Avoid The Hack: 6 Best Privacy Browser Picks for Linux and macOS

This post was originally published on 16 MAR 2021; it has since been updated and revised.

Many of the suggestions here are compatible with both Linux systems and macOS operating systems; users may also find similar suggestions found elsewhere on Avoid the Hack.

The browsers listed here are all open-source, regularly updated, and are out of beta. These browsers also provide customization options and do not phone home browsing activity or assign unique identifiers for telemetry purposes.

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Firefox

If you’re on a Linux-based system – especially a Debian variant – you might find Firefox pre-installed on your operating system. To “harden” Firefox, refer to the avoidthehack Configuring Firefox for Privacy guide.

Firefox has been around for a long time. It is tried, true, and tested in many ways. It has consistently proven reasonably fast, reliable, and secure.

Firefox is one of the few noteworthy browsers with a significant “enough” share of the browser “market” that doesn’t rely on Chromium for its engine. Firefox runs on the Mozilla-developed Gecko Engine; as of 2016, with the introduction of Firefox Quantum, Rust is used in the source code.

Many tweaks, both basic, and advanced, should be made before Firefox can be considered a private browser. While vanilla – or otherwise un-configured – Firefox is arguably better for privacy than Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge, Firefox doesn’t come especially configured for optimal (or maximum) user privacy out-the-box.

Unlike some more private forks derived from the Firefox source code, even with privacy tweaks, Firefox still has support for DRM content and components for users with the need to play/run DRM content. Users may also experience less breakage in some instances.

LibreWolf

LibreWolf is a community-driven Firefox fork that focuses on privacy and security; specifically, its goal is to put “user privacy, security, and user freedom first.” It’s the successor to the now defunct Firefox fork, LibreFox.

LibreWolf strips all Mozilla telemetry and Mozilla-dependent services from the Firefox source code.

LibreWolf comes with many of the privacy and security-related about:config settings already tweaked out-of-the-box, making it more universally user-friendly – less settings for the average user to tweak for better privacy.

Some privacy-related enhancements LibreWolf offers include:

• Removal of Google Location Services
• Removal of Google as a search option
• An extension firewall where extensions are limited in their abilities to initiate their own network connections
• Resists common fingerprinting techniques out-of-the-box
• Disables the saving of login information
• Offers private search engines, such as Searx, to use by default

LibreWolf appears to keep up with the latest stable Firefox source code. Despite the developers’ impressive speed of releasing new versions, note that Librewolf is not affiliated with Mozilla.

Mullvad Browser

In April 2023, Mullvad VPN announced it had collaborated with the developers of the well-known Tor browser to develop the Mullvad browser. According to Mullvad VPN, Mullvad browser is designed give users more options for privacy-oriented browsers.

Mullvad browser is the Tor browser without the Tor Network and instead of using the Tor Network, is designed to be used with a trustworthy virtual private network (VPN).

Similar to the Tor browser, the Mullvad browser provides solid tracking and fingerprinting protection. Mullvad browser removes all telemetry and enables private browsing by default. uBlock Origin comes pre-installed as the default ad/tracker blocker.

Brave Browser

As of writing, the Brave Browser is the de-facto recommendation for a Chromium-based alternative privacy-oriented browser that has decent privacy straight out-the-box.

Brave is an open-source privacy-oriented browser first launched in 2016. It is maintained by the Brave company, which of itself has a handful of privacy-related scandals. However, this browser mostly delivers on its privacy promises.

Brave has a native adblocker (“shields”) enabled by default. Brave proxies all/any requests to Google, effectively substituting Google Services with “Brave Services.” For example, when “Safe Browsing” is enabled, Brave proxies the request to the Google Safe Browsing service.

While Brave engages in telemetry, it can be disabled. Brave also has an opt-in rewards program, though this rewards program is controversial, so user discretion is advised prior to opting in.

Ungoogled Chromium

This is mainly an option for slightly more savvy users who want to opt-out of using the Brave Browser.

Ungoogled Chromium is a fork of the Chromium project and is a de-googled version of Chromium.

(Chromium is the open-source framework developed and mostly maintained by Google. It is also the same code base regular Google Chrome is derived.)

Ungoogled Chromium strips Google components, plugins, and services from the source code, preventing the browser from directly communicating with Google’s servers.

This browser has no default for search providers and is set to automatically wipe browsing sessions between uses.

Ungoogled Chromium is compatible with most Chromium-based extensions – extensions can be installed manually without signing into the Chrome Web Store.

Falkon (Linux Only)

Falkon is a unique browser not powered by the Chromium or Gecko engines; Falkon uses QtWebEngine as its rendering engine, which is open-source. Falkon is primarily developed and maintained by the KDE community.

QtWebEngine does use upstream code from the Chromium project, but removes binaries and Google-related services. It builds from different compilers than Google and uses other system libraries.

Falkon has a lightweight footprint and includes a build-in tracker plugin enabled by default. This native adblocker uses the same standard blocking lists as uBlock Origin; the adblocker can use custom blocking lists as well.

Falkon is available for download via Flatpak. It can also be built from source via its repository on GitLab.

Using Tor for anonymous browsing

While the browser suggestions in this post provide better privacy, they don’t necessarily provide anonymity. For anonymous browsing, users should use the Tor browser.

The Tor browser is configured to run on the Tor network. At its most basic, the Tor network routes user browsing traffic via at least three (3) hops before hitting an exit node and…

*** This is a Security Bloggers Network syndicated blog from Avoid The Hack! authored by Avoid The Hack!. Read the original post at: https://avoidthehack.com/best-linux-macos-privacy-browsers