What is the best Web browser for Mac 2020? Some of the best web browsers for mac are Safari, Google Chrome, Firefox, Vivaldi, Opera, and Edge Chromium. These feature-rich web browsers can be used to browse the internet on a MacBook or an iMac. Best Browser For iPods: These include: Mercury browser; Atomic web; Diigo; Conclusion: Among top web browsers, it is quite difficult to judge which one is the best web browser for Mac, Android, and iPod. The battle between Safari vs. Internet Explorer is quite tight.
Are you a Mac user and stuck with using Safari as a default browser?
Then you must pay attention to what I'm going to say next.
There are many Safari alternatives for the Mac users out there to browse the Internet.
Yes, you heard me right.
Apple has this philosophy of making tools that are one-off, but they also want their customers to be loyal to their products.
For that, Apple products like iPhone or Mac are loaded with the default apps.
For instance, the web browser given is Safari, and the e-mail browser is Mail.
But, there are times when we don't want to use these default apps.
Like in the case of Safari, sometimes we're not happy with the extension compatibility and want to switch to some other browser.
For that, there are hundreds of Web browsers those can be relied on. Some of them are for all the platforms while some are just tailor-made for the Macs.
Best 10 Internet browsers For Mac
We've picked some of the Browsers for Mac from the lot that you can check on and ditch Safari for a while if you want.
1. Google Chrome:
The top-notch browser for any platform is without any doubt Google Chrome.
Yes, I agree that Chrome was launched for Macs a bit late, but that wait was worth.
The best part of this browser is its minimalistic design and Speed.
It comes with a lot of features. And when I say this, I mean A LOT. It is by far the biggest competitor of Safari in the market.
2. Opera:
I think Opera has been there since ages. But don't let its age fool you.
As it is said that wisdom comes with age, Opera also has become wise regarding features.
Its ‘Mouse Gestures' and ‘Speed dial' and ‘Opera Turbo' features make it different from the other browsers.
3. Mozilla Firefox:
Just like Opera, Firefox is also a veteran. It lets you visit the sites even if you don't remember their URLs by only typing a keyword of the same.
It has a broad variety of add-ons, which are useful to increase productivity.
You can also bookmark the pages and titles live. Also, it can be said as a Privacy-inclined browser as it let you choose the information you want to share.
4. Camino:
The Mac-only browser Camino is also a great one with a much better user interface for Mac users than Chrome or Firefox.
It has many new features in its latest update like Annoyance Blocking, Malware protection, and Pop-up Blocking. It is much like Firefox, just with the more Apple-friendly edge.
The company no longer develops this browser further, but you can still download the last updated version.
5. Omni Web:
Better known as the Feature-rich browser, Omni Web comes with numerous features like Visual Tabs, adding websites to shortcuts, automatic rendering of web pages, etc.
You can also change the font of any website if it is not up to your liking.
The browser also handles the entire RSS feed which is a great feature.
6. Maxthon:
Apt for seamless browsing, Maxthon is a Multi- platform web browser for Mac users. With many cloud-assimilated features like syncing, sharing and managing files, Maxthon has been a very powerful browser.
If you are the one who wants the Chrome extensions but doesn't want to use Chrome, then you should go for this one.
7. Torch:
With a unique design, Torch is one of the best browsers for Mac OS X. Based on the Chromium project; it supports every extension of Google Chrome web store.
There are many themes available for the browser and is an important feature for experiment-loving peeps.
It also has features like Torch music, Video Download, Torrent support, etc.
8. Vivaldi:
A new challenger in the game, Vivaldi is out winning many hearts.
Though it uses the same HTML Rendering engine as that of Chrome, still it has covered all the features that are not in the list of other browsers' characteristics.
It has a unique tab system, which is referred as 'Stack.' It also creates notes about every site that you browse. These notes appear when you visit that site.
9. Stainless:
If you're looking for the Multi- processing Designing of Chrome in some other browser, then you'll like this browser named Stainless. Started out as a technology demo, now it is a full-fledged browser.
It features a dual-purpose search address bar, which makes searching and navigating very smooth.
10. SeaMonkey:
The newer version of the old-timer browser Netscape, SeaMonkey is an open- source project. It is an all-in-one Internet collection. It supports almost all the add-ons and extensions, which are compatible with Mozilla Firefox.
The con of the mentioned browser is that it doesn't go with Voice interface, Mouse gestures or Retina Display. It is easy to install and access.
There you go. These are some of the best Internet browsers for the Mac users, which can be used as a substitute to Safari. Explore them and leave us comments sharing your experiences.
What's that one thing you use day in and out when you hop on to the internet? A web browser of course! Now, if you're a Mac user, chances are you only use the Safari web browser by default. But, there are so many other web browsers for Mac out there that you don't have to limit yourself to the default browser.
But with a plethora of choices out there, how would you know which is the best browser to use?
Well, when I choose a web browser, here are the things I'm looking for:
What Should You Look for in a Web Browser for Mac?
When choosing a Mac browser, I look for three essential things:
Safeguarding Your Privacy: With websites using all kinds of cookies and trackers to obtain your data, a good web browser should be able to safeguard your privacy. More importantly, it should also be able to protect you from dangerous websites. Chrome for example, provides security by checking websites you visit against a list of dangerous website. If you happen to come across a website that is listed as dangerous, the browser alerts you to it.
User Experience: If you've ever owned a Windows OS, you know why the IE was such a classic failure and why Chrome today remains one of the most preferred web browsers. The ability to easily find setting options, to optimize the browser according to your preference, to use multiple accounts, to customize interface as you like is important.
Speed & Efficiency: If a browser is CPU intensive, it's not efficient. You want a browser that fires up as soon as you click it. The browsing experience should not be clustered and there should be support for most extensions.
Now that you know what to look for, here are the top ten best web browsers for Mac!
Best Web Browsers for Mac Review: 10 Picks in 2020
1. Safari
Everyone knows Safari right? The default browser that ships on every Mac and iOS device, Safari is fast, lean and just gets the job done as a pretty barebones web browser could do. However, it lacks a lot of features that competing browsers like Firefox or Chrome has. Furthermore, Apple has not updated its design for ease of use, making it a bit clunky for users.
Features of Safari:
- Syncing data from Safari works different than from other browsers. Basically, all your data is synced to iCloud. Your bookmarks and browsing history are preserved only.
- There is support for emulating the mobile iOS platform, a pretty helpful feature for developers. This eliminates the need for having a separate Apple mobile device, helping you access certain websites or services that look great on iOS.
- It has strong privacy controls, helping you safeguard your digital identity better than most other alternative web browsers.
Cons
- Clunky and cumbersome user interface.
- You're only limited to four search engines – Google, Yahoo, Bing and DuckDuckGo.
- Lacks support for feature-rich extensions.
- Bookmarks and history can't be directly synced. Settings and currently open tabs are not saved.
- Lack of customization options.
2. Google Chrome
Google Chrome is one of the best web browsers out there, and for good reason. When you first start it, the fast response time and clutter-free interface immediately hooks you. It also features good security and is available on almost all platforms that you need. All the settings, tabs, history, passwords and extensions are synced with your Google ID, across all your devices.
Features of Google Chrome:
- Very simple yet powerful enough to use.
- It has a ton of extensions for everything. Customize your browser as you like.
- No need to fiddle around for a search box. The address bat lets you search as well.
- Ridiculously simple yet feature-rich syncing that just works. Passwords, favorites, tabs, histories are just transferred over.
Cons:
- Laptop and Macbook users beware. Chrome is very memory intensive. It hogs the RAM and sucks the battery.
- It doesn't warn you of having too many tabs open if you close a browser window. You might want to turn on preserve tabs settings when you first run Chrome.
3. Opera
Smooth and fast, that's how most Opera users could describe their web browser of choice as. Opera works great even with a low-speed connection, thanks to its server size compression technique.
Free Internet Browsers For Mac
Opera Web Browser comes with a ton of customization and feature-rich options. In fact, it just might have all the basics covered with its integration for RSS feeds, email clients, and phishing protection.
Features of Opera:
- Easy to customize and navigate. Get the browsing experience that suits your style and work ethic.
- It comes with integrated phishing protection, RSS feeds, and email clients.
- A built-in torrent downloader in the browser can help you keep your downloads organized. No need for another torrent software.
Cons:
- Finding extensions for Opera is not that easy. It also doesn't have that many extensions as Firefox or Chrome.
- Some websites or pages will have issues with Opera. This is because Opera needs stricter coding when compared to other browsers.
4. Mozilla Firefox
Mozilla is an open-source web browser that is renowned for its privacy features. If security and limitless customization is important to you, Firefox for Mac is a great choice. It can shield you from viruses, phishing scams and more.
Features of Mozilla Firefox:
- Extremely secure web browser on the market today. Extensions like NoScript and FlashBlock make it safer.
- It comes with a user-friendly interface that can be customized as you like. With support for themes.
- Afraid of your opened tabs and pages getting lost in case of a freak power outage? Firefox's embedded memory feature helps you restore them all.
Cons:
- Given its focus on customization and security, Firefox needs a lot of memory to run smoothly. It also has a slow startup time.
- Some websites and pages may not be compatible with Mozilla Firefox, same as with Opera.
5. Stainless
Stainless is super-light web browser for Mac. It is popular for having finger gestures that help you navigate with ease. One innovative feature that Stainless comes with is ‘parallel sessions', a way to log in to a site as different users at the same time. This is possible with its use of a private cookie system as well as session aware bookmarks.
You can also change the font of any website if it is not up to your liking.
The browser also handles the entire RSS feed which is a great feature.
6. Maxthon:
Apt for seamless browsing, Maxthon is a Multi- platform web browser for Mac users. With many cloud-assimilated features like syncing, sharing and managing files, Maxthon has been a very powerful browser.
If you are the one who wants the Chrome extensions but doesn't want to use Chrome, then you should go for this one.
7. Torch:
With a unique design, Torch is one of the best browsers for Mac OS X. Based on the Chromium project; it supports every extension of Google Chrome web store.
There are many themes available for the browser and is an important feature for experiment-loving peeps.
It also has features like Torch music, Video Download, Torrent support, etc.
8. Vivaldi:
A new challenger in the game, Vivaldi is out winning many hearts.
Though it uses the same HTML Rendering engine as that of Chrome, still it has covered all the features that are not in the list of other browsers' characteristics.
It has a unique tab system, which is referred as 'Stack.' It also creates notes about every site that you browse. These notes appear when you visit that site.
9. Stainless:
If you're looking for the Multi- processing Designing of Chrome in some other browser, then you'll like this browser named Stainless. Started out as a technology demo, now it is a full-fledged browser.
It features a dual-purpose search address bar, which makes searching and navigating very smooth.
10. SeaMonkey:
The newer version of the old-timer browser Netscape, SeaMonkey is an open- source project. It is an all-in-one Internet collection. It supports almost all the add-ons and extensions, which are compatible with Mozilla Firefox.
The con of the mentioned browser is that it doesn't go with Voice interface, Mouse gestures or Retina Display. It is easy to install and access.
There you go. These are some of the best Internet browsers for the Mac users, which can be used as a substitute to Safari. Explore them and leave us comments sharing your experiences.
What's that one thing you use day in and out when you hop on to the internet? A web browser of course! Now, if you're a Mac user, chances are you only use the Safari web browser by default. But, there are so many other web browsers for Mac out there that you don't have to limit yourself to the default browser.
But with a plethora of choices out there, how would you know which is the best browser to use?
Well, when I choose a web browser, here are the things I'm looking for:
What Should You Look for in a Web Browser for Mac?
When choosing a Mac browser, I look for three essential things:
Safeguarding Your Privacy: With websites using all kinds of cookies and trackers to obtain your data, a good web browser should be able to safeguard your privacy. More importantly, it should also be able to protect you from dangerous websites. Chrome for example, provides security by checking websites you visit against a list of dangerous website. If you happen to come across a website that is listed as dangerous, the browser alerts you to it.
User Experience: If you've ever owned a Windows OS, you know why the IE was such a classic failure and why Chrome today remains one of the most preferred web browsers. The ability to easily find setting options, to optimize the browser according to your preference, to use multiple accounts, to customize interface as you like is important.
Speed & Efficiency: If a browser is CPU intensive, it's not efficient. You want a browser that fires up as soon as you click it. The browsing experience should not be clustered and there should be support for most extensions.
Now that you know what to look for, here are the top ten best web browsers for Mac!
Best Web Browsers for Mac Review: 10 Picks in 2020
1. Safari
Everyone knows Safari right? The default browser that ships on every Mac and iOS device, Safari is fast, lean and just gets the job done as a pretty barebones web browser could do. However, it lacks a lot of features that competing browsers like Firefox or Chrome has. Furthermore, Apple has not updated its design for ease of use, making it a bit clunky for users.
Features of Safari:
- Syncing data from Safari works different than from other browsers. Basically, all your data is synced to iCloud. Your bookmarks and browsing history are preserved only.
- There is support for emulating the mobile iOS platform, a pretty helpful feature for developers. This eliminates the need for having a separate Apple mobile device, helping you access certain websites or services that look great on iOS.
- It has strong privacy controls, helping you safeguard your digital identity better than most other alternative web browsers.
Cons
- Clunky and cumbersome user interface.
- You're only limited to four search engines – Google, Yahoo, Bing and DuckDuckGo.
- Lacks support for feature-rich extensions.
- Bookmarks and history can't be directly synced. Settings and currently open tabs are not saved.
- Lack of customization options.
2. Google Chrome
Google Chrome is one of the best web browsers out there, and for good reason. When you first start it, the fast response time and clutter-free interface immediately hooks you. It also features good security and is available on almost all platforms that you need. All the settings, tabs, history, passwords and extensions are synced with your Google ID, across all your devices.
Features of Google Chrome:
- Very simple yet powerful enough to use.
- It has a ton of extensions for everything. Customize your browser as you like.
- No need to fiddle around for a search box. The address bat lets you search as well.
- Ridiculously simple yet feature-rich syncing that just works. Passwords, favorites, tabs, histories are just transferred over.
Cons:
- Laptop and Macbook users beware. Chrome is very memory intensive. It hogs the RAM and sucks the battery.
- It doesn't warn you of having too many tabs open if you close a browser window. You might want to turn on preserve tabs settings when you first run Chrome.
3. Opera
Smooth and fast, that's how most Opera users could describe their web browser of choice as. Opera works great even with a low-speed connection, thanks to its server size compression technique.
Free Internet Browsers For Mac
Opera Web Browser comes with a ton of customization and feature-rich options. In fact, it just might have all the basics covered with its integration for RSS feeds, email clients, and phishing protection.
Features of Opera:
- Easy to customize and navigate. Get the browsing experience that suits your style and work ethic.
- It comes with integrated phishing protection, RSS feeds, and email clients.
- A built-in torrent downloader in the browser can help you keep your downloads organized. No need for another torrent software.
Cons:
- Finding extensions for Opera is not that easy. It also doesn't have that many extensions as Firefox or Chrome.
- Some websites or pages will have issues with Opera. This is because Opera needs stricter coding when compared to other browsers.
4. Mozilla Firefox
Mozilla is an open-source web browser that is renowned for its privacy features. If security and limitless customization is important to you, Firefox for Mac is a great choice. It can shield you from viruses, phishing scams and more.
Features of Mozilla Firefox:
- Extremely secure web browser on the market today. Extensions like NoScript and FlashBlock make it safer.
- It comes with a user-friendly interface that can be customized as you like. With support for themes.
- Afraid of your opened tabs and pages getting lost in case of a freak power outage? Firefox's embedded memory feature helps you restore them all.
Cons:
- Given its focus on customization and security, Firefox needs a lot of memory to run smoothly. It also has a slow startup time.
- Some websites and pages may not be compatible with Mozilla Firefox, same as with Opera.
5. Stainless
Stainless is super-light web browser for Mac. It is popular for having finger gestures that help you navigate with ease. One innovative feature that Stainless comes with is ‘parallel sessions', a way to log in to a site as different users at the same time. This is possible with its use of a private cookie system as well as session aware bookmarks.
Features of Stainless
- Stainless takes some of the best features of Chrome, like its multi-purpose search address bar.
- If one website tab crashes on your browser, rest assured, Stainless' independent tabbed browsing will keep your other tabs open and safe.
- Open multiple instances of a website or email clients with parallel browsing.
- Stainless is easy and snappy to use.
Cons
- The web browser ships with so many features built in that it's a bit puzzling why it doesn't have much in the way of configuration options.
- Despite its similarities to Chrome, Stainless does not have support for extensions.
6. Maxthon
Are you a fan of Microsoft Edge web browser? If yes, then Maxthon's clean and sleek user interface will look familiar to you. Maxthon combines the ease of use of Edge with the standard features found in modern browsers like Chrome.
Features of Maxthon:
- Maxthon uses low system resources, making it ideal for laptops and Macbooks.
- It speeds up page loading. Thanks to its anti-freeze technology, it also doesn't freeze if a page isn't done loading, meaning you can open another tab and carry on.
- Your passwords, history and information are easily synced.
- It has a good feature which doesn't let you fill the information on websites you visited in the past when you visit it for the next time as it saves the information for you.
Cons:
- Maxthon doesn't have a lot of extensions.
- It is not the most secure browser out there. Some trojans and ransomware could be installed without you knowing about it.
7. Brave Browser
Brave is a Chromium-based web browser for Mac. Its free, fast and has a great ad-blocker included. A new and emerging browser for Mac, Brave is secure, private and fast. Brave is open source and focuses on your privacy.
Features of Brave:
- 8x Faster than other browsers.
- It provides great security against ads, trackers and malware.
- The paid 'Private Tabs with Tor' feature provide an absolutely private browsing experience.
- It has an excellent Battery and Data Saver option. Helps if you are using it on a Macbook or mobile device.
Cons:
- The web browser is currently freemium. However, it is going to switch to pay-as-you-surf-model soon.
- The browser slows down if you haven many tabs open, especially on Macs.
- Features a learning curve for new users.
- Ad-blocking tool can hurt web publishers.
8. Yandex
What Is The Best Browser To Download For Mac
Yandex is fast, responsive and very simple to use. If you miss the look of Microsoft's Edge browser, Yandex can work as an alternative. Plus, it supports Opera/Chrome extensions too, boosting its feature set by leaps.
Features Of Yandex:
- A simple yet effectively focused user interface that gets the job done.
- The web browser comes with Turbo mode, which is pretty nifty if you're getting slow internet speeds. Turbo mode kicks in automatically and speeds up page loading. It also helps you save on data charges by compressing the data needed for browsing media-rich sites.
- It protects your passwords and bank card details and keeps your online payments safe from theft.
- It has a voice assistant which can help you navigate and launch your favorite sites by speech.
- Low memory footprint.
Cons
- Yandex's translating features, especially German and Russian, are a hit and a miss.
- It uses a lot of disk space (500mb in some instances).
- It was developed in Russia, so for the folks who want a secure web browser, there are other alternatives out there.
9. SeaMonkey
If you're looking for more than just a fully featured web browser for the Mac, you've got to try out SeaMonkey. It's a browser, advanced e-mail, newsgroup and feed client. And then there's support for IRC chat. Plus it also has an adequate HTML editor built in for developers to use.
Features of SeaMonkey:
- SeaMonkey is a breeze to use, despite its plethora of features. It starts fast and responds quickly.
- The email and newsgroup client is based on Mozilla Thunderbird. The web browser is based on Firefox.
- You can customize toolbars the way you want it.
- Delete cookies easily after a surfing session.
- Did your browser crash? SeaMonkey's saved surfing session feature ensures you don't miss a beat.
Cons
- SeaMonkey does not feature support for voice assistants or mouse gestures yet.
- Given its feature-heavy emphasis, users may have to get used to its user interface. It was designed for power users in mind.
10. Vivaldi
From the same team that developed Opera, Vivaldi is a natural evolution of a great Chromium-based web browser on the Mac. This open source browser takes your privacy very seriously. It packs a ton of innovative features while being fast and lean.
Features of Vivaldi
- Love tabs? Vivaldi gives you a lot of options to arrange and manage then as you like. They come with previews, can be stacked and more.
- Like Chrome extensions? The good news is that you can use them with Vivaldi too!
- Good customization features.
- Faster page downloading at slow internet speeds.
Cons:
- Since it is based on Chrome, Vivaldi tends to hog up the RAM and system resources. It drains battery life faster when compared to other browsers.
- There is no easy way to sync passwords, settings, bookmarks online.
Hopefully, you will be able to choose the best browser for Mac from this list for your needs. Whether you love customization, or your privacy, there is everything for everyone here.
Happy browsing folks!
