Which web browser to choose in 2026

ututo · 2026-01-11 03:48:32

First of all, Happy New Year to all of you!

I know web browsers is a frequent topic around here, but I was curious to know if you're going to give a try a new browser this year. I've been a Firefox user for many years but I also think it's healthy to stay open-minded and try new alternatives from time to time. And due to the recent changes in their politics and this AI nonsense (not everything needs to have AI) I think it is a good time to start looking over the fence.

What I'm mainly looking for in a browser nowadays is simplicity (not bloatware), speed, privacy, reliability and trust.
So I was wondering what are you currently using? Zen, Vivaldi, LibreWolf, Waterfox, Helium?? If you are. Why did you choose it? If you are not. Are you planing to? Do you think there's one that really stands out in 2026?

I read you!

johnraff · 2026-01-11 04:20:49

I don't think developing a safe browser is a simple task at all in the modern web environment. Most of the "competitors" to Firefox and Chrome are spinoffs.

I plan to stay with Firefox for now, but if AI ever became embedded then I don't know... Google Chrome isn't exactly an attractive alternative. Maybe Debian will release a Firefox version stripped of all AI - they had Iceweasel for a long time because of branding issues.

Döbbie03 · 2026-01-11 06:01:22

I'm still using Firefox. I do wonder why nearly every day but I can't bring myself to use a Chrome based browser.

Struggling with Firefox right now in fact, suddenly I can't access YouTube or related Google sites. Have made a new profile, everything. Oh well.

vic · 2026-01-11 07:40:34

Still a Firefox user here too, and will continue with that. For now. Occasionally I use the "Mullvad Browser", which is based on Firefox. It is configured with privacy in mind, though it lacks some convenient stuff. Link to FAQ below:

https://mullvad.net/en/help/tag/mullvad-browser

ratcheer · 2026-01-11 14:13:04

I'm still using Firefox, too. They are putting in AI features soon, but they say you will be able to turn them off. Nonetheless, I'm starting to think about FOSS replacement possibilities.

ututo · 2026-01-11 14:40:46

My main browser is Firefox but I have a couple of browsers installed just in case some websites don't work. For example, I always have Edge Brave at hand.

johnraff wrote:

they had Iceweasel for a long time because of branding issues.

I do remember coming across Iceweasel when I first installed CB Statler. gee... so much time has passed. More than 10 years now. Good times!

Döbbie03 wrote:

Struggling with Firefox right now in fact, suddenly I can't access YouTube or related Google sites

I'm having the same problem. Could it be something related to extensions?

vic wrote:

Occasionally I use the "Mullvad Browser"

Thanks, pal. I'll take a look. A couple of weeks ago I installed LibreWolf but, I don't know why I default to Firefox again.

Colonel Panic · 2026-01-11 14:59:54

I'm mostly using Firefox, but I try others as well. I quite like Basilisk from what I've seen of it, and some of the Chromium spinoffs too like SR Iron (basically straight Chromium but optimised for security) and Opera. Waterfox (a 64-bit spinoff of Firefox from the days when 32-bit was more prominent) is good too.

Seamonkey (which I remember fondly from the noughties) seems a bit buggy now unfortunately, the same with Palemoon which sometimes seems to get stuck rendering pages.

I haven't used Vivaldi recently but that one used to be good. One I mean to try soon is Falkon.

Last edited by Colonel Panic (2026-01-12 02:16:05)

ututo · 2026-01-11 15:28:52

I've Brave installed with Leo AI assistent turned off, just to have a chrome based browser around. I tried Vivaldi. It's nice, tons of features, some of them really good like the split view, but it feels bloated and heavy on my computer. Of course, this is based solely on my experience, my system, and my completely irrelevant opinion.

Now that you mention it, Falkon is a good idea too. Especially since I'm running KDE.

Dave75 · 2026-01-11 16:11:49

Brave is my choice, to stay away from Chrome and Firefox.
Falkon, if I need something lite.

Edit: actually, in Brave, I'm appreciating the Leo AI; it turns out to a nice feature to get a brief summary when I'm searching on completely new topics. Then of course I've to deep dive into the mentioned links.

Last edited by Dave75 (2026-01-11 16:16:00)

darknetmatrix · 2026-01-11 16:40:38

Firefox because
- Firefox blocks many trackers, third-party cookies, and fingerprinting techniques out of the box—without needing extra extensions. It’s made by Mozilla, a non-profit organization, so its business model isn’t based on collecting or selling your data.
- Firefox gives you deeper control over settings, extensions, and the interface compared to most browsers. Power users especially like features such as advanced privacy configs (about:config), container tabs, and highly customizable add-ons.

PackRat · 2026-01-11 16:51:12

Firefox at the moment.

Keeping an eye on the Ladybird project - https://ladybird.org/
Anticipated alpha release this year.

johnraff · 2026-01-12 01:39:12

^Ladybird looks interesting.

Minor things, but their contributions framework uses an AI-based donorbox, and they seem to do a lot of discussion on Twitter, eg https://x.com/awesomekling/status/1822236888188498031

But that aside, I look forward to a browser that isn't based on Gecko or Chrome at all.

Döbbie03 · 2026-01-12 04:44:21

ututo wrote:

Döbbie03 wrote:
Struggling with Firefox right now in fact, suddenly I can't access YouTube or related Google sites
I'm having the same problem. Could it be something related to extensions?

Mostly back to normal today, still a bit slow to load though.

ratcheer · 2026-01-12 13:45:33

I use Google and Youtube daily with Firefox, and I haven't had any trouble.

Döbbie03 · 2026-01-13 07:09:45

Probably was due to an over hardened Firefox profile. Seems okay for now with a new fresh profile.

trinidad · 2026-01-13 13:10:56

I only use two browsers on my Linux (mostly Debian) systems: Firefox and MS Edge stable. You should realize that Google is rapidly changing the game without a single written contract. Their contract with users is implied so they can do anything they want. They are (have always been) the biggest abuser of the open source community and would be litigated out of business without open source. A real backdoor Santa ruse. I've tested the majority of browsers over the last forty or so years. Also Blink based browsers are a general pain for some Desktop tasks, even though they are generally better with the Web. Stick with Firefox while it still lives, and also realize that you are better off letting MS have your data than Google.

#1 2026-01-11 03:48:32

Which web browser to choose in 2026

#2 2026-01-11 04:20:49

Re: Which web browser to choose in 2026

#3 2026-01-11 06:01:22

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#4 2026-01-11 07:40:34

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#5 2026-01-11 14:13:04

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#6 2026-01-11 14:40:46

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#7 2026-01-11 14:59:54

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#8 2026-01-11 15:28:52

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#9 2026-01-11 16:11:49

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#10 2026-01-11 16:40:38

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#11 2026-01-11 16:51:12

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#12 2026-01-12 01:39:12

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#13 2026-01-12 04:44:21

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#14 2026-01-12 13:45:33

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#15 2026-01-13 07:09:45

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#16 2026-01-13 13:10:56

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