8 Best Private Browsers To Use Without Being Tracked
Browsers are the most critical aspect of our online presence since most internet usage and activities occur. However, these web browsers allow others to view your data. Features such as “autofill information” and “cookies and trackers,” intended to make browsing more accessible for you, are often responsible for data leaks.
Rather than Chrome, Microsoft Edge, or Safari, the Internet Explorer you're using is a more niche browser. These browsers capture and stockpile your information to deliver it to marketers via trackers, cookies, and browser fingerprinting techniques. Furthermore, they are vulnerable to cybercriminals because of flaws in them.
Using one of the most OK private browsers on this list is one way to preserve browser privacy. They are generally intended to improve your online security and safeguard your information from third parties.
1. Tor Browser
The Tor browser is one of the most popular privacy browsers. It was created in 2002 to offer online anonymity and conduct private conversations. The free personal web browser is available for download on all major platforms and operating systems except iOS. It uses layer encryption to disguise your IP address and identity on the internet by encrypting your traffic through three nodes.
Tor provides a layer of protection from ISP surveillance, allowing you to access the deep and dark web where other browsers are unable. As a result, journalists, social activists, and whistleblowers employ the Tor browser frequently.
Tor browser is privacy-friendly since it allows users to customize certain web features to improve their online security. For example, you may change your tracking preference to be less identifiable. You can also improve your online security by raising the Tor browser's security level to the desired degree.
The web browser comes with the following privacy-centered features:
- Private browsing is the default setting for most web browsers. This means that when you shut your browser, all cookies and site data are erased.
- It protects against browser fingerprinting.
- It contains No Script and HTTPS Everywhere plugins, which are already installed.
The Tor browser has features that others don't have, but some severe privacy loopholes need to be fixed.
The Tor browser does not provide real data encryption to its users. Rather than totally encrypting the information, it uses layered encryption and sends the data unencrypted when it leaves the exit node. This makes Tor exit nodes vulnerable to attacks. Also, because your ISP can see that you're utilizing the Tor browser, they may limit your connection speed.
2. Mozilla Firefox
Firefox has been a proprietary web browser protecting users' online anonymity for 13 years. It's available on all major platforms, including Android, iOS, macOS, Linux, and Windows.
Firefox is one of the few private web browsers that has been subjected to a third-party assessment. Cure53 and Radically Open Security examined the browser, and they found no security flaws or vulnerabilities. It demonstrates that Firefox delivers on its promise of providing maximum online security and is dependable to use.
The Firefox browser has earned a reputation for providing its users with excellent privacy and security. Firefox, like other browsers, includes a variety of browser extensions, regular updates, and customization that aid in the protection of your online activities. Because of its privacy-focused features, it is called the best private browser on the market. Some of these features include:
- The Enhanced Tracking Protection feature blocks all trackers. This means that the websites you visit will not track you.
- The adblocker extension will stop intrusive ads from appearing while using your browser.
- Firefox also offers a private browsing mode that doesn't remember your browsing history or logins.
- You may quickly conceal browser fingerprinting with the content blocking function.
With these features, Firefox emerges as the most acceptable private browser. The only drawback with this browser is that changing its settings may be time-consuming for some people.
3. Brave Browser
The brave browser is a private web browser that assures complete online security. Its extreme simplicity makes it ideal for Android devices, as it increases its overall efficiency.
Brave is an open-source chromium-based browser that enhances your surfing experience and is available on all major platforms. The brave browser, which has around 32 million users, is quite popular. All credit goes to its advertising platform for this popularity that benefits consumers by generating ad-generated income.
One of the best private browsers guarantees a high level of privacy because:
- You can stop all trackers from stealing your data by applying the built-in script blocker and HTTPS Everywhere.
- The private web browser blocks people from fingerprinting you and stops scripts that are not secure from loading.
- Unlike other browsers, it offers protection against WebRTC leaks that expose your IP address.
- On the other hand, the intelligent browser includes a Brave Shield function that shields users from intrusive advertising and cookies while still allowing them to surf freely.
- Another nice thing about the brave browser is that it includes a password manager. It keeps passwords safe by storing them in multiple accounts and preventing them from being saved in the browser.
- Sandboxing is a way to protect your devices from malware or spyware.
Overall, the brave browser is practical. However, there are a few add-ons, plugins, and extensions that it provides.
4. Epic Privacy Browser
Epic Privacy Browser is a chromium-based browser that provides incredible security and internet privacy, making it the ideal privacy browser for conservatives because:
- The ad blocker built into this device blocks all ads and trackers that might contain malware.
- When you close the browser, it automatically deletes your device's browsing history and data.
- The Do Not Track setting stops the browser from keeping track of where you go on the internet.
- This program routes your DNS requests through an encrypted proxy, enhancing your online privacy.
- The one-click encrypted proxy option protects your IP address and browsing history. It also stops any snooping eye from tracking you.
You may also install extensions from outside sources, including Lastpass and other pre-installed plugins. The browser guarantees that your autofill information, DNS web cache, and passwords are not kept for additional online protection. Furthermore, it blocks all such web analytics that monitors your internet activities.
The only disadvantage of this browser is that it is open-source, which some people despise.
5. DuckDuckGo
The DuckDuck Go is another great browser for privacy on our list, both free and open-source. It's the original browser on the market, and it comes with everything you need to conduct private browsing.
By blocking the hidden third-party trackers on the websites, you visit. As a result, ad firms cannot gather your data in this manner.
DuckDuckGo is a feature-rich browser with an easy-to-use interface that provides impressive privacy features such as:
- Users may use HTTPS Everywhere because it encrypts the information as it travels to any website.
- They have a tracker blocker that prevents advertisers from monitoring your online activities.
- The browser also comes with a privacy rating meter. This is a new feature that many other browsers lack. Whenever you visit any website, this meter will tell you if the website is safe to use or not.
- DuckDuckGo uses the Smarter Encryption Technology to upgrade your connection automatically. This makes it so that you can use the encrypted version of websites and remain secure from anyone who might be trying to spy on you.
- With the data burn and fire tab button, you can clear all your browsing data. This will help boost your security level.
It has a few flaws, but they are minor. It doesn't have a standalone browser for PC, which is a negative aspect.
6. Iridium Browser
Iridium browser, a member of the Open Source Business Alliance, is also one of the most privacy-friendly browsers. It has a simple user interface and provides plugins from the Chrome Web Store, similar to DuckDuckGo.
Its anonymity-enhanced features provide great online web surfing pleasure. These services include:
- It automatically rejects all cookies and trackers that collect and sell your personal information.
- It's up to the users to use Qwant or DuckDuck Go as their default search engine instead of Google. It also prevents the collection of your location and other surfing data by doing so.
- The secure browsing option sends any unsecured data to the developers, keeping a list of unsafe URLs.
The Iridium browser has two flaws. You must manually update it, and many people found this inconvenient. It's also only available for Mac and Windows systems, so if you're an Android or iOS user, you'll have to search for alternatives.
7. Puffin Browser
The Puffin browser, developed by the American mobile technology firm CloudMosa, is another option to explore for private surfing. Since its debut in 2010, the Puffin Browser has been available on the market.
The lightweight and efficient OneKey Security Suite is popular antivirus software available for Mac, iOS, Android, and Linux. It's also compatible with Android TV and Raspberry Pi.
This private browser is safe to use because it has the following features:
- It maintains your surfing sessions private under the private browsing mode.
- It has a secure cloud system to prevent data breaches.
- The isolation feature of the cloud service can help you combat malware invasion and other possible dangers.
The Puffin browser, on the other hand, has several significant disadvantages. It does not include any browser extensions to improve online security. It makes use of proxy servers that hide your IP address but do not encrypt data. As a result, you should always use a VPN along with the Puffin browser for maximum online protection.
The Tor browser also has a shady privacy policy. According to the privacy policy, the browser keeps data logs to create reports. Thus it doesn't offer true online anonymity.
8. Pale Moon
The Pale Moon is the last of the best private browsers on our list. It's a lightweight, highly configurable, and open-source fork of Firefox with different code from Mozilla. It supports many of Firefox's extensions, but not all of them.
Although it still lacks privacy features, Pale Moon is a fantastic private web browser because:
- The browser does not contain any software that invades your privacy.
- This app has awesome fonts and gradients.
- This software offers quick and easy page drawing and smooth script processing.
The private browser is only accessible on Linux and Windows machines. Users frequently note that Pale Moon lags behind security updates. In reality, it takes Mozilla Firefox up to a week to give the Pale Moon builders access to the most recent updates and then implement them when they're released.
Are Private Browsers Safe Enough?
Admittingly, private browsers provide you with enhanced browser security and anonymous surfing. They defend you against harmful advertising, malware, and trackers by blocking them. Apart from that, most browsers include crypto-jacking protection and browser fingerprinting protection.
However, getting complete online anonymity is a challenging goal to accomplish. Even if you use private browsers, any program you're running in the background may jeopardize your internet anonymity. Furthermore, even though the personal browser shields you from malware and data tracking, it does not encrypt your information; as a result, you are sending out your data unsecured.
The ideal solution is to connect a private browser with a dependable VPN provider to avoid these problems. The greatest privacy-enhancing technology available is a Virtual Private Network (VPN). It masks your IP address and location, ensuring that no one can figure out what you're doing online.
8 Best Private Browsers to Use For Maximum Online Protection
When selecting the most acceptable private browsers, don't compromise privacy and security. There are a few things to think about while picking the most OK private browsers. The following factors must be taken into account when choosing the optimum private browsers:
- Supported extensions
- Compatibility
- Ad Blocker
- Privacy policy
The final section of the post goes through the eight most OK private browsers for maximum online security, based on all of these criteria. Use anyone that meets your needs and browse the web without the worry of being monitored.
So, let’s get started.
What Browser Has the Best Privacy?
According to features, Mozilla Firefox and Tor browser are the most OK private browsers for privacy. Both offer a wealth of privacy and security-related features that guarantee maximum internet anonymity. They have browser attachments that enhance protection. Furthermore, they include an ad blocker that blocks all tracks and advertisements to collect personal information and sell it to third parties.
Mozilla Firefox is superior to the Tor browser because it does not cause performance slowing. However, it is preferable that you first use a VPN and then utilize private web browsers for more excellent protection. A VPN encrypts data, making it impossible for snoopers to track or monitor you online.
Why Should Not Use Private or Incognito Mode?
People employ their secure browsers in privacy-preserving modes such as Incognito in Google Chrome, InPrivate in Microsoft Edge, and Private Browsing in Apple Safari and Opera to handle this privacy concern. Unfortunately, using the most popular browsers incognito or privately will not keep you safe.
The internet service provider (ISP) can see your IP address and other critical information, making it vulnerable to data collectors and third parties. In June 2021, Google filed a $5 billion lawsuit against the US government for monitoring internet users in incognito mode. Other issues with using private browsing or incognito mode include:
- Some websites can track you by using the browser fingerprinting method.
- The malware and keylogger installed on your system can track what you do online.
- If you save something on your computer, it will stay there like it usually does.
- Some websites can see your actual IP address.
There are a few reasons why you should not use private browsing or incognito mode when looking for a new home.
Final Thoughts
Finding the most significant private browsers is a personal choice. It all depends on your demands and requirements. It would help if you used a remote web browser to protect your data and enhance digital privacy entirely based on your needs. You can always opt for a VPN in conjunction with a personal browser to ensure maximum security and anonymity.