There are certain Google products that I can’t imagine living without. I would be completely lost in a world without Gmail. Can I give up Google Photos? I tried and failed. However, there are a few that I hardly think about when using my Android phoneand one of those apps, perhaps surprisingly, is Google Chrome. Many users probably feel completely different about the browser. Although I use Chrome almost as much as other browsers on my desktop, I can’t get around its flaws on mobile.

I won’t say that Google Chrome is easy to use. It’s built right into Android, making it the first port of call for many users. Google also assures that it is still the best android browser to access its web applications and services and browse content while logged in to your Google account. Can I fault his navigational prowess? No, but if you look closely you’ll find that it’s not as refined as its name suggests.

Ironically, Chrome on Android still doesn’t support multiple Google accounts. I’ve heard of some pretty insane workarounds, including using multiple versions of Chrome in its various stages of development to get around this omission, but why do we have to do that? The desktop version allows multiple profiles; why not the Android version? It’s also a notable quirk, given that other Google apps let you easily switch between accounts.

Of course, I probably could have filled this gap with a browser extension, but Chrome on Android doesn’t support any additional enhancements either. Mobile users cannot access any of the extensive list of great Chrome extensions present on the desktop version. This shortcoming is shared by several Chromium-based browsers, but a few smaller alternatives offer this functionality: Kiwi and Yandex are two excellent examples. They demonstrate that the platform can mechanically support add-ons, but Google seems reluctant to add such features.

Beyond this particularly important bugbear, Chrome doesn’t suit me in terms of search either. Do you want to use a personalized search engine? You are absolutely out of luck. Google’s Android browser limits you to the five search engines it dictates. You cannot add or remove existing options, nor change engines on the fly from the address bar. Instead, you must first change the default engine. Again, support for custom search engines is also available in other Chromium browsers like Cromite, as well as the desktop version of Chrome.

Chrome’s desire to act as a content portal rather than a web browser is also evidenced by its new tab pages. Tap the search bar on the page and you’ll find your search history and “Trending Searches”, which almost always don’t fit my browsing needs. The page also offers a Discovery section that you cannot hide completely.

Google is working on a bottom address bar, a feature we first introduced in late August. More than two months later, it is not yet available on the stable version. This late development push makes Chrome just plain unpleasant for me.

Despite its ease of use, Google Chrome hampers my web browsing experience unlike its vast array of alternatives.

Due to all these shortcomings, I have long since switched to another Android browser. I’ve tried several over the years, including briefly choosing Opera and Kiwi, but none offered the features I craved. I switched to Firefox a few years ago, but I haven’t regretted my choice.

I’ve been using Firefox for a long time, at least on Windows. It’s been my default browser for almost 15 years on desktop. It took me a while to get on board with the Android version because early versions lacked polish, but it now offers the most reliable browsing experience on mobile.

So, what are the advantages of Firefox? Right off the bat, it offers way more customization than Google Chrome, including extension support with many of the add-ons you’ll find on the desktop version. Extensions are very important to me. I use them to block ads or restrict certain elements from loading, paint bleached white web pages a friendly gray, redirect to the old Reddit layout, log into online services to manage my bookmarks, and other more original needs.

The browser is also ideal for one-handed use, thanks to its bottom address bar. This is particularly useful because you can easily switch between your different search engines via a button on the bar. Tap on it once, select your preferred search engine and search. It’s great to use ChatGPT or Perplexity directly from the browser. And yes, you can add these and other search engines in Firefox on Android using search string URLs. It’s incredibly easy.

Although Mozilla Firefox is my daily driver, it is not perfect for all situations. Yes, I will use Google Chrome if I need to access a Google service through the browser. I am not opposed to this. It is best to use specific solutions to solve specific problems. So, I have a few browsers that I access quite regularly:

• Hermit: I use Chrome to build Google-specific single-site apps, like NotebookLM, but Hermit is my choice for everything else. It seamlessly wraps web pages, allowing you to open them like an application. Its premium version also includes a sandbox feature that keeps cookies and login credentials in silos for each web application.
• To reflect on: Based on Firefox, Mull is much more privacy-focused than its sibling. It lacks the telemetry and advertising features built into Firefox and requires sites to load over HTTPS. uBlock Origin is also integrated into the browser from the start, keeping ads away. I use Mull in case of emergency, for example if I can’t access my banking app.
• Cromite: If you need a Chrome-like browser with custom search engine features, Cromite is a good option. It also offers built-in ad blocking, which is immediately a great addition.
• Focus on Firefox: Concentration was once again an integral part of my browsing habits. I used it for instant, one-off research tasks. Arc Search has largely usurped its purpose on my phone, but I always keep it aside just in case.
• Perplexity And Arc Search Browser: I’ve been slowly moving away from Google and toward answer engines like Perplexity. Arc Search, especially with its Browse for Me feature, is also great for quick topic scans and explanations.

Should you abandon Google Chrome on Android?

There is nothing inherently wrong with Chrome. It remains a reliable browser for many people. It is simple and loads pages without problem most of the time. But it’s not for me.

I might consider using it if Google can address my (and many other users’) concerns about Chrome, but I doubt it one way or another. Google seems reluctant to tinker with Chrome as it is, even though additional features would add value rather than detract from its strengths. As a result, Chrome will continue to be a tertiary choice in my browser lineup. Will it one day replace Firefox in this hierarchy? I doubt it, but I’d be happy to reconsider it in the future.