8 Private And Secure Browsers To Try If You Care About Online Privacy

In modern times, data collection and tracking are a severe threat to your online security. You might be unaware that user information is a lucrative commodity that can be sold for millions of dollars. Therefore, it is your responsibility to guard your information from getting into the wrong people’s hands.

The mainstream browsers that you are using currently might be putting you at risk. Popular browser choices keep records of your browsing history as well as the websites you visit through cookies and use this information to give you ads.

If you are worried about protecting your privacy, then we suggest that you look for the most secure web browser devoted to protecting its user’s information and avoid using browsers that are known for collecting data.

Metrics for Ranking Secure Web Browsers

Security. We tested each browser against a range of phishing and dangerous web script sites. We also opted for browsers that support secure encryption capabilities such as ‘DNS over HTTPS’ and ‘forcing HTTPS over HTTP,’ as well as active development teams who are constantly updating and addressing security issues.
Telemetry and data collection. Because web browsers have access to a substantial quantity of personally identifiable information. We investigated each browser’s privacy policies, giving preference to browsers that safeguard and anonymize user data rather than selling it to marketers and large businesses.
Performance. Although speed isn’t critical to browser security, even the most private and secure browsers are useless if they lag and perform poorly. We put each browser through its paces on several popular websites.
Simple to use. A web browser must be well-designed and user-friendly so that most people can easily navigate and modify its settings. A few of the browsers on our list are configured by default for maximum security and privacy. In contrast, others require manual upgrades or security add-ons to be as secure as possible.
Compatibility across platforms. It’s critical that your browser is secured and works well on all of your devices. We assigned points to browsers on the list that really are cross-platform compatible, albeit there is a handful that have poor multi-platform support.

How Can I Stay Safe From Cyber Threats?

As we continue to disclose more personal details regarding ourselves on the web. It is crucial to remember that more than just a browser’s privacy and security settings might be required to keep data secure.

Here are some more security suggestions to help you be safe online:

Reduce the extent of sensitive data you share. Always provide the absolute necessities of information possible – if a site specifies a mandatory field, such as a phone number, consider whether you could get away with giving a fictitious number.
When browsing, use common sense. If something appears to be too good to be true, it most likely is. Suppose a traditionally pricey service or product is being given away for free. In that case, it is most likely linked to viruses or hackers. Check the URL of the site you’re visiting to ensure you’re not being phished (hint: facebook.weebly.com is not Facebook’s official URL).
Utilize a password manager and create strong passwords. We’ve been guilty of using the exact same password again, and we’ve all selected passwords that even inexperienced hackers might guess. Use a password that is tough to decipher, including lower and upper case, digits and special characters. And, because you should use multiple passwords for different sites, consider utilizing a 3rd-party password manager such as Dashlane or 1Password to help you remember them.
Maintain the most recent version of your antivirus software. While your browser can protect you from specific web-based threats, you should purchase a reliable internet security suite if you want to protect your device and web presence.
Only shop on safe websites. Hackers frequently target online shoppers plus their credit card details. Check that the site you’re sending your information to has an HTTPS connection – you can easily check this by looking at the URL bar (many browsers have a “Lock” icon that indicates if the site you’re visiting is safe).
To conceal your location, utilize a virtual private network (VPN). A VPN will conceal your actual location, preventing internet sites, ISPs, and even government officials from knowing where you are. This gives the impression of anonymity.
Keep your OS, software, and apps up to date. The bulk of updates are security patches, which is the reason why Firefox, Brave, and Chrome typically automatically update.

As We mentioned at the outset, being totally secure as well as private online is extremely hard. You can safeguard yourself on the internet by purchasing reputable antivirus software, using a VPN, setting a password manager, and utilizing a secure browser. You will have protected yourself as much as possible by doing so!

Today’s post will provide six excellent alternative safe browsers that offer built-in protection against website tracking.

1. Mozilla Firefox

If you have tried Firefox many years ago and didn’t like it, then we suggest you give it another try because the latest version of the browser is faster and comparable to Google Chrome. The user interface has been redesigned to be more user friendly and streamlined.

The unique Tracking Protection feature in Private mode stops requests from tracking domains, which improves loading speeds. To make things even better, Mozilla recently overhauled its Windows 10 browser and launched Firefox Quantum, which offers a variety of useful, user-friendly features.

The Firefox is a serious contender for the most private browser thanks to its complete disabling of tracking features as well as its ability to block in-browser crypto mining. Firefox is currently available for Windows, Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, BSD (Unofficial port)

2. Google Chrome

Google Chrome is the world’s most favorite browser for a few reasons; it’s fast, it’s very expandable, it’s efficient, and it’s FREE! Launched in 2009, even after a decade, Chrome is still one of the most popularly used and most private browser.

If you talk about the basic features, Google Chrome offers all basic features and performs excellently. Besides its basic browsing features, Google Chrome also provides advanced features like profile management, bookmark management, themes, extensions, incognito mode, and cross-device support. , etc.

With all the pros of Chrome, the biggest con of this browser is its high memory consumption. It can eat up all of your device’s RAM space.

Google Chrome is compatible with Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS. All-in-all Google Chrome is an excellent option for safe and secure browsing. You will not experience any lags, and it has successfully maintained its speedy and efficient browsing performance.

3. Microsoft Edge Chromium

Not amongst the most popularly used browser and accused of its slow speed and leggy performance, Microsoft Edge made a comeback in 2019 with its Chromium-based source code and switched from its classic EdgeHTML engine.

With the new Edge browser, users can now enjoy nearly all of the Google Chrome extensions. If you talk about the overall performance, Microsoft Edge Chromium has improved drastically, especially for Windows 10.

Microsoft Edge Chromium is compatible with Windows 10/7/8, Xbox One, Android, iOS, macOS. The only con that you may experience is its constant demand of being the default browser. The browser also comes with a multi-layer tracking protection features that add to your browsing safety, and you can be worry-free about being watched or your data being leaked by Microsoft Edge Chromium.

It would be incorrect to say that Microsoft Edge Chromium might soon take Google Chrome’s place because of its impressive range of features.

4. Opera

If you are a Java-enabled mobile phone user, you would remember using the all-time trusted Opera Mini. Although Opera is one of the oldest web browsers, however, it had a tough time surviving after the launch of the best privacy browser Google Chrome.

After a few years and with a ton of improvisations and added features, Opera is back, and today it is popularly known as one of the best alternatives for Firefox.

Opera is compatible with Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Basic Phones. The best feature of Opera is that no matter if you use the desktop version or you opt for the smartphone version, you will get to enjoy several features that optimize the performance and the overall user experience of the browser.

Some of the most impressive features of Opera include the data compression mode, battery saver mode, in-built ad-blocker, crypto mining prevention, screenshot tool, currency converter, VPN service, cross-device sync, etc.

Opera uses the same engine as Chromium, so you can easily install nearly all the Chrome extensions in Opera. Al-in-all, Opera is currently the best browser for privacy and the best low bandwidth browser.

5. Vivaldi

Unlike some of the other suggestions on our list, Vivaldi is a newer option that was launched a few years ago, but that should not deter you from trying this browser out. Vivaldi has been ranked as one of the top secure browsers for Windows 10 in 2021.

The co-founder of the majorly successful Opera Software Jon Stephenson von Tetzchner and Tatsuki Tomita created Vivaldi so you can imagine that it has much to offer. Besides offering excellent data security and privacy features, the browser has UI that is extremely pleasing to the eye as it adapts to the color scheme of the website you are visiting.

It also has multiple features of Opera that were removed when the software switched from Presto. Furthermore, Vivaldi supports Chrome extensions and is supported by Windows, Linux, and macOS. Another similarity with Opera is that it allows you to create custom shortcuts, which increases ease and user-friendliness.

6. Tor Browser

Based on Mozilla Firefox but with security features that are a step above, with TOR best secure browser, you will get the peace of mind that your security and privacy are at the forefront. You can access the internet with this secure browser with complete anonymity through its private network.

Tor is the most secure browser when it comes to ensuring that your information does not end up somewhere through its 3-layer encryption, which includes bouncing the communications you make through the browser around a distributed network of volunteering computers that act as relays. The browser developers assure users that their browser history isn’t tracked, and cookies are cleared after each session. Tor is highly recommended to access the dark web safely.

It would be best if you kept up with the security patches and bug fixes based on Firefox. Tor is currently available for Windows, macOS, and Linux.

7. Maxthon

Maxthon is one of the best browsers if you search for a browser for Windows 10 that offers a similar interface and user experience of Internet Explorer.

Maxthon is popular for its unique features, including its drag-and-drop content feature that simplifies the process of uploading content on the browser.

With this feature, you can easily grab any image, text, or other content from any website and drop the content into an email or a personal message to quickly share and send it. The drag-and-drop content feature eliminates the need to cut, clip, copy or save any content, hence saving both time and effort.

Maxthon also offers excellent parental control features that allow parents to block content based on its security levels and side ratings.

To make the browsing experience more convenient, Maxthon offers a feature that saves the information and information you have typed into online forms and automatically fills the forms for you the next time you need it.

The downside of the Maxthon is that it does not offer effective features to stop malware downloads or block phishing schemes. Therefore, we highly recommend you to use trustable antivirus software alongside Maxthon.

8. Avast Secure

Avast Secure is a web browser with an added layer of Avast’s free antivirus program, which provides effective protection against phishing schemes and online malware attacks that target your computer.

Besides the helpful security benefits, Avast Secure features the typical browser tools including browser tabs, password manager, and session restore. Additionally, like most other popular browsers, Avast Secure comes with an automatically enabled pop-up blocker. There is a privacy browser that does not track or record browser history while online for incognito browsing.

Avast Secure is surprisingly quick to start up and navigate between pages; its speed is impressive, especially when compared to other prominent browsers.

Unfortunately, Avast Secure is only available for Windows computers; while there is a Mac version, it does not offer all the features you’d find in the Windows versions. Another major drawback is that Apple or Android browser apps are not yet available, which greatly limits its usability.

Verdict

These were our top 8 picks for safe and secure browsing. We have shared with you the top reasons why you should opt for the lesser-popular browsers like Vivaldi and Brav and how they compare to some of the most popularly used yet not secure enough browsers. Chrome or Firefox are two of the best secure browsers if you want to stick to the most popular browsers.

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