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Side-by-side comparison ยท AI Browsers & Agents

Firefox vs Google Chrome vs Microsoft Edge

Everything that matters when choosing between them, in one place: our rating, what each can do, what they cost, and the trade-offs.

Firefox

3.6

Free to start

Best overall

Google Chrome

4.1

From $19.99/mo

Microsoft Edge

3.9

From $19.99/mo

Comparing 3 tools, the maximum.

At a glance

Pick it if: Business owners who want a trusted, independent browser and want to decide for themselves whether AI is on or off.

Best overall

Pick it if: Anyone already using Chrome and Google's apps who wants AI help reading, comparing and researching without switching browsers.

Pick it if: Windows and Microsoft 365 users who want AI help with reading, comparing and researching in the browser they already have.

Overview

AttributeFirefoxGoogle ChromeMicrosoft Edge
In one lineMozilla's free browser with optional AI you can switch off with one setting.The world's most used browser, now with Gemini built in to read pages and do tasks.Microsoft's free browser with Copilot built in to read pages, compare tabs and do tasks.
Pricing modelFreeFreemiumFreemium
Starting priceFree$19.99/mo$19.99/mo
Free plan Yes Yes Yes
Works with Claude Code No No No

Rating breakdown

Our scores out of 5. The higher bar in each row is highlighted.

AttributeFirefoxGoogle ChromeMicrosoft Edge
Overall rating3.64.1Winner3.9
Ease of useHow quickly someone non-technical gets value from it.
3.5
4.5
4.5
FeaturesHow completely it covers its own job, and how well the pieces fit together.
3.0
4.0
3.5
Output qualityHow good the results are before you fix them.
3.5
3.5
3.5
Value for moneyWhat you get for the price, including the free plan.
4.5
4.5
4.0
Speed & reliabilityHow fast it is and how often it falls over.
3.5
4.0
4.0

Feature comparison

A tick means it does this today. A dash means we haven't checked.

AttributeFirefoxGoogle ChromeMicrosoft Edge
Access & platform
Free plan Yes Yes Yes
Mobile app Yes Yes Yes
Desktop app Yes Yes Yes
Browser extension No Yes Yes
API access No No No
Teams & business
Team workspace No Yes Yes
Enterprise plan or SSO Yes Yes Yes
Connects to other apps Yes Yes Yes
Open source or self-hosted No No No
AI abilities
Works with your files No Yes Yes
Understands images No Yes Yes
Makes images No Yes Yes
Makes video No No No
Writes code No No No
Runs agents or automations No Yes Yes
Learns your brand or style No No No
Works in many languages Yes Yes Yes
Capabilities score6/ 1712/ 1712/ 17

Pricing

Plans as listed on each vendor's site when we last checked. Confirm before you buy.

AttributeFirefoxGoogle ChromeMicrosoft Edge
Plans

FirefoxOur pick

Free

Everyone, with AI on or off as you choose.

FreeOur pick

Free

Most people: summaries, tab comparisons and AI search.

FreeOur pick

Free

Most people: summaries, tab comparisons and Journeys.

Smart Window beta

Free

Heavy researchers in the US, Canada or France.

Google AI Pro

$19.99/mo

US users who want Gemini to do tasks on websites for them.

Microsoft 365 Premium

$19.99/mo, or $199.99/yr

US households and sole traders who want the agent and Office apps in one bill.

Google AI Ultra

From $99.99/mo

Heavy users who hit Pro's limits.

Microsoft 365 Copilot (business)

See website

Companies on Microsoft 365 business plans.

Which plan to pickThere's nothing to pay. Use the sidebar with whatever AI account you already have. If you're in the US, Canada or France, try Smart Window with a free Mozilla account. Everyone else can join the waitlist.Use it free. The side panel is what most business owners will actually use, and it's free in Australia. Only pay for AI Pro if you're in the US or India and want auto browse, or you want Gemini's better models anyway. Nobody needs Ultra for the browser.Stay on free. The side panel, tab comparisons and Journeys cover what most business owners need, and they cost nothing. Microsoft 365 Premium is only worth it if you're in the US and already want Office for the household; don't buy it just for the browser agent, which Microsoft still calls experimental.

Key features

AttributeFirefoxGoogle ChromeMicrosoft Edge
Standout features
  • Smart Window (beta)
  • Pick your chatbot
  • Link previews
  • Choice of models
  • Optional memory
  • AI Controls
  • Gemini side panel
  • Auto browse
  • Works with Google apps
  • AI Mode in the address bar
  • Skills
  • Scam protection
  • Copilot side panel
  • Journeys
  • Browse with Copilot
  • Memory and history
  • Study, write, listen
  • Voice and Vision on mobile

Pros and cons

AttributeFirefoxGoogle ChromeMicrosoft Edge
Pros
  • Every AI feature is optional and free
  • One switch blocks all AI, and stays off through updates
  • Open source, from a non-profit-owned company
  • Use the chatbot you already pay for
  • Link previews run on your own computer
  • Most people already use it, so there's nothing to switch
  • Free Gemini side panel, available in Australia
  • Works with Gmail, Calendar and YouTube
  • Huge extension library
  • Asks before sign-ins and purchases during auto browse
  • Already installed on Windows, nothing new to learn
  • Free Copilot reads pages and compares open tabs well
  • Journeys makes it easy to pick research back up
  • Chrome extensions and bookmarks work
  • Strong admin controls for businesses on Microsoft 365
Cons
  • Smart Window is only in the US, Canada and France, and still beta
  • No agent that clicks through sites or fills in forms
  • The sidebar is just the chatbot's website in a panel
  • Smart Window needs a Mozilla account and has daily limits
  • A Smart Window bug pulled in browsing from before people opted in, since fixed
  • Auto browse is paid, US and India only, and not on iPhone
  • Early reviews found auto browse unreliable and prone to claiming tasks it hadn't done
  • Page content you share with Gemini is sent to Google
  • Not yet available in the EU
  • Gemini prompts are increasingly pushed into the browser whether you want them or not
  • The agent is US only and needs Microsoft 365 Premium
  • Several features are US or English-language only, so Australian users get less
  • Microsoft calls the agent experimental and warns it can misread instructions
  • Copilot prompts are pushed into many corners of the browser, which some find cluttered
  • Screenshots from agent sessions are kept with the chat for up to 30 days

Who each one is for

AttributeFirefoxGoogle ChromeMicrosoft Edge
Best for
  • Keeping AI out of the browser entirely
  • Using your own ChatGPT or Claude in a sidebar
  • Summarising and tidying lots of open tabs (US, Canada, France)
  • A browser not owned by an ad or AI company
  • Summarising pages and YouTube videos
  • Comparing products or suppliers across tabs
  • Adding events to Google Calendar from a page
  • Google Workspace users who don't want a new browser
  • Summarising long pages and PDFs
  • Comparing products or quotes across open tabs
  • Picking research back up days later with Journeys
  • Businesses already paying for Microsoft 365
You'll find it used by
  • Privacy-minded owners
  • Researchers
  • Developers
  • Teams with AI rules
  • Small business owners
  • Marketers
  • Students
  • Google Workspace users
  • Office workers
  • Small business owners
  • Students
  • Windows users

Questions people ask

Which is better, Firefox, Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge?

Google Chrome scores highest overall in our ratings (Firefox 3.6/5, Google Chrome 4.1/5 and Microsoft Edge 3.9/5). Firefox is best for Keeping AI out of the browser entirely and using your own ChatGPT or Claude in a sidebar. Google Chrome is best for summarising pages and YouTube videos and comparing products or suppliers across tabs. Microsoft Edge is best for summarising long pages and PDFs and comparing products or quotes across open tabs.

Which is cheaper, Firefox, Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge?

Firefox: It's free and open source. Google Chrome: There's a free plan, and paid plans start at $19.99/mo. Microsoft Edge: There's a free plan, and paid plans start at $19.99/mo.

How we compare

Ratings are our own, from using each tool, across ease of use, features, output quality, value for money, speed & reliability.

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