Vanadium / Brave
Free Our pickOn GrapheneOS, keep Vanadium — it's the hardened default. Everywhere else, Brave blocks ads and trackers out of the box.
Browser: replace Chrome
7 private options, our pick first. Every download link goes straight to the source — F-Droid, the developer's GitHub releases (one tap into Obtainium), the Play listing you can install anonymously through Aurora Store, or the official site. None of these are affiliate links. Updated October 2026.
These Chrome alternatives are for browsing on Android without handing your history to Google or loading every tracker on the page. On GrapheneOS, keep Vanadium. On other phones, Brave and Firefox with uBlock Origin block ads and trackers, and the DuckDuckGo Browser keeps things simple.
The trade-off is small: a few sites are tested mostly on Chrome, and Google sync goes away. Bookmarks and passwords move once. In 2026 a private browser is one of the cheapest changes on this list, and it is the easiest Google app to replace on day one.
Firefox + uBlock Origin
FreeThe desktop standard; add uBlock and it's a different internet.
DuckDuckGo Browser
FreeSimplest possible private browsing for a non-technical family member.
Vanadium
FreeGrapheneOS's hardened Chromium. Preinstalled and updated with the OS — nothing to download.
Cromite
FreeHardened Chromium fork with built-in ad blocking, for phones without Vanadium. GitHub releases only.
Tor Browser
FreeRoutes everything through Tor. Slower, but the strongest anonymity you can get on a phone.
IronFox
FreeHardened Firefox fork that picked up where Mull left off. Distributed from its own F-Droid repo.
How to switch from Chrome
- Export your saved passwords from Google Password Manager as a CSV file and import them into a password manager. Delete the CSV afterwards, because it is not encrypted.
- Move your bookmarks. Google Takeout exports Chrome bookmarks as an HTML file, which desktop browsers can import. Firefox and Brave then sync them to the phone through their own sync features.
- Install the new browser and make it the default in Android's settings under default apps. Links from other apps will then open there instead of Chrome.
- Turn on content blocking. Brave Shields is on by default, and in Firefox you add uBlock Origin from the extensions menu. Then check that the sites you use daily still load properly.
- Disable Chrome if your phone allows it, or at least sign out of it. On many phones it is a system app that can be disabled but not uninstalled.
Browser questions
Can I use browser extensions on Android without Chrome?
Yes, and Chrome for Android doesn't support extensions anyway. Firefox for Android runs many desktop extensions, including uBlock Origin. Brave and Cromite take a different approach and build ad blocking into the browser itself, which is less flexible but needs no setup. The DuckDuckGo Browser also blocks trackers without any add-ons.
Is Brave's crypto wallet a problem?
It is optional. Brave includes a crypto wallet and a rewards program, and both can be ignored or hidden in settings. The privacy features, such as tracker and ad blocking, work without them. If the extras bother you, Firefox with uBlock Origin or IronFox gets you similar blocking with no crypto features in sight.
Why does GrapheneOS stick with Vanadium?
Vanadium is GrapheneOS's own hardened version of Chromium, updated together with the operating system. It also provides the system WebView, so apps that show web pages get the same hardening. According to the GrapheneOS project, Chromium-based browsers currently have stronger sandboxing on Android than Firefox. That is why it stays the default there.