Apple used to keep a tight lid on third-party app support on iOS. That changed with the debut of iOS 7 in 2013, when Apple opened the floodgates for third-party keyboards on iOS. The influx continued with third-party support and the ability to delete built-in iOS apps.
The only area that remains a sore point for power users is the inability to change default apps. To date, one cannot choose a default browser or email app on the iPhone.
While Safari is good enough for the majority of users, competing offerings from Firefox, Google, and Microsoft can't be ruled out. We've already compared Chrome to Safari on iOS, and in this post, we'll compare Safari to Firefox for iOS.
App Size
Safari for iOS comes preloaded and is part of a complete 13GB package out of the box. Firefox weighs in at around 71MB. It currently has a four-star rating.
user interface
Smartphones are running on taller aspect ratios, and as a result, more apps are adopting the bottom bar design for easy access. Fortunately, both apps have adopted the latest trend, with all options at the bottom.
Safari displays recently visited websites. The search bar is at the top, while the tab switcher, history, bookmarks, and saved pages are at the bottom.
The tabbed interface looks like a stack of files in a folder. You can easily look at your open tabs and quickly switch between them.
Firefox looks the same. At face value, you won't find any differences. The only noticeable change to the user interface is that the Library option includes other tweaks like history, bookmarks, saved pages, and the downloads list.
The tab switcher follows a card-style design which displays more tabs and information at once.
Both apps missed the opportunity to put the search bar at the bottom, which should be the ideal place for thumb access.
Advantages
Safari has the standard features of an iOS app. You can search directly in Safari from the Spotlight menu. Siri also uses Safari to provide relevant results. Due to the iPhone's locked-down behavior, third-party apps are forced to use Safari as the default browser app.
In addition, you get maximum ad tracking functionality, Reader Mode, and the ability to launch a webpage on mobile and continue on your Mac. You can also change your default search engine to Bing, Yahoo, or DuckDuckGo from the Settings menu.
Firefox comes with built-in ad and tracker blocking. One can also choose from an excellent reading mode, private mode, night mode, and sync capabilities to access all data across any platform.
Across availability platforms
What's the point of all the features if you can't access them on other devices you own? That's where Firefox's power lies. The app is natively available on iOS, Android, PC, Mac, Linux, and even Fire TV. Log in on any of these platforms and access your browsing data.
Safari is currently limited to Apple platforms. However, it does have some advantages, such as the ability to start an article on one device and continue from the specified location on another.
Again, Apple ignores other platforms, and it can be a headache to transfer all the data from one browser to another.
Password Manager
Firefox recently released Firefox Lockbox, a built-in password manager for the popular browser. The app is available on Android and iOS as well. It's pretty basic and gets the job done.
As you continue to log in from the Firefox browser, the app will automatically add data to Lockbox. You cannot add details manually.
Safari uses Apple's password manager. It authenticates the user using biometric authentication and allows you to add relevant login details. Again, this only works if you own and use Apple products.
There is no app available for this, the function is built into the operating system.
DOWNLOAD FIREFOX LOCKBOX FOR IOS
Reader style
Safari offers an excellent Reader Mode feature out of the box. When a particular page loads, the user will be notified whether Reader Mode is available. If it is, they can click the small icon in the address bar and enjoy a clutter-free reading experience.
One can change the font style, color or even choose a dark theme or page style theme from the options.
Firefox also includes a Reader Mode feature that you can access from the address bar. This mode will strip away all digital content. You can only choose from two font styles and themes.
You can't automatically turn on Reader Mode for all browsers. You'll need to tap the Reader Mode icon each time to use the feature.
Support lists
Although Safari is a built-in app in the Apple ecosystem, it doesn't offer any widget support. Granted, you can search for results from any part of the UI (My Feed or Spotlight), but again, a widget with all the bookmarks and history information would be useful.
Firefox offers a nice basic widget functionality. You can add a new tab directly or switch to a private tab from the feed menu.
- Note: Safari is a built-in iOS app, which means it won't receive frequent updates and new features like Apple only updates it once a year with major iOS releases. Firefox can continually add more functionality and improvements through updates from the App Store.
Which one should you choose?
The answer is straightforward here. If you're locked into the Apple ecosystem, switch to Safari. The app is packed with enough features and takes advantage of cross-device functionality.
I'm using Firefox again, thanks to its cross-platform availability, widget support, and excellent night mode option. I haven't noticed any difference in speed between the two apps.
