After testing the most popular browsers for Mac, 24 Channels It allows you to familiarize yourself with all the advantages and disadvantages of browsers so that you can make an informed choice.

Safari is local and energy efficient

Safari comes with every Mac, so it’s the leader by default. There are many good reasons to use Safari, including its privacy features that help stop sites from tracking your behavior. Plus, because Safari was designed specifically for the Mac, it’s energy efficient and has all the benefits of original Apple products.

Since the program uses all of Apple’s API features, you will definitely like the tight integration with the macOS GUI and the extremely efficient use of energy.

It’s not for nothing that Safari ranks first in terms of performance among other browsers tested on Mac. If you are a heavy user of web applications, their convenience and versatility can be critical in your daily work.

Chrome – advanced features

Google’s Chrome is by far the most popular browser on the market. In March 2024, its share in the world market was 65%.

This popularity also contributes to the development of a rich extension ecosystem. You can install any of these to add features to your default browser, from better reading to faster browsing.

The browser offers a library of extensions (sometimes called “plug-ins”), but their sizes vary significantly. While Edge offers around 11,191 extensions (according to the Microsoft catalogue) and Firefox 38,000 (according to the Firefox catalogue), Chrome has a huge library of 130,445 extensions.

Size isn’t everything, but you’re more likely to find niche features by extending Chrome than other browsers. Chrome is also popular among web developers for its powerful developer tools that let you design and debug directly in the browser.

Edge is a universal browser for every task

Microsoft’s browser might not seem like the best option for Mac users, but Edge has tons of great features for everyone who uses the Internet, from office workers to gamers.

The browser works natively with Office and PDF files. If you regularly work with both Windows and macOS or need to collaborate with other users, Edge will make your work easier. It’s also reasonably fast and fairly light, though it doesn’t lead in any of these metrics.

Edge redirects you to Microsoft’s search engine Bing (but you can replace it with another), and while you can turn off most of it, you may be annoyed by some of the telemetry features. Overall, Edge is a solid choice, but it’s probably only worth using if you need to stay within the Microsoft ecosystem.

Firefox is a safe environment to work in

Once a strong open source competitor, Firefox has fallen far behind. The browser fought valiantly against Microsoft’s Internet Explorer when it was released in 2004; helped create a more harmonious and open Internet.

Although this browser is much less popular today, it still offers a unique experience with extensive customization options. Out of the box, its home page is a Google search page with your favorite sites, recent pages, and news feeds.

In practice, this is not much of a problem – you can only judge this based on your own experience – but alternative browsers start from a more promising base.

Opera has so many features you’ll almost never need it

It would not be wrong to say that if you are not an Opera fan, you are unlikely to switch to Opera. It’s a shame, because it has a lot to offer: built-in ad blocking, powerful tab management, and even integration with artificial intelligence.

Opera has always been a niche browser, and its interface looks decidedly out of place on macOS. The default interface goes so far as to display the familiar traffic light window icons vertically!