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Best Free Web Browser for Android
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In a Hurry?
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 Read 'The Short Answer' below, jump to the reviews or go straight to the Quick Selection Guide |
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Introduction
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Android is the name of the popular operating system for mobile devices (phone and tablet) created by Google. In order to browse the Internet, a device needs a web browser in order to display pages. Although your Android device comes with a default browser, there are many others available that offer extra features designed to make your browsing experience easier or more enjoyable. Choosing a mobile browser on Android is no simple task due to a bewildering array of choices in the Play Store. However, one of the biggest advantages of Google's operating system is the huge variety of both apps and browsers that are available. Another advantage of Android is the sheer number of devices that it can run on. This means that no one solution works best on all those devices, even before you consider personal choice and the different browsing habits of the user. One of the problems with Android, though, is called 'fragmentation'. There are many different versions of Android currently in use today. Some users are on Gingerbread (Android 2.3) while some have the latest Jelly Bean release (Android 4.2). This means that some apps don't work on lower versions of Android because they take advantage of Android's newest features, and apps that were designed for lower versions will be missing out on features introduced in the newest versions of Android. This is especially true with Android browsers. Deciding on which web browser to use for your Android depends on your specific needs. What version of Android do you have? How big is your screen? Does your device have a fast processor? Do you want to access your bookmarks on both mobile & the desktop? All of these factors will help you decide what is the best browser for your situation. |
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If you have a reasonably recent piece of hardware running a recent version of Android (4.0+) then the best choices are: 1st Choice: Chrome If you have an older machine, or lower spec hardware: 1st Choice: Boat Browser Mini If you want to sync browser data between Android and your desktop browser: 1st Choice: Firefox If you're looking for the best all-around browser for Android: 1st Choice: Maxthon |
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The Long Answer
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As detailed above, various factors may affect the decision as to your final browser. I discuss these factors in more depth below, and then will try to offer a review of every browser. I plan to extend the reviews over time, in response to feedback and experience, so do check back or leave a comment below if there's something you would like to see. Limiting Factors1. Small screen size & resolution.The smaller the screen, the more important it is that your browser does not waste any of that valuable screen real estate with superfluous buttons. If screen size is limited, you may in fact find that the built in browser is best customised to work with your hardware restrictions. If you want to try alternatives though, features like full screen mode and good zoom and pan controls are a must. The ability to effectively re-wrap text to fit within the screen as you zoom will also be essential. 1st Choice: Boat Browser Mini 2. Low powered deviceOn a low powered device, you want the browser to load quickly and add the minimum of overhead. You may well be best ignoring features such as Flash (often resource hungry) and add-ons in order to obtain snappy browsing speeds 1st Choice: Boat Broswer Mini 3. Limited data connection speed/limitWebsites are getting bigger... In the early years of the Internet when dial up modems were the norm, website designers would spend hours honing their sites to be the smallest possible, to ensure a speedy experience for their users. With the advent of cheap broadband that is largely no longer the case. Instead designers seem sometimes locked in a battle to see how many images and flashing ads they can fit on one page at once! However, on a mobile, data speeds can still be in dial up modem territory. Whilst 3G and (in some places) 4G have helped, the extra speed often comes with a pathetically small data limit, even on so called 'unlimited' data plans. If you regularly browse image laden websites, or spend all your time watching YouTube videos, you might find that you hit your data cap sooner rather than later. If you're lucky, you'll just be limited to a slower speed until the end of the month - if you're not so lucky you'll suddenly find charges on your bill for the extra data. Some of the browsers below attempt to help, by collecting the pages for you on their servers, compressing larger images and files, then squirting the smaller, leaner file to your mobile device. In most cases, you won't notice the quality difference, but you may notice the faster load times. If you are on a very small data cap, or need the fastest browsing you can on a slow data speed, then the clear choice here is Opera Mini (or Opera Mobile if the phone is more capable). Both these browsers include the 'Opera Turbo' technology, which aims to reduce the amount of data each webpage uses. Note: For the privacy conscious amongst you, the Opera Turbo technology means in effect that Opera acts as a 'proxy' for your connection and could, in theory, read everything your browser shows. If you are using secured browsing (https://) websites then the connection is direct and this cannot happen. In practice, this is unlikely to be an issue for many, but it is something to be aware of. 1st Choice: Opera Mini 4. Current desktop ecosystemIt may not appear initially relevant, but this factor could end up being the decisive factor in your choice. If you run a particular browser on your main computer, and want to sync bookmarks easily between your PC and android device, then you will need to choose one that is compatible. In most cases that will mean using the same software on both, although in a few cases there are workarounds. In general however, the Opera Android browser will only sync with the Opera desktop browser, Firefox and Chrome likewise. You may need to decide whether the ability to sync bookmarks is important to you. If you tend not to browse the same pages on both, or in fact specifically want to keep the bookmarks separate, then you can ignore this factor entirely when making your decision. If you do want to sync though, bear in mind that when browsing certain sites on your Android device, the site may detect you are using a mobile browser and serve up a different page without some of the frills, giving you a different experience. There are ways to avoid this, although often the mobile pages are easier to use on a smaller device and more touch friendly. There are alternatives that will synchronise your bookmarks between any browser but they are generally not free and so outside the scope of this website. 1st Choice: dependent on users' needs 5. Compatibility / AccessibilityFor some, the websites you surf will restrict your choice of browser. Particularly in corporate environments, internal web apps may only work on certain browsers. Services such as banks, which require you to log in, may not work well on certain mobile browsers, if at all. Many browsers are also not well adapted to those with accessibility issues, such as limited vision, poor finger control. In this area, the reviewers' knowledge is limited so any suggestions, comments or experience is welcomed in the comments below. In general however, it may be that Dolphin Browser is the one to work best here, purely because it has so many add-ons, some of which may make it easier to customise the browser to your specific needs 1st Choice: Dolphin Browser |
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 Maxthon is my new top pick for best Android web browser. The newest version combines the best features of other Android browsers into a lightweight package that can run on any version of Android from 2.2 and up. That covers almost 98% of all Android devices currently in use today. One of it's best features is Maxthon's Cloud Services that allow you to share almost anything on the web with your other devices or your friends. Additionally, it can sync your bookmarks, settings, passwords, and your open tabs across different platforms.
It also features tabbed browsing, gesture support, a "speed dial" for your favorites, a download manager, private browsing, text re-flow, and even has support for add-ons (though the selection is very small at the moment). You can also quickly switch between desktop and WAP versions of a website along with disabling images to speed up loading and reduce data usage. Additional features include a "night mode" for dimming the display, multiple search engine selection, and a find in page search function.
But the thing that set this browser apart from the rest is it's full-screen mode. When you put Maxthon in full-screen mode the address bar slides up and the menu hidden in a small blue dot on the bottom of the screen. Pressing the dot will bring up a fan menu that is easy to use and keeps all of your options within quick access while remaining out of the way. The address bar is also easily accessed by simply sliding down the top of the screen. This ability was something that seemed to be missing from most of the other browsers I tested.
Given all of the options that Maxthon packs into an 8MB app and the fact that it can run on almost every Android device I decided to give it my top pick for the best web browser for Android.
 Dolphin Browser has long been a fixture on the Android platform and they have always tried to keep ahead of the pack by adding features. They also supply Dolphin Mini (see below), but this is their most powerful offering, with all the features you would expect on a mobile browser and many you might not.
The app features easy multi-tab browsing, excellent bookmark and browsing history support, multi-touch zooming, simple navigation, Flash and HTML5 support, versatile add-ons, gesture control and a unique 'Sonar' voice recognition feature. The interface in particular is excellent, with a swipe from the left side of the screen opening a bookmarks/history menu, and a swipe from the right giving you immediate access to installed add-ons.
Add-ons are where Dolphin really shines though. It currently has more than 60 available add-ons to customize your browser however you like. There are add-ons to convert webpages to pdf, upload pages and photos to Box.com, and even a few themes to change the color of the browser itself. Be careful, though, as adding too many add-ons will cause the browser to slow down.
 Chrome for Android has finally come out of beta and if you have a strong device that's running Android 4.0+ then it definitely worth checking out. It features the same Omnibox that the desktop version has so you can search and navigate right from the address bar. You can also sign in to your Google account to sync your bookmarks or open tabs, send pages to your desktop, and access your saved passwords and autofill information. Some of it's other features include incognito browsing, preloading of web pages, and "Do not track" options. If you use Chrome as your desktop browser then you will feel right at home with Chrome for Android.
While it's a great browser for the newest devices, that does not mean it is without its problems. One, it's big. It occupies over 50 megabytes of space on my phone. While this doesn't seem like much, on devices with limited storage it can take up most of your space. It also does not have extension support which is becoming a common feature among Android browsers. While a lot of browsers have their tabs on a bar above the address bar Google decided to keep them as a "card stack" that is accessed through a tab button on the address bar. I found this to be a little ackward to access with a big screen and actually had to use two hands to hold my phone just to change tabs.
There are lots of reports on the Google Play Store that it simply doesn't work or works very poorly depending on the device being used. I didn't encounter any problems while testing it on a Galaxy S2 with Android 4.0.4, but your mileage may vary. It is constantly improving though and Google appears to be updating it frequently. I won't be surprised when Chrome for Android becomes the default browser shipped with the Android OS.
 UC Browser is consistently rated as one of the best on the Play Store and it's not surprising. Like the other browsers I've reviewed here, it features tabbed browsing and a plethora of other options to further suit your needs. A lot of the standard features that are common to the others are here such as being able to switch between desktop and mobile versions of a site, multi touch zooming, and a speed dial start page.
The standout feature of UC Browser is its download manager. While most Android browsers only allow you to access your downloads UC Browser goes a step further by integrating a download manager that can resume failed or stalled downloads. This can be very useful if you happen to be in an area with a spotty signal. Another handy feature is voice control. You can open websites, search for terms, and control browser functions such as back, forward, and opening a new tab.
There are a just a couple of downsides to the UC Browser. There is no add-on support and I found that while browsing in full screen there is no way to access the address bar without exiting full screen mode. But, these won't bother everyone and is still a solid browser.
 Boat Browser has been mentioned in the comments quite a few times so it definitely warranted a review here. I have to admit that when I first opened it up I was underwhelmed. It looked and felt like the other browsers I tested. Then I opened the settings. I counted 34 separate settings for everything from gesture control to private browsing. And a lot of those settings had sub settings as well. It is a very customizable browser and it hides it in a neat and uncluttered interface. It is very similar to Dolphin's offering but its half the size.
It has all of the features that are common on Android browsers recently such as tabbed browsing, gesture support, and bookmark management. The difference with Boat Browser is that most of the interface is customizable. You can change the color with one of the 4 included themes. Don't like the layout of the bottom tool bar? You can change it and place whichever buttons you need in the layout that you want. It also has voice control and support for a small number of add-ons.
The only things I didn't like about Boat Browser was it's rather large address bar and the fact that it's ad-supported which may put a few people off. These are only minor issues though and it is still an excellent browser that should be considered when looking for an alternative to the stock browser.
 Firefox for Android is the mobile counterpart to Mozilla's very popular Firefox browser. It, too, features tabbed browsing, the ability to switch between desktop & mobile versions of a site, and excellent sharing capabilities that uses the Android sharing intent. It is also one of the best when it comes to supporting the newest web standards.
Firefox also has a great sync function if you happen to be using the desktop version of Firefox. You can sync bookmarks, passwords, history, your open tabs, and even your add-ons. The drawback with syncing add-ons is that there has to be a mobile version of your add-on in order for it to work. Firefox Sync is also completely encrypted for the security concious among you.
While I am a longtime user of Firefox on my desktop PC I just cannot use it on my Android. I found it to be incredibly slow at loading pages and the inteface is a little clunky to me. There is also no full screen mode and the large address bar stays on the screen at all times. This could make browsing uncomfortable on smaller devices as it takes up a lot of screen space. Also, Firefox for Android can only run on devices with a 600 Mhz or greater processor.
 Opera Mobile is still one of the best browsers to use on Android, but I found that it didn't really offer anything beyond what is standard in most Android web browsers these days. It has a start page, tabbed browsing, the ability to share using Android's sharing intent, and you can sync your bookmarks with the desktop version of Opera. You also have the option of using Opera Turbo which serves you compressed pages from Opera's servers to increase page laoding and decrease data usage. Unfortunately, this is a feature that is starting to show up in other Android browsers that offer more features.
NOTE: While I don't review the beta versions of these browsers, Opera has just released a new beta that is a complete redesign of the popular browser. They have switched to using the Webkit engine (like Chrome) and have changed the interface quite a bit. I'll redo my review of Opera as soon as it leaves beta as it is shaping up to be back on top as one of the best Android browsers out there.
 Boat Browser Mini is the browser I recommend if you have a low powered device or a small screen. It contains almost all of the features of it's big brother, Boat Browser. It still has themes, an excellent full screen mode, and even gesture support. While it doesn't have a turbo mode like Opera, you can still switch between mobile and desktop versions of a site to help reduce loading times and data usage. Opera Mini is designed as a fast and light browser for those who have slow download speeds or high data costs. As pages are browsed, Opera's servers fetches them and compresses images to provide a faster browsing experience. This does require accepting Opera's ability to protect your privacy, although all the evidence is that they do (and https secure browsing is always encrypted end to end). It doesn't offer Flash support, but if you are in a poor connection area or want to manage your download then Opera Mini is a good choice as it has most of the features of its bigger brother and runs on practically any device of any age.
The drawback is that some more advanced pages will not render correctly and Flash/video is not an option. You must also accept the privacy implications of retrieving all your data through Opera's servers, although this is unlikely to be a major issue for most.
 Dolphin Browser Mini is the little brother of the full featured HD browser, and is designed to be lighter, simpler, and less resource heavy. Despite this, it still has the same excellent multi-tab browsing, bookmarks management, multi-touch zooming and Flash support with less of the clutter which will appeal to some, especially on slower devices.
Unfortunately, I found the exclusion of a full-screen mode on a browser designed for low powered devices to be odd and the browser has not been updated in almost a year now. In the mobile world that is a lifetime and without an update soon Dolphin Mini will fall behind the competition.
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Related Products and Links
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You might want to check out these articles too: |
Flash support may depend on specific device
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Editor
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This software category is maintained by volunteer editor DarkShadow. Registered members can contact the editor with any comments or questions they might have by clicking here. |
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Tags
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best free browser for android, best free mobile web browser, top free mobile web browser, best free web browser for mobile device, free browser for smart phones running android |
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Comments
Opera for Android can synch - but it's intensely annoying about it.
I've used all the browsers in your reviews. The one I use now is far better than the browsers in your reviews. The Boat Browser Mini is what I use now. It renders web pages quickly and I have never had a problem when clicking on a link or button on a web page' where it didn't work. Works well with all banking and retail sites. Boat Browser Mini should be ranked the #1 browser.
Now, for my phone I have been a huge Dolphin fan for a long time, and am devoted to Firefox desktop, but after the latest Firefox beta rebooted my device (going into infinite loops) and Dolphin HD started sucking my battery dry and having otherwise sketchy reliability, I started looking.
I am now hooked on the Boat browser for android. It is *fast* and has a great set of UI controls. Check it out.
I moved to it a month ago and I'm *really* loving it.
It is definately the best. I've never had any issues on any website or any functional or performance problems. I use the Boat Mini, only takes up 2MB.
Thanks for the comment. Yes I do have Boat installed and it seems pretty fast and easy to use. Its on my list for the next update.
Now that Firefox has come out of Beta, I have to say I'm loving the new look and that's my current daily driver at the moment, but one of the beauties of Android is that we have soooo much choice, unlike another mobile OS I could mention.....:)
One very good browser is Maxthon. It is available for pc also which looks a lot like chrome. The android app is very nice and pleasing to the eyes. It has more than 1,000,000 downloads and an awesome rating of 4.7 on google play.
Thanks for the comment.
Yes I have tried Maxthon, it's on my list for the next update and I have to say I didn't find any major problems with it. Maybe the only issue I could see is that the sync needs Maxthon on the desktop (although that's not a bad choice either as you say).
The next update will add several less well know browsers, so check back in a week or so!
Unfortunately Google Chrome for Android doesn't have Flash support (and it won't). I hope Google finds a workaround for this as many key sites use flash for browsing. Your can read the official Adobe post here:
http://adobe.ly/yFnmQ3
It doesnt have flash and it will never have flash
html5 is the future
and neways chrome is only for ics and there are hardly 1% people using ICS
You're right about HTML5, but flash is still needed (at least for now) and Google knows about it, so they developed an app called Swiffy that can turn flash into html5 but it's still a beta product. I think Google made this as a temporary solution in order to cover this "flash issue". ICS is to increase its numbers soon and many users will start to use Chrome inmediately and that will be the beginning of the end for flash, but for the time being we'll have to get along with it.
Yeah, unless Adobe change their mind about flash (which doesn't look likely) Chrome is stuck without flash, which is a shame. I'm expecting an ICS device soon, so I'll do a review when I get it
The default browser is also awesome..btw chrome's here to kick everybody else
Hey tinye!
Im adopting the exact same post but for the iOS system although I work on android too. I look forward to viewing this article in the future!
Something for your :( part on Dolphin: http://androidunderground.blogspot.com/2011/11/dolphin-browser-phones-home-again-heres.html
Not good! Many thanks, will add something in