I posted my first version of this guide on this sub, and thanks to the many contributions, it has come a long way! Hopefully, this is near complete and acts as a good way to introduce newcomers - whether it's you, friends or family - into this growing ecosystem!
I am also proud to share a community-driven, open-source site that aims to make this even easier. This includes screenshots, ratings and a larger feature list.
Links:
- Browser guide: https://purchasewithpurpose.io/category/browser/
- Code: https://codeberg.org/purchase-with-purpose/pwp-website
Just like before, I more than welcome criticism and ideas!
Few specific questions:
- Are there any other resources or articles that I should include in the browser section?
- I plan to add a "Community" section. Are there any other communities outside of r/browsers that I should recommend for the Browser category?
On your site, in Zen Browser section there is information that it has 90% rating on Google Play store, with a link.
But Zen Browser doesn't have mobile version, and this link leads to completely unrelated browser with same name "Zen Browser" which is indicated to collect and share various data with 3rd party, so this is kinda a fail ;)
https://preview.redd.it/qs71hst8gr6g1.png?width=910&format=png&auto=webp&s=98997678ca8aa0302153ca76529853b0321ed460
Thanks, this is exactly the sort of feedback I need. I'll fix that right away.
For what it's worth, I use Zen on macOS with Startpage as my search engine. The Startpage browser on iOS is pretty good.
Still, I didn't realize Orion has a mobile browser. This one interests me the most. Maybe worth looking at Kagi again...
I think Vivaldi should get more recognition! It's true that they use chromium and aren't fully open source but they also took a stance against forcing useless AI and crypto in browsers, they have a native ad blocker (although admittedly subpar) and they are very privacy friendly, based in europe
I agree! They are highlighted as a recommended option on the website (https://purchasewithpurpose.io/category/browser/). Just didn't work out that way on this guide. But as I said in the intro, they are all good choices.
That page shows Waterfox without the "Mobile Apps" badge, which probably needs fixing too.
As a side note, well done taking all this feedback in stride. Fingers crossed you implement it all because if so then this does become a good simple graphic for beginners, which is what it sounds like it's aiming to be.
Vivaldi phones home once a day, even if the browser is not used once a day. It's in the EULA, so they don't lie about it, but it's the reason why I don't want it. I kicked it from my Windows when I noticed that the installation installed a service that is running all the time, just to phone home. (Edit: Could be worse but for me it was a show stopper.)
You care about that but you're using Windows? On Linux that doesn't happen so it could be a solution if you really care about this stuff.
Does it say what data they collect once a day?
At first I thought they would do it once a day when the browser is used but after I found the service, I didn't trust it anymore, not even on Linux which is my only OS for everything not-work. Edit: I still need Windows for work.
Yes, from what I remember: A unique ID, the IP address, the OS, the time, and the screen resolution. Nothing like Chrome and Edge... but still, I didn't like it.
It's a totally legitimate decision!
What browser are you using now?
*reads from own flair* Palemon, Librewolf, Helium. Hmm I should change the order, it's 80% LibreWolf, 19.9% Palemoon and, well, I have used Helium once after I installed it.
What about Helium?
With a giant warning maybe.
Firefox is in the zero-telemetry group but out of the box, it phones home a lot. (Still, could be worse.)
The venn diagram layout is helpful, but doesn't tell the whole story, and is missing a lot of options, or they are tucked away at the bottom of the graphic. I think a more sensible layout to accompany the diagram, would be columns of browsers based on their engine with pips similar to your "Environmental, Profit Share, and Open Source" ones in the diagram. One for Chromium, one for Gecko, and one for Webkit. You can list more browsers in this layout, and it gives more context behind the choice of engine. You could include information about the pros and cons to each engine, some basic history, and customization abilities.
You are completely right, which is why I created a website to help sift through this information https://purchasewithpurpose.eu/category/browser/ .
I'll see if I can incorporate some of your ideas there - thanks for the feedback
"Non-Google engine" really should say which engine in that site.
If you still want all 3 but want a chromium based browser look at cromite
Heard that mentioned a few times. Will look at adding it
zen is zero telementary btw vivaldi too
I initially had them as Zero Telemetry but this analysis says otherwise -
https://sizeof.cat/post/web-browser-telemetry-2025-edition/
Very happy to change it back if people disagree
That idiotic "analysis" is the dumbest thing I have ever seen.
They literally didn't deselect any of the preset essential options so they were preloaded. I think zen should have a toggle for a completely clean startup on install but that's unrelated.
I thought it was well-regarded within the community. Any other resource? Alternatively, any browser do you think is being misrepresented in it?
The Zen analysis is so absurd I'm honestly wondering if the author even looked at the data before publishing it. To suggest Zen is somehow "reporting" to Youtube, Whatsapp, X, some random font host, etc. is nonsensical. These were obviously sites loading in the browser when it launched.
Frankly I take issue with their definition of "telemetry" and their using it as a synonym for "spyware" ("I consider all default connections as spyware/telemetry"). Assuming every outgoing connection not initiated by the user is telemetry OR somehow nefarious (which telemetry is not) is completely stupid. Checking for an update, verifying TLS certs, captive portal detection and so on is neither telemetry nor a breach of privacy. This author didn't analyze anything. They literally just opened the browser then copy/pasted the list of open connections from their software firewall.
The general notion that telemetry is a Bad Thing is a misunderstanding of the term, and I wish people would stop applying it so broadly. Telemetry specifically means reporting on an application's usage and behavior. It's very useful for developers and is essentially the users' voice in shaping development. Mozilla PM's constantly reference telemetry data when announcing changes or priorities. It's anonymous. There's no reason not to leave it enabled or to freak out just because the browser made a connection to some Mozilla site.
No, it isn't.
Apparently, at least one Librewolf dev (probably more) is very open in their political stances and has declared that Librewolf is a political and a "very woke" project. Again, this is only for people who care about a company's political stance.
libre wolf is open source, not a corporation, and does not have any specific developer
wait that makes it so much more usable
"Very woke" is a (general) political stance I can live with. It's not that it filters out right-winger sites anyway.
Orion is not zero telemetry because the code is closed source so you cannot prove it
Default Firefox is also not zero telemetry
You are right, which is why I have a disclaimer in the guide and include a link on their profile to configure it to be zero telemetry:
https://purchasewithpurpose.eu/software/6cWS1T6SofvvvcYdKo5WmY/
Let me know if this isn't the case. As I said, I depend on these discussions to improve on these guides.
Yeah but the venn diagram explicitly states Firefox has zero telemetry which can be misleading.
Also, what about Orion?
I commented on that separately, but here for ease of reference.
Well you can monitor any outbound connections, which is what I believe sizeof.cat did in their research here:
https://sizeof.cat/post/web-browser-telemetry-2025-edition/
That said, Orion isn't marked as open-source on the website so the open-source browsers are highlighted in that regard. The infographic does ultimately take a more simplistic view.
Hidden trafficking could still exist in ways that are not detectable like obfuscated payloads or conditional triggers
Firefox all the way, windows + iOS
as long as edge supports ublock origin i'm happy
I tried
https://fingerprint.com/demo/
and had difficulty countering it with Brave, LibreWolf, and Mullvad. I also remember trying Proton VPN, and that also didn't work.
What worked was a combination of CanvasBlocker set at max. and Chameleon with almost all settings activated and profiles randomized. The problem is that browsing felt slower and Chameleon broke some sites, so the extension had to be disabled for them.
Given that, I think one should use multi-account containers.
Now I like Brave even more.
Putting firefox in zero telemetry and not putting zen there is so fucking stupid man, even AI can't fuck this up this bad
where is Arc browser?
They ended the development for it 7 months back.