The web browser market has been one of the most interesting ones regarding its market leaders over the years. There were times when browsers such as Netscape Navigator and Internet Explorer were huge names. Still, these days, the focus is much more likely to be on browsers like Google Chrome, Safari, and Mozilla Firefox.
We’re going to focus on the two browsers of that selection which aren’t limited to a single OS, so that’s Chrome and Firefox, seeing as Safari is only for Apple devices. Chrome takes up approximately 68% of the desktop browser market share, making it the choice of most people to surf the web. Firefox takes 4th place at about 8% but considering that it doesn’t come preinstalled like Chrome (on Chromebooks), Safari (on Apple devices), and Edge (on Windows PCs), that is impressive.
When it comes to mobile browsers, by coming on every Android device, Chrome leads once again at 63.57%. Here, Firefox is pretty much negligible with just about 0.5%. But we’re focusing on the desktop versions anyway.
If you’re like me, you’ve probably used both browsers we’re focusing on today, and you might find it tricky figuring out which one to settle on. Well, you’re in the right place to find the answer to that. We’re going to be pitting Firefox vs. Chrome to see which one comes out on top.
Do you have a particular question about Firefox VS Chrome comparison? Then use the table of contents below to jump to the most relevant section. And you can always go back by clicking on the black arrow in the right bottom corner of the page. Also, please note that some of the links in this article may be affiliate links. For more details, check the Disclosure section at the bottom of the page.
Here's what we'll cover:
Which Web Browser is Better? Google Chrome or Firefox?
So, while everyone might be out there using Chrome, you’re asking yourself, is Firefox better than Chrome? It might be a dark horse, after all.
Personally, I was using Firefox for a long time after Chrome dominated the market. Now, I have both of them on my laptop. They each have their advantages, but only one can come out on top in the fight between Firefox vs. Google Chrome.
Let’s look at different aspects of these desktop browsers to see how they compare to one another and whether you should be using Firefox or Chrome.
Aesthetics
Design-wise, it’s hard to give either Firefox or Chrome the crown. They both look good, and your preference is likely to be the deciding factor here. However, part of the aesthetics of Firefox leaks into its ease of use, making it better.
For instance, for me, there are a lot fewer confusing buttons to have to contend with. In addition, the menu is a lot easier for me to deal with when I want to change settings up.
It’s tight, but Firefox takes the win for me on this one.
Performance
If you’ve read even just a few Google Chrome reviews, one of the universal complaints is RAM usage. While the numbers don’t lie and Chrome truly is hungry for your RAM, it will be a shock for you to find out that it is actually more conservative on that front than Firefox.
A little experiment by Tom’s Guide helps us realize that in the fight between Google Chrome vs. Firefox, the latter is definitely more aggressive with its RAM consumption. This is an essential difference between Chrome and Firefox.
Performance isn’t all about RAM management, though. When it comes to actual objective speed, this assessment by Avast showed that Chrome beats out Firefox when it comes to speed. So if someone has ever told you that Firefox is faster than Chrome, they might be talking from experience, but the numbers don’t lie.
So, if you’re really going to talk about Firefox vs. Chrome speed, the clear winner is Google Chrome.
Privacy
It’s important to stay private on the internet these days. Our personal data is at risk of being exposed at any time. Seeing as an internet browser is our portal to the world, it’s integral that they take this seriously.
Mozilla is a non-profit company, so you should know that they don’t make any money from ads. This means there’s no benefit to them hitting you with targeted ads left and right because they aren’t about that life. The Firefox vs. Chrome privacy comparison is one easy place to find Google lacking. Their primary source of revenue is an advertisement, so it is to be expected that they milk your data for more personalized ads.
Privacy is not Google’s game, so I give this one to Mozilla Firefox.
Features
When it comes to the features that each of these browsers brings to the table, it can be hard to find a winner. Web browsers have more features than we can count, so in this battle between Mozilla Firefox vs. Google Chrome, we’ll look at only the most important of these.
First of all, let’s talk about their stores for extensions and add-ons. Firefox has quite an impressive gallery of add-ons to make your browsing experience a lot more curated for you. Still, they don’t hold a candle to the size of the Chrome Web Store, which is huge.
Chrome also gives you the option to cast your browser to another display in your home or office. This is a feature notoriously absent from Firefox. This is a massive difference between Firefox and Chrome, and it can certainly be a dealbreaker for some.
Firefox does have things going for it, though, like a built-in capture mode for taking screenshots and a reading mode that strips a page down to nothing but the relevant text. Chrome has fantastic integration with Google apps like Docs, Sheets, and Translate without going in too deep.
Chrome comes out on top here, though Firefox has a lot going in its favor.
Multi-Platform Support
While both of these browsers have apps on desktop and mobile, Chrome easily wins in the multi-platform experience. If you have an Android device, this becomes painfully evident.
Apart from keeping your browser data synced between the two, personal data on your Android device, such as payment methods loaded onto your phone, will be accessible from the desktop version.
It’s simply part of the benefits of having your own OS, I’d wager. Chrome takes it thanks to strong Android syncing.
Verdict
Having used both browsers for a long time, I think I’m a great person to bring you this sort of Chrome and Firefox review. After looking at five different aspects of their performance, both browsers are top-notch. Honestly speaking, you won’t be frustrated by either.
In the end, in the fight between Firefox vs. Chrome, there has to be one winner after all. For me, that’s rather clear. When it comes to Google Chrome or Firefox, the winner to me is certainly Chrome.
Worry not though, Firefox is a great browser (even the new Edge browser is, these days). If you were expecting Firefox to win here, just know that it didn’t lose from lack of ability.
Credits: Thanks for the photo to Canva.
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