In a world dominated by ultra browsers, mozilla firefox often gets overlooked. But in 2025, is firefox still a good choice? The answer depends on what you value in your web experience: privacy, performance, independence, or compatibility. Let’s dive into why firefox still holds its ground—and where it might fall short.
The evolution of firefox
A legacy of open-source innovation
Mozilla firefox launched in 2002 as an open-source alternative to internet explorer, quickly gaining traction among tech-savvy users. Over the years, it has continued to evolve, introducing innovative features such as tabbed browsing, private mode, and more recently, advanced privacy tools.
Unlike most modern browsers, firefox is not based on chromium. It uses its own rendering engine, gecko, which offers a truly independent browsing experience.
Firefox quantum and beyond
With the release of firefox quantum in 2017, mozilla rebuilt the browser from the ground up, dramatically improving speed and memory usage. In the years since, mozilla has continued to refine firefox, introducing features like total cookie protection, smartblock, and privacy sandbox alternatives that challenge google’s data practices.
Why firefox is still relevant in 2025
- A champion of privacy
In 2025, online privacy is more important than ever. Data tracking, third-party cookies, and browser fingerprinting have become standard practices for many platforms. Firefox counters this trend with built-in tools that put users back in control:
- Enhanced tracking protection (etp) blocks ads, trackers, and cross-site cookies.
- Total cookie protection isolates cookies per website, making cross-site tracking nearly impossible.
- Dns over https hides your browsing activity from isps and network snoopers.
Firefox’s privacy-first approach is unmatched by mainstream competitors, especially when compared to chrome, which is owned by the world’s largest advertising company—google.
- Not just for geeks: modern, fast, and user-friendly
Gone are the days when firefox was seen as a browser only for tech enthusiasts. In 2025, firefox offers a clean, intuitive ui that is fully customizable. It supports:
- Dark mode, compact layout, and tab grouping.
- A robust extension library, rivaling that of chrome.
- Fast performance, especially on multi-core cpus, thanks to its quantum engine.
Firefox continues to be a competitive browser when it comes to speed, especially in memory management and page load time. It may not always beat chrome in benchmarks, but the differences are often negligible in real-world use.
- An ethical choice: nonprofit and open source
Firefox is developed by mozilla, a nonprofit organization committed to a free and open internet. Unlike other browsers developed by ad-driven companies, mozilla has no interest in monetizing user data.
Using firefox is a way to support ethical tech and help preserve a diverse web ecosystem. With most browsers now relying on google’s chromium engine, firefox remains one of the last bastions of engine diversity, which is vital for the long-term health of the internet.
What firefox still struggles with
- Compatibility issues
Since firefox is not chromium-based, some web developers optimize their sites primarily for chrome. This can occasionally cause rendering issues or missing features, especially on newer websites or platforms that heavily rely on google’s web apis.
However, this is improving over time as mozilla continues to work closely with the w3c and encourages web standards compliance across the board.
- Lower market share
As of 2025, firefox holds around 3%–6% of the global browser market. This relatively low usage means it’s often not the default choice for most users, especially those who are not tech-savvy. But for those who understand its strengths, firefox remains a hidden gem.
- Some performance gaps on certain devices
While firefox excels on desktops and laptops, it can be slightly slower on low-end mobile devices compared to chrome or samsung internet. That said, the android version has made significant improvements, and firefox focus (its lightweight, privacy-first mobile version) is also a great option.
Who should use firefox in 2025?
Firefox is ideal for users who:
- Value privacy and want to limit data tracking.
- Prefer open-source, nonprofit-driven software.
- Are looking for a customizable, lightweight browser.
- Want to avoid the dominance of tech giants like google and microsoft.
It’s especially popular among:
- Developers, due to its excellent devtools and standard compliance.
- Privacy-conscious users and digital rights advocates.
- Linux users, who often choose firefox as their default browser.
Final verdict: still a great browser in 2025
Mozilla firefox may not have the flashiest marketing or the largest user base, but it delivers where it counts: privacy, transparency, performance, and independence. In 2025, these values are more important than ever.
If you’re tired of being tracked online, want full control over your browser, or just appreciate clean design and open-source ethics, firefox is absolutely still worth using.
