by 
Updated on June 17, 2022
Google’s Chrome browser still dominates the desktop and mobile markets. Between Internet Explorer putting people off of Microsoft’s browser, the dominance of Android smartphones, and Chrome’s very extensive range of plugins, Chrome’s grown since its 2008 debut to become the most popular web browser.
Overall share
Below is the overall browser share for the top five browsers as of July 2019, according to Net Marketshare:
- Chrome: 66.25%
- Safari: 17.66%
- Firefox: 3.89%
- Internet Explorer: 3.22%
- Edge: 2.53%
- Other: 6.45%
Desktop
Here’s the top five desktop browsers, as of July 2019.
- Chrome: 68.60%
- Firefox: 8.34%
- Internet Explorer: 7.44%
- Edge: 5.80%
- Safari: 3.40%
- Other: 6.42%
Mobile
And finally, here’s the top five mobile browsers as of July 2019:
- Chrome 65.43%
- Safari 27.75%
- QQ 1.69%
- UC Browser 1.11%
- Android Browser 1.00%
- Other: 3.02%
If wondering, QQ is made by QQ, a dominant instant messaging company in China; UC Browser is made by Alibaba, China’s answer to Amazon.
Meanwhile, Firefox’s mobile browser share is at 0.52%. Not being included by default on mobile devices, plus said devices by now a choice between Android and iOS, might explain Firefox’s low numbers.
Alternatives to Chrome
While Chrome makes up two-thirds of browser share, Google’s now getting the sort of criticism over its browser dominance that Microsoft received over Internet Explorer in the 2000s. Groups like the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) have criticized Chrome over its privacy aspects (and those of Google).
Of course Chrome’s plugins allow adding various security features, including uBlock ad blocker and the EFF’s own Privacy Badger plugin. Still, if one needs an alternative to Chrome on the desktop, I’d recommend Firefox. For Mac users, there’s also Safari as an option.
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
