In this article we are going to deal with Top 10 Browsers that were playing crucial role in enhancing our browsing experience by providing flexibility. But, choosing the Top Browsers among 100′s of existing browsers needs a lot of experimenting. Few considerations like speed, efficiency, interface, java and other script compatibility, add-ons, etc., will differentiate the Best Browsers from normal Browser.
For surfing the web, a top web browser is not only required but appreciated. You’ll surely feel more comfortable knowing that your browser is secure and reliable. After all, it is involved in sensitive procedures like storing passwords, accessing secured sites for online banking and so on.
Today, we’ll take a look at some of the browsers that have come and gone and list the top web browsers of all time.
The first ever web browser was WorldWideWeb. Soon, Mosaic was released in 1993, and Microsoft launched the widely-used Internet Explorer in 1995. With an increase in the number of people exposed to the Internet, the browser war soon started. Now, there are a variety of browsers, some even designed for specific purposes like social networking. Some are widely used, and some vanished before they’re heard of.
Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Safari, and Opera are the top web browsers today.
1. Swiftfox
Swiftfox is an optimized build of Firefox that’s faster and more cutting edge than the regular Firefox distribution. It works with Firefox plugins, making it remarkably extensible. The overall user interface is similar to Firefox, but is a bit more minimalist and clutter-free. Most other features are in line with what Firefox has to offer.
Why you should consider it: If you love Firefox but want something faster and lighter, then Swiftfox is your best bet.
Current release version: 3.5.6
Operating systems supported: Linux
2. Maxthon
Maxthon is a highly configurable browser that places an emphasis on security. It has a built-in Ad Hunter that blocks most ads, as well as security features to prevent spyware, malware, and viruses. It lets you fully customize your browsing experience (you can choose between using menus, hot keys, word aliases, toolbars, or mouse gestures, plus there are more than 1,400 plug-ins to add functionality). It has filters available to block irritating or offensive content.
Other Maxthon features include a built-in screen capture tool, URL aliases for faster surfing, a built-in feed reader, an online favorites service, advanced proxy rules, and an anti-freeze feature.
Why you should consider it: If you want a customizable browser, Maxthon might be what you’re looking for; it’s built specifically for power users. Between plugins, skins, filter packs, and other customizable features, it truly lets you personalize your browsing experience. For parents concerned about their children’s’ activities online, the filters for blocking content can be reassuring.
Current release version: 2.5.11 (the Classic Version is also available: 1.6.5)
Operating systems supported: Windows
3. SeaMonkey
SeaMonkey is developed by Mozilla and is an "all-in-one" internet suite of apps. While the browser within SeaMonkey is pretty standard (and not unlike Firefox), what sets it apart is that it has integrated email, newsgroups, an HTML editor, IRC Chat, and web development tools. The mail feature offers tabbed reading and supports tagging and alternate views for better email finding and reading. The HTML editor renders CSS and gives you dynamic image and table resizing. For web developers, you can take advantage of the JavaScript debugger and a DOM inspector.
Why you should consider it: For developers and designers, SeaMonkey has a plethora of useful built-in features. It’s also a great option for people who like to run the bare minimum number of apps.
Current release version: 2.0.1
Operating systems supported: Windows 2000 and newer, Mac OS X 10.4 and newer, and Linux.
4. Stainless
Stainless is a browser created in response to Google Chrome. It utilizes multi-processing architecture like Chrome (which, at the time of inception, wasn’t available for OS X), but also has some excellent features not found in other browsers. One of the most interesting features is the ability to log into one website using two different accounts in separate tabs.
Why you should consider it: The ability to log into a site with different credentials in different tabs makes this an excellent option for many. It’s especially useful if you have, say, work-related Gmail accounts and personal Gmail accounts.
Current release version: 0.7.5
Operating systems supported: OS X Leopard and Snow Leopard.
5. Rockmelt
You can call it a social media web browser, as it integrates Twitter, Facebook and Google Search. Rockmelt comes with a Facebook sidebar in case you want to contact any of your Facebook friends directly from the browser. There is a chat bar as well and you’re able to use to that update your Facebook status or change your profile picture. Virtually any Facebook-related task may be performed without leaving the active tab. There is also a mobile version for iOS.
Supported platforms: Windows, Mac
Download the latest version here
You may still download a copy of Netscape Navigator here
6. Avant Browser
Based on Internet Explorer, Avant Browser is a no-frills, simple browser. It might fall short of the professional alternatives like Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome, but was fairly popular for its Opera-like approach of having a tabbed browsing interface. Internet Explorer had problems rendering certain web-pages which were not tested for IE compatibility and Avant swooped in to provide Opera-like features on an Internet Explorer platform launching these problematic webpages without a hiccup.
Supported platform: Windows
Download the latest version here
7. Flock
Flock is probably better known than many of the other browsers above, especially if you’re a social media addict. Flock was created specifically to make managing your social media activities easier from within your browser.
Flock focuses on staying connected through social media by making sharing and publishing things easier. It integrates directly with Facebook, Gmail, Digg, YouTube, MySpace, Flickr, Twitter, WordPress, Blogger, Delicious, Bebo, TypePad, Picasa, and more. Special features include a People sidebar, a Media bar (to browse photos and videos from your favorite sites), a built-in feed reader, a photo uploader, a blog editor, and more. There are also extensions and custom themes available for download.
Why you should consider it: Flock is a great choice for social media power users who want to be able to connect with all their social media accounts from one place.
Current release version: 2.5
Operating systems supported: Windows, Linux, Mac OS X
8. Camino
Think of Camino as a Firefox build specifically for Macs, built on the Gecko 1.9 rendering engine. It includes phishing and malware protection, tabs (including a tab overview function that lets you see all your open tabs at once), "annoyance blocking" (which blocks ads, pop-ups, and Flash animations), Keychain support (to save your browsing credentials), and download notifications. It also includes AppleScript support, feed detection, session saving, recently closed tabs, and full keyboard access.
Why you should consider it: Camino is a great browser for Mac users who like Firefox but want something built specifically for the Mac.
Current release version: 2.0
Operating systems supported: Mac OS X 10.4 or newer
9. Sleipnir
Sleipnir is very popular in Japan with a majority share in the country. It’s a profoundly customizable browser that maintains speed and performance despite customizations. There are skins and plugins available for it, letting you change the design and settings of the browser to suit your needs. And as all good browsers should, it stresses on security and usability, and allows for tabbed browsing.
Why you should consider it: Sleipnir is an option if you want a highly customizable browsing experience.
Current release version: 2.9.2
Operating systems supported: Windows 98 and newer
10. OmniWeb
OmniWeb is a WebKit browser created by the same people who created OmniGraffle and OmniOutliner. It aims to be fun and easy to use (like other Omni products) and shares a similar user interface. It has all the standard browser features we’ve come to expect (including tabbed browsing, bookmarks, and ad blocking), but also includes Workspaces, which lets you save browsing sessions to open later and includes an auto-save option and a built-in RSS reader.
Why you should consider it: For Mac users who want a browser that’s efficient and easy to use, OmniWeb might be just what you’re looking for. It’s appropriate for power users too, and the Workspaces feature is especially handy.
Current release version: 5.0.1
Operating systems supported: Mac OS X 10.4.8 or newer
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