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Add to SafariWhen comparing Tor Browser vs GNU IceCat, the Slant community recommends Tor Browser for most people. In the question“What are the best desktop web browsers?” Tor Browser is ranked 1st while GNU IceCat is ranked 8th. 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
Question Ranking
Pros
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
Pro All the benefits of Firefox, but with 100% free software
Pro LibreJS
LibreJS blocks proprietary JavaScript code, ensuring your user freedom.
Pro Protects your freedom, certified free by the FSF
Pro Extra security and privacy features
Pro Made by idealists
It is part of the GNU Project.
Pro No spyware
Pro Https-Everywhere by default
Pro SpyBlock
Blocks privacy trackers.
Cons
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.
Con Too much bloat
The browser comes with 15 addons installed by default, most of which are useless or ruin one's browsing experience.
Con Mainly just an old Firefox
It is mainly a renamend older version of Firefox that comes preinstalled with some extensions.
Con Not up to date
Latest binary is still version 60.7 ESR and was last updated over a year ago
Con Requires too much unnecessary configuration to use
You have to manually delete all the bloated addons from your files (only for them to show up again when the browser is updated) and manually install some addons and themes that the browser labels as "corrupt".
Con Very slow boot time
It takes 10+ seconds for the browser to load up
Con Can't install some Firefox themes/addons
"Installation aborted because the addon appears to be corrupt".
Con Includes LibreJS by default with no way to remove it
Con Very slow boot time
It takes 10+ seconds for the browser to load up
Con Dependent on Mozilla
Since IceCat is based off Firefox, it's dependent on all of Mozilla's decisions.
Con Made by idealists
It is part of the GNU Project.
