Browsers
REV. 2026–08
READ TIME 5 MIN
Every request you make, every cookie you accept, and every extension you install passes through your browser first. It is the widest attack surface most people carry every day.
"The browser you choose says more about your privacy posture than any single setting you toggle inside it."
RECOMMENDED BROWSERS
Judged on usability, privacy, customizability, philosophy, respect for the user, looks, and resource usage.
Blocks ads, trackers, and fingerprinting by default and supports Global Privacy Control out of the box. Chrome-based, so it supports Chrome extensions.
Download browser →
There is hesitance among users about AI features, but allegedly they can be turned off. No extensions on desktop, but the search engine can run on Firefox.
Download search engine →
Blocks ads, trackers, and fingerprinting by default and supports Global Privacy Control out of the box. Firefox-based.
Download browser and/or VPN →
Recommended for iOS by Privacy Guides, and now supports uBlock Origin as of August 2025.
Read more →
Questionable telemetry (snooping), especially with AI features, but a solid option if manual configurations are applied.
Hardening instructions →
A privacy-hardened version of Firefox with Mozilla's telemetry stripped out and uBlock Origin included by default.
Download →
Maximum anonymity by routing traffic through volunteer relays, at a real speed cost. Best for the moments that call for it.
Download →CHOOSE YOUR BROWSER LINEUP
Ideally, you shouldn't rely on a single browser. Instead, install two or three and use each for a different purpose — one for everyday browsing with strong protections, one as a "throwaway" for risky extensions or low-value logins, and optionally one kept completely clean as a fallback.
- Daily browsing
- Banking
- Social media
- Work
- Shopping
- Coupon sites
- One-off logins
- Risky links
- Sketchy sites
- Clean, no add-ons
- For broken sites
- Download from the official website, not a third-party download site
- Set it as your default browser in your OS settings
- Use it for anything you don't want in your main browser profile
- Install extensions that might be risky, like coupon finders
- Never log in to your main accounts here
- Leave this browser completely unmodified
- Try it when a site breaks in your main browser
- This is your "canary" for whether a site is broken or over-blocked
COMPARISON
| BROWSER | AD BLOCK | FINGERPRINT | GPC | EASE OF USE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brave |
Excellent | Automatic | Yes | ★★★★★ |
| Mullvad Browser |
Excellent | Automatic | Yes | ★★★☆☆ |
| LibreWolf |
Excellent | Automatic | Yes | ★★★★☆ |
| Firefox |
Manual | Manual | Manual | ★★★★☆ |
| Safari |
Limited | iOS only | No | ★★★★★ |
| Tor Browser |
N/A | Minimal | No | ★★★☆☆ |
FURTHER READING
[1] PrivacyTools.io — browser hardening guide.
[2] PRISM Break — browser alternatives by platform.
[3] Dig Deeper — fingerprinting deep dive.