Most of us spend hours online browsing the web. So it makes sense to be very picky about which browser we’ve using – particularly since you may be using multiple devices, for example, smartphone, laptop and desktop computer.
Popular browser choices include Safari, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox – but how do you determine which is the best?
The two most important factors when choosing an internet browser are security and speed.
So, to begin with, you can strike Safari, Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge off your list. All three are comparatively less secure than the other two. Furthermore, the more tabs you have open in these browsers, the slower they function and the quicker your laptop or smartphone battery is drained.
In contrast, both Firefox and Chrome have much more thorough security features, cope better with lots of open tabs, and won’t drain batteries as quickly.
Google’s Chrome is the most popular browser, preferred by almost 70 per cent of internet users worldwide. Mozilla’s Firefox is used by almost one-sixth of the online community.
Something else to bear in mind is that computer viruses are typically targeted at the default browsers (i.e. Safari for Apple products, Internet Explorer/Microsoft Edge for Microsoft products, and Chrome for Google products), of which Firefox is not one.
Verdict: Firefox is our pick because it’s not a default browser, it’s the most recently upgraded option, and Mozilla is a not-for-profit company, meaning it isn’t interested in your data. Download it here.
Which is your preferred internet browser, and why?
Related articles:
Clearing your browser history
Which browser add-ons do I need?
How to set your browser home page
