How to choose a web browser that works for you

Web browsers are our gateway to the internet, yet we rarely give them much thought.

If you purchase a new Apple Mac, Safari comes as standard. If you buy a Windows PC, it’ll have Microsoft Edge baked into its operating system.

Many consumers look no further, and it must be acknowledged that Safari and Edge are both fine web browsers.

However, numerous alternatives are available to download free of charge, offering distinct specialisms in areas like performance, safety or privacy.

Knowing how to choose a web browser is therefore a valuable skill, enabling you to install software which simplifies and streamlines day-to-day online activities.

Here are the things you need to know about how to choose a web browser.

Master of all trades

Any web browser referenced in this article will be a capable all-rounder, unless it’s Safari.

Apple’s proprietary platform is great for Mac users but isn’t compatible with Windows. However, it did pioneer features like Reading modes and Apple Pay support.

Every browser has features like the ability to bookmark favourite websites, run multiple browser tabs simultaneously and view almost any content hosted on the World Wide Web.

Even relatively niche platforms will be dependable and smooth-running, so don’t be concerned if you haven’t heard of Vivaldi or Brave.

The former offers granular customisation and changes colour to match the website you’re on, while the latter blocks web ads and pays consumers for browsing via a bespoke cryptocurrency.

If blocking online advertising is a priority, you might want to consider the Epic browser.

This blocks everything from ads and trackers to crypto mining. It even runs a bespoke search engine encrypted through a proxy server, alongside an integrated VPN for added data security.

VPNs aren’t unique to Epic, though. You’ll find one baked into the Opera browser, alongside a cryptocurrency wallet and integrated ad blocking.

Blocking ads might lead to the closure of websites and services reliant on ad revenue to pay their staff, though it certainly speeds up web browsing.

Performance was central to the development of Google’s lightweight Chrome browser, which Opera and other browsers are based on.

Many websites are specifically designed to look good in Chrome, so pages should always display properly. It supports multiple users with their own histories and settings – ideal on shared devices.

Another Chrome-based platform is Torch, which incorporates a BitTorrent P2P client and a games directory.

Torch also operates a Dark Web search engine, which can only be found by downloading and installing the Tor browser.

There are scary things lurking below the surface web, alongside a lot of valuable journalism and free speech, while Tor is completely anonymous – albeit extremely slow.

If speed matters, Firefox offers a modular platform with a wealth of extensions you can bolt on only if required. Its single-click page save function is very clever.

Like most browsers, Edge work on macOS and Windows, with Android and iOS versions supporting cross-platform synching of histories, favourites and bookmarks.

Don’t be disheartened by its ubiquity on Windows devices, because Edge is space-efficient and uses relatively little memory – optimal on older devices with limited RAM.

What do I do next?

Now you know how to choose a web browser which meets your specific preferences and requirements, it’s time to download and install it.

Only download software from the software developer’s website, to ensure there’s no malware embedded in the files you’ll subsequently permit your device to install.

Check your computer or device has sufficient storage space and RAM to run this additional software – if not, you may wish to delete some files and folders or upgrade your hardware.

Browsers take a few minutes to install but only seconds to load thereafter.

You should be able to export bookmarks and favourites to a new browser from an existing one, though the exact mechanics of doing this vary between platforms.

It may be worth retaining an older browser as a backup – to check whether webpages are down, to conduct private searches away from software used by other people, and so forth.