Safari Or Firefox Or Chrome For Mac

Safari Vs Chrome Vs Firefox
Safari Or Firefox Or Chrome For Macbook
Safari Or Chrome On Mac

It’s been a while since I entirely switched to Chrome on iOS, and for a good reason. I find the instantaneous syncing of my browsing data between different platforms and devices vital for productivity. That's not possible with Safari. So what about Firefox?

How To Remove Any Search Manager From Mac (Safari, Chrome, Firefox) Uninstall AnySearchManager Extension From Safari, Chrome & Mozilla. AnySearchManager is a potentially unwanted application that targets browser installed on the Mac. Many users can see it as an extension added on their browser like Safari, Chrome or Mozilla. Firefox beat Chrome while using the same amount of processing power. Safari destroyed both of them, but was demanding. Running the Octane 2.0 benchmark, Firefox was right under Chrome, but used.

Firefox Quantum is collecting praises and syncs data seamlessly as well, just like Chrome. So I downloaded Firefox for iOS to check out some old bookmarks and was pleasantly surprised with what I saw. Mozilla's new browser was good enough, and I used it for longer than I had planned.

Does Firefox warrant a complete switchover from Chrome? While both browsers have a lot of convenient features to offer, let's look at a few areas where they excel over each other.

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New Tabs

When I first launched Firefox, I was surprised to see how similar it looked to Chrome. Not to say that there aren’t any differences in aesthetics — Chrome looks more modern and polished, while Firefox has that classical touch to it with clearly defined boundaries between elements.

Icons to access your synced browsing history, recent tabs from other devices and the reading list are conveniently present on the new tab pages of both browsers. Chrome has them at the middle of the screen, while Firefox lists them on the top. Navigation controls are well positioned at the bottom of the screen on each browser, which makes flicking back and forth between pages, switching to alternate tabs, and accessing browser menus a breeze.

The new tabs on both browsers also showcase frequently visited sites, which may be either useful or distracting depending on what you prefer. However, Firefox lets you disable and replace them with a fully blank screen if needed. Meanwhile, Chrome offers no similar option, possibly due to the minimalist nature of its icons. Further, Firefox also allows you to replace the default new tab with your custom homepage — another thing that Chrome doesn't allow.

In short, you are stuck with what you get on Chrome, while Firefox allows for a certain degree of customization.

Tip: To customize the appearance of the Firefox new tab, visit the New Tab and Homepage options from the browser’s Settings panel.

Navigational Controls

When it comes to navigation, Chrome has a couple of advantages over Firefox. For one, it’s pretty easy to search for something — Chrome’s has a nifty search icon located directly within the navigation bar itself, which helps when surfing one-handed.

And then there’s the browser menu. Unlike Firefox, the Chrome menu includes nifty shortcuts to open both normal and incognito tabs, which negates the requirement to rely solely on the tab switcher all the time. Also, you can select the options listed within the menu with a single seamless gesture, thus allowing for some rapid-fire browsing.

Tip: To select options within the Chrome menu with a single touch gesture, start by tapping and holding the menu icon. Next, drag your finger over to the option that you want to select, and then lift your finger.

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Ads and Trackers

The internet is rife with annoying advertisements, and getting rid of them translates into a better experience when it comes to most websites, in general. But while there are tons of content blockers for Safari, the App Store forbids any for the third-party web browsers.

For Chrome, I did find a workaround a while back that involved switching DNS servers to filter out advertisements, but it's somewhat confusing and tedious compared to having a dedicated ad-blocker doing the job instead.

When it comes to Firefox, however, ad-blocking is ingrained right into the browser itself. Open the Firefox menu, and then switch on Tracking Protection to disable both web trackers and advertisements. Pretty cool, huh?

Furthermore, you can also choose to enforce even stricter restrictions on trackers with a brief dive into the Settings panel. It’s bound to impress those who are sticklers about privacy.

There are additional options to determine exactly when you want Firefox to block trackers and ads — during normal browsing or in Private sessions. I don't see any reason why you shouldn't have it set up all the time.

Dark Mode

The trend in apps towards dedicated dark modes is one of the best things to ever happen including the night mode in Chrome on Android. However, not all fancy it, including a couple of my colleagues at GT. I find it easier on the eyes, and use it on most supported apps. Sadly, Chrome on iOS is yet to offer it. That's why I often find it pretty annoying while surfing on my iPad late at night.

However, Firefox has been kind enough to present the ability to switch to a Dark theme, which then replaces the default white user interface with a deep shade of black. But still, it does not affect webpages.

Thankfully, Mozilla’s browser doesn't disappoint you. There's an additional feature dubbed Night Mode, which you can use either with or without the Dark theme.

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Switch to the Night Mode from the browser menu, and all webpages will start displaying darker backgrounds and lighter fonts. Images are largely left untouched, though the occasional image inversion can feel a tad annoying. Nonetheless, the whole implementation feels pretty neat.

Do keep in mind that without the dark theme, Night Mode only affects webpages, and not the browser interface itself. For a complete experience, you need to enable both.

Note: Firefox also features an automatic mode where the Dark theme switches on and off depending on ambient light levels.

Search Engines

Chrome supports only a handful of search engines — Google, Bing, and Yahoo, all of which don’t have a stellar reputation with privacy. And since alternate search engines mostly integrate themselves only on to Safari, you are pretty much stuck with these three.

To my surprise, Firefox featured twice as many. For extremely private searches, I could easily switch to the amazing DuckDuckGo search engine. For shopping, all I had to do was to set Amazon.com as the default, and I could look up products right from the address bar itself.

What’s even better is that you can also add your custom search engines to the mix, which is pretty cool considering that all other major web browsers on iOS never let you do that. Kudos, Mozilla!

Syncing Data and Security

Syncing data from multiple platforms (Windows, macOS, Android, etc.) is common to both browsers, and one of the main reasons why I started using Chrome in the first place. With Firefox, however, I found notable limitations compared to Google's flagship browser.

For example, Firefox doesn’t feature the ability to save credit card information, which is just ridiculous — it’s not fun having to pull out my wallet every time I want to make an online purchase. Chrome instead saves all payment information alongside other browsing data and seamlessly auto-fills them when needed. Why Firefox does not do this (not limited to just the iOS version) is beyond me.

The browser also lacks the option to add an extra layer of security to protect synced data in the event of an account breach. On the other hand, Chrome lets you fully encrypt your data using your custom sync passphrase, which is something I've argued that people should make maximum use of without relying solely on a master password.

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Voice Search

As I mentioned earlier, Chrome makes it pretty easy to surf single-handed thanks to the conveniently placed search icon on the navigation bar. But what about searching for something even faster by speaking what you want to type instead? Simply tap that microphone icon on a new tab, and you are ready to go! Google boasts of best voice recognition technologies in business, and Voice Search on Chrome works like a charm.

Firefox, on the other hand, doesn’t feature such functionality, though you can simply use iOS’s Dictation feature instead — via the onscreen keyboard. However, it feels pretty cumbersome compared to Chrome and doesn’t work as smoothly.

Data Management

Both Firefox and Chrome let you easily get rid of your browsing activities right from their settings. But here, Firefox wins over Chrome since it enables you do the same for individual sites as well — much like Safari.

I find this especially useful for instances where I want to delete obsolete cookies and other data that can prevent a site from working normally, but without losing all of my browsing history in the process.

Distracting Images

Sick of sites that bombard you with distracting images or annoying GIFs? If you’re having a hard time focusing while pursuing a news site, then Firefox has a neat surprise for you.

Flick on the Hide Images toggle in the Firefox menu to instantly hide all images. I found this to be one of the most important features in Mozilla’s browser, and I’m sure you would too.

If you feel bored after a while, simply turn off the toggle, and you should see all the images immediately.

Foreign Languages

I often need to browse content in a foreign language to research on various matters related to my studies, and Chrome makes things super easy with its integrated Google Translate module. With that, I can translate webpages from any supported language to another immediately.

If you intend to visit sites in foreign languages, Chrome is your best bet. Firefox is yet to offer a similar feature officially.

Browser Performance

In normal usage, performance is mostly a non-factor on both Chrome and Firefox, especially considering that both use Apple's WebKit engine (the same as Safari's) to render webpages. However, Firefox does have an advantage over Chrome if you use the built-in Tracking Protection functionality that I mentioned earlier.

With trackers and ads disabled, I found that Firefox functioned much better than Chrome did. That is understandable since a lesser workload mostly translates into a smoother browsing experience. Combine that with the ability to hide hefty web images, and Firefox performs best on iOS, even if your iPhone or iPad is a bit older.

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What’s Best?

Firefox for iOS has a lot of deft touches that allow for a more enjoyable browsing experience, but Chrome excels when it comes to convenience and security.

If you ask me, I still prefer Chrome for iOS. While I love features such as Night Mode and Tracking Protection, what I potentially lose (Voice Search, Google Translate, etc.) by a Firefox switchover doesn't make it a feasible option. Not to mention that I'd also have to switch browsers on my non-iOS devices as well.

But if you are using Firefox on another platform and won't miss out on what Chrome has to offer, then there’s no reason why you shouldn’t use it on iOS too. Built-in ad-blocking, a seamless dark theme and night mode, and custom search engine support should definitely make it an instant favorite.

The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.Read NextMicrosoft Edge vs Safari: What's Best on iOSAlso See#chrome #Firefox

Did You Know

Your browser keeps a track of your system's OS, IP address, browser, and also browser plugins and add-ons.

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Safari and Firefox are two of the last major browsers that don't use Google’s Chromium rendering engine. Safari is using Webkit while Firefox has opted for the Gecko engine. With each iteration of macOS, Apple has improved the default browsing experience on Mac.

The majority is inclined to use Safari on macOS as the browser also comes by default (which you can’t change though), and the user can smoothly carry-forward browsing data between the devices.

Firefox is emphasizing on the rapid development of the browser to lure users and take the lead from the rivals.

In this post, we are going to compare the Safari browser to Firefox on Mac. Unlike iOS, the battleground is even here for both the contenders as the system lets you change the default browser.

The comparison will be based on UI, features, themes, news integration, password management, and more. Let’s start with the cross-platform availability.

Cross-Platform Availability

As its case with every Apple software, the Safari browser is only available on iOS and Mac. While in Firefox’s case, you can access the browser everywhere. It’s available on iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, and even Linux.

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User Interface and Theme

Safari is sticking to the trusted interface design for navigation. It hasn’t changed much in years. The default page shows the favorites tabs, frequently visited websites, and Siri's suggestion under it.

The extensions (more on that later), history, reading list, and share menu are at the top. I would advise you to master keyboard shortcuts to quickly access and navigate available in the Safari browser. It also supports the system-wide dark theme introduced in macOS Mojave.

Firefox has gone through some interface changes, and I found it slightly better looking than Safari browser. It displays the default search engine, top sites, and highlights. Highlights is a useful addition.

It’s a combination of recently visited pages, bookmarks, downloads, and saved articles to Pocket service. You can customize that from the Settings menu.

Firefox has a different take on the theming engine. Go to Preferences > Extensions & Themes > Themes select from the various available options. Firefox also offers the ability to custom create the theme from scratch.

The added changes apply to the search bar, tabs bar, and settings menu.

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Features

A browser experience isn’t just limited to loading and reading a webpage. Nowadays, users demand a rich experience with added functions. Safari offers a clean looking reading mode that strips away the unnecessary elements from a webpage such as ads, social integration, and comments.

It’s customizable too. You can change the font style, size, and background color of the reading mode.

Safari Vs Chrome Vs Firefox

Safari enjoys a seamless integration between iOS and macOS. Tap on the tab switcher, and the browser shows the tab opened on your iPhone. Similarly, when you are browsing on iOS, the handoff function will let you carry-forward the same webpage on macOS.

You can also use the default Spotlight Search (Command + Space shortcut) and start typing the webpage name and it will show the suggestions from the Safari history. I use it frequently to visit a webpage without opening the browser. The functionality is not available for third-party browsers.

Firefox also offers a syncing capability, but it’s hidden in the Options menu. Go to Options > Library > Synced Tabs and that's where you will see the opened Firefox tabs on iPhone or Android. Yes, it works with Android too.

Firefox’s reading mode is a step ahead of Safari. Not only it offers a way to change font size and style, but it also lets you save an article directly to Pocket and read it load for you.

The browser also provides a capable built-in screenshot tool to clip and save the web information on Mac.

Firefox recently introduced advanced privacy protection options with live data and charts. The browser displays the numbers of trackers and cookies blocked during the browsing time. Tap on the shield icon in the search bar and have a peace of mind.

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Both the browsers offer Google as the default search engine out of the box. In Safari, you can change it via going into Preferences > Search and choose from Bing, Yahoo, or DuckDuckGo.

Firefox once again edges out Safari here. In Firefox, the user doesn’t need to go to settings to search using a different engine. When you start typing a keyword in the search bar, it displays the available search engine options at the bottom. You can search using Bing, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, Twitter, and Wikipedia.

Extensions

In terms of extension support, Safari falls behind Firefox. The extension list is limited, and you will have a hard time searching for an extension for every need. Go to Safari > Safari Extensions and install it from the list.

You can manage them by going into Preferences > Extensions and integrate them into your browser experience.

Firefox offers a rich collection neatly categorized into different sections. There is an extension for every use scenario.

Password Management

Flawless password management is a key aspect of today’s browser experience. By default, Safari stores all the credentials into iCloud keychain. So the next time, when you try to login to an account, just use the login info from iCloud keychain or tap on the Touch ID to auto-fill details.

Firefox has introduced Firefox Lockwise to save and store every login detail. It’s not full-featured password management but has enough functions to get the job done. As a bonus, the service is also available on Android and iOS.

Download Firefox Lockwise for AndroidDownload Firefox Lockwise for iOS

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Convenience Or Features?

The answer is simple here. If you have an iPhone, then Apple’s tight integration between the Safari browser on iOS and macOS might win you over. Moreover, it has decent extension support, capable password management, and the right number of features to get you started.

Firefox is cross-platform, meaning your data is accessible on every platform. The software also provides a better extension and a theming engine to truly customize the browsing experience.

Next up: Interested about the same comparison on iOS? Read the post below to find the details between Safari and Firefox on iPhone.

The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.