A web browser, often shortened to browser, is a software application that is mainly known for letting users access and browse the World Wide Web if a proper internet connection is present. Otherwise, it's just a weird tool that might let you open and view certain file types.

This page is mostly a write-up and shouldn't be considered web browser advice unless you literally don't know where else to look. As a reminder, there is no “perfect web browser” since everybody has different needs and beware “performative privacy” if that matters to you.

OK, Browser Crusher GET.
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　　　　　 ∧＿∧ 　　（´<_｀ 　）　As expected of us.
　　　　　（　´_ゝ`）　　 /　　⌒i
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￣￣| /　　　./　 FMV　 /　|　|
￣|　|（__ﾆつ/＿＿＿＿/ 　|　|＿＿＿＿
田|　|　＼＿＿＿））＼　￣（u　⊃
ﾉ|||　|　　　　　　 ⌒￣ 

Mozilla Firefox is the successor to Netscape Navigator that uses the iconic Gecko layout engine and has consistently been a runner-up until Google Chrome came into existence.¹⁾ From there, Firefox began mimicking Chrome with its rapid version numbering,²⁾ many redesigns over the years,³⁾⁴⁾⁵⁾ and quicker release schedule.⁶⁾ While it's a hard product to pitch, it still remains a decent alternative browser.

If you're considering Mozilla Firefox, I'd suggest tweaking the about:config settings… except I can't really list any suggestions since the browser changes the preference names and defaults so often. Moving on, below is a detailed chart about the official branches of Mozilla Firefox, a description of their purpose, and how they all fit into the aforementioned rapid four-week release cycle.⁷⁾

Waterfox is a privacy-focused fork of Firefox, which initially started out an unofficial 64-bit fork of Firefox before an official 64-bit Firefox was released.⁸⁾ From 2019 to 2023, the project had been picked up by the advertising firm System1,⁹⁾ then went independent again.¹⁰⁾ Some criticize Waterfox for not doing enough, but then again, you also have LibreWolf which can also be criticized for doing a bit too much.

LibreWolf is a privacy-focused fork of Firefox, sometimes viewed as the unofficial successor to Librefox which was voluntarily halted after Mozilla intervened.¹¹⁾ It should be warned that LibreFox takes privacy and security to the utmost extreme, so casual users might be put off by having to manually install the LibreWolf WinUpdater and tweaking preferences so you don't have to constantly relog.

Pale Moon is a unique fork of Mozilla Firefox 24 ESR, which went independent with Pale Moon 25^12)13)14) and uses the Goanna fork.¹⁵⁾¹⁶⁾ However, it has a small community, so you might have to dig for old and obscure extensions.¹⁷⁾¹⁸⁾ You also can't use AdNauseum¹⁹⁾²⁰⁾ or NoScript²¹⁾ with it. The developer can also be a grouch, but that's actually quite common. On the other hand, it can play Flash files.

Toggle old list of Pale Moon extensions.

Tor Browser is a Mozilla Firefox fork that lets you use Tor and view “.onion” websites, but it shouldn't be used as your main browser since it's very slow,²³⁾ open to MITM attacks, and Google reCAPTCHA will give you a really hard time. On the subject of Tor, if you wish to block their 900+ exit nodes, refer to their Abuse FAQ. While we're on the subject, this might be a good time to talk about a VPN.

• Basilisk - Mozilla Firefox 52 ESR fork, no longer Pale Moon associated.²⁴⁾ Useful for Flash.²⁵⁾
• GNU IceCat - The GNU version of Firefox, which you obviously have to build yourself.
• MyPal - Mozilla Firefox 68 fork, intending to maintain support for Windows XP.
• R3dfox - A modern Mozilla Firefox fork, intending to maintain support for Windows 7.
• SeaMonkey - Mozilla Application Suite fork. It's an internet suite! Those are super old.

Chromium is Google's open-source browser that uses the Blink layout engine,²⁶⁾²⁷⁾ and it technically acts as an early version of Google Chrome. If you're interested in Chromium, you can download the latest build of Chromium from here or this mirror, and people can just view the Chromium continuous build waterfall if they're looking for a specific recent build.

Ungoogled Chromium is a Chromium fork with all their best privacy and security patches, removing all unsolicited connections to Google. Similar to its Firefox counterpart, LibreWolf, the browser deletes your cookies and site data after you close the window by default which logs you out of everything. To disable this, you simply have to uncheck a certain box under chrome://settings/cookies (see footnote).²⁸⁾

Google Chrome is Google's proprietary browser that it sells you as its primary browser, packaged with the automatic updater, licensed codecs, Pepper Flash (PPAPI),²⁹⁾ and so forth. For some reason, it'll attempt to install a “Google Update” plugin on non-Chrome browsers and Google Earth. While Chrome is the most popular browser, it is the least private of the bunch.³⁰⁾

^{Note: The above is a sort of combination of the data from the Chrome Platform Status and Chrome Release Channels page.}

Microsoft Edge is Microsoft's proprietary version of Chromium that replaced Internet Explorer. In the past, it used the MSHTML fork, EdgeHTML, until they realized this was no longer viable and switched to Blink.³¹⁾ They actually give you less reasons to use Chrome³²⁾³³⁾ and began to compete with Safari,³⁴⁾³⁵⁾ but don't let their recent success make you forget it's a proprietary browser at the end of the day.

• Brave - A tablet-like UI and a built-in ad blocker. Don't trust anyone who recommends this.
• Opera - It was sold to a PRC consortium in 2016,^36)37)38) then it ditched Presto for Blink.³⁹⁾⁴⁰⁾
• Safari - The original, proprietary Webkit browser from Apple, updates per OS update.
• Sleipnir - It's a Japanese browser with a Safari-like UI and has insane font rendering. Not for AA.
• Supermium
• Vivaldi - Built by ex-Opera developers.⁴¹⁾⁴²⁾ It's better than Opera, but that's not saying much.

Internet Explorer was Microsoft's proprietary web browser that used MSHTML (Trident) and used to be bundled with Microsoft Windows, easily winning the first browser war of the late 1990s. However, the development stalled for five years, bugs would accumulate, and VBScript exploits were at its peak, so their reputation was stained as alternatives like Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome took over.⁴³⁾

• Netrunner (NTR) - This was project by users of 4chan's /g/ board who attempted to build the perfect web browser from scratch. Dead since 2017, rebranded to Beryllium.
• qutebrowser - A keyboard-driven, vim-like browser. Scrolling available. May lack features.

• There are text-only web browsers (e.g. Links, w3m, ELinks, Lynx, etc.), but I don't really have the time to fiddle around with them or set them up.
• I'd test out Chinese web browsers (e.g. 360 Secure Browser, Sogou Browser, UC Browser), but they cause my antivirus to freak out and I don't want to deal with virtual machines.

• Alternative Browser Alliance - A relic of its time, though the page has updated since then.
• Madaidan's Insecurities - A security researcher's evaluations of Firefox and Chrome.