Top 8 Browser Apps Android

We often use browsers and dedicated browser apps these days to surf the web when on the go, but browsers can vary in quality. Most smartphones have a built-in option (Windows Phone for example, will obviously use Bing as a search provider) but the apps store has a few nice alternatives. It seems like there should be more options, given the amount of time we typically spend on hour browsers on an average work days, but I suppose it is difficult to break into a market that is dominated by the likes of Firefox by Mozilla and Chrome by Google. That said, it was always the case that more people used Internet Explorer on desktop computers since it came pre-installed with Windows, yet that quickly gave way to the aforementioned duo and more such as Opera, and of course Safari on Apple devices. It seems fitting then that, in the week following Microsoft’s long-expected retiring of Internet Explorer in favor of something else, we count down the various mobile browsers or browsing apps that you can use on your Android device.

8. Dolphin (Free)

Dolphin is a browser that you might have come across at one point, and has been steadily gaining new users in recent years. It must be difficult to attract users when the market is dominated by one or two big names and devices come with pre-installed browsers, but Dolphin has steadily improved to gain a decent following. The browsing now is a lot faster than I remember, though that may also be down to the advanced processing capabilities of your smartphones of today compared to those produced a year ago, even. There are lots of cool features included with Dolphin, including Sonar (voice search) and also lots of themes to choose from. – Download from Google Play

7. Boat Browser (Free)

I quite like Boat Browser from the limited exposure I’ve received – though, this was just the tablet version. It seems like a quick browser, with a solid foundation that can be built on with a range of add-ons. For those that like their browser to be some kind of utility belt, these add ons will be appreciated – though they do cost money, although the app itself is free and does a decent job on its own. – Download from Google Play

6. Next Browser (Free)

Another excellent option is Next Browser, which seems to zone in on one idea: that of speed, as in the speed of browsing which we’ll admit becomes a whole lot more important when you are accessing the Internet using your smartphone or tablet while on the go – especially if you are on a data plan where time equates to the money you pay on your bill! There are some add on options, but most users should be happy enough with the default set up that Next Browser presents. And besides, it’s free to download so why not get it now and give it a go? – Download from Google Play

5. UC Browser (Free)

I remember being attracted to UC Browser initially because of the squirrel icon! It has become one of the more venerable of third party browsers on Android, with decent performance attributes – and with an emphasis on those who are using the app outside the US. There are some nice features included with this free download, including a speed mode that encourages quicker browsing and an auto function that allows you to browse multiple pages in a much more efficient fashion – and one that is less of a strain on the app and your hardware. – Download from Google Play

4. Maxthon Browser (Free)

Outside of the top three, it’s hard to narrow it down to one browser that should be considered superior. That said, I think that the Maxthon Browser is a decent choice. I first heard of the app after it was criticized, having been included in bundled software – this seems to have given the app a bad reputation, but I promise that it’s worth considering out of that context. I understand that no one likes their apps to be pushed on them – whether on mobile devices or your computer – but developers will often choose this platform to promote their product and we can’t really criticize them for this, especially if the app is free to download. Again, there are a bunch of add ons that can extend Maxthon to a higher level but it offers an okay browsing experience without all of that. – Download from Google Play

3. Opera Browser (Free)

Moving on to the top three, which I’m sure that most of you will have guessed by now. Opera is a browser that has been around for a while, but without really breaking into that elite group that for so long included Firefox, Chrome and IE. Those that have used Opera in the past will know exactly what to expect here. The experience on an Android tablet, which is the platform we chose to test it with, were good enough and there are load of cool themes and add ons to choose besides. The Speed Dial and Discover features are designed to make your browsing experience more entertained, but it is a solid browsing app besides. I’d recommend checking out Opera, even if you have no experience with the venerable desktop version of the app which seems to have been around forever! – Download from Google Play

2. Mozilla Firefox (Free)

And then there’s Firefox, developed by Mozilla and arriving out of nowhere as a popular alternative to Internet Explorer on desktop computers. It always seemed to me that Firefox succeeded because of the developers’ success in creating a lightweight browser, and also because IE was awful – that any alternative would do! Admittedly, Firefox for desktop computer has become more and more bloated over the years so it’s not quite as lightweight as before. Still, it is predictably one of the very best you can use on your Android device. The browsing experience has always been a satisfying one, and for those that use Firefox on your laptop or desktop computer, this is of course a logical choice. You can sync it to your other version of Firefox to maintain the same bookmarks, add ons and settings across different platforms which is great! – Download from Google Play

1. Google Chrome (Free)

Seemingly the most popular browser out there right now for a range of platforms, and for good reason, is Google’s dedicated Chrome browser. Again, a great feature here is that – chances are, you’re using Chrome if you have a Windows computer or even a Mac – you can sync this version on your smartphone or tablet with the one you use at work or at home and keep the same bookmarks and settings. This means that when you bookmark something new or add a new password, these will be shared on your Chrome on different platforms. There is some swipe navigation here, but perhaps not enough. It does however include the ability to open an unlimited number of tabs, but we would advise against opening too many depending on the processing power of your Android device. If you use Google for other tasks, such as storing files on Google Chrome or checking emails on Gmail, then this is the browser for you since it effectively integrates with all the other Google apps to create a proper Google experience. – Download from Google Play