Microsoft Edge vs Safari

Microsoft Edge

• Windows users who want Copilot inside the browser
• Comparing options across many open tabs
• People who use Bing, Microsoft Rewards and the Microsoft 365 web apps

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

Microsoft Edge

• Copilot has usage limits; Microsoft says higher limits, agents and complex multi-step tasks need a Microsoft 365 subscription.
• The iPhone and iPad app lists Microsoft 365 Personal and Premium as in-app purchases, from $9.99.
• Microsoft notes that feature availability varies by device type, market and browser version, and that supported extensions differ between operating systems.
• Password Generator works only when signed in to Edge with password sync turned on.

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.

Microsoft Edge

Copilot in Edge

Copilot sits in the browser to summarize pages, PDFs and videos, answer questions about the page being viewed and compare details across open tabs.

Journeys and the Copilot new tab page

Journeys group related pages, searches and chats so earlier research can be picked up again. The Copilot new tab page takes a question, a search or a web address in one box.

Workspaces and split screen

Workspaces keep sets of tabs separate and color coded, split screen shows two pages side by side in one tab, and tabs can be grouped by topic in one click.

Microsoft Password Manager and passkeys

Password Generator, Password Monitor and Password Health suggest strong passwords, sync them between devices and flag saved credentials found in known leaks. Passkeys are supported too.

Built-in security tools

Microsoft Defender SmartScreen blocks known phishing sites and malicious downloads, a scareware blocker targets fake warnings and support scams, and InPrivate clears history, cookies and form data on close.

Performance and gaming features

Energy saver extends battery life, PC gaming boost cuts the browser's resource use when a game launches, and Edge for Game Bar is an in-game browser for PC gaming.

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.

Microsoft Edge

• Free$0

  The full browser on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android, with Copilot built in and sync between signed-in devices.

Safari

• Free$0

  The full browser on Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Vision Pro, included with the device's operating system.