saasrankedSoftware, ranked on the facts

Cloud, Backup & PC

Best web browsers

Browse the web on Windows with the privacy, sync and extension support you want built in. 12 web browsers, ranked by points out of 100.

Facts checked 8 Oct 2026 · How we score web browsers

In short

  1. 1
    BravePeople who want privacy protections on from the first launch
    84/100
    $0cost to use
  2. 2
    Mozilla FirefoxPeople who want open-source code, tracker blocking and sync that Mozilla cannot read
    80/100
    $0cost to use
  3. 3
    Microsoft EdgeWindows users who want tracker blocking by default and Chrome extensions
    73/100
    Not publishedcost to use
  4. 4
    Google ChromePeople who want the Chrome Web Store and sync across Windows, Mac, Linux and phones
    66/100
    $0cost to use
  5. 5
    VivaldiPeople who want to customise their tabs, sidebar and layout
    65/100
    $0cost to use
  6. 6
    WaterfoxPeople who want Firefox with no telemetry, tree tabs and an ad blocker already built in
    65/100
    $0cost to use
  7. 7
    OperaPeople who want a built-in ad blocker and VPN without installing extensions
    61/100
    $0cost to use
  8. 8
    LibreWolfPeople who want a hardened Firefox with ad and tracker blocking from the first launch
    56/100
    $0cost to use
  9. 9
    DuckDuckGo BrowserPeople who want privacy settings already switched on
    53/100
    $0cost to use
  10. 10
    Opera GXGamers who want resource limits and chat apps in the browser
    38/100
    $0cost to use
  11. 11
    Tor BrowserPeople who need anonymity more than convenience
    26/100
    $0cost to use
  12. 12
    Mullvad BrowserPeople who care most about fingerprinting protection and do not need sync or saved passwords
    21/100
    $0cost to use

How the points add up

Points earned out of the points available in each part of the method.

ProductSystems
of 8		Privacy and security
of 37		Sync and sign-in
of 22		Extensions
of 12		Tabs and tools
of 16		Price
of 5		Total
Brave83417128584
Mozilla Firefox83217612580
Microsoft Edge827141212073
Google Chrome8922616566
Vivaldi81317616565
Waterfox62517012565
Opera81317612561
LibreWolf4251408556
DuckDuckGo Browser6251700553
Opera GX88908538
Tor Browser615000526
Mullvad Browser412000521

Each web browser in brief

1. Brave

Brave suits people who want ad, tracker and fingerprinting protection without adding extensions, and who still want Chrome Web Store add-ons. Only you hold the Sync decryption key. The catch: its VPN is a paid add-on that covers the whole device, not just the browser, and passkey storage is not documented on its feature or privacy pages.

Best for: People who want privacy protections on from the first launch. Prices, facts and sources

2. Mozilla Firefox

Firefox suits people who want privacy features in the browser itself: tracker and fingerprint blocking, a free-tier browser VPN and sync Mozilla cannot read. Its code is open source and Mozilla says it keeps Manifest V2 support. The catch: Firefox's pages do not mention passkeys or Chrome Web Store installs, and a past Bugzilla breach is on record.

Best for: People who want open-source code, tracker blocking and sync that Mozilla cannot read. Prices, facts and sources

3. Microsoft Edge

Edge suits people who want tracker blocking switched on from the first launch, a small built-in VPN allowance and access to Chrome extensions. Its bug bounty and vertical tabs are documented. It also saves passkeys. The catch: Microsoft does not document end-to-end encrypted sync with a key only you hold, and the Edge browser source is not published.

Best for: Windows users who want tracker blocking by default and Chrome extensions. Prices, facts and sources

4. Google Chrome

Chrome suits people who want the Chrome Web Store, passkeys and sync across all their devices at no cost. A passphrase makes sync unreadable to Google. The catch: the cookie help page names blocking by default only for Incognito mode, and Manifest V2 content blockers no longer work.

Best for: People who want the Chrome Web Store and sync across Windows, Mac, Linux and phones. Prices, facts and sources

5. Vivaldi

Vivaldi suits people who want a heavily customisable browser with built-in tracker and ad blocking, translation and encrypted sync. It shows no price on its pages. The catch: its pages do not say whether blocking is on by default, whether passkeys are stored, or what licence covers the source code.

Best for: People who want to customise their tabs, sidebar and layout. Prices, facts and sources

6. Waterfox

Waterfox suits people who like Firefox but want telemetry removed and extras such as tree tabs and a built-in ad blocker. It costs nothing and covers Windows, macOS, Linux and Android. The catch: no Safe Browsing check, no documented Chrome Web Store support, and no Waterfox bug bounty listed.

Best for: People who want Firefox with no telemetry, tree tabs and an ad blocker already built in. Prices, facts and sources

7. Opera

Opera suits people who want an ad blocker, a free browser VPN and vertical tabs or tab groups built in. Sync can use your own passphrase. The catch: the terms bar deriving its source code, and its help pages do not say whether Manifest V2 extensions still work.

Best for: People who want a built-in ad blocker and VPN without installing extensions. Prices, facts and sources

8. LibreWolf

LibreWolf suits people who want Firefox with strong privacy settings already applied, including uBlock Origin and fingerprinting resistance. It costs nothing and its patches are public. The catch: it has no mobile app, no built-in password manager, no Safe Browsing warnings by default and no built-in auto-update.

Best for: People who want a hardened Firefox with ad and tracker blocking from the first launch. Prices, facts and sources

9. DuckDuckGo Browser

DuckDuckGo Browser suits people who want trackers, ads and cookie pop-ups handled without setup, plus encrypted sync of bookmarks and passwords. It costs nothing. The catch: the vendor's pages do not describe tab groups, vertical tabs, profiles or translation, and its open-source list has no Windows repository.

Best for: People who want privacy settings already switched on. Prices, facts and sources

10. Opera GX

Opera GX suits people who want a free browser with ad blocking, a VPN, sync and tab groups built in, plus gaming extras. It costs nothing. The catch: the GX pages say tracker blocking is a setting and do not describe fingerprinting protection or vertical tabs.

Best for: Gamers who want resource limits and chat apps in the browser. Prices, facts and sources

11. Tor Browser

Tor Browser suits people who want traffic routed through the Tor network and fingerprint-resistant defaults, and who accept slower browsing and fewer conveniences. It is free. The catch: the vendor's pages describe no sync, no password manager and no tab tools, and it lists no iOS app.

Best for: People who need anonymity more than convenience. Prices, facts and sources

12. Mullvad Browser

Mullvad Browser suits people who want anti-fingerprinting defaults and a preinstalled tracker blocker without paying anything. Its source is public under MPL-2.0. The catch: no sync, no password manager, no phishing or malware warnings, and no phone version.

Best for: People who care most about fingerprinting protection and do not need sync or saved passwords. Prices, facts and sources

Every fact, side by side

Each row is one rule of the method and the points it is worth. "–" means the vendor does not publish it, which earns nothing.

Rule (points)BraveMozilla FirefoxMicrosoft EdgeGoogle ChromeVivaldiWaterfoxOperaLibreWolfDuckDuckGo BrowserOpera GXTor BrowserMullvad Browser
Other systems (8)4 of 44 of 44 of 44 of 44 of 43 of 44 of 42 of 43 of 44 of 43 of 42 of 4
Blocks trackers by default (8)YesYesYes––Yes–YesYes–––
Built-in ad blocker (5)Yes–––YesYesYesYesYesYes––
Fingerprinting protection (7)YesYesYes––Yes–YesYes–YesYes
Built-in VPN or proxy (3)NoYesYes–Yes–YesNoNoYesYesNo
Open source (5)YesYes–No–YesNoYes––YesYes
Public bug bounty (4)YesYesYesYes–––No–––No
Phishing and malware warnings (5)YesYesYesYesYesNoYesNoYes––No
Free sync across devices (6)YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes–No
End-to-end encrypted sync (8)YesYes–YesYesYesYesYesYes––No
Built-in password manager (3)YesYesYesYesYesYesYesNoYesYes–No
Saves passkeys (5)––YesYes––––––––
Chrome Web Store extensions (6)Yes–YesYesYes–Yes–––––
Manifest V2 extensions still work (6)YesYesYesNo––––––––
Vertical tabs (4)YesYesYesYesYesYesYes–––––
Tab groups (4)–Yes–YesYes–Yes––Yes––
Built-in page translation (4)YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes–Yes––
Separate profiles (4)––YesYesYesYes–Yes––––
Cost to use (5)$0$0–$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0

Head to head

We read each vendor's own pages, record every fact with its source and date, and score it by the rules on how we score web browsers. A tie goes to the lower price. Desktop web browsers for individuals that run on Windows (an official Windows build is a condition for being listed). Mobile-only, enterprise-only and kiosk browsers are left out. "In settings" counts only features that ship with the browser; other lines say what counts. Vendor claims about speed or quality are shown on product pages but never scored. Prices are in US dollars before tax.