Best Linux browser

[RobGoss]

Hello all, I was wonder what Linux browser do you consider the best, I use Google Chrome at the moment, I know it's not Linux based but are there any Linux browsers that are good and what are the advantages of using a linux-based browser ?

I came across this one called Qupzilla and for the most part it looks great..https://www.qupzilla.com

I installed it to see what it looks like and it's pretty fast. One thing when I use a Web browser I do not use many extensions maybe one or two, at the most. I realize using to many will also slow things down

[LastDino]

Epiphany?

Don't know if it is only Linux thing but works pretty well. I've also tried Swiftfox before, that worked as well.

If you want more lighter try Links and or Lynx, which are text based. Honestly I'm impressed with Lynx.

[sp40140]

Browsers are not Linux based. Browsers are browsers.
As to which one is better... It depends on your use and your priorities.
For example, I use Firefox generally with few privacy oriented extensions. And for some specific sites I use Vivaldi and for some others I use chrome.
There are lot more browsers out there today, you try many and use what fits your needs.

[LastDino]

I think OP wants to ask "open source" rather than Linux based, which are usually made available in various distro's by default as they are free. He seems to be referring to them as Linux based.

[JonPaul]

I have just started using Brave which is based on chromium and it is very nice!
https://brave.com/

[RobGoss]

I think OP wants to ask "open source" rather than Linux based, which are usually made available in various distro's by default as they are free. He seems to be referring to them as Linux based.

You are correct, I was referring to the browsers that come with some distributions as default, they are considered open source correct I maybe wrong that's why I'm asking

[mörgæs]

The ones that come with Buntu are not only considered open source, they are open source. I don't know what is packaged in other distros.

I also suggest Lynx or Links2, maybe not for all purposes but at least for daily news browsing.

[RobGoss]

Question? Mörgæs, so do they have browsers that are considered Linux? I know you mentioned open source but I just wanted to make sure were on the same page here to define open source / Linux based web browsers

[1fallen]

10 Best Web Browsers For Linux... more Browsers than you can shake a stick at.
https://beebom.com/best-web-browsers-for-linux/
(https://beebom.com/best-web-browsers-for-linux/)
Also some not mentioned in the above link:
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/using-best-web-browser-linux/

I also have to give some props for Brave. ;)

[mörgæs]

Linux is a kernel to which people can add a number of GNU parts (a C++ compiler, for example) giving a GNU/Linux operative system. The OS is often packed along with a text editor, a browser and other stuff for daily use in a distribution, or distro for short.

The Linux kernel is not connected to the browser more than it's connected to, say Libreoffice.

[RobGoss]

Linux is a kernel to which people can add a number of GNU parts (a C++ compiler, for example) giving a GNU/Linux operative system. The OS is often packed along with a text editor, a browser and other stuff for daily use in a distribution, or distro for short.

The Linux kernel is not connected to the browser more than it's connected to, say Libreoffice.

Thanks so much for the clarification

[kyle.allen805]

I think good old fashioned Firefox is the best, but thats just me. I try to steer clear of Chrome.

[walts48]

Firefox Nightly https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/channel/desktop/#nightly

[Perfect Storm]

chrome all the way. Haven't let me down like other browsers.

[RobGoss]

chrome all the way. Haven't let me down like other browsers.

Yes I have to admit I'm also a Chrome user for many years and it has always been reliable

[7dEfOk4AgU]

I am using Brave, I have found it to be stale and present way less issues than others.

Chrome...horrible scrolling, Google have never sorted this.
Chromium... as above.
Firefox... resource hog and I have overheating issues with this browser. Uses very high CPU cycles and memory.
Opera.... OK, just that it is OK.

[1fallen]

I am using Brave, I have found it to be stale
hopefully you meant stable..:D
And +1

[7dEfOk4AgU]

hopefully you meant stable..;)
And +1

ooops correct I meant stable :D

[1fallen]

ooops correct I meant stable :D
Glad to see I'm not alone...These old fingers have a mind of their own sometimes...LOL
I'm starting to really like this browser...I don't swap Browsers often either. ;)

[vasa1]

I stay with Google Chrome and Firefox. The only extensions I need are ublock origin and Stylish on Google Chrome and those plus CTR and Greasemonkey on Firefox at least until v57.

[7dEfOk4AgU]

I am currently using Elementary as I errrr somewhat patiently what for Ubuntu 17.10, I dumped the default browser and tried Firefox and I swear I could just about cook toast on the laptop after a short time. I deleted FF and installed Brave and the laptop runs nice and cool now.

[vasa1]

... I ... tried Firefox and I swear I could just about cook toast on the laptop after a short time. ...
I don't see that at all! For me, Firefox and Google Chrome run equally competently.

[7dEfOk4AgU]

A year ago I would agree with you vasa1 , Firefox was my favourite browser but over the last year something seem to have gone wrong with it.

[vasa1]

A year ago I would agree with you vasa1 , Firefox was my favourite browser but over the last year something seem to have gone wrong with it.

Well, they went with " Multiprocess Windows" sometime ago. It's possible that that added some overhead.
Since I don't have a GPU, I've also disabled hardware acceleration. I don't know if that helps.
I've used CSS to turn off some fancy effects on web pages that I suspect could cause needless CPU activity (and so lead to heating).
I use ublock origin to keep scripts and non-essential stuff to a minimum.
I keep extensions to a minimum.

But I do this on both browsers and have been doing so for at least a couple of years.

[7dEfOk4AgU]

I have just done a Mint build on a Dell Inspiron with only Intel Graphics. The default Firefox again warms up the laptop quite a bit where as with Brave which I have installed the laptop runs cool. Firefox has no extensions.

[Crimple]

Palemoon (http://www.palemoon.org/#)

[speedwell68]

Chrome.

[cosplayeyez]

Hello all, I was wonder what Linux browser do you consider the best, I use Google Chrome at the moment?
I also use Chrome Web Browser.

[Wadim_Korneev]

I personally prefer Chromium and use that with the pepperflash plugin. it's still really down to personal choice.


For future reference, nobody can be sure as the demise of flash is imminent. HTML5 is becoming the new standard.


try the following webpage for direct comparison of HTML5 playback features and performance.

[wxboss]

Firefox.

I've always liked FF, and for the last two years I've been using a Chromebook where Chrome is the only browser option available. I'm glad to have some options now ;).

[kurt18947]

I'm running Firefox as the default and have Vivaldi as a alternative. I have quite a few extensions so some (snooping) web sites are not happy with that. If I think they're worthwhile I use Vivaldi with flash and HTML autoplay disabled. I have found if Firefox won't work well with some web sites, restarting with add-ons disabled (Help - Restart with Add-ons disabled) sometimes works. I just don't care for Google's data slurping so don't do more with them than I can help. They're still the best search engine though IMO.

[RobGoss]

When I first started out on the net I used Firefox for some time but there were a few things I did not like about it so I move to Chrome and it had been my go to browser for many years. I keep things simple and don't use any extensions only because I'm a minimalist

[vanillalumina]

I just performed a fresh install of Xubuntu 17.04 on my MacBook Air (replacing Linux Mint 18 XFCE) and Firefox is the default browser. Works well for most sites, so no need to change. I've been mostly neutral in the Chrome-Firefox browser wars as I have Firefox on the Xubuntu partition, and Safari on the Mac partition - which I use because it syncs my iCloud bookmarks with my iPhone. I've also used Chromium before which was a great experience overall on MacOS, and am thinking of using it as an alternative browser on the Xubuntu partition.

[monkeybrain20122]

Lately Firefox has not been able to access some sites or it takes a long time to load. e.g Wikipedia. I thought it was the router firewall or something (I share wifi, I have no access to the router) or the dns settings. But the problem persists when I bring my laptop to coffee shops. Turns out Firefox has enabled ipv6. Disable it and it all works now (about:config and set network.dns.disableIPv6 to falsetrue)

[vasa1]

... Turns out Firefox has enabled ipv6. Disable it and it all works now (about:config and set network.dns.disableIPv6 to false)
But that is default for me on Fx53:

[monkeybrain20122]

But that is default for me on Fx53:

Oops. I meant to turn it to be "true' (disable ipv6)

[LastDino]

Oops. I meant to turn it to be "true' (disable ipv6)

Done, thanks for info.

[HermanAB]

Real men browse the web with netcat.

I actually use links quite a bit. It is good for reading news sites without all the cruft.

[poorguy]

I'm using Chromium and it works well as I don't care for Firefox anymore.

[shantiq]

for sheer speed and i use ALMOST nothing else this FF fork >>>> Palemoon (https://www.palemoon.org/)




altho occasionally Midori (http://www.midori-browser.org/)

[Bucky Ball]

What's best is what works best for you. My perfect could be your totally inappropriate. It depends on what you consider to be good about a browser.

I use Firefox. It's the best. For me, not for others. I don't use Chrome. Hate it. Others love it and consider it the best. A question with a million answers (well, 41 to this point, but there is almost unlimited potential ;)).

[poorguy]

Hey Bucky Ball,

Agreed.

I still use Seamonkey as it doesn't seem to change much.
I used FF for many years when I used Windows and up to recent using Linux.

Personal preference is what it is about.
I've tried several of the different Chrome based browsers but Chromium seems the best for me.

To bad there isn't just a simple no frills browser that just works and doesn't have all of the other added BS.

Perhaps being in my middle sixties I'm don't except new change as easy as when I was younger. :lolflag:

[Bucky Ball]

I must have Zotero for referencing from the web so FF it is as they integrate seamlessly (and that integrates with Libreoffice). That is 'best' for me.

A perfect example of 'best' being a personal thing. poorguy likes Seamonkey, I don't. ;)

[RobGoss]

Personal preference is what it is about.
I've tried several of the different Chrome based browsers but Chromium seems the best for me.


I've been using Google chrome so long because it seems not only a good browser but also fast. I have used Firefox also and it was also very good when I was using it so I'm sure it's even better now. I guess it depends on what you're looking for in a browser, me I just want a browser I can surf the web with out the slowness

I'm one of those people when something is working as it should I won't change it unless needed. I was just checking out what options are available with Linux

[monkeybrain20122]

Actually I find Opera extremely fast and polished, but it lacks some features (e.g Netflix still doesn't work on Opera, I almost never watch it, but still..) Also it is proprietary.

[poorguy]

I guess it depends on what you're looking for in a browser, me I just want a browser I can surf the web with out the slowness

I'm one of those people when something is working as it should I won't change it unless needed.

You hit the nail on the head as all I do is surf the net and Youtube so as long as a browser works that is all I need.

What made me switch from FF to Chromium was when FF dumped ALSA audio support other than that never had any real problems with FF

[RobGoss]

What made me switch from FF to Chromium was when FF dumped ALSA audio support other than that never had any real problems with FF

I did not switch to Google chrome because the lack of performance or because it was a bad browser, I just like Google and how they do most things including their browser. Besides Chrome I would probably be using Firefox if I had to make a switch

[llanitedave]

I use Firefox for generic web surfing, You Tubes, news sites, and the like, while I use Chrome for work and programming related stuff. Each one has its own desktop workspace. Seems to suit me fine.

[thanhnien123]

i like chrome than Qupzilla . Beause qupzilla play video slowly

[jeremy2017]

So many to choose from. Feel confused now

[kc1di]

Best is hard to pin down as your best may be my worst. It really all depends what you want your browser to do for you.
I use opera more and more and like it very much. But also have Chrome installed and it great for some things also.
FF and I never fully got along , but it's still a fine browser. Try them all see which one fits best for your needs.

[HermanAB]

"So many to choose from" - The beauty of Free software is that you can install and try them all!

[poorguy]

I'm using Chromium and it works well as I don't care for Firefox anymore.
I must say that Firefox 54 works very well and the one extension I use is still intact and working well.

I believe I have to change my opinion about Firefox keep using it along with Chromium.

@HermanAB,
You're right, "So many to choose from" - The beauty of Free software is that you can install and try them all!


The PoorGuy ;)

[7dEfOk4AgU]

I must say that Firefox 54 works very well and the one extension I use is still intact and working well.

I believe I have to change my opinion about Firefox keep using it along with Chromium.

@HermanAB,
You're right, "So many to choose from" - The beauty of Free software is that you can install and try them all!


The PoorGuy ;)

What is the memory and CPU use like with the latest FF release?

[poorguy]

What is the memory and CPU use like with the latest FF release?

memory use htop 650 mb / 697 mb depends on what I'm looking at.

cpu use 5% / 15% htop depends on what I'm looking at.

Intel Core2 Duo E7500 2.9 ghz / 1066 fsb

Memory DDR2 4.0 gb / 800 mhzfsb

Manjaro Linux 17.0.1 Gellivara 64bit

[bcschmerker]

I'm very much partial to Mozilla® Firefox® on account of advanced tuning means to optimize it for sets of requirements. If ye know what to seek among the registry of booleans, integers, and strings in about:config, the browser can at once be tuned for most reasonable security in the face of servers configured for Transport Layer Security 1.0 through 1.3 (using HTTP Strict Transport Security and even customized default Content Security Policies) and a near complete bag of operabilities for HTML 5. Hit regions, Date/Time fields in Forms, Track handling in Media, and so forth can be enabled, that are switched off as delivered from Mozilla Central.

[exhile]

Chrome, since my favourites will sync with my mobile browser on my Android smart phone. Mobile phones are the way of the future on the Internet according to statistics.

[poorguy]

Mobile phones are the way of the future on the Internet according to statistics.
That may be true for the generations of today but not for this old man.

Statistics are monetarily biased imo.

[orange2k]

I tried Vivaldi today, and I must say, it is way too cool to be ignored...

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/reasons-switch-vivaldi-browser/

[paulconnolly]

I was using Brave for a while, but started using chrome more and more, now pretty much using chrome all the time at the moment.

[ClickXT]

Mozilla Firefox forever.

[HermanAB]

Real geeks browse the web with telnet.

[PaulW2U]

I use opera more and more and like it very much.
I like the way Opera allows you to install the stable, beta and development versions alongside each other.

"So many to choose from" - The beauty of Free software is that you can install and try them all!
Agreed.

Unfortunately I'm finding Firefox to be too heavy on resources.
Me too! Both my ageing and inferior hardware can no longer run Firefox as well as other browsers such as Chrome, Chromium and Opera.

[lammert-nijhof]

Both my ageing and inferior hardware can no longer run Firefox as well as other browsers such as Chrome, Chromium and Opera.
Firefox is the best, since it almost never drops frames in HD YouTube Videos unlike Chrome and Chromium. It is easy to give the impression, that you run well on older HW, if you just drop 10-30% of the frames :)

I used Chrome for 5 years, but after detecting it dropped a relative large number of frames, I abandoned it. Of course it happens more frequently, when you are starting to exceed 75% CPU loads. To check the number of frames dropped, if you play YouTube videos, right click in the playing video and selects the last entry of the menu: "statistics for nerds"

I'm using a 10? years old 1GB video card, a GeForce 8400GS, mainly for HD videos. In Firefox in "about:config" I set: "layers.acceleration.force-enabled" to "true" and with these settings the CPU load of Firefox dropped by say 1/3 and with respect to CPU load it did beat Chrome and Chromium by at least 20%. All measured at my previous CPU, a 2-core AMD Phenom II X2 B59 (3.4GHz). During that time I only had the HDD.
Just to define old in my case, the AM3 Phenom II's were from 2010/2011 and my AM2+ motherboard is from 2008 with 800MHz DDR2, USB 2.0, PCIe 2.0 (3GB/s instead of 6GB/s) and SATA-2 (300MB/s instead of 600MB/s).

[Wadim_Korneev]

If you care (at least a little) about security, use Firefox (highly configurable), Chromium/Chrome (fast on enough RAM) or Epiphany (best desktop integration but lacks some features).

[miqrojamie]

Shame Firefox will be going to less configurable soon because they are removing normal extensions in favour of web extensions like Chromium's, as far as I'm aware...

[coffeefiend]

Microsoft Edge.





Ok, I couldn't type that with a straight face. I normally use Chrome and FireFox, but I also use Tor from time to time. Lots of good suggestions in this thread, though, and many I have never heard of before. Currently I only have a Windows 10 laptop, which I am strongly considering setting up for dual boot with either Mint or Ubuntu, and a Raspberry Pi2 with Raspian loaded on one SD card and Kali loaded on another.

[m666]

I use Firefox generally with few privacy oriented extensions. And for some specific sites I use Vivaldi and for some others I use chrome.

Chrome for Netflix. Vivaldi for what?

[VMC]

Chrome for me, and has been for years. I try the newest Firefox from time to time, but always go back to Chrome. For one thing Chrome works best for my financial links.

[C.S.Cameron]

Firefox +1

[electrosteam]

My ancient DelI 32 bit laptop was running Lubuntu with Firefox 57 until I got sick of the slow responses, researched the subject to discover Mozilla had admitted that there was a 'busyness' problem, so did a test install of Flashpeak Slimjet.

The busyness ( CPU activity without any web searching ) dropped to about half.

Yesterday I upgraded to Firefox 58, and the busyness is reduced, probably to a workable level, but Slimjet is still noticeably faster.
I will continue to alternate between the two browsers and see if F58 improves, but my current goto for web browsing is Slimjet.

John

[m666]

FF is a hog. Besides after transition to Quantum my favourite addons dont work. Welcome to FireChrome 57. Fortunately we have Pale Moon.
Chrome no longer supports 32bit. Fortunately we have Chromium, Slimjet, Vivaldi. Google doesnt want us to use some extensions. Fortunately we can use Opera extensions in Chrom*.

[genericvii143]

I will vote for TOR browser it doing the job for what i used it for.

[irv]

I use the Chrome Browser and the reason why is it makes it easy to go from distor to distor or computer to computer and all my setting, apps, extensions, login, passwords, go with me. I can do a fresh install of any OS, install Chrome and all my programs and I am back running. I keep all my files in the clouds, so I just log in to Dropbox, everything syncs.

[m666]

I use the Chrome Browser and the reason why is it makes it easy to go from distor to distor or computer to computer and all my setting, apps, extensions, login, passwords, go with me. I can do a fresh install of any OS, install Chrome and all my programs and I am back running. I keep all my files in the clouds, so I just log in to Dropbox, everything syncs.
Opera an Firefox can do sync as well.

I store my 200+ passwords in LastPass, it allows me to use my passwords on any device, any system, in any browser.
I backup my 400+ bookmarks to html file and send it to my email box.

[mobius+]

Browsers are not Linux based. Browsers are browsers.
As to which one is better... It depends on your use and your priorities.
For example, I use Firefox generally with few privacy oriented extensions. And for some specific sites I use Vivaldi and for some others I use chrome.
There are lot more browsers out there today, you try many and use what fits your needs.

I am also using firefox and I am quite satisfied with it. Just one question: when do you use Vivaldi and for what reasons exactly? Is it better for some cases?

[wheelerof4te]

Firefox Quantum runs fine and quick on my Broadwell based notebook. Balancing between privacy, performance and memory usage, FF Quantum is right now the best IMO.

[tinylagarto]

I use the Chrome Browser and the reason why is it makes it easy to go from distor to distor or computer to computer and all my setting, apps, extensions, login, passwords, go with me. I can do a fresh install of any OS, install Chrome and all my programs and I am back running. I keep all my files in the clouds, so I just log in to Dropbox, everything syncs.

That is true though I just take and move the .mozilla folder and that's it. The results are the same.

[lighthousebeacon]

Firefox Quantum 59.0.1, with Chromium as backup browser.
In Firefox I have very few extensions loaded (uget-integrator, https everywhere, adblock), is synced, and use pocket.