Performance
The main reason why many people choose different browsers is because of perceived performance differences. Everyone wants the fastest browser on their machines to reduce start-up delays and navigation lag.
Both Firefox and Chrome are considered to be fast in the browser market. However, Firefox takes the lead by a very small margin. According to TopTenReviews’ browser test, Firefox leads in performance by a couple of seconds. The initial Start-up time is also lower for Firefox which makes it quick for the browser to be up and running.
Performance varies on different machines: if you want to run the browser on an old machine, then Firefox will definitely be the better choice. Chrome uses individual processes for each tab and extension (for security purposes), however, this feature uses more RAM. On machines with less RAM memory (anything below 4GB), Chrome can slow down and even hang every now and then. On the other hand, Firefox uses nearly 20-60% less memory than Chrome and runs better on machines with less than 4GB of RAM. When it comes to general performance on the average PC, Firefox seems to be the clear winner.
Productivity
A fast browser means nothing if you don’t have enough tools to help you perform essential tasks. Both Chrome and Firefox offer seamless syncing capabilities. You can sync your entire browsing data, saved passwords, completed forms across multiple platforms with either browser. All you need is a single ID for your browser and everything will be synced in no time.
People who prefer Google’s services would find Chrome a better choice because it offers a native integration with all the Google apps, including but not limited to Gmail, Google Drive, Google Docs, etc. Chrome web store lets you download different extensions to add extra features to your browser.
Firefox also offers a huge collection of add-ons (Extensions) on its web store and the number of add-ons surpasses even that of Chromes. Both browsers offer browser-based apps you can download and use in the browser window.
Firefox may have massive roster of add-ons but Google Chrome offers amazing apps that are not even available on Firefox. Such apps include Google Docs, Word Online, OneDrive, Dropbox, etc. This time quality and availability wins over quantity. Chrome seems like a better choice if you want different browser-based apps and tools.
Privacy
Mozilla Firefox is an open-source browser developed by a non-profit organization that doesn’t require tracking of your browsing habits or other data. On the other hand, Google is a profit-driven company that uses your browsing data to bring you search suggestions and specifically curated advertisement.
Firefox is only the major browser that offers an open-source experience which means anyone, anywhere can take a look at the code or even tweak it to their liking. Google Chrome also has a open-source cousin known as “Chromium” which is commonly used on Linux OS.
If you are paranoid about leaking your browsing data or anything web related then Firefox would be the perfect choice because it never tries to collect your data for any purpose. Chrome on the other hand might track your browsing data to bring you suitable content (It’s not considered harmful but still a slight invasion of privacy).
In general, Google is more likely to have the means and opportunity to gather and store your browsing information. It has also more opportunities to correlate your browsing activity using your IP Address which can be logged in its extensive network of online advertisement. Using Chrome gives Google more chances to gather extra browsing data.
Security
Both browsers offer top-notch features when it comes to security of the users. However, Google Chrome surely takes an edge because it uses individual processes for each running tab.
This feature uses more RAM, but makes sure that malicious websites have a very hard time accessing your information or files. Each process runs in a sandbox which means even if a website ran malicious code, it wouldn’t affect your system and will be kept within the boundaries of the sandbox, in theory.
Chrome still lacks the ability to securely encrypt all your saved password data with a master key. On the other hand, Firefox lets you use a master password to encrypt all your saved passwords. Firefox also offers some security-based extensions that make your browsing even more secure. Such extensions include but not limited to NoScript, Perspectives, etc while Chrome also lacks such extensions.
Filed in . Read more about Browsers, Firefox and Google Chrome.