All of the main web browsers for Windows (in no particular order)
When it comes to choosing web browsers for Windows, it all boils down to personal taste.
Maybe you like a web browser’s speed, reputation for privacy or security, color, clean lines, straight edges, round curvy tabs, certain functions, add-ons, plugins, developer tools, or a quick way to clear the browser cache.
This page shows, in no particular order, most of the reliable web browsers for Windows. If you’re looking for the fastest browser or best browser for your needs, you should find it here.
Opera GX (Early access)
“Opera GX is a special version of the Opera browser built specifically to complement gaming. The browser includes unique features to help you get the most out of both gaming and browsing.”
Opera GX comes with the usual things you associate with Opera, like built-in adblocker, access to extensions, and switchable wallpapers. However, you can also limit memory and CPU usage, use a free no-log unlimited VPN, access Twitch (and watch pop-out videos), chat on Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Telegram and VK from the sidebar, custom colorize your interface, install exclusive wallpapers, and get access to gaming deals and news. It will be interesting to see how developers and the community come together to help evolve this new concept browser. Opera GX is currently in Early Access.
Microsoft Edge
The latest Microsoft Edge browser is based on the open-source Chromium Engine, making it super compatible with browser extensions formerly only available for Google Chrome. Microsoft recently announced the availability of the new Ege browser for all supported versions of Windows and macOS. See more.
Brave
Brave. The Industry’s Most Advanced Browser Offers 3-6x Faster Browsing and Ends Surveillance Capitalism with a Private Ads and Payment Platform that Benefits Users, Advertisers, and Publishers Brave blog
Vivaldi
Vivaldi has just released Vivaldi 2.11. The browser comes with a fresh new look, new themes, sync, resizable tab tiling, floating web panels and much more.
Opera
I’ve always liked the simplistic style and fast page-loading performance of Opera. It was one of the first browsers with a built-in ad blocker, which was tried and tested for ages in Opera developer browser. This latest version of Opera is now said to be 38% faster than the latest Firefox Quantum. (Check out the clickable tabs, to go to the top or back to where you were on the page.)
Puffin Browser
Puffin Browser is a simple, yet fast cloud-based web browser originally available on Android and iOS. By using remote servers, Puffin Browser is able to compress, encrypt and download content very quickly. If speed is your thing, try it out.
Firefox
Now with twice the speed as before, Firefox Quantum will probably become many people’s main web browser of choice once again. You should definitely give it a try and check out its speed.
Internet Explorer
Internet Explorer has been included with all versions of Windows for a long time. It is still a very capable web browser, but it has been superseded by Windows 10’s Microsoft Edge.
Lunascape
Lunascape is highly customizable and comes with the 3 main rendering engines – Trident, Gecko, and WebKit. It also supports a plethora of add-ons.
Pale Moon
Pale Moon is an Open Source web browser for Windows and Linux. It is originally based on the Firefox browser and uses a layout engine called Goanna, which is similar to or based off of the Gecko engine.
Comodo Dragon
Comodo Dragon is Chromium-based, has privacy enhancements, domain validation technology that identifies inferior SSL certificates, and stops cookies and other Web spies.
Chrome
Google Chrome is a very popular, modern, fast and secure web browser enjoyed by many, and there are plenty of extensions and add-ons available to fulfill all your browsing needs.
Midori
Midori is a very lightweight browser with a simple UI. It’s ideal for less powerful or older computers, and it’s the default web browser that comes with elementary OS.
BriskBard
BriskBard is a new browser with a built-in media player, email client, IRC chat client, RSS and Atom reader, Usenet newsreader, FTP client, and more.
Maxthon
Maxthon uses the Trident and Webkit rendering engines. It also comes with Adblock Plus preinstalled, although I’ve had better results blocking ads with other ad blockers or browsers.
SlimBrowser
SlimBrowser is based on the Trident engine and has a more advanced UI (compared to Slimjet). It comes with a built-in ad-blocker, right-click text translation, an HTML validator, downloadable skins, and many other useful features.
Epic Privacy Browser
Epic Privacy Browser offers always-on private web browsing, a one-click encrypted proxy (hides your IP address), and blocks trackers and third-party cookies.
Coowon
Coowon is a web browser built for web gamers. Based on Chrome, it offers translucent and floating windows, record and play mouse clicks, a screenshot tool, a game-friendly sidebar, a hide key and more.
Firefox Developer Edition
Firefox Developer Edition is designed just for developers. It has just about every developer tool you need, built right into the browser.
Chrome Canary
Chrome Canary is the preview version of Chrome for developers and early adopters. With it, you can try out the latest features coming to the standard version of the very popular Chrome web browser.
Tor
Tor helps you browse the internet anonymously and protect your privacy, by using a distributed network of relays run by volunteer users all around the world. If privacy is your priority – check it out.
Torch Browser
Torch Browser is relatively new compared to many web browsers here, and it comes with some nice original features and customization options.
SeaMonkey
SeaMonkey is based on Firefox and comes with the browser, email & newsgroup client with an included web feed reader, an HTML editor, IRC chat and web development tools.
IceDragon
IceDragon from Comodo is based on Firefox and is said to have improved security with SiteInspector malware scanning, and it uses Comodo Secure DNS by default.
Slimjet
Slimjet has a similar set of features as SlimBrowser, but is based on the Blink engine and has a simple and clean UI.
Chromodo
Chromodo is a Chromium based web browser made by Comodo which is very similar to their Dragon browser. They say ‘It’s built for speed, security, and privacy.’
Thoughts
So, there you have it. Most of the available web browsers for Windows.
Edited: March 2020
Avant, Maelstrom, and Opera Dev became obsolete, and have therefore been removed.
I keep a few browsers on my PC for development and webpage testing.
Since about 2016, I’ve been using Microsoft Edge as my main browser.
Prior to switching to Edge, I used Opera Developer, Chrome before Opera and Firefox before Chrome.