Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Internet Explorer have dominated the scene for a long time and it is easy to forget that there are many other web browsers available. While the leading web browsers offer good functionality and practical features that explain why they have become so popular, if you want to try something different you can consider alternative options. There are web browsers that are ideal for playing games, for media content or for enhancing the security of your online browsing. If you look beyond the most popular browsers, you can discover solutions that can work even better for your needs. Here is a list of the best alternative browsers that are worth a try.
Epic
Epic is a reliable company, committed to protect the privacy of its customers and to help them to avoid being tracked online. The browser is designed to ensure that no data is kept so it doesn’t save your passwords, cookies, cache, history or any other information. When you close the browser, databases, preferences, local storage and other important data is wiped out. Epic also features a proxy that allows you to bypass geo-blocks and get access to international content.
Vivaldi
Created by a team of developers that previously work on Opera browser, Vivaldi is a free browser that offers a great range of customization settings. Some of the features available include quick commands, speed dial and a very practical solution that will enable you to rewind and fast forward to navigate faster. Vivaldi offers a great deal of flexibility and it lets you take notes, access visual previews of open tabs and more.
Browzar
If privacy is your main concern, consider Browzar, a free browser that focuses on helping you to enhance the privacy of your online browsing. It doesn’t keep cookies, temporary files, history, cache or passwords. Once you close the browser, all the data is deleted. Another advantage of Browzar is that it doesn’t require installation and it is portable, meaning that you can have it on a USB drive and use it on any device. Browzar is a good option for online banking, cloud services and to access any website that handles your personal information.
Avant Browser
This is a fantastic solution for users who are looking for an easy to use web browser that also delivers great speeds. With Avant Browser you can access websites faster and enjoy a seamless experience when you navigate the internet. Avant Browser is free and it offers three rendering engines: Gecko, Webkit and Trident. You can select the option you prefer or switch between them as needed. Thanks to the multiprocessing feature, even if one tab fails, the entire browser won’t freeze. Other great features included are ad blocker, flash animation filter and download accelerator. You can get it for free.
Lunascape Browser
Lunascape also has three rendering engines: Gecko, Webkit and Trident. Additionally, this free browser offers practical features like cascade view, tab and shift lock, highlighted search and backups. There is also a variety of customization options and extensions that will help you to enjoy the browser according to your preferences. Like with other good options for privacy, once you exit Lunascape, your personal data is deleted.
Citrio
Citrio is a free browser that is also very fast and efficient. It It is designed to provide reliable performance and a seamless browsing experience. Since Citrio comes with download manager and download accelerator, it works very fast. The browser has some similarities with Chrome, but it is even easier to use. It also has built-in protection against malware and phishing. You will find an extensive selection of extensions to customize your experience with Citrio.
Comodo – Dragon/Ice Dragon
Dragon and Ice Dragon are Comodo’s secure web browsers that are designed to provide great speed, flexiblity and security for your online browsing. Dragon is based on Chromium, while Ice Dragon is a Firefox based solution that is compatible with Firefox extensions. To help you to keep your privacy protected, Comodo’s browsers don’t track your activities and prevent cookies. Both Dragon and Ice Dragon are solid browsers to improve your online secuirty.
Sleipnir
Sleipnir takes its name from Norse mythology but it is a Japanese browser that offers features that set it apart from other options. It supports thumbnails of opened pages and the option to arrange tabs into groups. Sleipnir uses Blink engine and looks very similar to Safari. It is a free option that works with Mac and windows.
Orfox
Orfox is built from the same source code as Tor Browser, but with a few minor modifications to the privacy enhancing features to make them compatible with the Android operating system. You can also get Orfox for Windows.
Superbird
Superbird is a good alternative for Google Chrome users who want to improve the security of their browsing activities. Superbird is a free browser that is focused on offering a fast, reliable and secure experience. The popular search engine DuckDuckGo is used so your personal data won’t be collected. One of the main advantages of using Superbird instead of Chrome is that although it offers similar functionality and performance, it won’t send your information to Google or other third parties.
Maxthon
Maxthon offers not just a browser but also a solution to manage the information that you collect from the internet. It uses Webkit and Trident and it stands out for being incredibly fast and for giving you the possibility of syncing data to the cloud. This allows you to access it from anywhere. Maxthon can also protect you from malicious websites and phishing.
BlackHawk
Blackhawk combines the best features of Chrome and Firefox into one simple and efficient browser. If you want to enjoy the fast performance of Chrome and the wide range of options that Firefox offers, BlackHawk is the ideal solution. There is a great selection of extensions to customize your browsing experience and you can also change the appearance of the browser thanks to exclusive themes.
Midori
Midori is a free browser that offers great speeds thanks to the fact that it is lightweight and uncluttered. It uses Webkit rendering engine and looks very similar to Chrome. Midori comes with a downloader and spellchecker and it offers a good variety of customization settings.
SlimBrowser
SlimBrowser is another lightweight browser that offers good functionality and security. You can access content fast due to the built-in video downloader and file download manager. SlimBrowser also comes with an integrated ad blocker, auto form filling and web page and text translation. In addition, it offers one click access to Facebook and you can open multiple sites as a group.
NetGroove
This tabbed browser is based on Chromium, which is why it resembles Google Chrome in some aspects. Since it is portable, you can bring it with you on a USB drive without having to install it. NetGroove is a practical solution to enjoy safer browsing, specially when you are using public computers.
QupZilla
QupZilla is QtWebEngine browser that supports basic functions such as tabs, history and bookmarks, as well as advanced options like AdBlock, built-in RSS reader and speed dial. It uses native widgets, icons and you have the option to switch to different themes if preferred.
Beamrise
If you love social media, you can opt for Beamrise to combine browsing and chatting in a simple, fast web browser. It is ideal for Facebook, Skype and other websites and services that allow you to stay connected with friends and family. Beamrise is free and it includes video chat capabilities, animations and emoticons. It also offers visual bookmarks and you have the option to send free texts.
