- Your cart is empty
- Continue Shopping
Currently, users can choose from numerous popular and less popular web browsers that promise a better and safer browsing experience, greater privacy protection, customised search results, and many other features. This time, we chose to test six web browsers that are the most popular among Windows users, while their market share ranges between 50 % and 1 %. We excluded from the test Safari browser for Windows, still having a good share of users in the Windows OS, but Apple opted out of its further development already at the end of 2018.
“The test of web browsers reveals a very important fact, namely that none of the tested browsers is perfect. While some of these web browsers provide the best protection against malware, others may offer better security settings or help you become anonymous on web.”
Microsoft Internet Explorer
Let’s start with one of the oldest and probably best-known web browsers for Windows. Internet Explorer used to be the most popular Internet browser; however, due to its constant security issues, it has always had a pretty bad reputation. According to some data, Internet Explorer has the highest level of threat; therefore, we can no longer recommend it as a secure browser at present. Moreover, Microsoft stopped providing major updates and fixes for all versions of its browser (except for IE 11) already in 2016. Nevertheless, it is estimated that in 2021, this web browser is still used as the main web browsing and searching tool by approximately 2 % of users.
It could be said for Internet Explorer that it might be the best-known web browser, but it has become obsolete over time; therefore, Microsoft found an excellent and, above all, safer replacement, which they named Edge. However, we included this browser in the test, as it can still be found in Windows.
Microsoft Edge
Microsoft Edge was introduced with Windows 10 as its default web browser and a successor to Internet Explorer. By its structure, it is identical to Google Chrome web browser, using its open source Chromium base.
At present, the browser enables the safest way to browse the Internet and, according to many tests, it is considered the fastest and safest browser currently available on the market.
During the test, Microsoft Edge was the one that blocked the largest number of phishing websites. Microsoft Edge receives automatic updates through Windows Update, namely, unless we turned off the automatic update option for Windows 10.
As privacy protection is concerned, Edge provides the “Do not follow” option. Unfortunately, most websites ignore this requirement. The browser also offers web browsing in private mode, and it does not record search history, cookies, and temporary files.
The Microsoft’s browser has a great advantage over its biggest competitor, Google Chrome, as the latter does not record, capture, and store our data for profiling purposes and targeted ads while browsing the web, which gives it every chance to become soon the most secure and trustworthy web browser.
Google Chrome
Google Chrome is a popular web browser, which has been available on the market since 2008, with a constant market share of approximately 50 % in recent years.
Its user-oriented functionality and high level of security have undoubtedly contributed to the success of this browser. Secure Internet browsing, threat alerts, automatic updates, password storage, a user-friendly and easy-to-use interface are the main positive advantages of Chrome browser.
However, Google has the ability to track every user’s step and click, which can raise doubt and concern for the user. It means that even if Chrome is considered one of the most secure web browsers, its ability to monitor, collect, and exploit data is its biggest drawback.
Mozilla Firefox
Mozilla Firefox has always been one of the most successful competitors to Google Chrome; however, it has not been the most successful recently, as its share of users is currently only 3 %. Nevertheless, Firefox developers are still working hard and constantly updating the browser with improvements, security updates, and new features.
In order to make Firefox the most secure browser, its developers have also decided for frequent security updates and fixes, and improved its tracking protection.
Firefox, like its biggest competitor, takes care of secure web browsing and provides us with threat alerts. We can definitely say, however, that at the time being, the biggest advantage of Firefox browser is that, unlike the browsers like Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge, it does not follow our every move on the web, and it much more significantly respects our privacy.
Opera
Opera web browser was bought in 2015 by the web security company SurfEasy, which is also obvious in the browser’s security. Namely, the new owner has decided to provide its users with the possibility of better privacy by installing a virtual private network (VPN). In VPN, however, only randomly selected locations in Europe, America, and Asia are available, which means that we cannot choose countries. There are not many options for customising VPN, but data transfer is unlimited and fully free.
The browser protects us from Internet scams and malware, it has security tags for websites we visit, allows us to block ads, and provides us with threat alerts.
Tor
Tor is a web browser based on Mozilla Firefox browser, and it is developed and managed by volunteers. This browser does not use VPN, but nevertheless protects our privacy by hiding our IP address, location, and our browsing information. It uses several different layers of encryption, thus preventing anyone from discovering our activities on the web.
Tor web browser is best-known for being widely used by hackers. It does not mean, however, that there is anything illegal or dangerous in the software itself. At present, this is one of the most secure web browsers available fully free of charge.
Tor uses an HTTPS connection, allows access to locked websites, and even visits to the dark web. However, we strongly advise you against using Tor to visit the dark web, as the latter is full of suspicious, illegal, and inappropriate contents.
While using the browser, our activity cannot be monitored by web providers, the police, government bodies, and others, but they can still see that we use Tor browser, and perhaps this is exactly how we attract their attention.
Further Tor’s disadvantages include its slow operation, somewhat complicated settings, and also its unreliability, as it may happen that it unexpectedly reveals our IP address.
Brief Summary
The test of web browsers reveals a very important fact, namely that none of the above-mentioned browsers is perfect. While some of these web browsers provide the best protection against malware, others may offer better security settings or help you become anonymous on the web. We could even say for some of them that their settings are too demanding for an average user.
Google Chrome provides strong protection against malicious websites, but it is constantly struggling with user privacy and, consequently, raises concerns in many users; Firefox is continuously improving its web experience, while also taking great care of security of its users; Opera includes a built-in VPN and takes significant care of security of its users; Internet Explorer continues struggling with bugs that reduce its security; Microsoft Edge is the winner in blocking websites with phishing; Tor offers anonymity …
Based on our test results and the security of web browsers, we rank them as follows:
- Mozilla Firefox
- Opera
- Google Chrome
- Tor
- Microsoft Edge
- Microsoft Explorer
Firefox is our winner as the most secure browser in 2021, mainly due to its strong emphasis on user privacy, while it has recently also improved with ongoing security and other updates, at the same time. Nevertheless, we strongly advise you to choose a browser according to your preferences, while thinking about how much personal information you are willing to share with browser developers, Google search engine, or third parties. All of these browsers will provide you with protection against cybercriminals, though you need to consider the fact that no web browser is perfect.
What about web browsers in smartphones?
Although Google Chrome browser has the leading role on computers, it is “only” ranked second when used on smartphones and other devices. Namely, Safari web browser is the winner on these devices. The reason behind that is definitely a significant share of Apple mobile devices (approx. 10 % in PCs and approx. 35% in phones and tablets), which already have it installed as a default browser. Please, see more about web browsers on mobile devices in one of the following tests.
