5 Essential Android Web Browsers That Can Replace Google Chrome

The Google Chrome web browser comes preloaded in almost all Android phones. Chrome on Android hides some helpful features, including NotebookLM's ability to turn websites into AI podcasts. While Chrome is quite reliable, it's not everyone's cup of tea. It can be resource-intensive, and it has a limited number of customization options. 

You may also want to avoid using Google Chrome on Android because of its extensive data collection habits, particularly if you are serious about your online privacy. Fortunately, if you decide to replace Chrome as your go-to browser, there are plenty of excellent alternatives on Android.

Depending on your needs and preferences, you can choose from options like Mozilla Firefox, which has a long history as a well-liked open-source web browser, or Brave, which is loved for its built-in ad-blocking. Many other excellent Chrome alternatives on Android bring something unique and valuable to the table, so let's take a closer look at them. We picked these Android browsers after considering their ecosystem, features, privacy credentials, and support for customization.

Firefox is one of the most powerful web browsers on Android. This open-source web browser from Mozilla has a big focus on user privacy and security while delivering helpful features like extension support, something you won't find in most of our other recommendations. One of its biggest highlights is Enhanced Tracking Protection (ETP), which blocks all common online trackers to keep online snooping at bay. Moreover, unlike most other popular web browsers on Android, it uses its own GeckoView browser engine, which gives it more control over the browsing experience while avoiding dependence on a third-party browser engine. 

In other features, Firefox has a solid incognito mode and a built-in password manager. You can customize the browser interface and sync your bookmarks, passwords, open tabs, and more across other Firefox instances, including on the desktop. Another helpful resource Firefox has is its Relay email-masking service, available as an extension on Android. It allows you to create email aliases for services you don't want to share your actual email address with. It then removes any trackers from emails sent to these aliases and forwards the messages to your primary email address.

The only Firefox downside is that it can feel slightly heavier than Chrome because of its extensive feature set and extension support.

Microsoft Edge is a good option for anyone who's deeply integrated into the Microsoft ecosystem and wants access to the Copilot AI in their web browser. You can use Copilot to summarize long articles, webpages, videos, or do pretty much anything you can do with Copilot on any other platform. It uses the same browser engine as Chrome and includes all the essentials you may want, such as an incognito mode, a password manager, a reader mode, and data sync support. 

It's also the only web browser in our list, apart from Firefox, that supports extensions. While its add-on selection is much smaller than what you get with Firefox, it's slowly expanding.

Another notable feature you get with Edge is Drop, which gives you a secure way to share files, notes, and links between your Android phone and the Edge desktop version. It can also notify you when any of your saved credentials show up in data breaches. However, as Edge is tied to the Microsoft ecosystem, its integration with Android is not as deep as Chrome's, which enjoys better system-level access.

Brave is another excellent web browser you can use to replace Chrome on your Android phone. It comes with several resources that not only make your everyday browsing more private but also more secure. One of these features is a comprehensive ad and tracker blocking system called Brave Shields, which stops all the unnecessary trackers, cross-site cookies, and advertisements by default to deliver a clean and more private browsing experience. There is no need to install extensions for any of this.

Moreover, you get an integrated VPN to route your Brave traffic through a secure connection to keep it away from prying eyes, coupled with a privacy-first search engine that doesn't collect any data about you. However, the Brave Search isn't as comprehensive as Google, especially for local results, as it uses its own index. In other highlights, the browser relies on the Chromium engine for fast page rendering and supports data syncing across Brave instances on different platforms. Also, you get a password manager, a crypto wallet, and a private AI assistant called Leo as part of the app.

DuckDuckGo offers a lightweight and minimal web browser on Android that puts your privacy first. It has a clean and uncluttered user interface that feels quick and responsive. It also comes with DuckDuckGo Search, which doesn't track or profile your searches like Google. Additionally, like many other modern web browsers, DuckDuckGo has integrated AI tools, but they are optional and don't use your data for training. Other privacy-oriented features include protection against third-party tracking and fingerprinting, as well as an option to create email aliases to avoid sharing your real email address with unknown online services and websites.

Another major highlight of DuckDuckGo is its Fire button, which clears all your tabs and browsing data in one single tap. You can also securely share your bookmarks and passwords across devices with DuckDuckGo Sync. Moreover, you can use the browser to block hidden trackers in other apps. This feature works locally as a sort of firewall to enhance your privacy. The focus on minimalism also means DuckDuckGo misses out on features like collections and a reading list.

If you are someone who likes to customize your apps extensively, Vivaldi is a good browser choice for your Android device. Developed by former Opera employees using the Chromium engine, it offers more customization options than most other major Android web browsers. For example, when you are setting up Vivaldi for the first time, it will ask you where you want to position your address or tab bars, whether you'd like a tab switcher or a tab bar, and what color you want on the major user interface elements. You can also tweak the main menu layout and pick the toolbar shortcut of your choice.

The browser lets you block trackers and ads out of the box. The typical browser essentials, like an incognito mode, sync support, and a password manager, are also present. Plus, you get a built-in notes tool, a privacy-oriented translator, and the ability to screenshot the visible area or the entire webpage. However, Vivaldi's update cycle is longer compared to other web browsers. It can sometimes take more than two months between versions, which means new features come slightly late. 

While selecting the web browsers that can replace Chrome on Android, we chose apps that are actively receiving updates and that were made by reputed and trusted developers. This is important because web browsers have access to a lot of private data, and it's risky to give a non-trusted app access to it. Then, we filtered our selection to the browsers that have one or more features, which you don't typically get on Chrome, such as support for extensions, solid privacy credentials, support for ad-blocking, a built-in mechanism to limit tracking and fingerprinting by websites, and more. 

All our recommendations have their unique take on a web browser while delivering the essentials that all web browsers are expected to have. We tested each recommendation to confirm the features matched their marketing claims. Plus, we took into account the general user feedback shared on Google Play Store's app reviews and comments posted on websites like Reddit to avoid missing any significant complaints by regular users.