

For those who are not so technologically inclined, Safari provides a consistent and simple way to access the Internet and get things done.ġ.Safari is based on WebKit while Firefox is based on Gecko.Ģ.Firefox is open-source while Safari is proprietary.ģ.Firefox is on more platforms than Safari.Ĥ.Firefox has a lot more add-ons than Safari.Internet Browser Market Share by Platform The lack of add-ons also plays as a strength for Safari because it simplifies the browser and prevents sluggish performance which can happen to Firefox due to errant or badly coded add-ons. This makes Firefox a very flexible browser that you can heavily customize to suit your own needs. The add-ons can open new features like slideshow style tab management, assistance on filling up forms, or the elimination of ads on sites that you visit.

One of the biggest advantages of Firefox over Safari is the presence of an abundance of add-ons that you can activate on your browser. Those who have iPads or iPhones are out of luck, though, as Apple’s stranglehold on apps means that there is no Firefox for the iOS. If you constantly jump from one OS to another, it is probably better to use Firefox as you get a more consistent feel. You can use Firefox in Windows, Mac, and in different Linux distributions. On the other hand, Firefox is available on almost any platform. It is also available in Windows where it faces rather stiff competition from IE, Firefox, and even Opera. But outside of Apple’s own products, you do not see Safari much. In contrast, Safari is a proprietary browser and development is controlled solely by Apple.īecause Safari is Apple’s own product, it is quite understandable that it is also the default browser and ships with every Apple product from Macs, to iPads, iPhones, and even iPods. Firefox is an open-source software, and the development is steered by the Mozilla corporation. Firefox uses the Gecko rendering engine while Safari uses the WebKit rendering engine which is also being used by Google’s Chrome web browser.Īnother major difference between Safari and Firefox is the licensing of the code. The main difference between Safari and Firefox is the rendering engines that they use. Two of these are Safari, from Apple, and Mozilla’s Firefox.

Web browsers have now come into the forefront of software development as this area is now heavily contested by many offerings.
