Chrome
Google's free, Chromium-based web browser for desktop and mobile platforms.
Liked for its speed, broad site compatibility and developer tools,12345 plus bookmark, tab and password sync across operating systems.67 The most common complaints are heavy memory use891011 and weaker ad blocking since Manifest V2 was dropped.12131415
Why people recommend it
Speed · 3
Commenters who switched from Firefox say Chrome felt faster to react, switch tabs and scroll.
“Every time I started Chrome, it was a breath of fresh air. Everything was just slightly faster to react”
“The reason I switched to chrome a long time ago was tab isolation, how much faster it was than Firefox, and built it better developer tools.”
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“People like me evangelized switching to Chrome for everyone.”
Handy features · 3
Users point to seamless page translation, solid tab crash recovery, Google Lens and per-site JavaScript toggles.
“In Chrome you can switch back and forth between languages seamlessly”
“I use chrome with fully persistent tabs, and its a gigantic pain if I can't re-open them”
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“I use Chrome.”
Site compatibility · 2
Some report that sites broken in Firefox or Safari work in Chrome.
“Ultimately I switched back to Chrome full-time as a result.”
“Chrome at least works for any web standard which IE did not.”
uBlock Origin Lite · 3
Several users say uBlock Origin Lite blocks ads well enough in Chrome.
“I use the official Chrome (not Chromium) with uBlock Lite and everything works perfectly”
“I use Chrome.”
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“So far I've stuck with chrome for a few reasons”
Cross-device sync · 2
Bookmark, tab and password sync works across multiple operating systems.
“I do as I use 3 OSes and want all my stuff synced across them, something I can't do with Safari.”
“Save page, speed, battery life, bookmark sync, tab sync, and password sync are all slightly better in Chrome.”
Developer tools · 2
Its developer tools and remote debugging are cited as strong.
“The reason I switched to chrome a long time ago was tab isolation, how much faster it was than Firefox, and built it better developer tools.”
“It's really powerful. I have been using it in Chrome for a while.”
Caveats and dissent
Memory bloat · 3
Many report high memory use, out-of-memory issues and slowdowns.
“I was horrified at Chromes memory bloat and the fact it puts tabs to sleep.”
“I see significant out of memory issues with chrome on a regular basis.”
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“youtube on Chrome desktop regularly consumes over 1 gig of ram”
Ad blocking limits · 3
The end of Manifest V2 broke uBlock Origin and other MV2 extensions for some users.
“The death of manifest v2 is the 2nd to last nail.”
“I'm currently moving away from Chrome though, as I can no longer use any MV2 extensions”
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“Ublock origin is another thing that no longer works on Google chrome”
Google control · 3
Commenters distrust Google's market dominance, privacy and influence over the web.
“Without Apple sticking to WebKit on the iPhone, Chrome would have a full monopoly over the browser and the direction of the web”
“Google Chrome is a frog-boiling exercise where they slowly take away freedoms”
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“With what Google has been doing to Chrome”
Glitches and bugs · 3
Users report glitchiness, buggy printing, audio pops and an HDR color tint.
“I am shocked how glitchy it is in comparison”
“which is extraordinarily buggy in both Firefox and Chrome”
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“Chrome shows a green tint on HDR videos due to YUV to RGB conversion error”
Data loss · 2
Local storage can be wiped when the disk is full, and Android backups skip history and bookmarks.
“This is one of the reasons I don't use Google Chrome anymore”
“Chrome and vanadium has a custom backup agent that only dumps out settings, so browsing history and bookmarks aren't backed up at all.”
Enterprise management · 1
Managing Chrome in enterprise mixes GPO policies with cloud-managed Workspace settings.
“Currently Chrome is a bit of a mess to manage in enterprise”
Often compared with
7 moved from Firefox to Chrome
22 moved from Chrome to FirefoxOn the home page's DebatesSafari46 comments mention both
4 moved from Chrome to Safari
5 moved from Chrome to BraveMicrosoft Edge21 comments mention both
5 moved from Chrome to Microsoft Edge
4 moved from Chrome to Vivaldi
1 moved from Arc to Chrome
1 moved from Chrome to Arc
1 moved from Chrome to Waterfox
Who recommends it in their own words
Threads where it came up
- Apple's new 'Switch to Safari' campaign details why you should ditch Chrome 10 mentions
- Ask HN: What browser do you use? 9 mentions
- I switched to Brave 6 mentions
- Hang on to Your Firefox 6 mentions
- Google Chrome is killing all uBlock Origin bypasses, Edge, Opera to follow 6 mentions
- Google Has Removed MV2 Extensions from the Chrome Web Store, Including UBO 5 mentions
Also written as Google Chrome. Data: chrome.json. Quotes are verbatim; the verdict and theme labels are written by a model from these comments, and every clause links to its sources.
All comments 50
“Android, Maps and Chrome I use it almost daily for years.”
“My current chrome reports no at https://one.one.one.one/help/”
“which is extraordinarily buggy in both Firefox and Chrome”
“Right now, I'm using Chrome, and I see the "Relaunch to update" button waiting for me to press it.”
“chrome for google stuff”
“soon returned to Chrome”
“With what Google has been doing to Chrome”
“I do not trust my local chrome installation to just manage my passkey.”
“while Chrome works fine”
“Currently Chrome is a bit of a mess to manage in enterprise”
“that those tests take longer than Firefox and Chrome, my daily drivers”
“The death of manifest v2 is the 2nd to last nail.”
“I see significant out of memory issues with chrome on a regular basis.”
“In Chrome you can switch back and forth between languages seamlessly”
“Chrome for accessing google owned properties and things I click on from Google search”
“i also have have chrome installed as some websites are so buggy otherwise”
“at work, I use Chrome like everyone else”
“I keep an instance of Chrome open for tabs that I never really close.”
“I am shocked how glitchy it is in comparison”
“Chrome at least works for any web standard which IE did not.”
“We used to install FF and Chrome on the local PCs at work”
“personally I use both Chrome and Firefox every day”
“never let Chrome anywhere near my machines”
“Chrome and 1Password all worked fine”
“on chrome based browsers, the fingerprint survives even in incognito mode.”
“my main device is limited to (somewhat) trusted software: MacOS, Chrome”
“use Chrome on my work Mac (by force)”
“I noticed that my Chrome browser was immediately redirected in the customary way.”
“Google Chrome is a frog-boiling exercise where they slowly take away freedoms”
“I use to hear those all the time when using Chrome”
“Chrome: inability to block ads”
“I still have Chrome around so I can still use these tools.”
“chrome once in awhile”
“They use Google Chrome DESPITE the disadvantages of Google Chrome.”
“I can be be bothered to switch from one ad-blocking chrome to another”
“I use the official Chrome (not Chromium) with uBlock Lite and everything works perfectly”
“last time I installed it on linux it was a pain”
“If you haven't browsed the web in a browser like Chrome recently, you should try it in a VM or something. It's GRIM.”
“I wouldn't have access to all my bookmarks and everything from chrome.”
“It's really powerful. I have been using it in Chrome for a while.”
“The reason I switched to chrome a long time ago was tab isolation, how much faster it was than Firefox, and built it better developer tools.”
“I do as I use 3 OSes and want all my stuff synced across them, something I can't do with Safari.”
“I was horrified at Chromes memory bloat and the fact it puts tabs to sleep.”
“Ultimately I switched back to Chrome full-time as a result.”
“And yet Chrome’s memory usage has become a meme at this point.”
“I'm currently moving away from Chrome though, as I can no longer use any MV2 extensions”
“Ublock origin is another thing that no longer works on Google chrome”
“Save page, speed, battery life, bookmark sync, tab sync, and password sync are all slightly better in Chrome.”
“Every time I started Chrome, it was a breath of fresh air. Everything was just slightly faster to react”
“youtube on Chrome desktop regularly consumes over 1 gig of ram”