When comparing Firefox Focus vs Iridium Browser, the Slant community recommends Iridium Browser for most people. In the question“What are the best desktop web browsers?” Iridium Browser is ranked 13th while Firefox Focus is ranked 39th. The most important reason people chose Iridium Browser is:
* Disable "Use a web service to help resolve navigation errors" * Disable autocomplete through prediction service when typing in Omnibox * Always send "Do-Not-Track" header * Network/DNS prediction is disabled by default * Block third-party cookies by default * Link auditing (<a ping="...">) is disabled by default * Fetch plugins list from iridiumbrowser.de where it will be updated regularly * Site data (cookies, local storage, etc.) is only kept until exit, by default * Passwords are not stored by default * Input form autofill is disabled by default * For IPv6 probes, use a DNS root server instead of Google * The default search provider is Qwant * Load "about:blank" on new tabs instead of the currently set search engine and/or promotions. * Don't report Safe Browsing overrides. * Don't use autofill download service. * Disable cookies for safebrowsing background requests. * Disable the battery status API.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Keeps your activities private
It automatically blocks any ad trackers and erases your browsing history which includes your passwords and cookies.
Pro Good loading speed
Since it blocks ads, trackers and other things that can slow down web pages, you'll be able to browse the web faster.
Pro Simple to use
Pro Suitable as a secondary browser for everyday use
As it is very fast and private it can be used for everyday use together with a browser with your passwords and login information.
Pro Privacy enhancements over Chromium
- Disable "Use a web service to help resolve navigation errors"
- Disable autocomplete through prediction service when typing in Omnibox
- Always send "Do-Not-Track" header
- Network/DNS prediction is disabled by default
- Block third-party cookies by default
- Link auditing (<a ping="...">) is disabled by default
- Fetch plugins list from iridiumbrowser.de where it will be updated regularly
- Site data (cookies, local storage, etc.) is only kept until exit, by default
- Passwords are not stored by default
- Input form autofill is disabled by default
- For IPv6 probes, use a DNS root server instead of Google
- The default search provider is Qwant
- Load "about:blank" on new tabs instead of the currently set search engine and/or promotions.
- Don't report Safe Browsing overrides.
- Don't use autofill download service.
- Disable cookies for safebrowsing background requests.
- Disable the battery status API.
Pro Lots of extensions available
Due to access to the Chrome Web store.
Pro Simple installation
Provides installers and packages for the most operating systems and linux distributions.
Pro Security improvements over Chromium
- Increase RSA keysize to 2048 bits for self-signed certificates (used by WebRTC)
- Generate a new WebRTC identity for each connection instead of reusing identities for 30 days
- Generate a new ECDHE keypair for each WebRTC connection instead of reusing them for multiple connections
- Disable using system-provided plugins (i.e. Java, Flash, etc.)
Pro BSD license
You are in control and you can do almost anything with the code.
Pro Fast
It is fast since all background services have been disabled or removed.
Pro Disabled features
- Disable background mode
- Disable EV certificates, so they are shown just like "normal" certificates
- Disable Google cloud printing
- Disable Google hot word detection
- Disable Google experiments status check
- Disable Google translation service
- Disable Google promotion fetching
- Disable Google Cloud Messaging (GCM) status check
- Disable Google Now
- Disable automatic update check
- Disable profile-import on first run
Pro Extensions are updated manually
They won't update automatically in the background.
Pro Based on Chromium
Supports all the modern web features.
Cons
Con Notification spam
Tells you to clean the browser every single time you open it.
Con Slow updates
Since the whole Chromium Release need to be scanned, PC users may wait half a year while the Chrome base gets updated five or six iterations.
Con Extensions MUST be updated manually
Con Buggy
Sometimes, removing extensions won't work. Some websites downright refuse to load, no matter the settings.
Con Poor debian support
current versions miss support for debian-based distributions which is by far the most widely used group of linux distributions.
Con Definitive unique browsing-fingerprint
Con Google Safebrowsing enabled by default
Con Based on Chromium
Since iridium is based off chrome, it is depend on all of Google's decisions.
