# Alternatives to Firefox

Independent Gecko-engine browser from Mozilla.

Firefox ranks #5 of 14 in Browsers, with an Alt Score of 70. It is licensed under MPL-2.0, free and available on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android. 10 of 12 checklist rows are verified against a public source.

Source: https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/firefox/
Category: Browsers

## Where Firefox stands out

- **Sync (E2E encrypted)** — 6 of 12 apps with a verified answer have this

## Overview

- **Who it's for**: People who want a free, independent web browser built by a non-profit-backed organization rather than an ad company, including privacy-conscious users and anyone browsing on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, or Android.
- **What you get**: Firefox is Mozilla's open-source browser with built-in tracker and fingerprinting blocking, a private browsing mode, and a free password manager. It supports an extensions marketplace for customization and offers an Extended Support Release (ESR) for users on older operating systems. Because it uses Mozilla's own Gecko engine rather than Chromium, it adds engine diversity to the web.
- **How it works**: Users download the installer for their OS from firefox.com, install it, and browse normally, with privacy protections enabled by default and further settings, extensions, and sync (via a Firefox Account) configurable from the browser's preferences.

## Profile

- **License**: MPL-2.0 (verified 2026-07-11)
- **Pricing model**: Free (verified 2026-07-11)
- **Starts at**: ?
- **Platforms**: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
- **Status**: active (verified 2026-07-11)

## Ranked alternatives

| # | App | Alt Score | Licence | Platforms |
|---|-----|-----------|---------|-----------|
| 1 | [Vivaldi](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/vivaldi.md) | 93 | Proprietary | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android |
| 2 | [Brave](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/brave.md) | 85 | MPL-2.0 | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS |
| 3 | [Waterfox](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/waterfox.md) | 77 | MPL-2.0 | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| 4 | [Orion](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/orion.md) | 74 | Proprietary | macOS, iOS |
| 5 | [Edge](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/edge.md) | 63 | Proprietary | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS |
| 6 | [LibreWolf](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/librewolf.md) | 58 | MPL-2.0 | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| 7 | [Opera](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/opera.md) | 58 | Proprietary | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS |
| 8 | [Zen Browser](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/zen-browser.md) | 51 | MPL-2.0 | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| 9 | [Chrome](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/chrome.md) | 47 | Proprietary | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS |
| 10 | [Arc](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/arc.md) | 44 | Proprietary | macOS, Windows, iOS |
| 11 | [DuckDuckGo Browser](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/duckduckgo-browser.md) | 40 | Apache-2.0 | macOS, Windows, iOS, Android |
| 12 | [Tor Browser](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/tor-browser.md) | 36 | MPL-2.0 | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android |
| 13 | [Ungoogled Chromium](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/ungoogled-chromium.md) | 25 | BSD-3-Clause | Windows, macOS, Linux |

Alt Score = Verified coverage (90%) + Visibility (10%). See https://altcatalog.com/how-alt-score-works/

## Feature comparison

Legend: Yes / No / Partial / ? (not verified).

| Browsers checklist | Firefox | Vivaldi | Brave | Waterfox | Orion | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Free | Free | Free | Free | Freemium | Free |
| Starts at | ? | ? | ? | ? | $5/month | ? |
| License | MPL-2.0 | Proprietary | MPL-2.0 | MPL-2.0 | Proprietary | Proprietary |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | Windows, macOS, Linux | macOS, iOS | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Engine (Chromium / Gecko / WebKit) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in ad blocker | ? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Built-in VPN or proxy | No | Yes | Yes | ? | ? | Yes |
| Vertical tabs | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Tab groups & workspaces | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Extension ecosystem compatibility | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Sync (E2E encrypted) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial | ? |
| Battery / memory saver mode | ? | Yes | ? | ? | ? | Yes |
| Privacy: fingerprinting protection | Yes | Partial | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial |
| Telemetry opt-out | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial |
| Profile containers | Yes | Partial | ? | Yes | Yes | ? |
| Reader mode | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |

## Sources

Sources for Firefox. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.

- **License**: MPL-2.0 — <https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/MPL/> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “The current version of the license is MPL 2.0”
- **Pricing model**: Free — <https://apps.apple.com/us/app/firefox-private-web-browser/id989804926> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “Free”
- **Platforms**: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android — <https://www.firefox.com/en-US/download/all/?redirect_source=mozilla-org> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “Windows”
- **Status**: active — <https://www.firefox.com/en-US/firefox/150.0/releasenotes/> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “Version 150.0, first offered to Release channel users on April 21, 2026”
- **Engine (Chromium / Gecko / WebKit)**: Yes — <https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Glossary/Gecko> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “Gecko is the layout engine developed by the Mozilla Project and used in many apps/devices, including Firefox and Firefox OS.”
- **Built-in VPN or proxy**: No — <https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/products/vpn/> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “Powered by Mozilla. Fighting for your right to privacy since 1998.”
- **Vertical tabs**: Yes — <https://www.firefox.com/en-US/features/vertical-tabs/> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “Vertical tabs in Firefox stack your open tabs along the side of the browser window instead of across the top.”
- **Tab groups & workspaces**: Yes — <https://www.firefox.com/en-US/features/tab-groups/> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “Tab groups in Firefox keep your browser tabs neatly organized so you can switch between work, research, and everything else without losing track.”
- **Extension ecosystem compatibility**: Yes — <https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “Extensions are like apps for Firefox. They add features to Firefox to make browsing faster, safer, or just plain fun.”
- **Sync (E2E encrypted)**: Yes — <https://www.firefox.com/en-US/features/sync/> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “All your data is encrypted on our servers so we can't read it – only you can access it.”
- **Privacy: fingerprinting protection**: Yes — <https://www.firefox.com/en-US/features/block-fingerprinting/> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “Firefox helps reduce the amount of identifying information websites can gather from your browser.”
- **Telemetry opt-out**: Yes — <https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/privacy/firefox/> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “You can update your data collection settings for Desktop and Mobile at any time.”
- **Profile containers**: Yes — <https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/multi-account-containers/> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “Cookies downloaded by one Container are not available to other Containers.”
- **Reader mode**: Yes — <https://www.firefox.com/en-US/features/focus/> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “Reader mode turns busy pages into clean, readable content in a single click.”

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Ranked by verified data, never by who paid. https://altcatalog.com/trust/