As a Linux and Android user, trying to find the right browser is tough. While I wish I could have it all (in one browser), no browser is perfect.
Below you will find my summary of the strengths and weaknesses of what I consider to be the top four contenders on Linux and Android: Chrome, Firefox, Opera, and Brave.
Chrome/Chromium on Linux
Strengths:
- Does media codec's for you: H.264, AAC and MP3
- Supported by most sites that offer HTML5 Video
- Has Flash support through its Pepper Plugin API
- Plentiful Chrome Extensions, like uBlock Origin, HTTPS Everywhere
- Desktop Shortcuts and Apps, like Signal
- Strong security, process isolation; exploits are rare:
- Results for Pwn2Own 2016, number of successful exploit attempts:
- Apple Safari: 3/3 (100% Success)
- Microsoft Edge: 2 /2 (100% Success)
- Google Chrome: .5/2 (25% Success)
- Results for Pwn2Own 2016, number of successful exploit attempts:
Weaknesses
- Many users report heavy RAM and CPU utilization
Chrome/Chromium on Android
Strengths
- Speed
- Syncs with Chrome Desktop
- Has Google Cast support for HTML5 Video
- Updated simultaneously with Chrome Desktop
Weaknesses:
- All extensions are disabled; can't install uBlock Origin
- Can't set default search engine to DuckDuckGo
Firefox on Linux
Strengths
- Great add-ons, roughly equivalent to Chrome on Linux, plus Self-Destructing Cookies, Bluehell Firewall, and I don't care about cookies
- Firefox Sync works reliably; see open tabs on other devices
- Restore Previous Session works exceedingly well
Weaknesses:
- Poor security:
- Add-ons all share global JavaScript namespace
- Not a contender (i.e. worthy target) in Pwn2Own competitions
- Many users report heavy RAM and CPU utilization
- No built-in Flash support
Firefox on Android
Strengths:
- Most Add-ons available for Firefox mobile
- Easy search engine customization: DuckDuckGo available by default
Weaknesses:
- Slower than Chrome, others
- Firefox reloads tabs every time users switch back to the app with multi-tasking/task-switching in Android
Opera on Linux
Strengths:
- Opera Private Windows have built-in VPN service (with no logging)
- Plenty of extensions
- Built-in ad-blocking
- Fast
- Synchronization works just like in Chrome
Weaknesses:
- No built-in Flash support
Opera on Android
Strengths:
- Speed
- Syncs with desktop browser
- Data Compression saves on mobile data
Weaknesses:
- Can't set default search engine to DuckDuckGo
- All extensions are disabled
Brave on Linux
Strengths:
- Fastest page-load speeds in the industry
- Replaces ads with Brave-network preapproved ads by default
- Can opt-out of all ads (built-in ad-blocker, tracking-blocker)
- 3rd-party cookies blocked by default
- HTTPS Everywhere built-in
- Built-in support for 3 password managers: Brave, 1Password, and Dashlane
- In the future, you will get reimbursed in Bitcoin for allowing ads; can set browser to redistribute your ad reward to your top 20 sites automatically
Weaknesses:
- No extensions yet (it's quite new still)
- No built-in Flash support
Brave on Android
Strengths:
- Tabs load in the background; Bubbles visible as floating icon in foreground displaying progress
- Very fast page-loading
- Search engine customizable
- HTTPS Everywhere built-in
- Ad-blocking, tracking-protection built-in
Weaknesses:
- No extensions yet
Best Use Cases for Each Browser
Chrome
- Best for General Linux Desktop Browsing, due to built-in Flash and media codec support, plus many great extensions and desktop apps. Strong security model enhances browser reliability.
Firefox
- Best for Android Mobile Browsing with Extensibility, with add-ons for ad-blocking (uBlock Origin), search engine customization, HTTPS everywhere, Bluhell Firewall, I don't care about cookies, etc.
Opera
- Best for Zero-Configuration Private Desktop Browsing on Linux due to built-in VPN.
Brave
- Best for Fast, Ad-Free Android Mobile Browsing with strong privacy-protection. Pair with a VPN app/service such as Private Internet Access for even better privacy.
In an Ideal World...
In order to create my own "perfect browsing experience" for Android and Linux, I would integrate the following features from each of the browsers:
- the speed, ad-blocking, and privacy-enhancing features of Brave,
- the mobile and desktop add-ons from Firefox,
- the built-in VPN from Opera,
- and the Flash-support and desktop apps from Chrome
And we could call it BraveChromeOperaFox !
Or maybe LionFoxChromera ? ( It would be quite a beast, after all... ; )
Let's ping some people and see what happens!
- @BrendanEich, Founder, President of Brave
- @brianbondy, Lead Developer of Brave
- @aekeus, Senior Engineer at Brave
- @Mozilla
- @msurman, Executive director at Mozilla
- @jlongster, works on Firefox Developer Tools at Mozilla
- @madhava, Director of Firefox User Experience at Mozilla
- @opera
- @sergeylossev, Head of Product at Opera Max
- @k_kolondra, SVP Engineering & Head of Desktop at Opera
- @boilesen, CEO of Opera Software
- @googlechrome
- @estark37, security engineer working on Chrome and Blink
- @metromoxie, Software Engineer and Security Idealist working on Chrome and Blink security
- @ebidel, Engineer at Google working on Chrome, web components, and Polymer
- @MicrosoftEdge (Ya never know!)