It’s the most risky move away from old Web technology that any desktop browser has ever made. Of course, there have been a lot of other improvements, like separating processes, making downloads safer, and making a 64-bit version. Mozilla Firefox keeps being the Web browser that cares the most about privacy and can be changed the most. Other unique features include protection against tracking in Private Browsing mode, Hello video chat, a Reading mode without ads, and a tool for sharing on social media.
Mozilla Firefox: Description
It’s also fast and uses RAM efficiently. Firefox is the best Web browser for Windows because it has the most features and can be changed in the most ways. Firefox is available for Mac, Linux, Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP (though we don’t recommend running the last two), and costs $139 at the Microsoft Store. If you already use Firefox, all you have to do to get the new version is restart the browser. You can also force an update by going to Help > About Firefox.
When the browser was first installed, it only took up 91MB, while Google Chrome took up 406MB. On the first run, you can import bookmarks from any other browsers you have installed, and setting it up is as simple as it gets. You can also pick a different search engine, though Yahoo is the default.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Reliable privacy practices
- Add-ons library
- Easy to use
Cons
- Lacks integrated Flash support.
- Could be too plain for some users
- Lacks advanced settings
Mozilla Firefox: Key Features
Features
- Your favorite extensions
- Balanced memory
- More powerful Private Browsing
- Ad tracker blocking
- Password manager
- Customize your browser
- Sync between devices
- You can download this browser easily through Mozilla’s website.
Mozilla Firefox: Features
Firefox’s security features are great, but its regular features aren’t anything special. Even though you won’t choose Mozilla because of these features, they are nice to have in a browser, and you probably won’t find one or two of them anywhere else.
With Firefox, you can search in the address bar, get smart search suggestions, and see your bookmarks, history, and in your search results. There are also suggestions for URLs, and you can change the settings for your search bar to have more control over how you browse.
Other features include being able to stop audio and video from playing automatically and being able to watch pop-out videos in a separate window so you can stream something while doing something else. There is also a built-in screenshot tool, dark mode, custom themes, extensions, form autofill, pinned tabs, reader mode, and spell check. Last but not least, Firefox is available in more than 90 languages, works with Google products like Docs and Gmail, and syncs with all of your devices.
Mozilla Firefox: Platforms
Firefox works on Mac, Linux, and Windows computers, and there are also browsers for Android and iOS mobile devices. As long as you have a Firefox account, you can sync your bookmarks, history, and tabs across all of your devices. More details about system requirements are available here.
Mozilla Firefox: Privacy
Mozilla’s data collection methods are different from Google’s because they don’t focus on collecting and selling every user’s data to make targeted ads. Mozilla is a non-profit organization that only collects the information it needs to keep improving Firefox. It does not give your information to advertisers (or buy your data from them).
Mozilla’s privacy policy makes it one of the better web browsers for people who care about their privacy, but it’s not quite as safe as our top pick. Mozilla’s documentation says that Firefox doesn’t use your browsing and search history to make money. Instead, it makes money through distribution deals and partnerships.
Firefox does collect some information about the people who use it. This information includes technical and interaction data that is linked to a random number instead of your name or email address. Mozilla’s data collection methods are different from Google’s because they don’t focus on collecting and selling every user’s data to make targeted ads.
Mozilla is a non-profit organization that only collects the information it needs to keep improving Firefox. It does not give your information to advertisers (or buy your data from them). Mozilla’s privacy policy makes it one of the better web browsers for people who care about their privacy, but it’s not quite as safe as our top pick.
Mozilla’s documentation says that Firefox doesn’t use your browsing and search history to make money. Instead, it makes money through distribution deals and partnerships. Firefox does collect some information about the people who use it. This information includes technical and interaction data that is linked to a random number instead of your name or email address.
Mozilla Firefox: Performance
In 2017, when the Quantum update came out, Firefox changed the most. The Quantum update completely changed how the browser looks and how its main engine works. This made the browser faster and used less RAM.
We tested Firefox’s speed along with Chrome, Brave, Vivaldi, Opera, and Microsoft Edge to see how well it worked. It got the worst score, while Chrome got the best score. It sounds like a slow browser, but it’s only slow on paper.
Even though Firefox isn’t as fast as other browsers, it’s fast enough for everyday use that its slower speed doesn’t matter. Read our Chrome vs. Firefox and Opera vs. Firefox to see how it stacks up against other browsers.
We noticed that Firefox uses a lot of system resources at once. Even with only a few tabs open and no extensions installed, it uses a lot of memory. When running the same number of tabs, Firefox and Chrome used about the same amount of memory, but Brave used almost half as little RAM.
Final Words
Even though some people love and hate Firefox (or even hate and hate it), we can’t help but like it. It’s the easiest browser to use and still looks good. The bold black font that’s a little bigger than usual makes it look modern and minimalist, not boring or plain. When you use it, you feel like you have a lot of protection because it has (thankfully) too many privacy and security features.
FAQs
Is Firefox actually better than Chrome?
Yes. Mozilla, a non-profit organisation, makes Firefox. Since Mozilla doesn’t make money from ads, it has less of a reason to collect information about its users. Chrome makes money by gathering as much information as possible about its users so that it can make targeted ads.
Can Firefox be trusted?
If you want a safe web browser, Firefox is a good choice. With a few security add-ons and a few tweaks to the privacy settings, Firefox is the best mainstream browser for privacy because it works better with extensions and is easier to use.
