Best Android browsers

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Search the web with more than just Chrome.

Brave Private Web Browser on a Google Pixel 6 held in one hand in an office
(Image credit: Namerah Saud Fatmi / Android Central)

The default web browser for most Android phones is good ol' reliable Chrome. If you frequently use other Google services like YouTube and Google Drive, it's the natural pick. But you do have other options. Here are the best Android browsers that aren't Chrome!

Browsing the best Android browsers

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Brave Privacy Browser

Brave Privacy Browser

Brave Privacy Browser is all about blocking ads and other online trackers while delivering lightning-quick web browsing with a streamlined UI. Not only does Brave aim to improve your web browsing experience by removing ads, but it also has its own method of supporting your favorite online sites through its Basic Attention Token (BAT) as part of its Brave Rewards program that lets you earn and contribute a digital currency to your favorite creators.

Download from: Google Play Store

Samsung Internet Browser

Samsung Internet Browser

Samsung's default browser for its Galaxy phones is a reliable internet browser that you can download and install on any non-Samsung phone through the Google Play Store. It's super fast and easy to use with a convenient navigation bar at the bottom and includes a host of cool features. You'll find a video assistant that makes watching videos a breeze, a built-in tracking blocker to ensure your browsing is safe and private, and compatibility with third-party ad blockers.

Download from: Google Play Store

Mozilla Firefox

Mozilla Firefox

Mozilla Firefox is an iconic web browser for PC and Mac used by hundreds of millions of people around the world. The Android app delivers most of the features that make the desktop version so accessible along with a very familiar look and feel. You get a customizable homepage that lets you immediately jump into your most visited sites along with all the add-ons, including password managers and ad blockers that make Firefox a joy to use.

Download from: Google Play Store

Opera

Opera

Opera, for a time, was the darling alternative web browser for many thanks to its sleek design and ease of use. It's still pretty great, with a focus on delivering a smart news feed with customizable channels and a built-in VPN for good measure. There's easy to use features such as built-in ad blocking, and a data-saving mode makes for faster browsing on slow networks. You're always able to zoom in on any page, and Opera will intelligently fit the text to your screen with text wrap.

Download from: Google Play Store

Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge

Emerging from the ashes of Internet Explorer is Microsoft Edge. It's nice having the navigation buttons at the bottom, especially using taller screens, making it much easier to open new tabs and quickly add articles to your reading list. But the biggest perk here comes if you're also using Edge on your PC; it anchors the navigation bar so you can easily switch over between browsing on your phone and computer.

Download from: Google Play Store

Chrome Beta

Chrome Beta

For fans of Chrome who want the latest features, there's a separate app for a beta version. It's where Google will test out the latest features that might be coming to the official app. It's a reliable option for those who enjoy the beta testing process and the occasional bugs that go along with it.

Download from: Google Play Store

Always remember you've got options

One of the best parts of owning an Android phone is the ability to customize the default apps to fit your needs, so if you've switched from a Samsung phone to a Google Pixel and miss the streamlined functionality of the Samsung Internet Browser, you can download and set Samsung's browser as your default.

I have switched over to Brave as of late because I appreciate the ad and tracker blocker functionality, and I get a kick out of tallying up BATs using the Brave Rewards program. It's still dubious as to whether they hold actual value or not, and I haven't yet used them to contribute to a site I enjoy, but I love the premise.

Beyond Chrome and Brave, I'd have to recommend the Microsoft Edge browser strongly. The last time I used Edge for PC it still wasn't my cup of tea, but Edge for Android works remarkably smoothly and is a solid pick especially if you do use Edge on your computer, as there's excellent back-and-forth integration between the mobile and PC versions.

Marc Lagace
Marc Lagace

Marc Lagace was an Apps and Games Editor at Android Central between 2016 and 2020. You can reach out to him on Twitter [@spacelagace.

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