Private browsers for mobile devices. The best browsers for anonymous surfing The best anonymous browser

Numerous scandals provoked by the release of information about surveillance of users by state intelligence services are irrefutable proof that the modern Internet has long ceased to be a free cyberspace in which every person could feel completely at home.

In light of today's realities, anonymity on the Internet is nothing more than a myth, which only the most naive and inexperienced users continue to believe.

The number of organizations, as well as the methods they use to track and collect information, is growing rapidly. Social networks, search engines, advertising companies, national agencies like the NSA, they all strive to obtain as much data as possible about users and their preferences. It is commonly believed that viruses specially created for this purpose steal data from a computer. But in our case everything is much simpler.

The main “informants” leaking information to third parties are the most common browsers. Regardless of what the developers themselves claim, the effectiveness of anti-tracking tools in popular browsers remains at a very low level. If you want to feel more or less protected on the Internet, you should use special modified browsers for surfing.

Tor Browser

The most famous "anonymous" web browser is Tor Browser. Essentially, Tor Browser is the same Mozilla Firefox, but with minor modifications.

It disables cookies, redesigns the script processing mechanism, and most importantly, integrates the TOR system, which provides anonymous information exchange on the Internet.

Tor Browser is easy to use, does not require specific settings, and has an easy-to-use interface (Vidalia) for connecting to the secure Tor network.

Minuses

These problems in Tor Browser include relatively low loading speed of web pages, the inability to use some additional functions on websites, and problems with playing Flash videos.

Epic

Epic Browser is an easy to use browser based on the Chromium engine for anonymous surfing. Unlike Tor Browser, Epic Browser does not use the Tor system. Epic's tracking protection comes with a comprehensive suite of tools, from Do Not Track to a proxy server.

The main features of this browser include tracking protection, automatic removal of all traces of work when closing the program, the use of a special incognito mode, a safe Internet search mechanism, and a proxy server to hide the real IP address.

Minuses

The disadvantages of Epic Browser include the lack of support for plugins and some search modifiers. Problems were also observed when viewing some, mainly gaming ones, as well as those using interactive elements.

The Pirate Browser

The Pirate Browser is a secure browser based on Mozilla Firefox from the developers of the famous torrent tracker The Pirate Bay. Externally, it is practically no different from Firefox, with the exception of the design of some sections. The browser is equipped with a Tor client, as well as an expanded set of tools for working with proxy servers.

Despite the fact that The Pirate Bay, like Tor Browser, uses the Tor network, it does not provide anonymity on the Internet as such. This browser is intended primarily to bypass censorship restrictions. The "pirate" browser is easy to use and portable. It also doesn't need any settings.

Minuses

The disadvantages of The Pirate Browser include relatively slow loading of web pages, problems with playing Flash content, and weak tracking protection compared to Tor Browser and VPN networks.

Advertising is getting smarter every day. If you decide to look for a new smartphone in an online store, then advertisements with offers to buy a new device will haunt you on all sites and even social networks. Have you ever wondered how different websites know what you are looking for? Answer: Cookies.

A cookie is a small file that is automatically downloaded to your computer when you open any website. Thus, the next time you open your VKontakte page, you will not need to enter your login and password. Cookies are very useful and convenient, but sometimes they are used to track you.

How to protect your personal information and data on your Android mobile device? Of course, use an anonymous browser. We have compiled a list of the 7 best anonymous browsers on Android that will save the user’s confidential data from being passed on to strangers.

GNU IceCat Mobile, formerly known as IceWeasel, is the GNU version of the Firefox browser. Although the Firefox browser is free software, most useful plugins are paid, such as VPN Unlimited. On the other hand, the IceCat browser is free and provides all the necessary features to surf the Internet anonymously on Android.

The main privacy features in the IceCat Mobile browser are: LibreJS, which takes care of JavaScript hooks; HTTPS Everywhere, which provides secure browsing on websites; SpyBlock, which blocks all third-party trackers in private browsing mode.

Orfox is the mobile partner of Tor Browser based on the code "fennec" (Firefox for Android). The Tor Browser development team continues to improve the security of their browser.

The Orfox browser transmits your data through relay networks, thereby protecting your search history from prying eyes. In addition, it also includes NoScript and HTTPS Everywhere.

The Krypton anonymous browser comes bundled with Tor and is a privacy-focused browser. The browser runs 24/7 in incognito mode, so it never stores cookies or web history.

Krypton is a free application without any additional paid features. The browser also comes with HTTPS, which warns you about an unsafe site.

Ghostery Inc released its anonymous browser, Ghostery Privacy Browser, at the end of 2014. It runs on Android WebView and is as fast as Google Chrome.

The ghost icon at the top of the tab tells you how many trackers are used on the website. You can view the full list of trackers by clicking on this icon, and then block or allow each of them. You can also add trusted sites to the whitelist.

CM Browser was developed by Cheetah Mobile Inc., which is also known for its Clean Master and CM AppLock applications. This anonymous browser has a minimalistic interface that is pleasant to use.

CM Browser is one of the smallest browsers, measuring only 2.9 MB. It is equipped with an acceleration mechanism, while Do-not-track settings are built in by default. Anonymous Browser alerts you when you browse any potentially fraudulent websites.

Firefox for Android is a fast, free and open source project from Mozilla. It has a large library of free settings such as HTTPS Everywhere, AdBlock, Readability and others. The anonymous browser GNU IceCat Mobile, as mentioned earlier, also runs on Firefox source code.

Just recently, a new version of the anonymous browser Brave Browser was released. The earlier version used a complex user interface. Now the browser has received pleasant and convenient controls.

The browser offers many security features such as HTTPS Everywhere, phishing protection, and malware filtering. This anonymous browser is also optimized to save battery and data.

Summarizing

This is a list of the best anonymous browsers on Android. Keep in mind that anonymous browsers reduce the chances of your personal data being shared with third parties, but none of them can provide 100% anonymity.

What anonymous browser do you use on your Android device? Write in the comments below.

On Google Play and the Apple App Store you can find a large number of browsers that call themselves “private browsers” that promise us complete protection from tracking and slightly isn't it instantaneous speed? loading web pages. In this article, we will look at some of the best private browsers and find out whether these browsers actually deliver the functions they promise.

Firefox Focus Private Browser

This is a very simple browser without unnecessary features. The privacy of the browser is reminded by the shopping cart button, which is displayed on any page when scrolling up. After clicking the trash button, all browser history and saved data are cleared. There is also a clear history button in the notification shade.

The browser can block advertising and analytics trackers, social trackers and others. There is an “Invisible” mode - a screenshot blocking function that blocks access to the contents of the browser window. Because of this, even the screen shutdown animation does not work. But it is impossible to intercept the content displayed on the display.

Unlike its competitors, Firefox Focus doesn't hide its blacklists through which it blocks trackers. .

• Engine: Blink (there is a version on the Gecko engine on the Internet)
• ROM consumption (excluding application data): 6.96 MB
• RAM consumption (home page only open): 44.1 MB
• RAM consumption (one test site open): 65 MB (no tab support, our article about mobile mesh was opened)
• Number of blocked trackers (for five test sites): 43

Minimalism at its finest.

Private browser Yo Browser

The description on the Play Market contains naked advertising and nothing concrete, and the official website is under development. It was entirely possible to pass it by, but the statement “Yo Browser ensures not only easy browsing of the Internet, but also your privacy and security” made us include this browser in the test.

The browser has an interesting feature for quickly opening incognito mode: after clicking a link, a prompt pops up to choose which mode to open it in, normal or incognito. When exiting, it prompts you to clear your cache, cookies, and history. You can enable auto cleanup on exit.

There is a night mode, which turns the background and some elements of most sites black, as well as a built-in QR code scanner. You can block the display of images and advertisements. It is also possible to disable JavaScript and Cookies.

• Engine: Blink
• ROM consumption (excluding application data): 18.99 MB
• RAM consumption (only the home page is open): 117 MB
• RAM consumption (five test sites open) 250 MB

Private browser InBrowser

“InBrowser is an incognito browser. Every time you sign out of InBrowser, everything you've done in the app will be erased, including history, cookies, and sessions." That is, the developers seem to be saying: this is not so much a separate browser as an incognito mode, separated into a separate application. Direct competitor to Firefox Focus.

Overall, the browser has a strange feel, but in terms of functionality it is the best among compact browsers with tracking protection. It can integrate with Orbot (to create a connection to the Internet via the Tor network without VPN), change the user agent (Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari are available to choose from).

There is a “safe mode” - blocking screenshots and preventing them from being displayed in the list of recent applications using standard Android tools.

From additional functionality:

• “text reformatting” - restructuring the desktop version of the site for mobile screens, it does not always work correctly, but it performs its function;
• disabling image loading;
• prohibition of execution of JavaScript and plugins, if installed on the system.
• Engine: Blink
• ROM consumption (excluding application data): 6.51 MB
• RAM consumption: could not be captured because the application is automatically unloaded from memory
• Number of blocked trackers (for five test sites): no indicator in the browser
• Original design of the main page and tab switching

Ghostery Private Browser

“Ghostery detects and blocks online tracking systems, protecting your data, speeding up page loads and eliminating distractions.” In general, a regular browser with ad and tracker blocking. According to the developers, the blocking is very advanced, but no one explains how advanced it is.

Just like many other browsers, it can clear all private data when exiting. To activate the function, you need to go to “Settings -> Clear on exit” and check all the boxes. Loading tabs in the background is buggy: if, without waiting for the page to load, you open a new tab and open a new address in it, the loading of the original page will stop.

• Engine: Blink
• ROM consumption (excluding application data): 6.07 MB
• RAM consumption (only the home page is open): 185 MB
• RAM consumption (five test sites open): 317 MB
• Number of blocked trackers (for five test sites): 16

It may not be pretty, but it takes up six megabytes of memory.

Private Browser Cliqz

Another completely standard browser with tracking protection based on the Chromium engine. It differs only in that it collects usage statistics itself to “improve the relevance of search results and provide the most advanced privacy protection features.”

Supports synchronization with the Cliqz desktop browser and has a built-in QR code scanner. Also in the settings you can enable automatic clearing of cache, history, cookies and other personal data after closing the application (Settings -> Privacy -> checkboxes at the bottom of the list).

• Engine: Blink
• ROM consumption (excluding application data): 34.81 MB
• RAM consumption (only the home page is open): 198 MB
• RAM consumption (five test sites open): 327 MB
• Number of blocked trackers (for five test sites): 12

And you wouldn’t think that the browser takes up as much as 35 MB of memory.

Yandex.Browser with Disconnect extension

The Yandex browser does not know how to block trackers on its own, but it has support for extensions, thanks to which you can add the Disconnect extension to it.

There's not much to talk about here: both the browser and Disconnect are well-known products about which many reviews have been written.

• Engine: Blink
• ROM consumption (excluding application data): 80.61 MB
• RAM consumption (only the home page is open): 288 MB
• RAM consumption (five test sites open): 540 MB
• Number of blocked trackers (for five test sites): 25

The most criminal design among all, it’s not for nothing that it takes up 80 MB.

About the speed of work

On the Galaxy S7, all the reviewed browsers work so fast that it is very difficult to detect differences in speed with the naked eye (if they exist at all...). There were also no problems with displaying web pages.

conclusions

Which private browser should you choose?

Firefox Focus does not support tabs and, by and large, does not look like a full-fledged browser at all, but it is made by an office that you can trust.

Yandex is a really good browser. The Disconnect extension is also well known and trustworthy. By the way, about Yandex browser surveillance and how bad it can be read.

Even the best browsers still store data about their users. Web browsers analyze what you search for and what you watch, and create a specific profile for each user.

However, for people who think differently, anonymous browsers have been created.

Tor Browser

The most famous and one of the popular anonymous browsers. The principle of its operation is based on making it impossible to identify you while surfing the Internet. For example, when determining your location, you may be in Africa.

The browser is completely free and very easy to install. It is supported on Windows, Mac and Linux.

Epic Browser

This browser is based on a system with a set of various extensions and settings. It is with the help of them that it is difficult to identify you.

In general, you can manually configure your favorite regular browser, but it is much more convenient when everything is done at once.

Web browser available on Windows and Mac. There is no version for Linux yet.

SRWare Iron

The design of this browser is very similar to the Chrome we are familiar with, because it is based on the code that served as the launching pad for the browser from Google. However, SRWare Iron does not have a user ID.

All Chrome extensions work great in this browser. Therefore, when surfing anonymously, you can use your favorite tools. This browser is available for Windows, Mac, Linux and Android.

Comodo Ice Dragon

This is a special version of the Firefox browser. Just like the original version, this browser is very easy to use. He is not whimsical and very fast, but he is more protected from threats.

It contains a whole system of link scanners and filters that protect your computer from suspicious sites. Also, special tools prevent leakage of personal information.

The browser can be installed on computers with Windows, Mac and Linux.