The 8 Best Internet Browsers in 2023 - Spiceworks (2024)

The browser is defined as an application software that users can leverage to request a web-based resource, so that the browser can retrieve the resource from a web server (private or public) and display it in a consumable format on the browser interface. This article explains how browsers work and lists the best browsers out there.

What Is a Browser?

The browser is an application software that users can leverage to request a web-based resource so that the browser can retrieve the resource from a web server (private or public) and display it in a consumable format on the browser interface.

The term “browser” originated before the web as a general name for user interfaces that enable you to explore (navigate and read) online text files. Now, a browser is just an app that allows users to see and engage with all of the World Wide Web’s content. This consists of websites, videos, and photos.

Many individuals utilize web browsers to access the internet nowadays, and it is seen by many as essential in their daily lives. It uses HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) to send requests to web servers across the Internet on the user’s behalf. Most web browsers offer email and the File Transfer Protocol (FTP), although these Internet protocols do not necessitate a web browser.

WorldWideWeb, the original Web browser, was launched in 1990. The name was altered to Nexus to prevent confusion with the World Wide Web, a rapidly expanding information environment. Mosaic, the very first Web browser powered by a graphical user interface, debuted in 1993. Numerous Mosaic user interface components were included in the Netscape Navigator.

The main features of a typical browser include the following:

1. Several buttons for navigation

While browsing, the refresh icon is used to travel back and forth. If you are on the homepage of a website and navigate to the contact page, clicking the back button will send you back to the homepage, but clicking the forward button will redirect you to the contact page. A little triangle beside the navigation buttons displays a list of all accessible back/forward web pages.

There are also bookmarks, user-defined buttons that lead to specific websites. These are pretty handy for configuring web-based mail and other frequently accessed websites.

2. The address bar

The address bar is where the website, as well as page names, are entered. The address bar functions as a menu bar displaying previously visited websites. There is a go button at the end of the address bar. Alternatively, you can access the site by pressing enter (after entering or choosing a domain name).

An integrated search engine function inside the address bar is a relatively recent addition to web browsers. It enables you to choose your preferred search engine and perform a quick search by entering a search query in the address field.

3. Tab-based browsing experience

Tabs enable multiple websites to be opened in a specific web browser window, which is very convenient while viewing numerous sites concurrently. Therefore, if you want to access many hyperlinks from a website while not losing the page, you may right-click on each link and then pick the option to open in a new tab.

4. The browser cache

The web browser caches regularly retrieved material to save time while obtaining the information from the server. Instead of retrieving the page directly from the server, it fetches components cached on the client computer to boost performance. The stored material or components are the ones that are altered less frequently. The lifetime of cached data depends on the browser settings.

5. Settings and configurations

Modern web browsers give users a lot of control over their browsing experience. You can choose to save and auto-fill information into fields. You can even choose which cookies to allow. Some browsers have built-in password managers that aid in secure transactions on web-based apps. You may also find developer-facing features in a browser’s settings menu.

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How Do Browsers Work?

A web browser’s goal is to retrieve material from the Internet or localized repository and share this on a user device. This commences when the user enters a uniform resource location (URL), like https://www.spiceworks.com/, into the browser’s address bar.

The Hypertext Transport Protocol (HTTP), a collection of protocols for data transmission, is used to obtain the vast majority of URLs. The URL often utilizes the secure variant of HTTP (HTTPS). So, the link between the web server and the browser is encoded to ensure privacy of communications and confidentiality of data.

Websites typically include connections to additional pages and resources. Browsers navigate toward the new resource when a user clicks or taps a link with a URL. Most browsers utilize an internal cache of web page assets to optimize page loading speeds on subsequent visits. Caches may store several objects, such as large photos, so they do not need to be redownloaded from the server.

The browser stores cookies obtained from various websites for browsing. Some of these include login information as well as site preferences. However, some cookies monitor user activity spanning extended periods; consequently, browsers often provide a menu option for removing cookies.

To enable the above functionality, a browser’s technical architecture will have three parts:

• The controller: This component accepts input from the user; for example, when a user clicks a link, the controller registers the click and fetches the resource.
• Client-side protocols: These guidelines must be observed while obtaining documents. Protocols also regulate the various information transmission channels between the server and the client.
• Interpreters: These are utilized to exhibit various types of documents. All famous interpreters can understand web text, notably HTML, PHP, JavaScript, XML, and many others. Each of these interpreters possesses a unique set of skills and serves different objectives.

Other significant browser components include backend engines, user interfaces (UI), and the computer networking backend, among others.

The user interface (UI) is the initial page shown when a web browser is launched. As previously explained, the page contains the address bar, forward/backward buttons, menus, bookmarks, and other choices. The UI engine generates simple boxes, windows, and widgets. This pertains to a generic interface that is platform-independent. The network layer is accountable for internet security and communications. It is also utilized for HTTP requirements or caching retrieved content to reduce network traffic.

Data persistence/storage is an add-on component used to save data locally. To save databases directly on your device as caches, bookmarks, histories, cookies, etc., browsers provide storage mechanisms such as IndexedDB, WebSQL, etc. In addition, there’s the rendering engine and the browser engine.

The rendering engine is charged with creating and displaying material requested by the browser. It parses HTML pages and translates them into a readable and usable format. The browser engine acts as a link connecting the rendering engine with the browser’s user interface. It manages the rendering engine to generate outputs based on the input.

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Top 8 Internet Browsers in 2023

The most popular browsers available today are discussed below, listed in alphabetical order:

Disclaimer: This list is based on publicly available information and may include vendor websites that sell to mid-to-large enterprises. Readers are advised to conduct their final research to ensure the best fit for their unique organizational needs.

1. Brave

Overview: Brave is a free and open-sourced privacy-focused browser based on the chromium web browser developed by Brave Software Inc. and launched in 2016.

Key features: The key features of Brave are:

• Usability: Brave boasts a simple user interface with a minimalistic design. Users can customize the background.
• Security: The Brave browser has a password manager, built-in IPFS integration, script blocking, tracker blocking, fingerprint prevention, browsing with Tor mode, and auto-upgrades to HTTPS for advanced security and encryption.
• Speed: Brave is a high-speed browser that shows no signs of latency, even at high loads. It claims that it is 3x faster than Google Chrome on its website. However, benchmark tests such as JetStream 2, Speedometer, and Motion Mark indicate that it is not faster than Chrome.
• Extensions: Brave is compatible with most extensions from the Chrome Web Store.
• Support and updates: Brave has an update cycle of three to four weeks.

USP: It has the unique ability to block ads and ad trackers automatically. It also offers users Brave Attention Tokens (BATs) for enabling ads in exchange for an incentive.

Cost: Brave is free to use.

Editorial comments: The Brave browser has built-in ad-blocking features. However, its revenue-generating model has been labeled parasitical for stripping website owners’ ads to run their own.

2. Google Chrome

Overview: Google Chrome is a fast and easy-to-use cross-platform web browser developed by Google and launched in 2008.

Key features: The key features of Chrome are:

• Usability: Chrome has a minimalist user interface that is less intrusive to users, with fewer buttons to get in the way of the content. It allows users to customize the background.
• Security: Chrome uses the HTTPS protocol for advanced protection against unsecured websites. It has advanced security features such as sandboxing, predictive phishing protections, and a password manager.
• Speed: Chrome is rated as the fastest browser by benchmark tests.
• Extensions: Google Chrome has the most extensive library of extensions of all other browsers.
• Support and updates: Google releases patches days or even hours after discovering browser vulnerabilities. Whenever you shut and reopen Chrome, it automatically looks for updates and applies them. Chrome has an update cycle of six weeks.

USP: The browser offers a massive collection of extensions via the Chrome Web Store.

Cost: Google Chrome is free to use.

Editorial comments: The Google Chrome browser is the industry standard for internet browsers with various tools. However, it has serious privacy concerns due to Google data collection practices.

3. Microsoft Edge

Overview: Microsoft Edge is a proprietary, cross-platform browser developed by Microsoft and launched in 2015. A new and revamped chromium-based Edge was released in 2020.

Key features: The key features of Edge are:

• Usability: Edge has a simple and user-friendly interface. The interface is customizable.
• Security: Microsoft Edge has the Microsoft Defender SmartScreen feature that protects against malware and phishing websites. It also has a password manager, tracking prevention, and kids mode.
• Speed: According to benchmark tests, the new Edge browser is as fast as the Chrome browser.
• Extensions: Microsoft Edge has a library of extensions and is compatible with most Chrome extensions.
• Support and updates: Edge has a four-week update cycle. Security and compatibility patches are released as needed.

USP: It has a wide range of productivity features, such as the collections feature, the immersive reader, sleeping, and vertical tabs.

Cost: Microsoft Edge is free.

Editorial comments: Edge is a fast browser with a collections feature that allows users to save web pages. However, it also has serious privacy concerns due to Microsoft’s data collection practices, similar to Google. Also, Edge’s UI has struggled to gain as much traction as competitors like Chrome.

4. Mozilla Firefox

Overview: Mozilla Firefox is a free and open-source web browser developed by the Mozilla Foundation and launched in 2004.

Key features: The key features of Firefox are:

• Usability: Firefox has a slick and easy-to-use user interface with minimal visible tools to avoid overwhelming the user and customizable background.
• Security: Firefox has enhanced tracking protection to block fingerprinting, social media trackers, and crypto miners. It also has a password manager and blocks pop-up ads by default.
• Speed: Benchmark tests rate Mozilla Firefox as slower than other popular browsers. However, it is fast enough for everyday use.
• Extensions: Firefox has its add-on library but has some compatibility issues with some extensions.
• Support and updates: The rapid release path has a four-week update cycle, while the extended support release path has an update cycle of 42 weeks. However, security patches are released as needed.

USP: It enables privacy protection through tracking prevention and ad blockers.

Cost: Mozilla Firefox is free.

Editorial comments: Mozilla Firefox provides a secure and private platform for users as well as developers. However, its high random access memory (RAM) usage is a concern as it uses many resources.

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5. Opera

Overview: Opera is a multi-platform chromium-based web browser developed by Opera and launched in 1995.

Key features: The key features of Opera are:

• Usability: The Opera browser has an attractive minimalist user interface with customizable themes. Opera’s signature speed dial page displays several customizable buttons for popular websites.
• Security: Opera has a built-in ad blocker and a free virtual private network (VPN). It blocks malware and phishing websites using the less reliable Yandex and Phishtank.
• Speed: BrowserBench benchmark tests rate Opera as a fast and responsive browser, though slower than Chrome.
• Extensions: Opera browser is designed with several features which minimize the need for external extensions. It has its own store and is compatible with other Chrome Web Store extensions.
• Support and updates: Opera provides updates every few weeks.

USP: It is a feature-rich browser that boasts various capabilities, such as social media integration and the My Flow feature, which allows data syncing between devices.

Cost: Opera is free to use.

Editorial comments: Opera browser has a network security-enhancing VPN feature that users find helpful. However, its 2016 acquisition by a Chinese security company, Qihoo 360, draws privacy concerns.

6. Safari

Overview: Safari is a graphical web browser developed by Apple and launched in 2003. It is the native web browser for all Apple devices.

Key features: The key features of Safari are:

• Usability: Safari has an attractive and minimalist user interface design.
• Security: Safari uses Google’s Safe Browsing database to prevent phishing and malware. It allows fingerprinting prevention. Passwords are stored in the iCloud Keychain. Its pop-up ad blocker occasionally falls short.
• Speed: The Browserbench’s tests- Speedometer 2.0, JetStream 2, and Motion Mark- indicate that Chrome is relatively faster than Safari.
• Extensions: Safari has a relatively limited extension library.
• Support and updates: Apple provides Safari with regular updates to fix bugs. Safari’s update cycle is four to six weeks.

USP: It offers high speed and robust privacy. In addition to it being one of the fastest browsers, it provides reliable privacy protections.

Cost: Safari is free to use.

Editorial comments: Safari browser loads pages faster due to its speed and thus improves power efficiency. However, its limited compatibility makes it unusable with Android and Windows devices beyond a point.

7. Tor Browser

Overview: The Onion Router (TOR) is a free and open-source software that enables users anonymous web communication. It was developed by Nick Mathewson and Roger Dingledine and launched in 2002.

Key features: The key features of Tor are:

• Usability: Tor browser is based on Firefox; thus, its user interface is relatively easy.
• Security: There are three security levels of the Tor browser: standard, safer, and safest. Each level disables more website features than its predecessor to reduce the chances of getting malware. This may cause certain website elements, such as images, to malfunction.
• Speed: Tor sends your internet traffic through three nodes before reaching the requested website; thus, the browser’s overall speed is low.
• Extensions: Tor browser is compatible with Firefox’s library of add-ons.
• Support and updates: Tor browser updates regularly to fix security patches.

USP: The high level of privacy it offers its users is unmatched by other browsers.

Cost: Tor browser is free to use.

Editorial comments: Tor browser easily connects to the Tor anonymizing network. However, the Tor browser has security risks, and users should consider using a VPN.

8. UC Browser

Overview: UC Browser is a popular cross-platform web browser developed by UCWeb, an Alibaba subsidiary, and launched in 2004. It primarily targets mobile and Android smartphones. The web version has failed to gain enough customers.

Key features: The key features of UC Browser are:

• Usability: UC Browser has an easy-to-use user interface with a customizable background. It has a speed dial to launch your favorite web pages.
• Security: UC Browser has a built-in ad blocker. However, it has several security concerns. Malwarebytes detects UC Browser as a trojan virus. Additionally, it uses outdated cryptography and SSL protocols.
• Speed: UC Browser uses cloud acceleration and data compression technology to load web pages faster.
• Extensions: UC Browser is compatible with Chrome extensions.
• Support and updates: UC Browser provides updates every few weeks.

USP: It supports high-speed loading of web page content and quick downloads, particularly on older cellular networks like GPRS.

Cost: UC Browser is free to use.

Editorial comments: UC Browser promises its users fast video downloads and huge data savings. However, it has serious security concerns with reported security vulnerabilities like Logjam.

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Takeaway

Browsers are among the most frequently accessed apps today, whether on desktop or mobile. They allow users to access content and services far beyond the scope of locally hosted or installed platforms. Further, the rise of software as a service (SaaS) means that a world of web applications can perform virtually any task through a browser. The best browser applications balance speed and privacy with security, support, and reliability to provide an optimized user experience.

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