hhmx.de

Föderation EN Sa 08.03.2025 23:53:48

Recommend for an android web browser to replace Firefox?

I've heard of:

Not all of them have clients which is a requirement for me.

What's the preferred privacy-focused non-ad these days for phones?

I liked Firefox after I left chrome, and now Vivaldi seems acceptable so far.

I don't need sync, would like extensions, and I have to be able to use external password manager.

Let's the opinions fly! Thanks.

Föderation EN Sa 08.03.2025 23:56:31

@pseudonym Waterfox user, here!

Föderation EN Sa 08.03.2025 23:56:53

@pseudonym I'm trying out IronFox

Föderation EN Sa 08.03.2025 23:58:18

@pseudonym I'm using Waterfox on Android. It works great.

Föderation EN Sa 08.03.2025 23:59:55

@j I use Waterfox as my browser on all but one device I have, so I'm +1 for it. @pseudonym

Föderation EN Sa 08.03.2025 23:59:37

@pseudonym probably just Firefox. Anything chromium based is a big no go and personally the hoopla surrounding the recent Firefox news is extremely overblown.

Föderation EN Sa 08.03.2025 23:59:41

@pseudonym
I'm also using IronFox - solid, actively updated, privacy focussed browser.

Föderation EN So 09.03.2025 00:01:48

@pseudonym LibreWolf has been serving me well. I use it as my main browser and then use Chromium solely for the purpose of logging into Google and Meta and anything else that might break on LibreWolf. But it has most the extensions that Firefox has.

Föderation EN So 09.03.2025 00:04:57

@pseudonym

Fennec on F-Droid works well, and is the same as Firefox, but just Free Software :)

Föderation EN So 09.03.2025 00:05:22

@pseudonym there is also fennec browser which has Firefox telemetry disabled but not sure of other differenced

Föderation EN So 09.03.2025 00:07:54

@pseudonym Waterfox does have extensions. It's almost indistinguishable from Firefox and available in the Play store.

Vivaldi is certainly a good option. I found the adblocker to be good enough to avoid seeing most ads and works on Youtube.

Föderation EN So 09.03.2025 00:09:24

@pseudonym I'm using Vanadium, loving it.

Föderation EN So 09.03.2025 00:36:19

@pseudonym
I've been using Vivaldi, but keep meaning to try Fennec and IronFox.

Föderation EN So 09.03.2025 00:39:39

@pseudonym I think you should definitely check out Vivaldi as it is very much geared towards its users and privacy, has built in ad blocking (and you can use extensions), has excellent android and iOS versions (with sync), has mail and feeds on desktop, and a great user community (I'm writing from Vivaldi's hosted Fedi server).

Founder @jon often posts here...

Föderation EN So 09.03.2025 01:12:04

@mossman @jon

That's what I've been trying recently.

Has problems playing some videos in chrome book that Firefox handles. Likely not a browser issue, but doesn't work out of the box

Föderation EN So 09.03.2025 12:40:27

@pseudonym @jon that could be the built-in ad blocking. Check the shield icon in the address bar and try disabling it...

Föderation EN So 09.03.2025 18:08:45

@mossman @jon

Thanks. I hadn't even considered that. Don't think so, as it can play the audio, the video just covers up as a blank white screen, so I figure both would come from the same source file, but maybe.

I'll check.

Searches imply it may be related to hardware acceleration, but all the sure that mention it refer to options not currently in the version of Vivaldi I have.

Föderation EN Mo 10.03.2025 15:39:18

@mossman @jon

Pretty sure I tried that, and didn't come up with anything. Will check again next time I'm in Chromebook. Thanks!

Föderation EN Mo 10.03.2025 23:37:40

@mossman @jon

Confirmed. I don't have that option in settings.

"Acc" in settings search shows only "accessibility" and "keyboard accessory view"

Version 7.1.3580.154
OS Android 13 zork

Föderation EN Di 11.03.2025 14:28:44

@pseudonym @jon apologies - forgot we were talking about the mobile version. :mastodon_oops:

Föderation EN Di 11.03.2025 21:27:20

@mossman @jon

No prob.

It's chrome book. Wonder if there's a way to run desktop version, but it's Android under the hood, so maybe mobile is all that's available.

Föderation EN Mi 12.03.2025 00:35:31

@jon @mossman

Thanks.

I've installed Linux on Chrome book before. Didn't think an other layer of indirection would help a graphics issue, but it's worth a shot. It would let me install desktop version. Worth a shot.

Föderation EN So 09.03.2025 00:39:50

@pseudonym I use duckduckgo's android browser with 1Password. No complaints

Föderation EN So 09.03.2025 01:10:29

@Brendan

Right. Forgot to include ddg in the list.

Thanks

Föderation EN So 09.03.2025 01:22:50

@pseudonym I've been using the Duck duck go browser.

Föderation · So 09.03.2025 01:26:37

privacy

phones
pick one

Föderation EN So 09.03.2025 02:49:31

@pseudonym
On Android, I've been using Cromite for over a year.
It's now also recommended by Privacy Guides:
privacyguides.org/en/tools/#pr
Alternatively, use Brave but disable all the BAT stuff.

Föderation EN So 09.03.2025 03:35:55

@pseudonym I like DuckDuckGo a lot. I'm also trying out Brave Browser because it has clients for Android, Linux, and Windows.

Föderation EN So 09.03.2025 03:46:42

@pseudonym
Firefox based: Fennec, Ironfox
Chromium based: Brave

Föderation EN So 09.03.2025 05:11:53

@pseudonym I've used waterfox for about 8 years.

It used to be speed focussed - it started as a 64 bit version of Firefox, when Firefox was compiled as a 32bit browser.

It pivoted to privacy focussed about 3 years ago, although also did a bit of time as a legacy extension compatible browser.

So despite being small, and a couple of missteps with default search engines, it's been around for long enough to make me comfortable enough to recommend it.

Note - Android releases are a bit slower and it took a long time to get the first release, so that might be it's Achilles heel.

Föderation EN So 09.03.2025 07:19:41

@pseudonym I'm using on Android and on desktop.

Both of them are reconfigurations of Firefox and work really well for me.

Integration with passwords managers shouldn't be a problem, as they usually run as Android services.

Fennec supports Firefox mobile extensions.

Föderation EN So 09.03.2025 10:04:38

@pseudonym been very happy using Brave browser on all devices. Brave search is so much better than duckduckgo search. I like the private AI “Leo” built in and have upgraded to the premium. I might add that on my Graphene OS phone is also mainly using Mulvad VPN and NextDNS. No simcard.

Föderation EN So 09.03.2025 11:04:20

@pseudonym mostly using monocles browser now which is apparently just some kind of webview wrapper? since it allows for noJS and images blocked and third party request dismissal and whatnot by default, but iceraven is a more firefoxy alternative at least as a secondary browser

Föderation EN So 09.03.2025 13:49:08

@pseudonym

I'm liking #IronFox, a continuation of the defunct Mull browser.

I added their f-droid repo to Droid-ify

Föderation EN Di 11.03.2025 08:34:06

@pseudonym try for Android and for PC