After installing and testing Mullvad Browser, Tor Browser, Zen Browser, Floorp, Ungoogled Chromium, Waterfox, and Orion, here’s my complete experience and honest comparison.
The Contenders
| Rank | Browser | Engine | Privacy | Speed | Customization | Overall Score | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mullvad Browser | Firefox | 9.5 | 7 | 6 | 9.2 | Best for Privacy |
| 2 | Tor Browser | Firefox | 10 | 4 | 5 | 8.7 | Maximum Anonymity |
| 3 | Zen Browser | Firefox | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 8.6 | Best Daily Driver |
| 4 | Floorp | Firefox | 7.5 | 8 | 9.5 | 8.4 | Most Customizable |
| 5 | Ungoogled Chromium | Chromium | 8 | 9 | 7 | 8.3 | Best Performance |
| 6 | Waterfox | Firefox | 7.5 | 8.5 | 8 | 8.0 | Solid All-Rounder |
| 7 | Orion | WebKit | 8.5 | 9 | 7 | 7.8 | Promising but Beta |
Detailed Breakdown
1. Mullvad Browser The winner for privacy-conscious users. Built in collaboration with the Tor Project, it comes with strong anti-fingerprinting protections by default. Paired with Mullvad VPN, it’s one of the strongest privacy setups available on Linux today. Everything is wiped on close. Slightly slower UI than pure Firefox forks.
2. Tor Browser The king of anonymity. Routes all traffic through the Tor network. Excellent for journalists, activists, or anyone needing real anonymity. Too slow for daily browsing on normal websites.
3. Zen Browser ← My Current Favorite The closest thing to Arc Browser on Linux. Beautiful vertical tabs, “Spaces” (workspaces), sidebar, split views, and modern design. Very smooth and enjoyable to use. Currently my daily driver.
4. Floorp A Japanese Firefox fork loved by power users. Extremely customizable with workspaces, multiple sidebars, and deep theming support. Great if you like tweaking everything.
5. Ungoogled Chromium Fastest of the bunch. Removes all Google telemetry and services. Excellent site compatibility. Needs good extensions (uBlock Origin + Ghostery) to shine. Great secondary browser.
6. Waterfox A fast, clean Firefox fork that preserves old-school customization options. Reliable but doesn’t stand out as much as Zen or Floorp.
7. Orion Browser (by Kagi) WebKit-based (Safari engine). Lightweight and very private. Still in early beta on Linux, so expect some rough edges. Interesting alternative if you want to move away from Firefox/Chromium.
My Personal Recommendation (May 2026)
- Daily Driver: Zen Browser — Best balance of beauty, speed, and features.
- Maximum Privacy: Mullvad Browser + Mullvad VPN.
- Backup / Compatibility: Ungoogled Chromium.
- Extreme Anonymity: Tor Browser.
Final Thoughts
There is no single perfect browser — it depends on your priorities. If you value privacy above all, go with Mullvad. If you want a beautiful and modern experience like Arc, choose Zen. If you want raw speed and compatibility, stick with Ungoogled Chromium.
I’m currently using Zen as my main browser, Mullvad for sensitive work, and Ungoogled Chromium as backup.