When comparing FOSS Browser vs Tor Browser, the Slant community recommends Tor Browser for most people. In the question“What are the best Android web browsers?” Tor Browser is ranked 2nd while FOSS Browser is ranked 20th. The most important reason people chose Tor Browser is:
If you follow their instructions religiously, Tor is the nec plus ultra in terms of safety and privacy. For the time being at least.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro FOSS
The name itself suggest FOSS (Free Open Source Software).
Pro Respects your privacy better than all other Chromium based browsers
Requires more flexibility if possible.
Pro No trackers
Recent version of app.
Pro Excellent flexible app user data management
Complete user's custom browser settings, database (site settings such as whitelisting, etc.) and bookmarks can be exported (as a backup) and then imported (to be restored for later use).
Important Note:
Before uninstalling and reinstalling the browser app, create an archive or a copy of the already backed-up data of it to another location of data storage.
Pro UI/Handling
Optimized for one hand handling (toolbar at bottom).
Pro Multi tab browsing
Tab control (switch, open, close unlimited tabs) mentioned by developer, supported (limit to device available memory).
Pro Websearch (from marked text context menu)
Pro Search on site
Pro Advanced gesture control for toolbar and navigation button
Pro Fast toggle for most important settings
Pro Navigation button in fullscreen mode
Pro Do not track me
Mentioned by developer.
Pro Delete data on exit (optional)
Mentioned by developer.
Pro Toggle image/third party content loading
Mentioned by developer.
Pro Whitelist from setting
Whitelist for javascript, cookies and adblocker.
Pro Third party cookies disabled by default
Mentioned by developer.
Pro Custom user agent switcher
Supported & adaptive (most flexible).
Pro Save web page as PDF (URL to PDF)
Supported (but check complexity of web page).
Pro App optimization
Installation size under 10 to 20 MB (depends upon OEM manufacturer & data usage by user).
Pro Adblock filters
Supported.
Pro Excellent Bookmarks Management
Import & Export Bookmarks, very few browsers have this rare functionality.
Pro Tor sets the standard for safe and private browsing
If you follow their instructions religiously, Tor is the nec plus ultra in terms of safety and privacy. For the time being at least.
Pro Access hidden .onion sites
Pro Portable
Can be installed and run on a portable device such as a USB stick.
Pro Free and open source
Pro Uses the Tor network
Pro NoScript and HTTPS Everywhere installed by default
Pro Relatively fast
Pro The only browser package which includes a gateway built-in into TOR, a network where you can actually browse the web completely anonymously
Privacy. It's fundamental. And this browser has enabled and keeps enabling people to lookup things they don't want their ISP/ government or surveillance marketers to see.
And what's better they won't know a thing about what you searched.
What is visible to the outside world however is the fact: you make use of TOR and probably the TORBrowser this client / citizen of ours is using TOR to obfuscate his /her traffic (=~anonymize ).
Pro Safe
Tor is just as safe as Chrome or firefox, as long as you don't visit malicious websites.
Pro Based on Firefox
Firefox is a great browser, and tor is built on it
Pro Open source
Open source builds trust on using the program
Cons
Con Android permission location
Today, most browser developers put 2 location permissions: 1) Precise & 2) Approximate, most people search goods & services "by typing name of specific region or place".
i.e: books library in "name of city"
So, is there any need to such permissions which is a privacy concern ?
Con Github users may track you
Con Backed by Github.com
Github is known for making it open source, and hosting tech pros, open source user, and others. This was made to be better then Chrome.
Con Must adapt new browsing habits
It is not recommended to do several things TOR browser that users would want to do in a normal browser, such as visiting social networks and banking.
Con Not made as your daily browser
It does not support many modern features due security and is pretty slow.
Con Extremely slow
Caused by the tor network the browser depends on.
Con You will hang on every recaptcha
Con Not secure
Firefox isn't as secure as Chrome.
Con Tor is very outdated on Firefox code
It's not that it uses the same browser engine, just look at the logos.
Con Dependant on Mozilla
Since it uses gecko.
Con Did not install
Will also not delete either.
Con Does not guarantee perfect anonymity
Unlike what most users would suspect.
Con Using Tor on Android is still not great
Samsumg users will never use it.
Con Open Source
Anyone can hack the source code and insert malware.
Con Too many supporters
Tor has so many supporters such as brave, which makes it more popular. This is another thing how tor will be unsecure.