Firefox vs Safari
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Firefox
Free, open-source browser from Mozilla with tracker blocking built in
Free
Where they differ
- Firefox is free. Safari is free.
- Only Firefox lists Windows, Linux and Android apps.
- Firefox is open source and end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Firefox also covers password manager.
- Safari also covers passkeys and read later.
In commonFree planmacOSiOSWeb browser
At a glance
| Firefox | Safari | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | The browser is free with no paid tier. The built-in VPN is free for up to 50 GB of browser traffic per month, and sync uses a free Mozilla account. | Safari is included with the operating system on Apple devices and is listed as free on the App Store. There is no paid tier. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Mozilla Corporation | Apple |
| Price read from | firefox.com | apps.apple.com |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Firefox
- People who want tracker blocking switched on by default
- Users who prefer an open-source browser that is not based on Chromium
- Those who want to pick their own AI chatbot, or turn AI off
- Anyone moving between Windows, macOS, Linux and a phone
Safari
- People who use a Mac, iPhone and iPad together
- Browsing with tracker protection that is on by default
- Families and groups planning together in shared Tab Groups
Worth knowing
Firefox
- The built-in VPN is capped at 50 GB per month and protects browser traffic only. Mozilla's paid VPN service costs $59.88 per year or $9.99 per month, plus tax.
- Firefox shows optional ads on its homepage to fund development. They can be turned off.
- The built-in VPN has not reached Firefox for Android or iOS; Mozilla's roadmap lists VPN on mobile as upcoming work.
- Windows 8.1 and below and macOS 10.14 and below are no longer supported by the standard release; they need Firefox ESR.
Safari
- Safari runs only on Apple devices. Apple says it no longer offers Safari updates for Windows or other non-Apple operating systems.
- New versions arrive with operating system updates, so getting the latest Safari means updating macOS, iOS, iPadOS or visionOS.
- Live Text, which selects text inside images and paused video, is supported in seven languages.
Key features
Firefox
- Tracking and cookie protection
- Enhanced Tracking Protection blocks known trackers by default, and Total Cookie Protection keeps each site's cookies separate. The shield icon in the address bar shows what was blocked.
- Built-in VPN
- A VPN toggle in the desktop toolbar routes browser traffic through a proxy server to hide the IP address, free for up to 50 GB per month. It covers the browser only, not other apps on the device.
- Tab groups, vertical tabs and sidebar
- Tabs can be grouped and color coded or stacked vertically, and a customizable sidebar gives one-click access to bookmarks, history, synced tabs and other tools.
- AI chatbots in the sidebar
- The sidebar can host a third-party assistant such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, Claude or Mistral Chat. AI features are optional and can be turned off entirely.
- Sync with a Mozilla account
- Bookmarks, history, saved passwords and open tabs sync across desktop and mobile with end-to-end encryption, and Send Tab pushes a page from one device to another.
- Reader mode, PDF editor and translation
- Reader mode strips clutter from articles, a built-in editor fills, signs and annotates PDFs, and pages are translated in the browser without sharing the data with anyone else.
Safari
- Intelligent Tracking Prevention
- On-device intelligence limits cross-site tracking and hides the IP address from known trackers. A Privacy Report lists the trackers stopped on the current site and over the past week.
- Tab Groups and Profiles
- Tab Groups save named sets of tabs, sync between devices and can be shared with other people. Profiles keep history, extensions, cookies and favorites separate for topics such as Work and Personal.
- Sync and Handoff
- Passwords, bookmarks, history and tabs sync across Mac, iPad and iPhone, and Handoff passes the page being viewed from one nearby device to another.
- Passkeys and iCloud Keychain
- iCloud Keychain stores and autofills passkeys, passwords and credit card numbers on trusted devices. Safari also warns about suspicious websites and upgrades HTTP to HTTPS when available.
- Reader, Reading List and translation
- Reader removes ads and navigation from articles, Reading List saves pages to read later on any iCloud-connected device, even offline, and whole web pages can be translated in the browser.
- Extensions and web apps
- Third-party extensions for iPhone, iPad and Mac come from the Safari category on the App Store. A website can be saved to the Mac Dock or the iPhone and iPad Home Screen as a web app.
Plans
Firefox
Free$0
The full browser on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS, including tracker blocking, sync and, on desktop, the built-in VPN up to 50 GB a month.
Safari
Free$0
The full browser on Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Vision Pro, included with the device's operating system.
