Google Chrome is the worst browser for non-techies — right here’s why

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The plain or best possibility isn’t at all times the very best, and that is very true in relation to Android apps. Many customers swear by Google Chrome on their telephones and whereas some genuinely admire its performance and design, most non-techies use it as a result of it’s preinstalled and instantly out there. Certain, that’s a good cause, however I don’t imagine Chrome is the very best browser for these not well-versed in on-line safety and digital hygiene.

Do you assume Google Chrome is an effective browser for novices and non-techies? 130 votes

No, it is not a very good browser for non-techies.

58%

Sure, it is not a very good browser for non-techies.

42%

You would possibly like Chrome, nevertheless it’s not for everybody

<img class="e_Yg" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw" title="google chrome multiple accounts 1" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/google-chrome-multiple-accounts-1.jpg 2000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/google-chrome-multiple-accounts-1-64w-36h.jpg 64w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/google-chrome-multiple-accounts-1-1000w-563h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/google-chrome-multiple-accounts-1-1920w-1080h.jpg 1920w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/google-chrome-multiple-accounts-1-1536w-864h.jpg 1536w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/google-chrome-multiple-accounts-1-675w-380h.jpg 675w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/google-chrome-multiple-accounts-1-300w-170h.jpg 300w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/google-chrome-multiple-accounts-1-1280w-720h.jpg 1280w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/google-chrome-multiple-accounts-1-840w-472h.jpg 840w" alt="google chrome multiple accounts 1" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/google-chrome-multiple-accounts-1.jpg"/> Rita El Khoury / Android Authority

It’s essential to say that Google Chrome stays in good standing with the technical Android group. In a current open thread, I requested our readers for his or her opinions on the very best browser out there on the platform. Within the associated ballot, 23% of respondents voted for Google Chrome, placing it simply 1% behind the eventual ballot winner, Courageous. This proves that Google’s product continues to be extensively used and revered by skilled customers.

Nevertheless, simply because energy customers drive Chrome day by day doesn’t imply it’s the best choice for everybody, particularly those that don’t know the best way to skirt its flaws. Android Authority readers in all probability know the pitfalls of utilizing Chrome. Nonetheless, they use the browser regardless attributable to its nippy efficiency, ease of use, or syncing skills throughout a number of gadgets. However Chrome doesn’t do a ok job of defending normal customers from the web’s issues.

<img class="e_Yg" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw" title="google chrome bottom bar 1" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/google-chrome-bottom-bar-1.jpg 1920w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/google-chrome-bottom-bar-1-64w-36h.jpg 64w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/google-chrome-bottom-bar-1-1000w-563h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/google-chrome-bottom-bar-1-1536w-864h.jpg 1536w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/google-chrome-bottom-bar-1-675w-380h.jpg 675w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/google-chrome-bottom-bar-1-300w-170h.jpg 300w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/google-chrome-bottom-bar-1-1280w-720h.jpg 1280w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/google-chrome-bottom-bar-1-840w-472h.jpg 840w" alt="google chrome bottom bar 1" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/google-chrome-bottom-bar-1.jpg"/> Andy Walker / Android Authority

Maybe Google Chrome’s largest detractor as a novice’s web gateway is its incapacity to dam distracting or probably malicious content material. Promoting is the lifeblood of providers and web sites, however the sheer variety of deceptive or misleading pop-ups and obnoxious banners I’ve encountered on my mother and father’ telephones is horrifying. Chrome affords no definitive approach of defending customers from these, until you make the most of a tertiary ad-blocking resolution requiring common upkeep and administration. I don’t need my mother and father by chance tapping these banners, so I counsel that they use one other browser.

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<img class="e_Yg" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="9.375rem" title="google preferred source badge light@2x" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/google_preferred_source_badge_light@2x.png 676w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/google_preferred_source_badge_light@2x-64w-20h.png 64w" alt="google preferred source badge light@2x" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/google_preferred_source_badge_light@2x.png"/><img class="e_Yg" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="9.375rem" title="google preferred source badge dark@2x" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/google_preferred_source_badge_dark@2x.png 676w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/google_preferred_source_badge_dark@2x-64w-20h.png 64w" alt="google preferred source badge dark@2x" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/google_preferred_source_badge_dark@2x.png"/> My different massive concern entails visible accessibility. Chrome for Android darkens the browser’s UI parts to match the Android machine’s darkish mode. That’s a welcome function, nevertheless it doesn’t go far sufficient. Whereas a handful of internet sites additionally assist this, the overwhelming majority don't, and can stay blindingly vivid when loaded in Chrome. This isn’t simply annoying; it’s damaging for these whose visible colleges are slowly degrading. A number of Android browsers function baked-in darkish mode choices that pressure web sites to make use of darkish backgrounds on white textual content, making the content material on these websites a lot simpler to learn.

What do you discover essentially the most daunting about switching to a brand new browser? 245 votes

Disrupting my habits.

27%

Not gaining access to the identical options and extensions.

34%

A special bookmark system.

8%

Altering password managers.

31%

Lastly, as a Google product operating on a Google-made working system, Google Chrome incessantly needs customers to log in with their Google accounts. This, in concept, is a superb concept for non-techies. Utilizing Chrome on their desktops, they'll simply sync bookmarks, fee particulars, and settings from their fundamental computer systems to their smartphones. That seamlessness is a boon for individuals who have to entry related web sites throughout each gadgets. However that is problematic when utilizing Chrome whereas logged in for normal, scattered looking and extra private duties, like banking.

Chrome lets adverts by, does not assist world darkish mode, and always bugs you to login. There are higher choices if you do not know the best way to navigate these issues.

In a bid to follow good digital hygiene, I by no means log right into a browser if I’m utilizing it for normal net journey. Extra importantly, I’ll manually silo the content material I browse utilizing completely different apps. This may occasionally appear slightly pedantic, however I don’t essentially need my browser to know that I’m viewing a selected vacuum cleaner or blender, researching nice locations to remain for a year-end vacation, or asking random questions in regards to the universe and the character of time.

The most effective Android browsers for non-techies

<img class="e_Yg" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw" title="Vivaldi browser" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Vivaldi-browser-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Vivaldi-browser-64w-36h.jpg 64w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Vivaldi-browser-1000w-562h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Vivaldi-browser-1920w-1078h.jpg 1920w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Vivaldi-browser-1536w-864h.jpg 1536w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Vivaldi-browser-675w-379h.jpg 675w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Vivaldi-browser-300w-170h.jpg 300w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Vivaldi-browser-1280w-720h.jpg 1280w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Vivaldi-browser-840w-472h.jpg 840w" alt="Vivaldi browser" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Vivaldi-browser-scaled.jpg"/> Mitja Rutnik / Android Authority

So, if Google Chrome isn’t a very good browser for normal customers, what's? I like to recommend that my household use Mozilla Firefox, and a core cause is its wonderful assist for extensions. I’d set up uBlock Origin for content material blocking and Darkish Reader for world web site darkish mode assist. These extensions remedy my two fundamental issues above. Nevertheless, one small downside: Firefox doesn’t look or really feel like Chrome. This may very well be a roadblock for these customers who've caught with Google’s browser for years and at the moment are resistant to vary.

Whereas I favor Firefox, those that cannot let go of Chrome is perhaps higher serviced by Vivaldi.

However a browser that leverages Chrome’s underpinning know-how however places its personal spin on it's Vivaldi. Sure, it appears slightly completely different in comparison with Chrome, however the modifications are optimistic. It’s simple to navigate the app. Bookmarks and different essential features are available to customers by a shortcut on the toolbar, and it consists of built-in content material blocking and world darkish net web page choices. It has all the things that’s vital with out being too complicated for novices to make use of or for household tech assist to arrange securely.

In fact, there are different browsers that’ll be higher fitted to extra explicit looking habits. Banana Browser is greatest for individuals who watch YouTube, TikTok, Fb, and different video websites on their browsers. It packs ad-block smarts, Sponsorblock assist, and a devoted video participant UI.

I’d be remiss to not point out Courageous, which our readers voted the very best Android browser. It consists of some nice privacy-forward options, like choices to dam social media widgets by default and take away AI outcomes from search outcomes.

<img class="e_Yg" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw" title="option to turn off ai results in brave browser" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/option-to-turn-off-ai-results-in-brave-browser-scaled-e1754575803369.jpg 2518w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/option-to-turn-off-ai-results-in-brave-browser-scaled-e1754575803369-64w-36h.jpg 64w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/option-to-turn-off-ai-results-in-brave-browser-scaled-e1754575803369-1000w-563h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/option-to-turn-off-ai-results-in-brave-browser-scaled-e1754575803369-1920w-1080h.jpg 1920w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/option-to-turn-off-ai-results-in-brave-browser-scaled-e1754575803369-1536w-864h.jpg 1536w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/option-to-turn-off-ai-results-in-brave-browser-scaled-e1754575803369-675w-380h.jpg 675w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/option-to-turn-off-ai-results-in-brave-browser-scaled-e1754575803369-300w-169h.jpg 300w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/option-to-turn-off-ai-results-in-brave-browser-scaled-e1754575803369-1280w-720h.jpg 1280w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/option-to-turn-off-ai-results-in-brave-browser-scaled-e1754575803369-840w-472h.jpg 840w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/option-to-turn-off-ai-results-in-brave-browser-scaled-e1754575803369-768w-432h.jpg 768w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/option-to-turn-off-ai-results-in-brave-browser-scaled-e1754575803369-1200w-675h.jpg 1200w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/option-to-turn-off-ai-results-in-brave-browser-scaled-e1754575803369-2048w-1153h.jpg 2048w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/option-to-turn-off-ai-results-in-brave-browser-scaled-e1754575803369-16w-9h.jpg 16w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/option-to-turn-off-ai-results-in-brave-browser-scaled-e1754575803369-32w-18h.jpg 32w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/option-to-turn-off-ai-results-in-brave-browser-scaled-e1754575803369-28w-16h.jpg 28w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/option-to-turn-off-ai-results-in-brave-browser-scaled-e1754575803369-56w-32h.jpg 56w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/option-to-turn-off-ai-results-in-brave-browser-scaled-e1754575803369-712w-400h.jpg 712w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/option-to-turn-off-ai-results-in-brave-browser-scaled-e1754575803369-792w-446h.jpg 792w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/option-to-turn-off-ai-results-in-brave-browser-scaled-e1754575803369-1340w-754h.jpg 1340w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/option-to-turn-off-ai-results-in-brave-browser-scaled-e1754575803369-770w-433h.jpg 770w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/option-to-turn-off-ai-results-in-brave-browser-scaled-e1754575803369-355w-200h.jpg 355w" alt="option to turn off ai results in brave browser" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/option-to-turn-off-ai-results-in-brave-browser-scaled-e1754575803369.jpg"/> Megan Ellis / Android Authority

Google Chrome continues to be extensively utilized by many skilled and non-technical customers. Given its limitations, I can’t advocate it for these not well-versed in smartphone privateness and safety. It freely permits adverts, makes viewing net pages in low mild troublesome, and encourages you to register along with your Google account. These are all problematic for these inexperienced with on-line safety or digital hygiene or arent’ fairly conscious of the dangers.

If you happen to’re a novice smartphone consumer, I implore you to analysis and select one of many many Chrome options out there. If you happen to’re a member of the family who acts as tech assist, clarify to your family members the issues with Chrome and why an alternate (or a supporting browser) is helpful.