I am a long time user of Firefox and Chrome on desktops (GNU/Linux and macOS), while I rely on Chrome on my iOS devices.
Recently there has been some valid critics of Chrome and its privacy choices and I began to look around for an alternative of Chrome.
I identified a list of features that I consider a must-have in the browser I use and I decided to give a try to other browsers as well.
To present the results, I designed this table:
| Ad blocker | Search engine override | Reader mode | Tab syncing | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Firefox | Yes [3] [4] | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Chrome | Desktop only [3] | Desktop only | Desktop only [5] | Yes |
| Safari | Yes [3] [4] | Yes | Yes | Partial [2] |
| Opera | Desktop only [1] [3] | Yes | Desktop only [5] | Yes |
[1] On Opera iOS, even if “Block ads” was enabled, I could still see AdSense ads.
[2] Obviously, Safari is not released for GNU/Linux, hence this limitation.
[3] Via uBlock Origin extension (desktop only).
[4] Via Firefox Focus WebView extension (iOS only).
[5] Via Reader View extension (desktop only).
Considering all my needs expressed in the table, I will be continuing using Firefox on desktops, and I will switch my mobile browser of choice to Firefox.
What are your experiences with browsers on desktop and mobiles? What browser do you use?