Web browsers have existed in some form or fashion since the late 1980’s, when the first ideas for what was to become the internet and the World Wide Web were first worked on by Tim Berners-Lee. Eventually those ideas led to what was known in the early 1990’s as the browser wars, which took off between Internet Explorer and Netscape. Today the question is which is the best browser for Mac.
Web browsers are some of the most important tools in our digital toolbox. Need to find a recipe, song lyric, or other information? There's a browser for that. Browsers are in use today on almost every electronic device available, such as computers, mobile phones, tablets, and a wide range of other devices. We have looked at many browsers available at our fingertips to find the best browser for Mac users. We want to see how they compare against one another in what they offer and how well they work with the OS X.
Product FAQ
Image via: Pixabay
1. What Is a Web Browser?
2. What Does a Web Browser Do?
3. How Does a Web Browser Work?
4. Where Can You Purchase Them?
5. What Is the Best Browser for Mac?
6. Can I Use More Than One Browser on a Mac?
How We Reviewed
The following web browsers were reviewed based on what they offer the user in terms of ease, speed, add-ons, and anything else which a user might find useful. We looked at each one, noting how they worked with the Mac, how the OS X worked with or against the browser, and the pros and cons of each browser.
Also, we took a look at the ability to keep ads from popping up, how the browsing history can be deleted, the customization available on each browser and how hard the computer works while you're working away in the browser. To find the absolute best browser for Mac, we've scoured the internet and found seven which we feel might be the best.
Overall Price Range of This Product (and Similar Products)
All of the products reviews are available at no cost, and you will be able to download them from their respective websites or the app store on the Mac. Some have add-ons or extentions that you can purchase for anywhere from $1 to $10.
What We Reviewed
Google Chrome
Features
Chrome was created by Google, and they have created a version which is compatible with the Mac operating system. This might be considered the best browser for Mac because of the ease of use, instant search capabilities, and a minimalistic interface. The browser utilizes the Blink engine, and most of its source code can be found in Chromium, an open-source project.
Many users prefer this browser because it offers a wide range of extensions to customize the browser as you like. Chrome also has a Privacy Mode feature which will keep the browser from permanently storing cookies or the browsing history. The browser also offers advanced syncing among devices and apps, so if you're constantly multitasking during your web-browsing sessions, this one might be your best choice for a favorite browser. For those who like to use Gmail, Google docs, and other items created by Google, then Chrome might be the option for you.
Pros
Cons
Safari
Features
Safari has been the default browser for Macs and other Apple devices since it was developed and created by Apple in 2004. This is the best browser for Mac, not only because Apple developed it, but because it can perform up to four times faster than Firefox, and eight times faster than Internet Explorer. The increase in performance over other browsers is due in part to the Nitro Javascript engine utilized in the creation of Safari.
Also included in Safari is speculative loading, which can allow items such as documents, scripts and style information to be loaded from memory, which can decrease the times it takes to load. If you throw in a smart address field, which is a feature that will auto-complete what you are attempting to type in the box, browsing with Safari can be blazing fast because it makes websites and web applications feel snappier.
Pros
Cons
Torch
Features
This browser was created by Torch media and was based on the open source Chromium code. A great feature of Torch is its ability to allow the user to share websites via social media, and it also has a built in torrent client which allows the user to download torrents. Torch might be considered the best browser for Mac because it allows the user to download videos from Instagram and Vine, and it also offers Torch Music, which allows the user to organize YouTube videos.
Torch includes a media button, which is a fantastic option to have if you casually listen to music while on the internet. In addition to the media button, there is the media grabber feature, which allows you to save a song file instantly when you come across one on the net you love and want to save. Another reason Torch might be the best browser for Mac is because of how the browser downloads by splitting files into chunks and then downloading multiple chunks simultaneously, which can increase the utilization of the internet connection and offers effective download speeds to users.
Pros
Cons
Opera
Features
Opera offers users the ability to access faster speed with low-speed connection because of the server size compression technique. This browser might be the best browser for Mac because it’s fast and smooth due to the faster speed offered. Opera has a simple and clean interface; however, it’s laid out differently than most browsers you’ve used before. So it’ll be a small learning curve to get use to it.
Opera has pop-up blocking, private browsing, tabbed browsing, bookmarks bar, a download manager, and the ability to check any websites visited against a list of sites known for phishing and malware. In addition to these features, Opera also has what’s called and Off-Road mode, which will prompt the browser to check for a version of the website which is optimized before it will load the website.
Pros
Cons
Vivaldi
Features
Vivaldi is an open source Chromium-like browser with some similarities to Opera, and it might be the best browser for Mac because of great tab management, and ability to customize the browser. And since it’s based on Chromium, it has access to the Chrome store.
Vivaldi also offers tiling tabs, allowing for better multitasking, which enables you to view multiple tabs side-by-side. Vivaldi also includes a note taking tool, which is integrated into the browser. This browser can synchronize your bookmarks, passwords, auto-fill data, typed URLs, notes, remote sessions, and some, though not all, of your settings between installs.
Pros
Cons
Firefox
Features
Firefox is a free and open source app which was developed by the Mozilla Foundation in 2002. Users might consider Firefox the best browser for Mac because of its capacity to add extra features developed by third parties. Security for Firefox is based on the Sandbox Security Model and also includes a strong encryption, and there’s always a constant search for bugs because of the bug bounty Firefox offers to those who find them.
As other browsers offers, there are tabbed browsing, a download manager, and private browsing available for users to utilize. In addition to those features, if you have an account with Firefox, you are able to access your history, bookmarks and open tabs from different devices, such as computers, smartphone, and tablet. Firefox allows developers and regular users to explore social media connections using the social API included in the browser.
Pros
Cons
Maxthon
Features
Maxthon is the best browser for Mac because it helps boost the internet speed, to a certain degree, in order to try to open the web page faster. This program has a feature doesn’t let you fill the information on websites you visited in the past when you visit it for the next time because it saves the information for you. Its cloud technology allows the user to sync and manager across different platforms.
Maxthon also offers some unique advantages, such as its Dual Display Modes, Ultra and Retro, and can switch back and forth between them automatically. It even has a mute button built into the lower frame to quickly silence noisy sites. You can manually delete all traces of your browsing history manually or set up Maxthon to automatically delete it when you close the browser.
Pros
Cons
The Verdict
Image via: Pixabay
With all the choices available to you, these are 7 best browsers available for the Mac. So, which browser should you use? Each of these browsers has great features and some not so great. For those of you who need a browser which has the fastest graphics rendering, then Chrome or Opera might work for you because they are Blink based.
If your browsing habits are more general, or you make use of web-based apps, Safari may be a much better choice. Depending on your needs and speed requirements, the best browser for Mac will be the one that is the best one for you. In the end, the best browser for Mac will be the one which gets you where you want to go.