4w ago

What's the state of Android browsers? Want to move away from Samsung Internet

cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/58870060

I've been using Samsung Internet for a very long time, knowing it isn't the best one for privacy. However, the user experience with it is, for me, unmatched by any other browser, including Vivaldi, Brave, and any Firefox forks.
So here's what I'm looking for in a browser:
preferably FOSS
some control on privacy setting, less trackers/fingerprinting, etc. Doesn't have to be the most hardened.
decent dark mode for web pages (Dark Reader is OK)
bottom search bar
bottom tabs bar rather than tab switcher
a quit button I don't have to tap and scroll 2 times to find. Ideally it'd be placed on the main bottom bar
the quit button must clear cache and close all tabs, so I think it should be native and not an extension, but maybe I'm wrong?
Is there any browser that can give me that?
I'd love using Fennec as my main - and God knows I've tried multiple times to - but missing some of those feature made it hard for me to leave Samsung Internet behind. ATM I'm using both browsers BTW.
Any suggestion is appreciated!

64 comments

Firefox on Android is really nice and meets most of these. Also having full extension support is a huge plus.
- Fennec is just Firefox with privacy defaults.
- What are you even talking about, Firefox on android sucks. It is so outdated design wise and just terrible to use, and the download list doesnt show you download history for some reason. Firefox on other OS's work great, I even use it as my daily driver but on android. Uff no way.
  Sure, the extensions are great, fantastic even. But its the only pro in a sea of cons.🤷
  
  No idea what you're talking about as I've had none of these issues. Also Firefox on iOS isn't actually Firefox, it's just another reskined webkit browser.
  
  So what do you browse on Android with, then?
  
  Why was this comment removed. Is this reddit?
  
  I barely use Firefox because i typical use chrome but if all my shit was in Firefox it's absolutely fine. I'd say there are certain parts of Firefox that is actually just better than chrome on Android

I use fennec, it's just firefox without current bs of firefox going on

Ironfox is nice, thats what I personally use. Its more secure than base Firefox (and importantly for me its in Accrescent)
- I'm OK with using Fennec, probably. I've used Mull before, which I think is where Ironfox comes from.
  What do you like about Ironfox that, you think, is not in other FF forks? And what's Accrescent?
  
  Its a secure app store thats easy to install on GraphineOS (secure rom)

Firefox is by far the best Android browser.

Have you tried Waterfox? It satisfies most of your requirements, I believe.
- I don't think I have. I'll check it out, thanks!

Don't think I've ever used the default Samsung browser... Not intentionally, at least. Firefox Mobile has been fine for me. It has basic plugin support, do you can run unlock origin with it, too.
- You can install any extension you want nowadays

regardless of your browser choice make url check your default link handler to unshort urls and remove query parameters
- I was with you till "browser choice". Mind explaining?
  
  Whichever browser you end up choosing. I use Vivaldi quite happily.

I use duck duck go browser as my main and default browser, and I press the burn it all button regularly. It offers to exclude sites from the data purge if you log in, but for the three or so websites that I want to stay logged in to fill time, I just use Opera for them.

I use Ironfox and Fulguris (for when something doesn't work in IF). They're both good. Ceno is also interesting for its p2p/ anti-censorship features, although it's slow when not on wifi.

Samsung Internet is my favorite, but I am also a lil weirdo. Firefox is my second favorite to merge between devices, as well as connecting with the Pocket app to save things for later.

Im not sure if it is foss (have to check) but Soul Browser is my favorite. Packed with features and highly customizable, most if not all of your requirements are possible within this browser.
- Oh wow! This is the definition of fully featured and it has my favorite UI customization in any browser. Also, the ad-block section as user filters and URL ones.
  Unfortunately it isn't FOSS, so I'll be sticking to Fennec for now. And the dark mode isn't as good as Samsung Internet or Dark Reader, even though for minor elements.
  Thanks for the recommendation nonetheless!

I'm going to suggest an alternative to Samsung Internet or Firefox : https://github.com/uazo/cromite
Out of the options I've tried, it's probably the best bet for reducing tracking, fingerprinting & increasing security without turning to Tor browser (which while it is more anonymous, is frustrating for general browsing)
For clearing cache, there are two options. There's a dedicated clear browsing data button in the hamburger menu, it can also be configured to "sanitize on close" (similar to Firefox on desktop, or Brave on desktop / mobile) [In cromite, this can be found under Security > Clear the data at open]
I can't recommend Firefox on Android in good faith, until site isolation (fission) is enabled on the platform. This is a major security regression compared to desktop Firefox, or chromium based browsers on Android
Edit: It seems like Iron Fox (continuation of Mull / fork of Firefox) has site isolation enabled - but it is still buggy and does not have all features enabled e.g no isolated process SELinux labels.
- Thank you. I've heard of it but haven't tried it yet
- I actually needed a help with it. For some reason redirection doesnt work on chromite now. I tried out all the settings nothing really worked. Do you know why it is.

I had been using Samsung Browser for a while. With the latest push by Google to retire Manifest v2 in Chromium, and also not wanting to feel like I need to stick with Samsung for my next device (hopefully not for another long while), I switched to Firefox mobile.
To be honest, I hated it. The interface is pretty clunky, it would keep just pulling up my keyboard at random times when browsing pages, it doesn't seem to work reliably with Android's native back button, and despite me having my preferences set to reopen my last used tab when launched, it keeps bringing me to the blank home/new tab page (blank because I disabled all of the Mozilla bloat).
I like that it has extensions, though Bitwarden doesn't seem to work well in Firefox mobile (I just use the Bitwarden app on my phone instead, which is ok).
I missed having the separate bottom nav bar like Samsung Internet allows, but did learn that one exists in Firefox Nightly, so I switched to that version and have been doing my best to get used to it. It stinks a bit that Firefox is not nearly as customizable as Samsung internet, but at least with the nav bar, it's familiar enough for my muscle memory to deal with for now.
I guess everyone hates the nav bar though, the general consensus I've read online is that people want to keep everything hidden in the "More actions" menu, so if they end up removing the nav bar entirely I may look for something else.
I was tempted to try Brave, even. But with all of the sketchy crypto shit, unfortunately right-wing leadership, and still using Chromium as its backend, that ended up being a hard no for me.
- Never seen any of those Firefox problems in 5 or so years on multiple Android phones including Samsung, and using the native back button/3-icon setup instead of gesture nav. Also using a light combination of privacy plugins. May want to check your phone OS settings and make sure there isn't a third-party app running an unknown display overlay that is screwing with things.
- To offer another take, FF has never been buggy for me. Never had this keyboard issue, or any of the stuff mentioned so your mileage may vary.
  As for the bottom nav, I have that on normal FF. If you go to Settings-->Customize, the option to pick top or bottom address bar is right there.
  
  Not the address bar, but nav bar. I like to keep the address bar at the top, with the nav bar at the bottom.
  Standard Firefox:
  My setup in Samsung Internet:
  Firefox Nightly:
  
  I had a Fold4 and now have an s25 Ultra and had none of those issues with Firefox either. Works just fine for me and I even have some extensions I've put on that aren't technically supposed to work in the mobile browser so I was fully expecting some jank. But still works fine.
- I didn't know FF Nightly had a bottom nav bar, and I just tried it a couple months ago. I guess it's new?
  I understand some may not like it, but I hope they keep it as an option at least!

Firefox is available on F-Droid under the name of Fennec.
- Just to clarify, Fennec is a privacy-focused fork, kind of in the same vein as libreWolf but not as extensive. Since LW isn't available on mobile, Fennec seems to be the next best thing.
  I can't really think of any browsers that have all the features OP is looking for. FF (+forks) is probably the closest thing out there.
  
  Vivaldi is very close, it's only missing the FOSS requirement which I'm guessing is one OP would be willing to compromise on.

Probably an unpopular opinion but if you want absolute minimalism without ads use Violoncello text browser!

the quit button must clear cache and close all tabs, so I think it should be native and not an extension, but maybe I'm wrong?
This is the closest Firefox add-on that I could find: Essential Buttons Toolbar and Homepage
- Oh I think I've tried that extension some time ago, but it didn't work very well. I'll give it another try, thanks

cromite

Duck Duck Go browser has the ability to easily clear history

Brave for me.

64 comments