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Safari alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Safari: only available on Apple platforms, and smaller extension catalogue, many paid. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Safari, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. DuckDuckGo Browser currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1DuckDuckGo Browser logoDuckDuckGo BrowserFreeNoWindows, macOS, iOS +14 of 472.2
2Brave logoBraveOpen sourceYesWindows, macOS, Linux +25 of 570.3
3Firefox logoFirefoxOpen sourceYesWindows, macOS, Linux +25 of 562.6
4Google Chrome logoGoogle ChromeFreeNoWindows, macOS, Linux +24 of 459.6
  1. DuckDuckGo Browser logo

    1. DuckDuckGo BrowserTop pick

    Best for: People who want strong privacy defaults with zero setup

    FreeWindows, macOS, iOS, Android

    72.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from Safari

    Privacy-first browser on Mac and iPhone with built-in tracker and ad blocking.

    Pros

    • Blocks trackers, most ads and cookie pop-ups by default
    • One-tap Fire Button clears browsing data
    • Ad-free YouTube playback via Duck Player

    Cons

    • Very limited extension support
    • No Linux version
    • Fewer power-user features than mainstream browsers
    Visit DuckDuckGo Browser Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.15100
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is DuckDuckGo Browser a good Safari alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Platforms
    Windows, Mac, iOS, Android
    Checked Oct 25, 2026duckduckgo.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Tracker blocking
    Blocks third-party trackers
    Checked Oct 25, 2026duckduckgo.com(opens source in a new tab)
    YouTube
    Watch without ads
    Checked Oct 25, 2026duckduckgo.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Apple apps licence
    Apache-2.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Brave logo

    2. Brave

    Best for: People who want Chrome compatibility with ads and trackers blocked by default

    Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android

    70.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from Safari

    Cross-platform browser with ad blocking on by default.

    Pros

    • Strong ad and tracker blocking without extensions
    • Runs Chrome extensions
    • Free AI assistant with no account needed

    Cons

    • Crypto wallet and rewards features feel out of place to many
    • Some Brave services are upsold in the interface
    • Still depends on Google's Chromium engine
    Visit Brave Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.15100
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Brave a good Safari alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Ad blocking
    Built in (Shields)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026brave.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Engine
    Chromium
    Checked Oct 25, 2026brave.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Licence
    MPL-2.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    AI assistant
    Leo, free with a premium tier
    Checked Oct 25, 2026brave.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Desktop platforms
    Linux, macOS, Windows
    Checked Oct 25, 2026brave.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Firefox logo

    3. Firefox

    Best for: People who want a mainstream, independent browser with strong privacy and ad-blocker support

    Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Safari

    Cross-platform sync if you also use Windows, Linux or Android.

    Pros

    • Independent Gecko engine
    • Full support for advanced ad blockers
    • Strong tracking protection by default

    Cons

    • Some sites are tested less and occasionally break
    • Smaller extension catalogue than Chrome
    • No longer supports Windows 8.1 and older
    Visit Firefox Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Firefox a good Safari alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Positioning
    Independent browser
    Checked Oct 25, 2026firefox.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Extensions
    30,000+
    Checked Oct 25, 2026firefox.com(opens source in a new tab)
    PDF editing
    Built in
    Checked Oct 25, 2026firefox.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux
    Checked Oct 25, 2026firefox.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Minimum Windows
    Windows 10 (8.1 and older need ESR)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026firefox.com(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Google Chrome logo

    4. Google Chrome

    Best for: People who use Google services heavily and want the best site compatibility

    FreeWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Safari

    Works on every platform with the biggest extension catalogue.

    Pros

    • Best compatibility, since sites are built and tested for it first
    • Largest extension catalogue
    • Seamless sync across devices with a Google account

    Cons

    • Collects more usage data than privacy-focused browsers
    • Newer extension rules limit some ad blockers
    • Can use a lot of memory with many tabs
    Visit Google Chrome Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Google Chrome a good Safari alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Password manager
    Google Password Manager built in
    Checked Oct 25, 2026google.com(opens source in a new tab)
    AI assistant
    Gemini in Chrome
    Checked Oct 25, 2026google.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Download page lists
    Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPad, Android
    Checked Oct 25, 2026google.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Minimum Windows
    Windows 10 or later
    Checked Oct 25, 2026support.google.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Safari alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

DuckDuckGo Browser logo

Best Safari alternative for most people

DuckDuckGo Browser

Privacy-first browser on Mac and iPhone with built-in tracker and ad blocking.

Brave logo

Best Safari alternative for a free option

Brave

Cross-platform browser with ad blocking on by default.

Orion logo

Best Safari alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Orion

Also WebKit-based on Mac and iPhone, but adds Chrome and Firefox extension support.

Firefox logo

Best Safari alternative for open source

Firefox

Cross-platform sync if you also use Windows, Linux or Android.

Google Chrome logo

Best Safari alternative for Mac

Google Chrome

Works on every platform with the biggest extension catalogue.

DuckDuckGo Browser logo

Best Safari alternative for Windows

DuckDuckGo Browser

Privacy-first browser on Mac and iPhone with built-in tracker and ad blocking.

Brave logo

Best Safari alternative for Linux

Brave

Cross-platform browser with ad blocking on by default.

DuckDuckGo Browser logo

Best Safari alternative for iPhone and Android

DuckDuckGo Browser

Privacy-first browser on Mac and iPhone with built-in tracker and ad blocking.

Safari alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Safari?

DuckDuckGo Browser ranks first right now. Privacy-first browser on Mac and iPhone with built-in tracker and ad blocking. Brave and Orion follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Safari?

Yes. DuckDuckGo Browser (free), Brave (open source), Orion (free plan + paid) and Firefox (open source) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Safari?

Yes: Brave and Firefox.

Which Safari alternatives work on Linux?

Brave, Firefox and Google Chrome run on Linux.

Why do people switch from Safari?

The complaints we hear most: only available on Apple platforms; smaller extension catalogue, many paid; some web features arrive later than in Chromium.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Safari, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.