Best Browsers for iPad

Last Updated on September 8, 2023 by Ernests Embutnieks

The iPad has become an essential partner for many of us, whether it’s for work, play, or a mix of both. This device is remarkably versatile, but its most important component is a tool that shapes your online experience: the web browser.

Yes! The web browser, and when it comes to selecting the best browsers for iPad, it can make a significant difference in your productivity, browsing speed, and overall satisfaction with your device. 

But with so many options out there, it’s hard to find the perfect one that matches your specific needs and preferences. 

But don’t worry, we’re here to help you find the best browser for iPad that will meet all of your preferences. We’ve already done the groundwork. 

So let’s dive into some of the most popular browsers and explore their features, strengths, and weaknesses. 

Quick Overview of the Best Browser for iPad

I know some of you might be really eager to know about my list for the best browser for iPad. So here it is, have a look.

1. Apple Safari: Safari is the default choice and excels in speed, energy efficiency, and integration with the Apple ecosystem.

2. Google Chrome: Google Chrome offers great performance and a wide range of extensions but may consume more resources and raise privacy concerns.

3. Mozilla Firefox Browser: Mozilla Firefox prioritizes user privacy and customization but may not be the fastest option.

4. DuckDuckGo: DuckDuckGo is ideal for those who value privacy but may lack advanced features.

5. Vivaldi Browser: Vivaldi is perfect for power users who want extensive customization and tab management.

6. Microsoft Edge: Microsoft Edge provides a user-friendly experience with strong Microsoft integration.

7. Dolphin: Dolphin offers a user-friendly interface and ad-blocking capabilities.

8. Opera Touch: Opera Touch is designed for one-handed use and offers integration with Web 3.0 technologies.

9. Brave Browser: Brave Browser focuses on privacy and security with ad-blocking features.

10. Aloha Browser: Aloha Browser includes a built-in VPN and download manager but offers limited customization.

Best Browsers for iPad – Top 10

Here’s a complete description of our best browser for iPad. 

Note: Before we dive in, it’s good to remember one thing that the best browser for your iPad will depend on your unique preferences and requirements, whether it’s speed, privacy, customization, or additional features. Let’s go!

Apple Safari

👌 Features

1. Manufactured from: Apple Inc
2. Compatibility: Only on Apple devices
3. Malware Detection: No
4. Tracker Blocking: Yes
5. Customizable User Interface: Yes 

The Safari browser, developed by Apple, offers a seamless browsing experience with a focus on speed, security, and user privacy.

The iPad comes with Safari as its default browser, and it has many features and performance that are simply unmatched by most other browsers.

After using it for a long time, I can say that it is fast and energy efficient for longer battery life on Apple devices. Additionally, it shows great bookmarking features, which make it easy to get back to the site later. 

Its Intelligent Tracking Prevention enhances privacy by limiting cross-site tracking and third-party advertisers. I really like this thing because pop-up ads are sometimes really annoying.

However, Safari’s compatibility outside of the Apple ecosystem can be limited, and its extension library is smaller compared to some other browsers. 

Additionally, while it excels in many areas, some users may prefer more customization options like Opera and Google Chrome.

Overall, it’s the best choice for your iPad, all due to its great performance and nice set of features. 

👍 Pros

1. Fast and energy efficient
2. Great bookmarking feature
3. Intelligent Tracking Prevention
4. Comfortable Apple Ecosystem
5. Show Nice website compatibility 

👎 Cons

1. Limited Extension Library
2. Not very customizable

Google Chrome

👌 Features

1. Manufactured from: Google
2. Compatibility: MacOS, Windows, Android, and iOS devices
3. Malware Detection: No
4. Tracker Blocking: Yes
5. Customizable User Interface: No

Google Chrome has the biggest market share, and it is the most widely used and feature-rich web browser that offers a blend of speed, versatility, and integration with various Google services.

It stands out as one of Google’s best apps for iOS, offering a polished interface with a simple design. 

As I mentioned, it’s a popular choice for many users, but it’s important to be aware of its pros and cons.

First of all, Chrome is known for its fast page loading and efficient performance, making your browsing experience smooth and responsive.

Another major reason for its popularity is the Chrome Web Store. It offers a vast collection of extensions and apps that can add functionality to the browser. 

Also, if you use Google services like Gmail, Google Drive, or Google Calendar, Chrome seamlessly integrates with these services, making it easy to sync bookmarks, passwords, and other data across devices.

Not only that, Chrome’s built-in developer tools are powerful for web developers and enthusiasts, making all the test code and checking the performance of the websites 

Chrome has a lot to offer; however, there are some cons that are very frustrating. It uses up a lot of the iPad’s memory, makes the device lose battery quickly, is complex for users who like simplicity, and most importantly, raises privacy concerns.

So, overall, Google Chrome is a solid choice for those who value performance and a wide range of features, but users focused on privacy might want to explore alternatives.

👍 Pros

1. Speed and Performance
2. Best Google App on iOS 
3. Big Extension library
4. Developer tools
5. Syncs with desktop Chrome 

👎 Cons

1. Resource Usage
2. Fast battery drain 
3. Privacy concerns

Mozilla Firefox

👌 Features

1. Manufactured from: Mozilla Corporation
2. Compatibility: MacOS, Windows, Android, and iOS devices
3. Malware Detection: No
4. Tracker Blocking: Yes
5. Customizable User Interface: No

Mozilla Firefox stands out as a well-established and reliable web browser recognized for its focus on user privacy, ability to be personalized, and compatibility with open standards.

It’s a very decent choice for your iPad. It boasts a dedicated group of users and provides a well-balanced combination of features and factors to take into account. 

Like it’s strong commitment to user privacy, it offers features like Enhanced Tracking Protection, which blocks third-party trackers, and regularly updates its privacy settings to give users more control over their data.

Next, it shows a lot of customizations. With themes, extensions, and a wide range of add-ons, you can mold the browser to suit your needs and style.

Moving over, the Firefox browser’s code is transparent and accessible to developers. I think it’s a great step to encourage collaboration and innovation in the tech community.

Similarly, Firefox offers robust developer tools for web creators, helping them inspect and debug websites and analyze code performance. 

These are good things about Firefox. However, keep in mind that it isn’t a great browser if we take it’s performance into account. Users might experience differences in speed compared to other browsers. 

Besides that, Firefox can use a fair amount of system resources, which might affect performance on your iPad.

So yeah! It’s a good option for people who care a lot about privacy and like a browser they can customize. But if you want a browser that’s really fast, you might want to think about any other browser.

👍 Pros

1. Privacy Focus
2. Nice Customization
3. Fully transparent and accessible for developers 
4. Good Syncing Capabilities
5. Developer Tools

👎 Cons

1. Not Good in Performance
2. Fewer Extensions and Add-ons

DuckDuckGo

👌 Features

1. Manufactured from: Duck Duck Go, Inc
2. Compatibility: MacOS, Windows, Android, and iOS devices
3. Malware Detection: No
4. Tracker Blocking: Yes
5. Customizable User Interface: No

DuckDuckGo is a privacy-focused search engine and browser that prioritizes user anonymity and data protection. In simple words, it makes sure your personal information stays personal. 

Yes! No snooping on your search history or anything like that. It lies in its commitment to not track users’ search histories or personal information. It’s a favorite for those who really care about privacy.

It’s cool because it keeps things simple and neat, unlike those big, fancy browsers. It’s true! It has a simple interface and is very easy to use. 

Its built-in tracker blocking and encryption make for a safer online experience. This browser lacks some of the advanced features and compatibility that larger, more established browsers offer. 

These include voice and AI integration, advanced customization, and cross-platform synchronization. 

Additionally, while it aims to protect user privacy, search results might not always be as tailored or accurate as those of search engines that use more personalized data.

So, in a nutshell, DuckDuckGo is all about keeping you safe online, even if it means missing out on a few extras you might find in other browsers.

👍 Pros

1. Highly focused on Security
2. Built-in tracker blocking
3. Strong encryption
4. Neat and clean interface
5. Beginner-friendly

👎 Cons

1. Doesn’t show customization options
2. Lack a lot of advanced features

Vivaldi Browser

👌 Features

1. Manufactured from: Vivaldi Technologies
2. Compatibility: MacOS, Windows, Android, and iOS devices
3. Malware Detection: No
4. Tracker Blocking: Yes
5. Customizable User Interface: Yes

Vivaldi is a feature-rich browser that makes a solid choice for power users who want to modify their browsing experience precisely to their liking.

Yes! The fact that it is a robust choice is due to many other factors aside from that. 

Vivaldi is known for its powerful tab management. It’s a great choice if you tend to have lots of tabs open. You can stack them, tile them, hibernate them, and even group them.

The browser comes with handy built-in tools like a note-taking feature, a screenshot tool, and a sidebar for quick access to bookmarks, downloads, and web panels.

Vivaldi is big on privacy, blocking trackers, and including an ad blocker. You can easily adjust privacy settings to fit your needs.

With Vivaldi’s web panels, you can keep sites like Twitter or messaging apps open in a sidebar for quick access without switching tabs.

It lets you customize your browsing experience extensively. You can tweak the browser’s appearance and functionality to suit your preferences. 

This flexibility makes Vivaldi a user-friendly choice for personalizing your web browsing.

Vivaldi’s extensive customization options and feature set may be overwhelming for some users, especially those who prefer a simpler browsing experience.

Also, this customization and features in Vivaldi can make it more resource-intensive, which can  affect the overall performance of the iPad.

Not just that, Vivaldi releases frequent updates, which can introduce changes and occasionally affect stability, requiring users to adapt to new features or issues.

All in all, Vivaldi is a great option as a browser, but it has a smaller user base compared to browsers like Chrome or Firefox, which might result in less widespread support and fewer online resources.

👍 Pros

1. Robust Tab Management
2. Privacy-Focused
3. Secure and Reliable
4. Release Frequent Updates
5. Cross-Platform Availability

👎 Cons

1. Resource Intensive
2. Smaller User Base 

Microsoft Edge

👌 Features

1. Manufactured from: Microsoft
2. Compatibility: MacOS, Windows, Android, and iOS devices
3. Malware Detection: No
4. Tracker Blocking: Yes
5. Customizable User Interface: No

Microsoft Edge is a modern web browser developed by Microsoft that aims to provide a fast, user-friendly experience with strong integration with Microsoft services and features. It’s much better than Internet Explorer and other regular browsers on the iPad.

Edge is designed for efficiency and speed, often outperforming its predecessor, Internet Explorer. Also, Edge got a new look, so it might take time to feel familiar.

It uses the Chromium engine, which enhances performance and compatibility with modern web standards. 

With Microsoft Edge, you can smoothly connect with tools like OneDrive, Outlook, and Office 365. This makes it easy to access your files, emails, and documents in one place.

One cool feature is Collections. It helps you gather and organize stuff from the internet hassle-free. Plus, Edge comes with handy tools like a built-in PDF viewer and a read-aloud option for your convenience.

And don’t worry about privacy. Edge cares about it. It has a feature called Tracking Prevention that blocks trackers, keeping your online browsing private and secure.

It supports a wide range of extensions available through the Microsoft Edge Add-ons store, allowing you to customize your browsing experience

Regarding optimization, Microsoft Edge conserves battery and RAM usage with the “Sleep Tabs” option. With battery life and RAM-efficient, it’s good for taveling.

One thing, you need to know is that Edge’s speed depends on your iPad and can slow down if you have lots of tabs or extensions open.

I’d say it’s very similar to Chrome and works fine with most sites, but some Google stuff might be smoother on Chrome. 

Overall, Microsoft Edge offers a user-friendly interface, ideal for beginners. It’s a straightforward browser with a sleek UI that’s well-suited for newcomers.

👍 Pros

1. Good Performance and Speed
2. Productivity Tools
3. Shares similarities with Chrome
4. Security Updates
5. Less Resource Usage

👎 Cons

1. Resource Usage
2. Less extensions library

Dolphin

👌 Features

1. Manufactured from: MoboTap Inc
2. Compatibility: MacOS, Windows, Android, and iOS devices
3. Malware Detection: No
4. Tracker Blocking: Yes
5. Customizable User Interface: No

Dolphin is another cool web browser for your iPad that has gained popularity for its user-friendly interface and unique features. While it might not be as famous as some other browsers, Dolphin is like a hidden gem.

Dolphin Browser comes with a cool set of features. Like gesture-based systems, which allow users to draw symbols. It takes you to websites or helps you move around. 

Dolphin Browser also emphasizes customization by offering a range of themes and settings You can pick from lots of different looks, like changing the colors and stuff. 

Plus, it’s got this superpower against annoying ads. Yes! The browser has incorporated ad-blocking functionality to reduce intrusive ads, making your browsing smooth like butter.

However, Dolphin Browser may not have the same level of privacy-centric focus as browsers like DuckDuckGo. 

Users who want some strong data protection and privacy features might need to consider using additional tools or taking extra precautions to safeguard their information while using Dolphin Browser.

Overall, Dolphin Browser is like that awesome friend who’s always up for an adventure. It’s got easy-peasy navigation, finger tricks, and a cool way to make your browser look and feel just right. 

👍 Pros

1. Fast and efficient
2. Great customization setting
3. Incredible ad-blocker
4. Superb interface
5. Advanced features

👎 Cons

1. Not a great option for extra privacy

Opera Browser

👌 Features

1. Manufactured from: Opera Software AS
2. Compatibility: MacOS, Windows, Android, and iOS devices
3. Malware Detection: No
4. Tracker Blocking: Yes
5. Customizable User Interface: Yes

Opera is a really solid browser for those in search of an alternative to the default Safari browser. Let’s see why I’ve mentioned it.

First of all, its performance impresses with fast page loading and smooth scrolling, ensuring a seamless and responsive user experience. It was built to be one of the fastest iOS browsers, and it really is. 

The latest updates include AI browsing, making Opera a groundbreaking AI-powered browser. Opera calls it Aria, which understands your habits and overall preferences. So, I think it’s a fantastic addition. 

Next, The UI is super simple for navigation and customization. You can choose between a wide range of cool wallpapers or upload your own images for the best browsing experience.

Opera’s standout features include a built-in VPN that enhances online security and privacy, although it may not match a premium VPN service in terms of features. 

Some extra features include the syncing and flow features, which allow for the seamless sharing of data and settings across devices, and the extension library, which is not as extensive as some competitors.

It also has popular extensions like ad blockers and password managers. Also, Opera’s focus on user privacy through the VPN and ad blocker is noteworthy.

In conclusion, the Opera iOS app is a reliable and feature-rich browser that competes well with other options. Its privacy-centric approach, coupled with useful tools, makes it a compelling choice for users seeking an improved mobile browsing experience.

👍 Pros

1. Fast Speed
2. Innovative Navigation
3. AI-Powered Browsing Experience
4. Cross-Device Integration
5. Customizable Search Engine

👎 Cons

1. Small library extension
2. VPN doesn’t come with advanced features

Brave Browser

👌 Features

1. Manufactured from: Brave Software, Inc
2. Compatibility: MacOS, Windows, Android, and iOS devices
3. Malware Detection: No
4. Tracker Blocking: Yes
5. Customizable User Interface: No

Brave is an excellent choice for users who prioritize privacy, security, and faster browsing. Its innovative approach to online advertising and privacy sets it apart from mainstream browsers. Let’s talk more about it. 

First, Brave Browser is built on Chromium, the same engine as Google Chrome, which ensures compatibility with most websites and plugins while also delivering excellent speed and performance.

Brave Browser is renowned for its robust privacy features. It blocks third-party trackers, ads, and cookies by default, enhancing your online privacy and security.

Next, there’s the Brave’s Shields feature that gives users full control over their privacy settings, allowing them to block scripts and fingerprinting attempts. 

Not just that, Brave offers a range of extensions and themes, allowing users to personalize their browsing experience. But don’t expect that all of the extensions will work. 

One thing I don’t like about this browser is that it lacks a built-in password manager. So, you’ll need to rely on a third party password manager. 

Also, compared to browsers like Chrome or Firefox, Brave has a smaller user base, so it occasionally shows problems like webpage incompatibility. 

Along with that, Brave Rewards is a unique feature, users may not earn significant BAT rewards unless they engage with ads regularly.

Overall, Brave Browser offers a compelling option for those seeking a more private and streamlined browsing experience. However, its smaller user base and occasional compatibility issues with extensions or websites may be a drawback for some users.

👍 Pros 

1. Privacy-Centric
2. Built-in Ad Blocker
3. Shields Protection
4. Fast Performance
5. Customizability

👎 Cons

1. Small User Base
2. No Native Password Manager
3. Occasional Bugs

Aloha

👌 Features

1. Manufactured from: Aloha Mobile Ltd
2. Compatibility: MacOS, Windows, Android, and iOS devices
3. Malware Detection: No
4. Tracker Blocking: Yes
5. Customizable User Interface: No

Aloha Browser is a feature-rich mobile browser with a strong focus on privacy and security. Its built-in VPN and ad blocker are notable advantages for users seeking a safer and more private browsing experience

This VPN allows users to browse the web more securely by encrypting their internet connection, making it an excellent choice for those concerned about online privacy and security.

One of the standout features of Aloha Browser is the inclusion of a free built-in VPN (Virtual Private Network). However, this VPN does have a data limit for free users. 

And, there’s a download manager in Aloha It allows users to manage and organize their downloads easily, including videos and other files. The feature is really useful, in my opinion./ 

Besides that, the browser includes a media player to play videos and music files directly from your iPad or from the web.

Not just that, Aloha Browser stands out for its integrated VR player, enabling users to watch 360-degree videos directly within the browser.

You can add an extra layer of security to the browser with passcode protection or use Face ID to unlock it. Isn’t that cool?

One downside of this browser is that, compared to some other browsers, Aloha offers fewer options for customization and extensions, which may disappoint users.

Along with that, some users have reported occasional pop-up ads within the browser, which can be annoying.

So, overall, it’s a great browser, but limitations in terms of customization and a smaller user base should be considered depending on your specific browsing needs and preferences.

👍 Pros

1. Built-In VPN 
2. Download Manager
3. VR Player and Media Player
4. Face ID Protection

👎 Cons

1. Limited Customization
2. Occasional Pop-Up Ads

How Have We Chosen The Best Browsers?

There are numerous web browsers available for iPads and iPhones(iOS), and it’s challenging to pick the best browser. But to provide a list of some of the best browsers, we took around 37 browsers into account. 

Here are a few factors that we checked before adding any browser to our list. 

1. User Experience: A good web browser should have a user-friendly interface that makes it easy for you to navigate the internet. It should be visually appealing and straightforward to use, ensuring a pleasant browsing experience.

2. Performance: Browsing speed matters a lot, especially for me. A high-performing browser loads web pages swiftly, allows smooth scrolling, and responds quickly to your commands, minimizing frustration during online activities.

3. Security: Online threats like malware and phishing scams can occur. That’s why the browser must have robust security features to protect you from these dangers and keep your personal information safe while you browse.

4. Privacy: Privacy is a growing concern for many users. That’s why I prefer a browser that offers features such as tracking prevention and incognito mode to safeguard your online activities from prying eyes and data collection.

5. Compatibility: The browser should work well with a wide range of websites and support modern web technologies. This ensures that you can access and use all the content and services you need without any web page compatibility issues.

FAQs

Final Thoughts

So there you have it, some pretty cool browsers that you can use for different purposes and preferences, but it’s better to keep in mind that selecting the best browser for your iPad depends on your specific needs and priorities.

Here, Safari, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox are our top recommendations, and along with that, we’ve added some extras that might suit different types of users. 

Remember that all of our recommendations are clean and safe to use; you will have no problems with them. We know that some can cause it, but they will not ruin your online experience.

I am sure you will have a great time going through this list. Keep an eye out for more.  

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