There’s been so much hoo-ha over the launch of Google Chrome I thought I’d do a direct comparison with the power user’s favourite, Firefox. Chrome is a barren wasteland at the moment – it’s literally a browser and nothing more – whereas Firefox is riddled with add-ons and tools. So how can I compare them? Well, I’ve chosen some basic key features I think no browser should be without and picked a winner in each category. Read on for the results…
The Logo
This is probably a matter of personal taste but I’ve always liked the Firefox logo. It’s striking and fun and does exactly what it says on the tin.
The Chrome logo on the other hand looks uncannily like a Pokeball. Sorry Google, but I keep expecting Pikachu to jump out.
Winner of Best Logo: Firefox
The Address Bar
Firefox 3 gives you URL suggestions when you start to type in a web address. These include your favourites and pages you’ve visited recently. Unfortunately the top suggestions are never what I’m looking for so I’m not impressed with this feature. What is neat is if you type enough letters it gives you the exact page you want – great if you’ve forgotten the address but know what it was about (it records the page title for reference).
Chrome’s address bar on the other hand is also its search box. It has access to Google’s web results so offers you search suggestions as well as relevant web pages out of those you’ve already visited. Unlike Firefox it doesn’t just search the page title, it searches the whole page to find your phrase. This makes for fantastic results.
Winner of Best Address Bar: Chrome
Web History
Firefox’s history is functional. It shows web addresses or page titles in a neat little sidebar, so it doesn’t intrude on your browsing. It’s functional and practical – no complaints here.
Chrome’s history on the other hand is far more informative. You get the time of your visit, a cute little logo for each webpage and the links look exactly like links. There’s more space and you can see the full page title – Firefox offers a simple record but Chrome offers browsing options. The one letdown is the history appears as a separate page, not a sidebar – not good for multi-tasking.
Winner of Best Web History: Tricky one this, but from a usability standpoint I think Firefox wins. Chrome’s history offers maybe TOO much information
RSS Reader
I really wanted to cheat here because I use the Sage plugin and it’s fantastic, but I’ve stuck to Firefox’s inbuilt RSS reader. You access your feeds through the bookmarks folder and get a simple list of headlines. It does exactly what an RSS reader should do – gives you the info you want without interrupting your browsing.
Chrome also has an inbuilt RSS reader and just like Firefox you can access feeds through the bookmarks folder. Forget about sidebars or lists though – clicking on a feed opens the whole thing in
your browser, presented as a complete (stripped down) webpage. It’s pretty but intrusive and defeats the object of RSS. If it doesn’t save me time I’m not going to use it.
Winner of Best RSS Reader: Firefox
The Scores!
Firefox
Chrome
Even with Chrome’s stripped-back simplicity it just doesn’t deliver on convenience of use. Firefox wins by a hair!
Nice write up, I would agree with you (although I had to google “pokeball”).
I did some investigation today running both side by side… I found Chrome to be faster than Firefox, but then again it is rarely the browser that is the bottleneck in terms of speed, as we all know.
What was impressive is after opening and closing tabs on both (all afternoon) and ending up closing all but one down, Chrone was slimmed down to 42meg, while Firefox was sat with 110meg. I then closed and re-opened FF and it came back with 48meg, so it does look like Firefox’s memory management is worse than I thought.
My conclusion is I’m sticking with FF for now, but will certainly see what Chrome turns into, especially when they add new features and integrate addons in the future.
J
Well, at the moment it’s Windows only, so utter fail IMHO. Wake me up when they release it on Linux.
I’ve found Firefox to be untouchable for web professionals and doubt Chrome would tempt me away.
If browsing is all a user requires from it then I recommend Chrome, simply because it’s faster and handles memory management more efficiently.
Chrome is well positioned to take a sizable chunk of the market. I await to see how much it can. Firefox is it’s immediate competitor, then once that’s been conquered the mighty IE is next, though it stands high and proud on it’s 80% market share, facing a potentially hefty vertical fall from grace.
chrome it’s good.. but different for Firefox..
Firefox wins for multi-platform, add-ins, thunderbird and lightning, and full commitment to open standards. Chrome is good for Google integration under windows. Ie8 is fine for fans of evil empire.
what im interested in is how it renders pages.
i cant recall a page ever loading incorrectly in firefox. IE, all the time. lol
im not really an expert on this stuff, but since chrome is webkit just like safari, will it render the same?
Jim: I was probably too old even then but I totally watched Pokemon
Steven: I think all the Mac folk are feeling left out!
Frog: Google are really pushing it on their homepage – apparently already captured 1% of the market. I suspect a lot of people who only use a browser for browsing will be a hard market to tap into. After all, ‘downloading’ something they don’t really understand is far harder than opening IE on their desktop.
John: At the moment Chrome isn’t really integrating any of its services- maybe Google don’t want to be seen pushing them yet?
Johnny: Our developers were wondering if they had to take into account a ‘new browser’ when coding but apparently it renders the same so shouldn’t throw up any problems.
Thanks for the comments guys
I’m with you on the lack of a proper native RSS reader. The displays in Chrome are more often than not mangled to hell.
But! I’ve moved default browser from FF to Chrome at home and work purely on the basis of speed. Since FF3 came along it seems to c-r-a-w-l. Blow me, Mozilla!
Firefox’s address bar can be customized with google toolbar to make it search google through it. I think everyone is missing an important feature in chrome when reviewing. If one tab in chrome crashes it won’t crash the whole browser, unlike Firefox. That is where chrome takes the lead. And this feature will be more and more important with the use of web applications.
Since 90% of us use the net for browsing only, why worry about Chrome and Firefox?
well, where to start. First Firefox is approximately 1,000,000,000 times BETTER THAN CHROME!!!!!!!
Firefox may use more memory, but that is because you can do so much more with it so much safer. I installed Chrome 2 weeks after it was released, giving google plenty of time fix all of the most common errors with their first release. When i ran it it wouldn’t let me visit a lot of web pages, and then it would crash, again and again. Then when i tried to go back to firefox, all of a sudden firefox starts crashing like crazy. The only thing I can say was good about Chrome is that google made it very easy to uninstall, literally took seconds, which shows how little there was to Chrome in the first place!
Chrome is still Beta!
Right Now, Firefox is better
Ohhhhh that’s what the dodgy looking icon means in my webstats. No, I do not like it too, and it doesn’t shout out ‘chrome browser’ does it.
First of all, Google Chrome Beta (yes, it’s still in beta) which was released not long ago should not be compared with any browser because it has been released for a short while and this is there first browser and it’s just a Beta (not the completed version) unlike Firefox, and yet it still manages to challenge Firefox. Wait until Google releases 1-3 more updates/upgrades/newer versions to Google chrome and then try it again and most of you would like it (or since i’m now posting this, try the latest version of Google Chrome) but if you want add-ons/extensions that don’t slow down your browser or cause other issues like with Firefox, give Google 5 months – 1 year. Also, Google Chrome, believe it or not, is much faster, has a cleaner interface, uses less memory, crashes less than Firefox (with me) and is more secure and Google releases 10-30 nightly builds of Google Chrome everyday and also has a Developers/Testers channel which has newer versions of Google Chrome every 1-2 weeks (with a change log and new features etc) which are tested before they are publicly released.
You didn’t choose very well suited functions for a comparison, I mean, yeah i’m with you for the pokeball logo lol but the Rss feed isn’t that much of an important feature to look at.
going for something more relevant like speed of browsing, Chrome is just amazing. Same goes for the speed of opening the application, Chrome opens up in a flash unlike firefox that takes ages (and yes, even without any add-on, it’s still pretty slow).
And the navigation space is definitely better on Chrome.
I don’t think firefox should win this, even if I’m still using it and have been for a long time. I like firefox, but I think Chrome is actually a better choice. Will be more and more as time goes by.
Hi Anonymous, Anas – Thanks for your comments
Anonymous – I definitely will try newer versions of Google Chrome and I’m expecting good things. The add-ons really set Firefox apart and always will until Chrome can challenge it, but once Chrome offers all that functionality I see no reason why people like me won’t switch over (unless we just don’t want Google to take over every aspect of the internet!).
Anas – I use RSS feeds a lot so that’s why I included it, but you can replace that with an add-on of your choice so i see your point
You also mention Chrome being fast and I have to say I agree – Firefox is actually reasonable for me, I use v2 at home and v3 at work (v3 is slower) but I know it crashes for a lot of people. If Chrome can still work fast when it gets its own add-ons then that will definitely be a huge plus, but I guess we’ll have to wait and see!
Chrome is still beta and it still rivals Firefox, obviously, otherwise all this wouldn’t be happening. Personally, I love Chrome, although, at first I was a little uncertain. After doing some experimenting of my own and reading a few articles, I feel that Chrome is better, and still just in beta stages. As much as I love Chrome I have to say, it all comes down to how YOU spend your time using your browser.
In summation, if you have no idea what you’re doing and you just want to visit MySpace (for who knows why..) then use IE (DIE IE!!), if you’re an add-on junky and like a lot of stuff on your browser then use Firefox. And finally, if you like a utilitarian, sexy browser thats fast and safe with a lot of functionality, then use Chrome (not saying Firefox doesn’t have functionality).
Chrome Wins:
See this Article
http://www.pcworld.com/article/150828/browser_battle_firefox_31_vs_chrome_vs_ie_8.html
I Love Firefox…..
But Firefox uses the over Processor Usage Memory Load..also it supports downloading Trojan’s…ha ha
All the people says Firefox is the best ….because it supports lot of adonns that supports download streaming videos,movies etc…..
Firefox released November 9, 2004….But the Chrome released now in 2008…..
See in November 2009 all the people says Chrome Wins….
Safe,Speed,Reliability…..
(¯`·._.· Google ·._.·´¯)
and
(¯`·._.·Google Chrome·._.·´¯)
Always free….take a look at
http://www.pack.google.com/
Well… I work as a computer technician so this sort of thing very much interests me so my thoughts and opinions after about 1 week of using Chrome and no I will only point out what I like about the browser over the other not what I dislike.
Firefox: Very reliable, Very secure, Lots of expandability.
Chrom: Very Fast, Decent security, very easy to use
These are the few things I liked about the two browsers, I feel it’s safe to just say i will use Firefox for security and Chrome for speed but all in all I’ve devoted a lot to Firefox and probably won’t just drop one browser for the next without a good reason, and it’ll take a lot more than just speed to get me there. Just my thoughts
you obviously favor Firefox more than google chrome before making this review giving google chrome an unfair comparison to firefox.
I just don’t get why extra information for web history is a bad thing.Knowing the time is very useful,it would take me about half an hour to find a page that I was in the other day using firefox’s web history,and less than 1 minute using chrome’s web history if I know the time.
As a web app developer, I took to chrome immediately and loved it.
The no-nonsense simplicity of the UI is worth using it alone, aside from the fact that it doesnt have the memory leaks and strange re-paint bugs that have plagued my firefox for so long now.
Do you use the firebug extension? Chrome has this kind of functionality built-in (including javascript debugger).
From a code perspective, chrome is much cleaner and simpler when compared to the monsterous and archaic mozilla rendering engine.
I am excited by having a viable alternative to the big two browsers.
For what I do, chrome is a weapon!
Don’t forget about viewing a source page (CTRL+U).
They both have nice colors but Chrome is actually making the links click able (and numbers the lines) since Firefox expects you to Select/Copy/Paste links if you want to see them.
I use both
anyway, chrome doesn’t have a RSS reader because they want you to use google reader
I also use both. I’m really excited to get Chrome for Linux when it comes out. I’ll just have to use it when I’m booted into windows for now. Great review btw. It’s the little things that make a browser!
Thought I’d do a little PS on this and say that Firefox has the tools, Chrome has the speed, BUT WAIT – maybe Chrome will have to tools as well:
http://www.chromeplugins.org/
Could be there’s a new king of the browsers in town pretty soon…
Personally I am hoping for the web developer toolbar, SEOmoz toolbar, Firebug (Chromebug!) and the SEObook toolbar – come on Chrome plugins!
I think you’re forgetting the fact that firefox has access to google also… go ahead type a name and it will take you either to the ‘I’m feeling lucky’ web page or a google results page.
eg: URL:Tom Venable
It will search google for it.
well that was a waste of time, your verdicts were biased from one side of the field all the way to the other.
logo: petty.
address bar: couldn’t get away with giving that one to Firefox.
History: The reason I’m posting at all. TMI? That’s just stupid. It’s like awarding a map brownie points because GPS it too darn accurate. Dinging it because it is more practical. One of the dumbest things I’ve ever read? Try doing research one day and coming back the next day looking for a URL you forgot to cite, instead sifting through about a hundred unfamiliar links binned under yesterday, each webpage has a time stamp at the exact time you visited it, I you know the approximate time you were at a website it making zeroing in on a forgotten link a whole lot easier. One of the dumbest things I’ve ever read by far.
Wow, good comment there ‘totally’. I love reading a balanced, friendly response to something. Do you actually want to participate in the online community or was this some kind of hilarious ‘I’m such a bitch’ personal brand building exercise?
I thought the review read really well and made sense.
Totally: I struggled to parse your comment and after several re-reads I wished I hadn’t bothered.
@stuartpturner – The guys a leg-end
Firefox 3 is far better than Chrome. No need to compare IE with firefox. Look and feel of Firefox 3 is unmatchable. Plugins and themes are very good.
ARE YOU CRAZY!!???! Chrome kicks Firefox’s ass!!!!
Firefox is far better.Google has only stylish looks but firefox deserves the crown.
Fuck Firefox 3 and its memory hog ways. It can’t even detach and reattach windowed tabs without add-ons! It has no native Incognito-esque mode! The only thing FF has going for it is add-ons and add-ons are just a way to compensate for the sheer inferiority of vanilla Firefox. I wish Opera and Safari had teamed up and destroyed Firefox back in the day.
Firefox allthe way!
Please visit my blog
I’m still use Firefox as my default browser. The #1 reason= I can block advertisement and ad-banner by editing its UserContent.css. By editing UserContent.css, I can block ads up to 80-90% and more faster than firefox add-on such as ads-blocker, etc.
Chrome? I use it sometime, just want to know the differences from Firefox. Safari? Any suggestion?
These browsers cannot be compared: Chrome is a stripped down, super fast browser that does a good job of making the web faster and safer while integrating the browser with desktop better than most.
Firefox, on the other hand, is for people that love to totally trick their browsers out. FF offers lots more in the way of customizations but, to be frank, is clunky. FF has a much bulkier interface than Chrome and is much, much slower–even Mozilla’s experimental Minefield browser was slower than Chrome.
Also, Chrome is very stable now–It loads almost every web page correctly and rarely crashes. I am using Chrome now and have been for the past several months and really enjoy. Now, with that said, Chrome is a strictly fast browser–i mean it doesn’t do anything other than speed. If you are a web developer or someone who likes a little more control over their environment, then FF is for you. But if all you do is browse the web, get Chrome. I am a programmer, web developer, beta tester, network engineer, and penetration tester and have found that overall, Chrome is better just as a browser. But if you want ultimate control, go with Firefox.
Chrome might not be developers favourite browser but its better than IE and its also very fast apparently.
Look I understand, the fans of firefox will like it and the fans of Google Chrome will like that, now I don’t say bad to any one of them , they have their own charme, but I think comparing them is not a great thing as Chrome just came out and Firefox is in market since long time, chrome is in beta and firefox have released a lot of full versions, anyways, me too I find that Chrome eats less resources and works a quite bit faster.. NOW that might be the case only with me, though I was a user of FF for three years, I moved after the release of Chrome, I know that some people use a lot of features in FF which are not supported in Chrome yet, may be this is the reason people take favour to this browser, but I don’t use them so….. for me I only need speed!!!!!!
BOTH OF THEM ARE GOOD, LETS COMPARE IN A YEAR!!
Peers add on for Firefox makes it’s address bar far exceed Chrome’s
Hey, don’t fall your feet at firefox; there are some sites that firefox fails to open what internet explorer 8 is able to do that! firefox took 5 seconds while IE8 took 1 minute.
I use chrome for browsing, Firefox for work. The minimalist design I great, functional, easy to use. Firefox’s add-ons are great, and they help out a lot, I sometimes find that they get in the way of simply using it. So, in my opinion, they are both great but used for different purposes.
I’ve seen a bit more technical comparison between Chrome and Firefox on WikiVS:
http://www.wikivs.com/wiki/Chrome_vs_Firefox
I feel like Firefox’s plugins singlehandedly make it a formidable browser to compete with. IE has market share and Chrome has performance, but feature-wise Firefox cannot be beaten.
Well, nicely written but i think that you to see more towards chrome and you’ll got to know which is overall better.
hey, what about internet explorer?… it came with the computer i bought from my cousin last year, and i can see most pages in there
there should be a reason why all computers come with the explorer loaded on already, and that is experience and expertise
Chrome = light, easy to use, direct to the point.
Always wanted to like Firefox it failed especially when it has become a memory hog now.
Chrome IS the future, and some websites will have to make themselves workable for Chrome. I observe some sites with tons of Flash codecs encounter problems, but that’s about it.
Firefox is nice,….but chrome seems to be stylish ,..
I’d suggest firefox to users who like their job to be done faster and chrome who pay more attention on visual stylz …
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