Google Chrome is comfortably the most popular browser in use today. Over 60% of desktop users choose Chrome over other browsers.

This dominance over the browser market means that many new users also default to Chrome when deciding which web browser to use.

However, there are alternatives to Chrome that are worth your consideration. Many of these browsers offer unique benefits that will suit certain users.

Some prioritise online security and anonymity, while others offer unique usability features to their users.

Here are four diverse alternatives to Google Chrome which offer a wide array of features.

Firefox

Perhaps Chrome’s most famous rival, Firefox is an open-source browser that prioritises performance alongside a clean, simple look.

Firefox claims to be 30% lighter on memory than Chrome, potentially making it a fantastic choice for users looking for a less-intensive option.

Firefox also serves as an alternative browser for those who don’t enjoy the look and feel of Chrome, or are worried about Google’s information collecting or user monitoring practices.

Opera

is a high-performing browser that is based on the same baseline technology as Chrome – Chromium. As a result, it can run many Chrome extensions – giving it an edge over most other Chrome alternatives.

Opera offers nifty features of its own, too, including a social sidebar that integrates apps such as WhatsApp Web and Facebook Messenger into the browser.

When you click on the relevant app’s icon, the app pops out from the sidebar – meaning you don’t need to run these apps in separate tabs.

Opera also offers a Turbo feature, which compresses webpages to save bandwidth. This can be helpful for South African users who have slow or unstable internet connections.

Other features Opera offers include a built-in basic VPN and native ad-blocker.

Brave

Thebrowser is a new entrant into the market.

Brave is, like Opera, built on Chromium. However, it doesn’t offer nearly as many Chrome extensions as Opera.

Instead, it has carved out a unique niche for itself by removing all ads from every website you visit, before replacing these ads with its own.

Brave also removes ad tracking software, which allows advertisers to know which other sites you’ve visited. Google’s search ads remain present on Brave.

Tor

Tor has become famous for being the browser of choice for dark web users.

However, it is built upon a modified iteration of Firefox, and can be used as a general Internet browser.

If you’re concerned about your privacy, Tor is the go-to browser. However, it comes with the disadvantage of being slower than the other browsers on this list due to the extra measures taken to secure and anonymise your connection.

The September update renders Tor a surprisingly intuitive browser for the every-day user. For the most part, you use Tor just as you would any other browser, making it a fantastic choice for users who want to maintain their security without compromising on ease-of-use.

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