India has recently banned 59 Chinese apps that pose a threat to the sovereignty and security of the country. The list includes popular names with massive userbase in India such as TikTok, CamScanner, and UC Browser. This app is one of the most popular mobile browsers available on Android with over 50 crore downloads.
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Browsers are one of the most important applications on our smartphone as we transfer a lot of sensitive data using the app and a browser acts as a medium to access the internet. We use the browser applications to login to our favorite websites, perform a search on Google about the information we need, and browse several other websites on the internet. It is important to secure all the data about our activity and the websites we use. And using certain malicious apps can put this data at risk of being misused without your authorization.
Apps like UC browser have been noted in the past misusing this data and tracking their users even in the incognito mode and this puts the privacy of users at risk and raises a lot of privacy concerns. UC Browser also comes pre-installed in many smartphones and this is an even bigger downside as most people do not bother to uninstall the default apps that are installed on the smartphone.
Now that the government has banned the app in India the users are forced to look for an alternative mobile browser to their needs. UC Browser has also been amidst several controversies with the adware and privacy concerns. Here are the top alternatives to the UC Browser that you can download on your Android smartphone to replace the UC Browser.
Google Chrome
The Google Chrome browser is undoubtedly the most used browser on the Android operating system and beyond. The browser from Google is available on pretty much every browser that you can think of. Google Chrome comes with deep-rooted integration with the Android operating system and is very well designed and optimized to work with pretty much every Android smartphone. The browser is designed to work hand in hand with the Android operating system given the fact that both, the browser and the operating system are made by the same people, Google.
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If you already use Google Chrome on the desktop as your default browser then you can easily sync all the settings, bookmarks, passwords, and other details across the device using your Gmail account. Google Chrome comes with cross-platform support and is available for every device from Android to iOS, from Windows PC to Mac devices. Using the same browser across all the devices certainly adds to a pleasant experience and creates a simple transition, also if you are using an Android phone you most likely already have the browser installed.
Download Google Chrome from Google Play Store
Microsoft Edge
Microsoft Edge browser comes pre-installed on all Windows PC devices just like Google Chrome comes pre-installed on Android. The app is also now available on the Google Play Store for Android users to download. The latest update on the Microsoft Edge Browser also saw a move that has been rumored and confirmed for a while now.
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The browser has finally made a shift in the browser engine and now uses the Chromium engine for its mobile version too just like the Desktop version of the Browser. The move to Chromium engine makes the Edge a very powerful browser and puts it right in competition with the Google Chrome. It also comes with multiple options such as the ability to block all third-party trackers and enable multi-device sync and more.
Download Microsoft Edge from Google Play Store
Firefox
Firefox is yet another famous cross-platform browser available for virtually every operating system. Firefox is an open-source browser and allows you to download and install multiple add-ons such as ad-blockers, cookies remover, and more. The browser offers a huge library of plugins that make the browser more friendly for a few whiles offering additional functionality for others.
Firefox has been successful in porting all these features such as plugins, device sync, and the ability to send the tabs between mobile and desktop to the Android version of the browser. The app interface of the Firefox browser is also very clean giving you a very clean browsing experience that is not adulterated with unnecessary features or advertisements.
Brave Browser
Brave Browser is a privacy focussed browser and offers unmatched speed, security, and privacy by blocking unwanted trackers. Alternatively, you can choose to see their privacy-respecting ads and earn rewards, this helps publishers get their fair share of ad revenue and you can also earn ads at the same time. Brave works by blocking data grabbing ads and trackers that are present on a vast share of websites, Brave also loads major websites up to six times faster than Chrome, Firefox, and most other modern browsers.
Brave also comes with an enhanced privacy mode, the browser allows you to use the Tor network in a tab and it not only hides your history but also masks your location from the other sides by routing you through several servers before you reach the destination website. These connections are all encrypted for your privacy and security.
Download Brave Browser from Google Play Store
Update:
Here are some more browsers that you can try.
Opera Mini
Being most popular and one of the oldest web browsers, Opera mini ensures online video downloading with just a single click and contains all good features and fast web browsing on slow connections with reduced data consumption by compressing images and web pages. Apart from failing to load certain websites with JavaScript redirects or Captcha, this web browser is a good alternative for UC Browser.
Puffin Web Browser
For super-fast web browsing, Puffin with its in-house compression algorithm loads the web pages quickly and supports Adobe Flash using its cloud server, enabling access to the Flash-only content in your mobile device. With other features like a customizable UI, built-in video player, a game mode for Flash games and private browsing, Puffin is a perfect super-fast web browser. But it consumes more memory when there are multiple tabs open.
Ecosia Browser
Ecosia is a mobile web browser and features specifications like multiple tabs, downloads, a private browsing mode and bookmarks. It looks like Chrome and the big draw is the cause that the browser donates 80% of its profit in planting trees. This browser works well for those who don’t browse the web often, but still wish for something working well. Apart from the tree thing, this browser is free.
Update(January 2021)
Safari
Safari is now available for download on both Android and iOS. Some time ago, it was not much compatible on android, but now it is available. It is one of the best alternatives to UC browser. It has no tracker attached to it. So, no third-party application can use their algorithms. No other application will be able to learn about your preferences.
It is an efficient browser which supports no cookie-policy. It offers good speed to the user. It has an interactive user interface which offers good functionalities with it.
You can trust Safari Browser as a safer alternative to UC browser.
