Short answer: pick the browser that fits the devices you own.
- You use a mix of devices, such as a Windows PC and an iPhone, or a Mac and an Android phone: Chrome. It runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iPhone and iPad, and your Google Account carries your bookmarks and passwords between them.
- Everything you own is made by Apple: Safari. It is built into your Mac, iPhone and iPad, and Apple says it runs efficiently for longer battery life.
- You want tracker blocking on from the start and no Google or Apple account: Firefox.
- You use Windows and a Microsoft account: Edge. It is already on your PC, and it can install extensions from the Chrome Web Store.
All four are free and can sit side by side on one computer, so you can try one without giving up another. To get Chrome, see the official downloads for Windows, Mac, Android or iPhone and iPad.
The four at a glance
| Chrome | Safari | Firefox | Edge | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Made by | Apple | Mozilla | Microsoft | |
| Runs on | Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iPhone, iPad | Apple devices only | Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iPhone, iPad | Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iPhone, iPad |
| Tracking protection out of the box | You choose whether to allow third-party cookies; Incognito blocks them by default | Intelligent Tracking Prevention | Blocks trackers automatically; Total Cookie Protection | Tracking prevention with Basic, Balanced and Strict levels |
| Extensions from | Chrome Web Store | App Store | Firefox Add-ons | Edge Add-ons, and the Chrome Web Store if you allow it |
| Syncs with | Google Account | Your Apple devices | Mozilla account | Microsoft account |
Chrome
Chrome’s strength is reach. Google’s system requirements cover Windows, Mac, Linux, Android phones and tablets, and iPhone and iPad. When you sign in to Chrome with your Google Account, you get your bookmarks, passwords and more on all of those devices.
For safety, Chrome’s Safe Browsing Standard protection is on by default and warns you about sites, downloads and extensions known to be dangerous. You can switch to Enhanced protection in Settings > Privacy and security > Security, as Google’s Safe Browsing help explains. Third-party cookies are your choice, under Settings > Privacy and security > Third-party cookies.
Safari
Safari only runs on Apple devices. Apple’s Safari page highlights Intelligent Tracking Prevention, which uses on-device intelligence to help stop cross-site tracking, and a Privacy Report that shows the trackers it blocked. Apple also says that in its own tests on a MacBook Air, Safari streamed video for up to 5 hours longer than Chrome. Passwords and passkeys are kept in iCloud Keychain. The catch is that Safari’s tabs and history can’t follow you to a Windows PC or an Android phone.
More detail: Chrome vs Safari on Mac and iPhone.
Firefox
Firefox is made by Mozilla. Mozilla’s Firefox features page says it blocks trackers automatically and protects your privacy by default, and its Total Cookie Protection keeps cookies from following you from one site to another. Sync uses a free Mozilla account, and extensions come from Firefox’s own add-ons site rather than the Chrome Web Store.
More detail: Chrome vs Firefox.
Edge
Microsoft calls Edge the default web browser in Windows and a core part of it, which is why it can’t be uninstalled. Its tracking prevention has three levels: Basic, Balanced (Microsoft’s recommended setting) and Strict. Edge can install extensions from the Chrome Web Store once you turn on Allow extensions from other stores. It also builds in Microsoft’s Copilot.
More detail: Chrome vs Edge.
What about speed?
Speed and battery claims usually come from the browser maker’s own tests, like Apple’s for Safari, run on hardware it chose. Your own results depend on your device and on how many tabs and extensions you keep open. In Chrome, Memory Saver and Energy Saver help with both.
Switching later
You aren’t locked in. Chrome can import bookmarks and settings from other browsers; see how to move bookmarks into and out of Chrome. Other head-to-head comparisons: Chrome vs Brave, Chrome vs Vivaldi and Chrome vs Arc.