PCTools logoPCToolsProof before promises.
Firefox icon

Firefox

The best free private browser for Windows, Mac and Linux: multi-account containers that isolate work and personal cookies, Enhanced Tracking Protection by default, total cookie blocking, proxying DNS over DoH to Cloudflare or nextDNS. No Chromium — Gecko still ships as a production engine separate from Google.

Category
Browser
Licence
Free and open source
Official site
www.mozilla.org/firefox
Last updated
2026-10-17
Download from official siteAll free apps

What it does

Firefox is a full web browser with strong developer tools, containers for separating work and personal browsing, and extensive privacy settings.

When it helps

When you want meaningful resistance to cross-site tracking without installing a pile of extensions, and when you do not want a single Chromium vendor shaping web standards alone. Containers alone justify keeping it installed.

Limitations

Some sites are tested against Chromium first and occasionally misbehave; WebRTC and DRM content can require extra configuration; enterprise environments sometimes assume Edge or Chrome. Memory use is comparable to Chromium these days rather than better.

Security and licensing

Open source (MPL), funded by search royalties rather than ad surveillance — though that relationship is itself worth reading about. Enhanced Tracking Protection and total cookie blocking are on by default in strict mode.

Alternatives

LibreWolf for a hardened, telemetry-free fork; Brave if you prefer the Chromium engine with blocking built in; ungoogled-chromium if you want to strip Google services from Chromium yourself.

Common questions

Firefox vs Chrome — which is more private?

Firefox by a clear margin. Enhanced Tracking Protection blocks trackers by default; Chrome's equivalent requires extensions and still reports telemetry to Google. Firefox containers let you isolate work, personal and shopping sessions in one window — a feature Chrome does not have.

Why does Firefox use so much memory?

Firefox and Chrome use comparable memory today; the old "Firefox is lighter" reputation predates the Quantum rewrite. If a single tab balloons, open about:processes to find it. Strict tracking protection and disabling content in background tabs both reduce steady-state usage.

What are the best Firefox extensions in 2026?

uBlock Origin for ad and tracker blocking, Dark Reader for dark mode, Bitwarden or KeePassXC-Browser for passwords, and Firefox Multi-Account Containers for session isolation. Resist the urge to install more than a handful — each extension is code with full page access.

How do I disable tracking in Firefox?

Settings → Privacy & Security → set Enhanced Tracking Protection to Strict. Then scroll to Cookies and Site Data and enable Delete cookies and site data when Firefox is closed. about:config offers deeper switches (privacy.resistFingerprinting) but test sites afterward — strictness breaks some pages.

Firefox vs Edge — should I switch?

Edge is Chromium-based and tightly integrated with Windows and Microsoft accounts; it is competent but shares Chrome's engine monoculture and Microsoft's telemetry model. Firefox is the pragmatic choice when you want a non-Chromium engine and first-party privacy controls without installing a pile of extensions.

Related reading

← All recommendations