviate some users concerned about their privacy.

The Privacy and Services page clarifies more of what separates Edge from the rest, and the Site Permissions page is an excellent example of the many available personalization options. That way, you have precise control over site-specific permissions like pop-up filtering, ad blocking, MIDI device access, and automatic media playback.

Achieve better Performance

Microsoft Edge is based on the same technology as Chrome. Still, it includes extra features such as Startup boost and Sleeping tabs that improve your browsing experience and make it operate better with Windows.

Stay Safer Online

You and your family can feel safe browsing the internet with Microsoft Edge due to its many built-in privacy and protection features, including Microsoft Defender SmartScreen, Password Monitor, InPrivate search, and Kids Mode.

Use the best Browser for Gaming

Microsoft Edge is the greatest browser for gaming on the web, providing you access to many free games due to cloud gaming enhancements, including Clarity Boost, a memory-saving efficiency mode, and compatibility for prominent themes and extensions. It also puts idle tabs to sleep to save on resources.

3. Mozilla Firefox

Firefox
Firefox Browser | Mozilla

When it comes to web browsers, Firefox has always been a community favorite. In addition to bringing its picture-in-picture video option to the Mac version, it can notify you if your email address is involved in a known data breach, blocking those obnoxious allow-notifications pop-ups and blocking “fingerprinting” browser tracking.

It’s completely adjustable in terms of how it looks and the type of add-ons and plugins you can use. Due to a major redesign from last year, it runs well and reliably on low-end hardware. Apart from Safari, it is the only major browser (in this list) that does not run on Chromium.

In 2017, Firefox’s Quantum upgrade brought about its most significant date change. The Quantum update drastically decreased the browser’s need for memory and sped up its processing time by reworking its underlying engine.

Ad Blocking

Ads slow down page loads, are annoying, and follow your every move throughout the web. You don’t have to delve into Firefox’s security settings to prevent blocking ads and trackers, as most are automatically blocked.

Firefox is for Everyone

Firefox is available in over 90 languages, is cross-platform (working on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems), and can be downloaded and installed on any computer. Always use the most recent operating system version for the best performance. Both the iOS and Android versions of Firefox provide robust privacy settings that prevent online trackers from tracking you from website to website.

4. Opera

opera
Opera Browser | Opera

Having Opera Mini on your Java-enabled smartphone is probably a fond memory. Opera, the oldest web browser still actively developed, nearly lost ground to Chrome because of the latter’s popularity. Even so, it has evolved to the point where it deserves a spot among 2022’s top desktop browsers for Windows 10/11. Many argue it’s superior to Firefox and should be your first choice.

Data compression and battery-saving technologies often reserved for mobile devices are now available in the desktop browser. In addition to its already impressive list of capabilities, Opera has a built-in ad blocker, screenshot tool, crypto mining protection, VPN service, currency converter, etc.

Future Proof

With its recent addition as the first browser to support Web 3, Opera has once again demonstrated its unique and creative approach to the web.

Paste Protection

In order to make the Internet safer, a new feature called Paste Protection has been implemented in Opera. The clipboard could be stolen and used to alter sensitive information, such as a bank account number or a cryptocurrency wallet identity, while you are browsing.

Protection against Paste will prevent this from happening. Opera Browser keeps a close eye on any critical information you copy and keeps it under surveillance until you either paste it, or it expires. A notification appears if a third-party program alters the data.

Pinboards

Essentially, Pinboards are electronic versions of bulletin boards or notepads. Easily create and share documents with text, links, images, and even embedded YouTube videos. You can invite your friends to view your pinboards and the Pinboards they send you.

5. Apple Safari

safari
Safari Browser on MacBook Pro 14″ | Apple

The Safari browser comes preinstalled on Macs and iOS devices and is an excellent option. Safari was an early adopter of several innovative browser features. For instance, it was the first to provide a Reading mode, which removes distractions like advertisements and embedded videos from websites without your permission.

Initially introduced in 2010, this function is now present in every major web browser apart from Google Chrome. With these capabilities, Safari works with Apple Pay, AirDrop, Touch ID, and Face ID on all iOS devices.

Performance

Safari is the fastest browser out there for Apple devices because of its powerful JavaScript engine. It was made to run on Apple hardware; it already efficiently uses your battery and keeps going for a long time. With Apple’s silicon, it’s even quicker and longer-lasting.

Privacy is built in

Safari’s built-in privacy protections are some of the best in the business. Features like the option to join up for websites and services without disclosing your real email address are available when you upgrade to iCloud+.

Intelligent Tracking Prevention

Social media sharing buttons are a common sight online. The embedded trackers record when an IP address visits a webpage. Apple prevents these embedded trackers from linking visitors to certain web pages by utilizing Intelligent Tracking Prevention in the most recent version of Safari.

Final Thoughts

Choosing a browser for long-term usage is a very personal decision that should involve your preferences regarding privacy, accessibility, and the level of protection you require when online. From a technical standpoint, the decision will also depend on your system’s processing speed and memory capability (ehm ehm, Chrome).

We have broken down the top 5 web browsers above that millions of people use on a daily basis for personal and business use. If you’re still unsure, your best bet would be trying out all of them to see which one works out for you the best.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kamil Anwar


Kamil is a certified MCITP, CCNA (W), CCNA (S) and a former British Computer Society Member with over 9 years of experience Configuring, Deploying and Managing Switches, Firewalls and Domain Controllers also an old-school still active on FreeNode.