Firefox alternatives?
Firefox alternatives?
On Linux and Android. What are privacy oriented alternatives to Firefox now that it's no longer trustworthy?
The ability to sync between devices would be a huge bonus, even just on a local network.
LibreWolf finally has an account at mastodon @[email protected]
I made the switch, its worth noting that there is some differences, like not keeping cookies by default, and you're not able to set it dark mode etc. These can be fixed up through extensions or config changes.
https://digdeeper.club/articles/browsers.xhtml has a somewhat comprehensive analysis of a dozen of the browsers you might consider, illuminating depressing (and sometimes surprising) privacy problems with literally all of them.
In the end it absurdly recommends something which forked from Firefox a very long time ago, which is obviously not a reasonable choice from a security standpoint. I don't have a good recommendation, but I definitely don't agree with that article's conclusion: privacy features are pointless if your browser is trivially vulnerable to exploits for a plethora of old bugs, which will inevitably be the case for a volunteer-run project that diverged from Firefox a long time ago and thus cannot benefit from Mozilla's security fixes in each new release.
However, despite its ridiculous conclusion, that page's analysis could still be helpful when you're deciding which of the terrible options to pick.
I just installed Librewolf today, using it now. Being a fork of FF it makes a very smooth transition.
Ironfox on Android, easily is the best.
I've been using LibraWolf on desktop for several years now. It's just far simpler than modifying standard Firefox. for my personal needs.
LibreWolf is great ! Coming from ArkenFox, I found LibreWolf's override cfg a bit easier.
They also have a pacdiff cfg to see what changes from version to version without the need to roam arkenfoxes github repo for hours to find what changed or what to change.
I installed it yesterday to see how it goes :) If it doesn't fit, will go back to Arkenfox.
power of 'community-driven' projects
So I haven't been following the Firefox thing that closely. Fennec isn't an alternative because it uses Firefox's Sync and Brave is out of the question because it's crypto Chrome?
Fennec is a poor alternative because it connects to Firefox services. Sync is optional, but some internal components will talk to Mozilla, and Mozilla changed their mind about "never selling your data" recently.
Brave is Chrome with a history of suspicious moves, toxic leadership, involvement with crypto and AI
I remembered using Vivaldi a while back, I think I'll look into it again.
librewolf, mullvad, zen browser? all fork of firefox
Not really an option because he said Android
You can use any firefox fork on Linux and any other firefox fork on Android. They sync fine.
If you want to keep the Gecko Engine from Mozilla to support an alternative to Google's monopoly here are a couple alternative for Linux :
- Librewolf
- Mullvad Browser
- Zen Browser
For Android you have to be aware that unfortunately every firefox based browser lack of per-site isolation unlike chromium browsers.
- IronFox (active fork of Mull by DivestOS)
- Fennec
On the dark side of the spectrum you have chromium browser such as :
- Brave (Linux & Android) (disable cryptocrap, sponsor backgrounds and it's quite good)
- Cromite (Android)
Vivaldi is much better than brave, no ai or crypto shit and the CEO isn't alt right
Yes Vivaldi doesn't come with crypto bullshit nor AI. However by default it's so badly tuned for user privacy... and sprobably even security. Honestly I would prefer having a Vivaldi AI Agent over a proprietary web browser (I know it's mainly open but it's not) It was not that well optimized on several of my devices when I tried it... I'm not conviced by their chromium proprietary fork even tho it's not the worst alternative either.
I use ungoogled-chromium & thorium are worth a mention.
For Android you have to be aware that unfortunately every firefox based browser lack of per-site isolation unlike chromium browsers.
Wait really? Its 2025, seriously, what is Mozilla doing?
Yes, I learned that thanks to DivestOS which was comming with Mull, they had a comparison table and yes no FF based browser support that basic security feature yet...
Collecting paychecks for being controlled opposition?
Floorp :)
I use a similar set up. Librewolf on Linux and IronFox on Android. You could still use a Firefox account to sync, but I wouldn’t. I’ve heard there’s a way to host an older version of Firefox sync locally, but I haven’t looked into it.
Second the Ironfox recommendation.
This + xBrowserSync for bookmarks.
Not OP, but I've never heard of IronFox. Is it a comparable replacement for Mull? Gods I'm still a bit salty over how sudden that was...
This is what I use.
And this is the latest sync server that doesn't rely on discontinued versions of Python: https://github.com/mozilla-services/syncstorage-rs/. It's not a full, plug and play solution, and it doesn't support PostgreSql so I haven't set it up in my self hosted environment yet, but plan to eventually.
I made this https://github.com/jeena/fxsync-docker/ which supports PostgreSQL but sadly they broke the upstream images in newer versions.
Someone did the work to rebuild the images and fix the problems in new versions, looks promising: https://github.com/porelli/firefox-sync
Floorp and librewolf, among others.
neither of them are aviable for android
Ironfox for Android
LibreWolf is what I use, but I heard Zen Browser is another fork that's been getting some traction. I don't use it though, but I've heard from someone who does that it works for them. thumbs-up
Zen looks good, but being more unique couldn't it get fingerprinted more easily?
Also their community is on Discord, which to me is a red flag quite frankly. I realize it's separate from the browser, but still. Discord no good.
these days if i find any project exclusively active on socials like discord and twitter, and github forge, i quit using it. i mean i wont be registering an account there just for community support.
Yeah I don't personally like how unlike LibreWolf it doesn't use ResistFingerprinting.
Been using Zen for the past week. It takes some getting used to, but it's been great so far.
Use any fork of Firefox without the sync option.
Cromite
Cromite is exceptional.
Brave or LibreWolf.
Just amazing how people wake up, watch a bit of YouTube and run to social media saying the sky is falling in.
Or you can stay on a sinking ship convince yourself "It's fine !" until it's too late?
Whatever chose your poison 🤷
Interesting metaphor.
At what point is too late ? What the consequences here, of giving it a few days? Of understanding to steps you can take protect your data ?
Because what you have now, is a bunch of idiots, running round yelling “Firefox is untrustworthy “. And jumping straight on the next fork of 20 million lines of code, because Internet bro says it’s better .
They havent the faintest, and I mean the faintest idea of what trust is,
Is brave an option?