Subjective factors for browsers on macOS
The objective performance of browsers can be measured. But there are also subjective factors. Here are my Top Four subjective factors for browsers on Mac.
Subjective factor 1. Browser Updates
Updates to the Brave browser
Non-Consentual
The Brave browser is Non-Consentual. Brave forces updates to the browser without user consent.
Brave withholds any way for a user to switch to manual updates.
That is disrespectful of user consent; it is user-hostile; and it it annihilates bandwidth when tethering from a smartphone.
Thus I do not use Brave.
Updates to the Chrome browser
Non-Consentual
The Chrome browser is Non-Consentual. Google forces updates to the browser without user consent.
Google withholds any way for a user to switch to manual updates. That is disrespectful of user consent; it is user-hostile; and it it annihilates bandwidth when tethering from a smartphone.
Thus I do not use Chrome.
Updates to the DuckDuckGo browser
Concerning
The DuckDuckGo browser used to ask for consent before updating itself.
But recently it changed the updates to be Non-Consentual. Worse, it withheld news of this change from users.
Then seemingly later, they provided an option, buried in the Settings, for updates to be consentual.
For me this fiasco signaled a breech of trust and an alarming disregard for the consent of users.
Thus I do not use DuckDuckGo.
Updates to the Edge browser
Non-Consentual
The Edge browser is Non-Consentual. Microsoft forces updates to the browser without user consent.
Microsoft withholds any way for a user to switch to manual updates. That is disrespectful of user consent; it is user-hostile; and it it annihilates bandwidth when tethering from a smartphone.
Thus I do not use Edge.
Updates to the Firefox browser
Concerning
The Firefox browser used to ask for consent before updating itself.
But recently the Mozilla Foundation changed the updates to be Non-Consentual. Worse, it withheld news of this change from users.
Then seemingly later, they provided an option, buried in the Settings, for updates to be consentual.
For me this fiasco signaled a breech of trust and an alarming disregard for the consent of users.
Thus I do not use Firefox.
Updates to the Safari browser
Consentual
I have been using the Safari browser since 2004. Updates have always been consentual. That is respectful of user consent.
Subjective factor 2. Text Legibility
Text legibility in the Brave browser
Legible
I have invested significant time and effort into getting the default font size and default page zoom to be tolerable for my poor vision.
The legibility of the Brave browser is acceptable for me.
Text legibility in the Chrome browser
Legible
I have invested significant time and effort into getting the default font size and default page zoom to be tolerable for my poor vision.
The legibility of the Chrome browser is acceptable for me.
Text legibility in the DuckDuckGo browser
Illegible Slop
I have invested significant time and effort into getting the page zoom to be tolerable for my poor vision.
However, no matter what I try, with no setting for font size, the DuckDuckGo browser always displays some fonts much too big and other fonts much too small. The result is illegible slop.
Thus I do not use DuckDuckGo.
Text legibility in the Edge browser
Illegible Slop
I had invested significant time and effort into getting the font sizes to be tolerable for my poor vision.
However, no matter what I tried, the Edge browser always displayed some fonts much too big and other fonts much too small. The result was illegible slop.
Thus I do not use Edge.
Text legibility in the Firefox browser
Illegible Slop
I have invested significant time and effort into getting the default font size and default page zoom to be tolerable for my poor vision.
However, no matter what I try, the Firefox browser always displays some fonts much too big and other fonts much too small.
Worse, those legibility problems vary as I go to different websites.
Across more than a decade of trying, I have not been able to iterate my way to settings that work consistently at any website. For my purposes, the Firefox browser is unusable.
Thus I do not use Firefox.
Text legibility in the Safari browser
Legible
The Safari browser is the best, by far, at font sizes.
It displays webpages in a way that is both legible and perfectly tolerable.
Subjective factor 3. Patterns of Failure
Patterns of Failure in the Brave browser
Not Monitored
Due to the non-consentual updates, I have not used the Brave browser enough to have discovered other Patterns of Failure.
Patterns of Failure in the Chrome browser
Not Monitored
Due to the non-consentual updates, I have not used the Chrome browser enough to have discovered other Patterns of Failure.
Patterns of Failure in the DuckDuckGo browser
Not Monitored
Due to the fiasco of non-consentual updates (see above), I have not used the DuckDuckGo browser enough to have discovered other Patterns of Failure.
Patterns of Failure in the Edge browser
Not Monitored
I do not use the Edge browser whatsoever. In fact, it is not even installed on any of my devices. Here are two significant Patterns of Failure:
- Reset Sync. Starting in version 114, Microsoft removed the “reset sync” button that deletes your data from Microsoft Servers. With that, there is no way to remove your Edge browsing data from Microsoft’s cloud. This is a privacy nightmare.
- Copilot. Starting in version 120, the Edge browser includes an AI function called Copilot. It slurps up your every inquiry and action into itself, with no option to opt-out. This is yet another privacy nightmare. The only possibility is to turn off the displaying of the Copilot button. However, that does not deactivate the Copilot AI. The AI is still running behind the scenes, harvesting telemetry and violating your privacy.
Patterns of Failure in the Firefox browser
Privacy Fiasco
The Firefox browser claims to be private.
However, in 2024, security researchers discovered the parent company Mozilla had installed secret ad-tracking code in the mobile versions of the Firefox browser.
Apparently they removed it, but only because they were caught.
This is a reprehensible violation of trust. References: Techzine Global and AdGuard.
Patterns of Failure in the Safari browser
Five Major
As of this writing, I am still using the Safari browser. However, that is only because I find it is less terrible than the other browsers I have explored.
On a daily basis, I routinely witness FIVE major Patterns of Failure in the Safari browser:
- When working in the WordPress CMS, the Safari browser often fumbles the session cookie. With that, the Autosave function in WordPress fails, the page seizes, and my work is destroyed.
- Sometimes the Safari browser becomes incapable of loading a page for the WordPress site I am working on. The browser works fine at other sites, but it fails at the specific WordPress site I am working on. All other browsers on my Mac operate normally in the WordPress site I am working on.
- Sometimes the Safari browser is incapable of loading any site whatsoever. All other browsers on my Mac operate normally.
- Sometimes the Safari browser is unbelievably slow. To load a page at any site takes upwards of a full minute. All other browsers on my Mac operate at normal speeds.
- When editing a Post in the WordPress CMS, the actual location of the cursor is often not where the pointer is. Instead, the actual location of the cursor is one line too high. To be able to click an item, I must aim the pointer one line higher than the actual location.
These five failures in the Safari browser are quite annoying. They prevent me from doing my work.
No other browser on my Mac exhibits any of these failures. All other browsers success where Safari fails. To me it is preposterous that the Safari browser routinely fails at such trivial tasks.
How do I recover from these failures of the Safari browser?
- Force-quit the browser and re-launch. That sometimes fixes the problem. But not always.
- If force-quitting the browser does not solve the problem, I must force-restart my Mac. That sometimes fixes the problem. But not always.
- If force-restarting my Mac does not solve the problem, I must force-restart my Mac a second time. That sometimes fixes the problem. But not always.
- If force-restarting my Mac a second time does not solve the problem, I must wait an indeterminable amount of time until the failures of the Safari browser somehow resolve themselves.
I am very aware of several ancilliary factors that might possibly trigger those failures of the Safari browser. I have tested them extensively; in some cases, I have tested them for more than a decade. I conclude that they have no impact whatsoever.
Here are the top four ancilliary factors:
- Whether I use Advanced Tracking and Fingerprint Protection or not
- Whether I use a tracker blocker extension or not
- Whether I use the iCloud Private Relay or not
- Whether I clear the browser cache or not
Subjective factor 4. Privacy
This evaluation is very simple. Does the browser maker claim their browser is private?
Privacy in the Brave browser
Private
In their Privacy Policy, Brave claims their browser is private.
Privacy in the Chrome browser
Not Private
In the Google Privacy Policy, it is clear their browser is NOT private.
Privacy in the DuckDuckGo browser
Private
In their Privacy Policy, DuckDuckGo claims their browser does not track users.
Privacy in the Edge browser
Not Private
In the Microsoft Edge, browsing data, and privacy, it is clear their browser is NOT private.
Privacy in the Firefox browser
Not Private
In the past, the Firefox browser was famed for being private.
However, in their current Firefox Privacy Notice, Mozilla admits their browser processes personal data.
Privacy in the Safari browser
Private
In their Safari & Privacy, it seems that Apple’s browser does not track users.
RESOURCES
MAC
Are browsers on macOS getting better at HTML5?
Are browsers on macOS getting better at JavaScript?
Are browsers on macOS getting faster?
Subjective factors for browsers on macOS
iOS
Are browsers in iOS getting better at HTML5?
Are browsers in iOS getting better at JavaScript?
Are browsers on iOS getting faster?
Originally published on January 18, 2025
Last updated on June 29, 2025
TOPICS: Apple, Browsers, Mac,