Safari vs Chrome browsers. I'm using Chrome and it's a good product. Lately I have been thinking of switching to Safari. Is Safari faster and protect your privacy better than Chrome? Has anyone made the switch and what are the pro's and con's?
MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 15.7
Bear in mind that unless you uninstall all of Google's system-altering components, Google will continue to harvest and upload your personal information, whether you use Chrome or not. You can quit the Chrome browser app but those processes will continue to run constantly, while also periodically updating themselves.
Chrome is the Trojan that installs Google on Macs. If you like the Chrome browser and prefer it to Safari, there are other Chromium-based browsers that do not require Administrator approval for the installation of constantly running background processes. Only Chrome does that.
As for protecting your privacy, nothing is better than Safari: Safari Privacy - Apple.
Constantly uploading your browsing activity to Google's command-and-control networks probably contributes to Chrome's overall slower performance too.
Why people would choose to buy a Mac only to cede its privacy and security advantages to Google remains an enduring mystery.
Some things I've learned about Safari vs Chrome over the years:
There is no privacy when using Chrome.
You and your behaviors become fodder for Google's data marketing machine. It's in their DNA to do that.
Safari is by far the better choice of browser if privacy is your main concern.
Safari is also generally faster than Chrome.
If you like Chrome, then you'd also do well to switch to the Brave browser. It's built on the same framework as Chrome, but lacks Google's invasive tracking DNA.
D.I. Johnson wrote:
Some things I've learned about Safari vs Chrome over the years:
There is no privacy when using Chrome.
You and your behaviors become fodder for Google's data marketing machine. It's in their DNA to do that.
Safari is by far the better choice of browser if privacy is your main concern.
Safari is also generally faster than Chrome.
If you like Chrome, then you'd also do well to switch to the Brave browser. It's built on the same framework as Chrome, but lacks Google's invasive tracking DNA.
I agree with you about privacy and Chrome. The problem I'm having is that I'm having to turn off Safari's privacy settings to get many websites to work properly. I've just about given up with Safari and now I spend more of my time with Firefox because stuff just works on it.
The OP should consider Firefox. The range of useful extensions is much better than Safari. I can't speak for Chrome because I've never used it. I did once load the Google Earth app on my Mac and the result was an almost uninstallable suite of Google nagware and mothership comms that took a lot of effort to get rid of. It was a long time ago, so maybe things are better now, but I'd never install anything from Google on my Mac.
Zurarczurx wrote:
I agree with you about privacy and Chrome. The problem I'm having is that I'm having to turn off Safari's privacy settings to get many websites to work properly. I've just about given up with Safari and now I spend more of my time with Firefox because stuff just works on it.
That's really strange. What websites are you having problems with? I can't think of a single website in probably a decade that Safari chokes on.
IdrisSeabright wrote:
I can't think of a single website in probably a decade that Safari chokes on.
Same experience here. Safari has never failed to work with any website I've ever visited.
I'll add that occasionally when some website doesn't work with Firefox, Safari comes to the rescue.
Zurarczurx wrote:
I did once load the Google Earth app on my Mac and the result was an almost uninstallable suite of Google nagware and mothership comms that took a lot of effort to get rid of. It was a long time ago, so maybe things are better now, but I'd never install anything from Google on my Mac.
Ditto. That's why I use Google Earth only via its web interface.
https://earth.google.com/studio/
And if for some reason Safari does not very rarely work, I switch to Brave, Vivaldi or Firefox.
Safari vs. Chrome: Speed, privacy, and user feedback
