this post was submitted on 13 Mar 2025
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Recommended Firefox alternative(s) for Android (reddthat.com)
submitted 3 days ago by sunset@reddthat.com to c/privacy@lemmy.world
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Recently there has been controversy around Mozilla Firefox.

I've been looking for an alternative but really struggling, seems like every alternative has a downside:

  • Vivaldi: Uses some proprietary code and likely not doing much better on the user data side of things, also based on Chromium.

  • Tor: Uses Tor protocol and so is quite slow, my ISP would probably also think I'm a drug lord.

  • Fennec: Basically looks the same as Firefox but guessing less up to date, F-Droid has a warning about it's using Mozilla services for tracking.

What are you guys using? Have you found anything good?

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[–] sonalder@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 days ago (1 children)

So currently this is my recommendation for web browsers for Android.

Chromium based (best for security on Android)

  • brave, disable cryptocrap, telemetry sponsor background and you're pretty much good to go.
  • cromite, an active fork of bromite which is basically an upgrade of ungoogled chromium
  • Vanadium, if you are using GrapheneOS

Firefox based browser (none support per-site isolation as of today)

  • IronFox, a active fork of Mull, basically the most harden FF flavor on Android
  • Fennec, basically a fully libre FF flavor
[–] CrayonRosary@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

How do you feel about DDG browser? It's another chrome based option. I've been using it when the some rare website won't work in a Firefox fork, and I'm curious to hear other people's opinions about it.

I like their free email forwarding service for throwaway accounts. Obviously, the emails aren't private in any way.

[–] sonalder@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I think brave provide a slightly better experience overall, and privacy is a bit stronger too. Cromite might be better in some areas but DDG has better tracking protection against analytics from companies such as Adobe, Faceboo, Google, etc... by default.

DDG mobile browser had a contreverasy with allowing Microsoft tracking (DDG search engine is using MS Bing's back-end) but in other hands brave is also quite contreversial with affiliate link injections, optionnal "private ads" with Web3 advertisement. Cromite seems cleaner but is a community run project and there is no company backing it.

Honestly I haven't used it in years but it's definitely not the worst option you can choose on Android.

[–] CrayonRosary@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Chromite passed the EFF test for trackers. I had a unique fingerprint, though. Not surprising. It's really hard not to.

[–] sic_semper_tyrannis 6 points 3 days ago (3 children)

IronFox is similar to what Mull was and similar-ish to fennec. You can also try Brave or Vanadium if you wish to go Chromium

[–] TuxEnthusiast@sopuli.xyz 6 points 3 days ago (1 children)

+1 for IronFox

[–] TIN@feddit.uk 1 points 3 days ago

+2, using it as my daily over vanadium

[–] Rose@lemmy.zip 4 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

Switching from Firefox to Chromium because of the latest Mozilla policy changes is insane. Google is ten times worse in every relevant aspect.

[–] dukethorion@lemmy.world 2 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Brave and Vanadium remove the google telemetry. Next complaint?

[–] Rose@lemmy.zip 3 points 3 days ago (1 children)

If telemetry is the problem, the rational thing to do is to use a fork/build of Firefox without the telemetry, not support the Google monopoly or go for browsers that have had potentially problematic privacy policies for a lot longer than Firefox.

[–] sonalder@lemmy.ml 1 points 2 days ago

The issue is that any firefox-based browser on Android lack of per-site isolation unlike chromium browser. It's a security issue that Mozilla doesn't seem interested in fixing. And it does impact every fork such as IronFox (previously Mull)

I am mainly using Firefox engine on all my computers but on Android I am using either Vanadium when on GrapheneOS and a tweaked brave when not.

For me personnaly it has nothing to do with supporting Google's monopoly on web tech or not. It's not about telemetry either, it is a security concern.

[–] sunset@reddthat.com 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I think I might give IronFox a go, just a bit weary as never heard of it before, not sure who is the owner of the project and where they are based, GitLab project only has ~125 stars.

Have you ever used the Accrescent app store? That's their recommended option for installing it.

[–] sic_semper_tyrannis 2 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I haven't used Acrescent but I believe it's made by the GrapheneOS team. It's focused on security, rather than totally FOSS programs.

[–] turtl@lemm.ee 3 points 3 days ago (2 children)

I'm pretty sure the Acrescent store is independent from Graphene OS - though they just seem to like the project so much they made it available in their own "App Store"

[–] sonalder@lemmy.ml 1 points 2 days ago

Yes this is more correct. They wanted to provide to their user an alternative store that meets their security criteria so GOS users can download and install other apps safely.

[–] sic_semper_tyrannis 1 points 3 days ago

Gotcha

[–] LWD@lemm.ee 5 points 3 days ago

The nice thing about Fennec is you don't have to accept a Mozilla license to use it, and those Mozilla services are (AFAIK) disabled by default. In fact, when I look at their settings menu, there is no "data collection" section to speak of.

The not-so-nice thing about Fennec is a little while back, it just didn't receive any updates. For something like a month.

Just about every browser that's based on Firefox is going to be slower to update than mainline Firefox, with perhaps the exception of Tor and Mullvad because they work hand in hand.

[–] Smokeydope@lemmy.world 5 points 3 days ago

I've been sticking with Ironfox as much as I can. It took up the mantle of Mull so Its based off fennec but got the security locked down and mozillas telemetry ripped out. Of course this means some websites don't play nice so I need to occasionally use a less hardened browser like firefox or kiwi(chromium based that can install any desktop extension). You should be used to that situation if you've used a hardened browser before though.

If I recall right you don't need to use the Tor network on the Tor browser. disconnect from the network and see if you can use it as a regular clear web browser. Also your ISP don't give a fuck whether you use TOR or a VPN, in fact they probably prefer it. As long as you pay them each month and they aren't getting calls from DMCA laywers or Feds running a honey pot they dont give a fuck. Apparently Its when you start torrenting gigabytes of data off of cellular network that they start getting pissed.

[–] 3aqn5k6ryk@lemmy.world 2 points 3 days ago

Fennec cause it got cute little mascot

[–] B0NK3RS@lemmy.world 2 points 3 days ago

I'm using Vivaldi and I'd recommend it. Obviously nothing is perfect, and especially browsers, but I'd implore you to look further in to it.

[–] Sophocles@infosec.pub 2 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Iceraven is my go to, been using it for about a year now. It works great

[–] sunset@reddthat.com 2 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Interesting, seems you have to download the .apk directly from their repo though, rather than any store. So I'm guessing there's no automatic updates?

[–] Sophocles@infosec.pub 1 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Yeah, but I see it as a pro and a con. With previous browsers I used like Mull, Fennec and Bromite, the store versions usually lagged behind, usually due to FDroid shenanigans, and downloading it from the source eliminates the middleman. While it is more work, I do use my browser for many important things, so I feel like it's worth it for my use case.

[–] sunset@reddthat.com 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I just found out you can use Obtanium to make this process easy, you can just add the repo URL into the app.

[–] Sophocles@infosec.pub 2 points 2 days ago

Very nice! I will look into using it

[–] sonalder@lemmy.ml 1 points 2 days ago

Are you using Obtanium ? RSS Feed ? Or the app notify you and you manually download and install the update ?

[–] Flagstaff@programming.dev 1 points 3 days ago

Waterfox has been great.

[–] novacomets@lemmy.myserv.one 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)

After looking for a browser without anti-features, I have settled on using FREE Browser

[–] Kess8a@lemy.lol 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Isn't that one chromium based?

--From my experience of using it

[–] novacomets@lemmy.myserv.one 0 points 3 days ago

It is a libre web browser, that's all I care about.

[–] sunset@reddthat.com 1 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Just seen another post on Lemmy about it.