When it comes to the best web browsers, Google has been dominating the web browsers landscape for a while now. Google’s Chrome Browser has a wide user base with a global market share of 66.4% as of April 2022, according to W3Counter. In simple words, 7 out of 10 people prefer this browser over the other browsers available in the market. However, considering the global market share, a variety of other web browsers are available to access the web content.
Firefox, Safari, and Microsoft Edge are other well-known web browsers that should not be underestimated. These browsers can be a good alternative to Google Chrome. One more name that can be added to the list is Wave Browser. However, we will also be exploring the market share of some less known browsers like Opera, Brave, Yandex, and more.
Best Desktop Web Browsers
Browsers play a key role in your internet experience. Each web browser provides unique features and lets you modify your experience through add-ons and extensions. Therefore, it can be challenging to choose a single browser.
However, keep in mind that your chosen web browser can only deliver the best value if you are subscribed to a high-speed internet plan like Spectrum internet ultra. Even if you are using the best web browser, but your internet connection is not reliable or inconsistent then you can not blame the web browser.
Let’s look at some of the most commonly used desktop web browsers in the world:
Google Chrome Dominates the Browser Landscape
Launched by Google in 2008, Chrome quickly took over Mozilla Firefox and Internet Explorer as the most popular web browser. According to Global Stats StatCounter, Chrome is undoubtedly the best web browser, with a global market share of 66.64%.
Chrome is a faster, lighter, and the most user-friendly web browser. It is a popular choice due to its simple design, numerous customization choices, and a growing library of extensions and web apps. Chrome provides convenience by saving all your bookmarks, customization choices, and more on the cloud with a simple log-in from within the browser. Additionally, Google Chrome provides a seamless experience for playing browser games. Google capitalized on the customer requirements and market gap and is now dominating both the browser market share and the search engine market share on desktop.
Microsoft Edge’s Market Share Overtakes Safari
Since the release of Windows 11, Microsoft Edge has steadily climbed to become the 2nd most popular web browser. As of April 2022, Edge has overtaken Safari with a global desktop market share of 10.07%, according to Global Stats StatCounter. Launched as a replacement for Internet Explorer in 2015, the initial version of Edge failed to impress the users. It was later remodeled using the same Chromium code as the Chrome browser and now serves as a default browser on Windows 11.
Microsoft Edge offers a variety of options like extensions, add-ons, and a store similar to Chrome. As many people are still using Windows 10, Edge’s market share is predicted to grow more with the adoption of Windows 11.
Safari’s Steady Market Share
Safari is a default browser on every single iOS device. According to the data shared by StatCounter, currently, Safari is just right behind Microsoft Edge, with a market of 9.61%. Despite the recent security and privacy concerns, it is still maintaining a steady market share and is almost neck to neck with Edge.
If we consider all the platforms, Safari is the 2nd most popular web browser as Edge is not popular on other devices.
Mozilla Firefox Market Share on the Decline
Ranked 4th on the top 10 desktop web browsers, Mozilla Firefox has been on the decline. As of April 2022, Firefox accounts for 7.86% of global desktop browser usage. Although Firefox is an excellent web browser with many functionalities like support for first and third-party plugins, strong privacy, and more, it is unable to keep up with others.
Firefox is a popular desktop browser and is often recommended as an alternative to Chrome. It is not popular on other platforms as desktop devices mainly contribute to its usage. Recently, Firefox has strengthened its security to deliver a more secure experience to its users.
Opera Market Share
Opera ranks 5th among the global desktop browsers, with a current market share of 2.43%. It is right behind Mozilla Firefox and is a fast browser that comes with a built-in VPN, allowing you to browse the internet safely. However, Opera’s market share is declining steadily, with more users opting for other browsers.
Designed for the minimum hassle, Opera has a user-friendly interface and supports multiple devices. Opera Mini is also a popular web browser for mobile.
Internet Explorer Market Share
Microsoft Internet Explorer currently has a market share of 0.97% among other desktop web browsers. It was the most popular web browser in the early 2000s but lost its ground to Chrome, Edge, Safari, and Firefox. With Edge taking its place, Microsoft is ending its official support for this browser by this year’s June.
Brave Market Share
You might have seen the ads of this browser while surfing the internet. Developed by Brave Software Inc., Brave is a new open-source web browser that primarily focuses on security. It maintains the privacy of the users by providing them with an incognito browsing feature integrated with anti-tracking and ad-blocking features.
It is hard to find the global desktop browser statistics for Brave as it is a new web browser and is disguised as others. However, we can estimate its global usage since it is based on Chromium. According to NetMarketShare, Chromium has a global desktop market of about 0.05%. Brave also claims to have 7 million daily and 20 million monthly active users.
QQ Browser Market Share
QQ is a popular web browser in China. It is also the second biggest desktop browser in the country as the Chinese mainly rely on this browser due to the government’s internet policy. This browser, developed by Tencent, has a global market share of 1.98% and holds 7% of the Chinese desktop browser market share.
Sogou Explorer Market Share
Sogou is another popular web browser in China, with a global desktop market of 1.76%. This freeware browser is based on Chromium and uses two web browser engines (Chrome’s Webkit and Internet Explorer’s Trident). According to NetMarketShare, Sogou Explorer and QQ had similar global desktop market shares in 2020.
Yandex Market Share
Yandex is a popular Russian web browser that accounts for 0.87% of the desktop market share globally. However, this desktop web browser has a 16.7% market share in Russia, making it the 2nd most popular web browser after Chrome.
Similar to Brave, Yandex also focuses on providing a secure web browsing experience. It comes with built-in antivirus software to protect your devices. Yandex is also based on Chromium.
Final Words
The internet has changed the way we work, interact, and play. It is a primary source of global connectivity and innovations, and we need powerful tools to access it. Additionally, it is also important to subscribe to the best internet provider, to ensure seamless connectivity. Web browsers are your windows to access the World Wide Web, which is why you shouldn’t compromise on the quality of your web browser. It is very important to choose a feature-rich, fast, and secure browser. We have provided you with a list of some of the most popular desktop web browsers, among which Chrome continues to dominate the global market share.
