Common questions

Which browser is best for privacy?
Depends how far you want to go. Tor Browser and Mullvad Browser are built for anonymity but break some sites; LibreWolf and Brave harden a lot while staying usable every day. The quiz weighs how much breakage you'll tolerate before ranking them.
What are the serious alternatives to Chrome?
Keeping the engine and your extensions: Brave, Vivaldi, Thorium or ungoogled-chromium. Leaving Google's engine entirely: Firefox, LibreWolf or Zen.
What's the lightest browser?
On old desktop hardware, NetSurf, Dillo and Falkon stay comfortable where Chrome gives up. In a terminal, Lynx and w3m run on anything with a prompt.
Why do all iPhone browsers feel the same?
Apple requires every iOS browser to use its WebKit engine, so on an iPhone they differ in features and sync — not in speed or site compatibility.
How does the ranking work?
Your answers set weights across 22 criteria; every browser carries a 0–3 score on each. Multiply, sum, sort. Your devices are the only hard filter, and nobody pays for placement.

What could you want from a browser?

Every feature worth wanting, and the browsers that have it. Click a name for details.

Who begat whom

Almost every browser is a fork of something. Trace the lineages — drag to look around, click any browser for details.

Every browser we know

Mainstream, hardened, hackable, half-forgotten — the whole catalogue.

NetSurf

A featherweight with its very own engine.

NetSurf (own) open source LinuxWindowsmacOS

A tiny browser with a from-scratch engine that runs on hardware as humble as a Raspberry Pi 1 or RISC OS machine. Great CSS support; JavaScript is minimal.

Why it shines

  • Astonishingly small and fast
  • Independent engine
  • Runs on ancient/exotic hardware

Worth knowing

  • Minimal JavaScript = much of the modern web breaks
  • Best for docs and simple sites

Origins

NetSurf belongs to The independents — descended from Own engines.

Does well

Alternatives

Is it the right one for you? The quiz will tell you.

Take the quiz → Visit NetSurf