Safari and Google Chrome compete closely for the top spot on the Macs. While Safari comes built-in with macOS, the Chrome enjoys a significant market share across platforms. Apple has upped the ante with new Safari refresh in terms of looks and performance with the new macOS Big Sur update. To catch up, even Google pushed a massive performance upgrade to Chrome, one of the biggest in years, recently. That does makes us revisit the classic dilemma of picking a browser for Mac - Chrome or Safari? So we decided to compare the respective refreshes in this post.
Free web browser for Mac. First released for Windows in 2008, Google Chrome officially launched on the Mac computers in 2010 after several months of beta testing. It offers fast and secure web browsing via a search engine, giving you access to internet articles and pages. Typically Chrome uses quite a lot of resources to run and can cause your Mac to heat up, but this is the case for Windows PCs as well. Is Google Chrome Free for Mac? Yes, Google Chrome is free to download and use for Mac. Is Google Chrome Safe? To ensure users privacy, there is an Incognito Mode. When your active Google Chrome private window. If you mean Chrome web browser, after download you have to double-click on the file to install it. You can also download it from the Mac App Store, which will install it automatically. Google Chrome for Mac is widely popular because it offers Google-specific features on your Mac. Download Google Chrome on your Mac to get a multi-functional web browser that’s easy to use and customize, no matter your skill level.
We will compare both the browsers on grounds of their interface, features, themes, news integration, extensions, password management, and more. Let’s start with cross-platform availability.
Also on Guiding Tech
Safari vs Chrome: Which Browser Works Best on iPadOS
Read MoreCross-Platform Availability
As its case with every Apple software, the Safari browser is only available on iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. While in Chrome’s case, you can access the browser everywhere. It’s available on iOS, Android, macOS, iPadOS, Windows, and Chrome OS.
Download Google Chrome for MacUser Interface
Safari received a much-needed design makeover with the macOS Big Sur update. For starters, you can easily change the background wallpaper on the Safari homepage. You can select a custom wallpaper from your Mac a well.
As for customization, you can choose to keep favorites, privacy reports, Siri suggestions, a reading list, and more on the homepage. The tabs also got a nice visual touch. When you hover the cursor on a tab, it will showcase the live preview of the webpage.
The extensions (more on that later), history, reading list, and share menu sit at the top. You can make the best of those features by mastering keyboard shortcuts for quickly accessing and navigating the options. If you love the dark theme, it also supports the system-wide dark theme introduced with macOS Mojave.
Google Chrome continues to stick with material interface design guidelines. You will notice rounded corners and a lot of whites all over the place. That said, you can change the default theme by picking a new one from the Chrome Theme Store and browsing through hundreds of ready-to-go themes available.
Features
It's understandable if you demand your favorite browser to offer different functions than just loading pages faster. Safari offers a clean looking reading mode that strips away the unnecessary elements from a webpage such as ads, social integration, and comments.
You can customize it by changing the font style, size, and background color of the reading mode.
Safari enjoys a seamless integration between iOS and macOS. Tap on the tab switcher, and the browser shows the tab opened on your iPhone. Similarly, when browsing on iOS, the handoff function will let you carry-forward the same webpage on macOS.
You can also use the default Spotlight Search (Command + Space shortcut) and start typing the webpage name, and it will show the suggestions from the Safari history. I use it frequently to visit a webpage without opening the browser. The functionality is not available for third-party browsers.
Google Chrome also offers a syncing capability, but it’s hidden in the Options menu. Go to History > Synced Tabs, and that's where you will see the opened Chrome tabs on iPhone or Android. Yes, it works with Android too.
Chrome For Macbook Pro 2020
Unfortunately, Google Chrome doesn’t offer any native Reading Mode. My favorite Google Chrome function is group tabs. You can create multiple groups based on a specific topic and arrange tabs. It’s really helpful when you are researching multiple websites at a time with dozens of tabs open.
Also on Guiding Tech
Top 5 Extension Managers for Google Chrome
Read MoreExtensions
In terms of extension support, Safari falls behind Chrome. The extension list is limited, but it gets the basic extensions to get things rolling. That said, you will have a hard time searching for an extension for every need. Go to Safari > Safari Extensions and install it from the list.
You can manage them by going into Preferences > Extensions and integrate them into your browser experience.
Google Chrome offers a rich collection neatly categorized into different sections. There is an extension for every use scenario.
Web Compatibility
Google Chrome uses the Chromium web engine to load webpages. It’s a universal standard used by most browsers such as Microsoft Edge, Brave, and Opera. You won’t have any issues loading and browsing webpages.
Safari uses the Webkit engine for rendering and loading webpages. The experience was mostly seamless on both browsers. That said, I did face some hurdles with a couple of websites where the provider asked me to switch to a chromium-browser.
Password Management
Flawless password management is a key aspect and also a necessity for a dependable browser experience. Safari stores all the credentials into the iCloud keychain by default. The next time you try to login to an account, use the login info from the iCloud keychain or tap on the Touch ID to auto-fill details.
Chrome offers Chrome Password management to save and store every login detail. It’s not full-featured password management but has enough functions to get the job done. As a bonus, the service is also available on Chrome Android and iOS.
Privacy
Safari offers a detailed privacy reports suggesting which trackers the browser blocked from the websites you visited. You will be surprised to check how many trackers the browser has blocked in the report at the end of the day.
Google Chrome doesn’t offer any data to analyze. But as I mentioned above, you can always opt for an extension to get the job done for you.
Also on Guiding Tech
#safari
Click here to see our safari articles pageConvenience or Features
Those were some key differences between the new Safari and Google Chrome on the Mac. The macOS Big Sur update places Apple’s Safari browser right up there with market leaders like Google Chrome and Firefox. In some areas like customization and privacy, it even beats Google Chrome. Google fights back with multi-platform availability, rich extension support, and flawless performance. ou have to take the call between broader platform availability or sheer convenience at the end of the day.
Next up:Microsoft Edge is another strong contender to replace Safari on Mac. Read the comparison post below to find more details.
The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.
Read Next
Top 7 Ways to Fix Google Chrome White Screen Error on Windows 10
Are you facing a white
The world's number 1 browser
Google Chrome is the most widely used web browser in the world. Users enjoy its fast loading speed, cross-device integration, and tabbed browsing. Google Chrome does not come installed as a standard on new Macs or PCs. Their native web browsers (Safari and Microsoft Edge, respectively) are automatically installed, forcing users to install Chrome themselves.
Seamless internet navigation
Chrome is an ideal browser to enjoy easy, coordinated online browsing across various devices.
Whether you have a new Mac or an older one, Google Chrome sets the bar high for web browsers. You want a browser that is safe, easy to use, syncs data and content across all your devices, and operates quickly. Google Chrome is the solution that over 63% of the world turns to and with good reason. Mac users have distinguished taste and as such, expect high quality in their hardware and software products. Google Chrome delivers this to Mac users with its low CPU usage, reliability, and overall browsing experience. It delivers a high-quality browsing experience to Mac users with its low CPU usage, reliability, tabbed browsing, cross-device syncing, and lighting fast loading speed.
Google Chrome for Mac has a laundry list of features, earning its spot as the top web browser of choice for both Mac and PC users. It offers thousands of extensions, available through the Chrome web store, providing Mac owners with even more functionality. Adobe Flash is also available when you install Chrome on your Mac. The overall appearance is professional and clean. Enjoy customized browser preferences including your homepage of choice, sync and Google services, Chrome name and picture, importing bookmarks and settings, autofill capabilities (passwords, payments, addresses, etc.), toolbars, font, page zoom, and startup settings. Chrome’s user interface is incredibly easy to navigate. Multi-tasking just got easier with tabbed browsing, which not only helps productivity, but looks clean and organized. Since Chrome can be downloaded on all of your devices (computers, phones, tablets), if you open a browser or perform a search on one device, Chrome will auto-sync that work stream on your other devices. If you look up a dinner recipe at work on your Mac but need the ingredient list at the grocery store? No problem - pull up the same tab within Chrome on your iPhone. Once you are home and ready to start cooking, just pull up the same Chrome recipe tab on your tablet. With the world moving faster than ever before, functionality like this can help make life a little easier.
Chrome’s password, contact information, and payment autofill capabilities are revolutionizing users’ online experience. Upon your consent, Chrome’s autofill feature will easily fill out your name, address, phone number, email address, passwords, and payment information. If it’s time to register your child for the soccer season but your wallet is downstairs, Google Chrome has your back, helping you easily fill in the data, so you can stay in your comfy chair. Chrome will only sync this data on your approved devices, so you can rest easy that your information is safe. CPU usage is immensely important when choosing a web browser. Keep your Mac’s CPU free by browsing with Google Chrome, maximizing overall system performance. Chrome for Mac is currently available in 47 languages. It can only be installed on Intel Macs, currently limiting its userbase. Mac users can manage how their browsing history is used to personalize search, ads, and more by navigating to their 'Sync Settings' within Chrome. Encryption options, auto-completion of searches and URLs, similar page suggestions, safe browsing, and enhanced spell check are also available within the settings tab, helping users feel more in control of their browsing experience. Users also have the option to 'help improve Chrome' by automatically sending usage statistics, crash reports, visited URLs, and system information to Google, or can easily opt out within Chrome’s settings.
Where can you run this program?
Google Chrome is available on MacOS X Yosemite 10.10 or later, Windows 7 or later, Android, and iOS devices. Chrome may successfully install on devices with lesser system requirements; however, Google only provides support on a system meeting the minimum system requirements.
Is there a better alternative?
For Mac users, Safari is the standard out-of-the-box browser installed on new devices. Most users prefer a web browser with better functionality than Safari. Chrome is harder on a Mac’s battery life than Apple’s native Safari browser. However, Chrome comes out ahead of Safari in terms of browsing speed, extensions, and video loading capabilities. Safari does have many of Chrome’s features such as tab syncing across devices and auto-filling based on previous searches. Mozilla Firefox is another commonly used web browser among Mac users, though its memory usage knocks it down on the list of competitors. The main draw to Mozilla Firefox over Chrome is that because Firefox is open source, nothing fishy is going on behind the scenes. Google is notorious for capturing and using data which rightfully makes people uncomfortable.
Our take
Mac users tend to do things their own way. You’ve opted for the non-mainstream computer hardware, so using the native installed Safari browser seems in character. Safari’s minimalist look draws Mac users in as well. Google Chrome is much more 'going along with the crowd'. Putting that aside, Mac owners should dig into what they really use their web browsers for, and determine if data privacy or features is more important to them. Better yet, why not have two browsers?
Should you download it?
Yes. For Mac users, Google Chrome’s quick speed and helpful features makes it an excellent web browser choice. Google’s controversial collection of personal and usage data is sure to make some pause on whether to install Chrome or not. However, if you are comfortable or indifferent to Google’s data collection, go for it; the browser's overall functionality is impressive.
Highs
- Fast loading speed
- Thousands of extensions available via the chrome web store
- Tabbed browsing synced across devices
- Convenient auto-fill
Chrome For Macbook Air Download
Lows
- Available on MacOS X Yosemite 10.10 or later
- Google’s aggressive data collection practices
Google Chromefor Mac
Chrome For Macbook Download
75.0.3770.100