If
you’re searching for the best web browser for 2019, you might have
landed on the right web page. Apparently, using a web browser.
We can call web browsers a door to the information space we know as the
world wide web, not the Internet. All you have to do is type the URL in
the address bar, and your browser will do the rest to display the
website which includes techy stuff like contacting the DNS server to get
the website’s IP address.
Internet browsers have other uses as well; they can be used to access
information on some private server or play a local video stored on your
device. With appropriate components added, a web browser can double up
as your password manager, download manager, torrent downloader,
automatic form filler, etc.
People always want that they get the fastest browser out there.
Moreover, the abundance of extensions and plugins is another quality a
good web browser should manifest. So, here, I have tried to sum up some
efficient and powerful Internet browsers that you might want to try this
year.
Note: This list is not arranged in any order of preference.
Top 11 Web Browsers of 2019
1. Google Chrome – Overall top web browser
Platforms supported: Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, iOS, Chrome OS
When Google first introduced Chrome in 2009, it quickly rose up the
popularity charts because it was the fastest web browser back then. Now,
it has competitors. And as the most used web browser today with more
than 60% market share, it’s Google’s responsibility that Chrome
maintains a standard when it comes to speed and providing features to
the users.
Other than basic browser features like bookmark management, extensions, themes, incognito mode,
etc. one thing I like about Chrome is the profile management. The
feature allows multiple people to use the same browser without getting
their internet history, download history, and other things merged.
Chrome also allows users to cast content to a Chromecast-enabled
device using their WiFi network. With the help of Chrome extensions like
VidStream, it’s like a child’s play to stream a locally stored movie to
my Chromecast device.
Another thing that makes Chrome one of the best web browser apps in 2019 is the cross-device support. The
web browser can easily sync internet history, tabs, bookmarks,
passwords, etc. across devices if you have signed-in to your Google
account.
Just recently, with the Chrome 71 release, Google brought tonnes of new
features focusing towards users’ security. Amongst the notable new
features is new ad blocker that will block abusive ads to protect you against an annoying web of ads on a web-page.
2. Mozilla Firefox – Best Chrome alternative
Platforms Supported: Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, iOS, BSD (Unofficial port)
Mozilla recently released Firefox 64 which
packs some useful features such as better recommendations, enhanced tab
management, a new task manager page and much more. The new Firefox is
way faster than its ancestors, and it is now giving a tough fight to
Chrome also. You can read our Chrome vs. Firefox detailed post to get a better idea of how the two web browsers compare.
Firefox’s redesigned UI and many new features might compel people to switch their browser.
When using Private mode, this Chrome browser alternative uses a feature called Tracking Protection to
prevent requests from tracking domains, thereby, loading the web pages
considerably fast. But some media reports suggest that Firefox just
delays loading of the tracking scripts to load user-related content
first.
Anyway, I am pretty confident that revamped Firefox would not disappoint you. With the features like complete disabling of tracking, blocking in-browser cryptomining, this top browser is becoming an ever more attractive option.
3. Microsoft Edge – Best browser for Windows 10
Platforms Supported: Windows 10, Xbox One, Android, iOS
Everyone knows that Microsoft released Edge to save the lost respect of
their veteran browser Internet Explorer. Now, it seems Edge is
undoubtedly among the best web browser software for Windows 10, and
recently, Android and iOS.
People might not want to get out of their Chrome comfort zone, but Edge
has something to offer. After using Edge for a while, there are many
features which you would like and find useful.
You can set the tabs aside to make space for new browser tabs; a single
Hub provides access to bookmarks, internet history, downloads, etc. The built-in Notes extension is quite helpful; it allows users to add notes, highlight something, writing, or snipe, and save the web page on the device.
Next to Notes is the Share button that people can use to share a web page directly over email or social apps like Skype, Twitter, Facebook, add to Cortana Reminders, etc. Edge also comes with a reading mode which is quite handy when reading articles on websites with tons of intrusive adverts. The Show Tab Previews feature is an advantage, but I find it somewhat useless as previews are already available in the task-bar in Windows.
However, Microsoft’s recent decision to shift to Chromium could drastically change Microsoft Edge in the coming future.
Regarding extensions, Microsoft Edge has only 211 (as of writing) of
them, and they’re available in Microsoft Store. One of the reasons why
one can go for Edge is that this top web browser integrates with Windows 10 better than any other browser. And it is fast and responsive.
4. Opera – Browser that prevents cryptojacking
Platforms Supported: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Basic Phones
You might very well remember using Opera Mini on your Java-enabled
mobile phone. Probably, the oldest web browser that’s currently
receiving active development, Opera has almost got diminished due to the
success of Chrome. Still, it improved itself, and now it’s worthy
enough to find a place in the list of best Internet browsers in 2019 for
Windows and other desktop operating systems. It’s often considered as best Firefox alternative.
Opera recently made headlines when it’s developers announced the
addition of a new feature to stop cryptojacking while people use the web
browser.
The desktop version of the web browser includes some features that are usually designed for smartphones, like, a data compression mode, and battery saver. Other exciting features the Opera can flaunt are in-built ad-blocker, screenshot tool, VPN service, currency converter, etc.
However, the standout feature is the Opera Turbo feature that compresses web traffic and makes it one of the best web browsers for those who have low bandwidth.
I found it a little bit difficult to find the Settings and Download
options. These can be enabled or disabled in the context menu after
making a right-click in the sidebar.
Just like other web browser apps, Opera also supports cross-device sync to make the browsing available on all devices where you use your Opera account.
More than 1000 extensions are available for Opera. However, one sense of satisfaction comes from knowing that users can install Chrome extensions in
Opera. That’s because the browser has started using the same engine as
Chromium. Just like Mozilla, the makers of Opera web browser
5. Chromium – Open Source Chrome alternative
Platforms Supported: Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, BSD
If you’re currently using Google Chrome, you won’t have any problem switching to its open-source counterpart which has its presence on Linux systems.
In fact, it’s Chromium only from which Google borrows the source code
for Chrome and sprinkles some proprietary stuff. Read the differences
between Chrome and Chromium here.
By look and feel, and features, Chromium is the same as Chrome. You can sign-in using your Gooogle account, sync data, download extensions, and more.
Still, there are differences which might help users make a better choice. For instance, this Chrome browser alternative doesn’t support automatic updates, proprietary audio video codecs, and doesn’t come with player component.
One major difference is that Chromium is developed as a rolling release
which means features are pushed in new build more frequently than
Chrome, almost daily. That’s the reason the open source browser might crash more often than it’s closed source brother.
6. Vivaldi – A highly customizable browser
Platforms Supported: Windows, macOS, Linux
Vivaldi is only three years old, but it still ranks among the best web
browser apps people can use in 2019. It was created by Opera Software
co-founder Jon Stephenson von Tetzchner and Tatsuki Tomita.
While using Vivaldi a thing you’d quickly notice is its adaptive UI which
changes according to the color scheme of the website you’re browsing.
Vivaldi is also based on Blink, but it was meant to bring to life many
Opera features that were sacrificed during Opera’s transition from
Presto to Blink. Being a Chromium-inspired browser, it supports Chrome extensions just like Opera.
The browser is very similar to Opera with the same sidebar on the
left-hand side. But the level of customization provided, such as for the
address bar, tab bar, etc., is what makes Vivaldi a top web browser.
More customizations include adding custom keyboard shortcuts and mouse gestures as per liking.
There is a note taking tool present
in the sidebar. Users can also add any website to the sidebar as a web
panel. They can access the website anytime through a split screen view.
7. Torch Browser – Browser for torrent downloading
Platforms Supported: Windows
It might not be as popular as Chrome, Firefox, or Edge, but the
Chromium-based browser for Windows certainly deserves a place in the
list of top 10 internet browsers. That because of the features it
provides.
If you’re a fan of the BitTorrent world, you will start loving Torch Browser because it comes with a built-in torrent downloader. You can check out our list of Top 10 torrent sites to find your favorite torrents.
There is a media grabber tool which
can be used to download streaming videos and audio files from web
pages. It appears that this top web browser, which also includes a download accelerator, is designed primarily for users who download stuff every day.
The browser can also play partially downloaded videos and torrents and
also includes a music player which sources content from
YouTube. Facebookphiles might find themselves interested in a feature
called Torch Facelift which can be used to change the theme of their Facebook profile.
You can easily mistake Torch with Chrome because it looks almost the
same and it is also a fast web browser like Chrome and Firefox. It
supports your Google account login to browsing activity and other data
between devices. However, you’ll start to feel the difference when
visiting the Settings screen which doesn’t feature the material design
as it’s based on a slightly older build of Chromium.
8. Maxthon Cloud Browser
Platforms Supported: Windows, macOS Linux, Android, iOS, Windows Phone
Maxthon, existing since 2002, started off primarily as a web browser for
Windows but it arrived on other platforms later. The developers have
promoted Maxthon as a cloud browser. The PR gimmick, however, doesn’t
seem to be exclusive anymore as almost all the top web browser apps now
support data sync over the cloud.
The free web browser comes with tools
to capture videos from web pages, built-in Adblock Plus, night mode,
screen shot tool, email client, password manager, note taking tool, etc.
It also provides access to common Windows tools like Notepad,
Calculator, etc. But I wouldn’t prefer using the same as I can open
tools faster using the Start Menu.
Maxthon poses itself as one of the fastest browsers by housing two rendering engines, WebKit, and Trident. However, this might not convince some users as the Microsoft-designed Trident has gone out of development in favor of EdgeHTML. Still, if you are looking for a good Firefox alternative, Maxthon is a fair choice.
Also, the browser is based on an older version of Chromium, possibly for
stability and compatibility reasons, so users might see “outdated
browser” prompts on some websites. But you can make yourself comfortable
since the developers regularly update Maxthon.
9. Safari – Made for Apple fans
Platforms Supported: MacOS, iOS
It can be a good alternative to Google Chrome and Firefox users for a
change. Earlier, Safari was available for Windows, but Apple
discontinued it a few years ago. This top web browser from the house of
Apple can now be used by MacOS and iOS users only.
The web browser is a host to a pretty significant level of convenience including the customizable toolbar, ability to search tabs, get picture-in-picture on almost every web page, reader view, iCloud sync, etc.
Just like Edge’s Share button, Safari users can share their stuff using AirDrop even
without leaving the web browser. Regarding extensions, Safari might not
have the biggest set of extensions, but be assured, it has got covered
with all the popular stuff.
10. UC Browser – A fast browser made in China
Platforms Supported: Windows, Android, iOS
UC Browser is already counted among the best web browser software
for Android. If you’re aware, it’s also available for other platforms
including Microsoft Windows. Both as a desktop app and a UWP app for
Windows 10.
The look and feel of the PC version of UC browser are equally appealing
as other well-known browsers we see in the market. It’s quick to realize
that the basic theme of the web browser is inclined towards Microsoft
Edge.
UC Browser comes with a built-in password manager and cloud sync capabilities with
other devices. Users can take advantage of the browser’s mouse gestures
to go forward, back, close current tab, restore recently closed tab,
refresh, etc.
For the users with general web browsing needs, UC can be one of the
fastest browsers they can choose. However, a possible downside could be
the lack of extensions that might deviate some users to pick alternatives.
11. Brave web browser
Platforms Supported: Linux, Windows 7, macOS
The final entry on our list of best web browsers for your computer in
2019 is Brave Browser. In a short span of time, Brave has earned a
reputation of a privacy-focused web browser. It comes with inbuilt blockers for advertisements and website trackers.
Created by JavaScript creator Brendan Eich and Brian Bondy,
this open source browser has also introduced a pay-to-surf model that
promises to share part of revenue earned by Brave. Recently, Brave
Browser has announced that users will get 70% of the ad revenue.
The browser provides an option to choose from a long list of 20 search
engines. In a recent update, the developers also added an option of Private tabs integrated with Torto ensure extra privacy.
