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The Firefox Insider’s Guide

Everything we know about Firefox in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.

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ToolGPAOctober 2026

Firefox

The Insider’s Guide

Free, open-source browser from Mozilla with tracker blocking built in

Firefox, as pictured on firefox.com

Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among browsers, read from Firefox’s own pages.

Made by Mozilla Corporation · checked Oct 5, 2026 · toolgpa.com

3.8GPA

Contents

  1. 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
  2. 02Insider tipsWhat most people miss: ways to pay less, settings worth changing and the catches
  3. 03What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
  4. 04What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
  5. 05Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
  6. 06After you payGetting your money back, getting out, and getting help
  7. 07The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
  8. 08Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
  9. 09About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it

ToolGPA put this guide together from Firefox’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Firefox’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 5, 2026.

Part 01 · Overview

Welcome

What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first

3.8

GPA, above 13 of the 15 other browsers we grade

Firefox is a free, open-source web browser made by Mozilla Corporation, a subsidiary of the not-for-profit Mozilla Foundation. It runs on Mozilla's own Gecko engine rather than Chromium, blocks known trackers by default and isolates each site's cookies. A free Mozilla account syncs bookmarks, history, passwords and tabs across Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS, and AI features are optional.

To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Firefox, taken from its own pages and our grades.

AI in the sidebar is optional and can be switched off.
From our report card of Firefox
  1. 1

    Best for a free browser that isn't built on Chromium

    Firefox is built by Mozilla on its own Gecko engine rather than Chromium, blocks known trackers from the start, and has no paid tier.

  2. 2

    It is free

    Firefox has no paid plan at all. 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.

  3. 3

    It runs on 5 platforms

    Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS.

  4. 4

    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.

  5. 5

    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.

  6. 6

    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.

  7. 7

    A 3.8 GPA, above 13 of 15

    That is against the other browsers we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.

  8. 8

    Keep it

    Firefox is free, so making your own would save you nothing.

Firefox at a glance

Pricing
Free
Free plan
Yes
Free trial
None stated
Runs on
macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
Made by
Mozilla Corporation
Category
Browsers
Our grade
3.8 GPA, excellent
Store rating
4.6 on the App Store, 217,973 ratings

The report card

Best for a free browser that isn't built on Chromium

Firefox is built by Mozilla on its own Gecko engine rather than Chromium, blocks known trackers from the start, and has no paid tier. AI in the sidebar is optional and can be switched off. But the built-in VPN is desktop only, stops at 50 GB a month and covers the browser alone, the homepage shows ads until you turn them off, and Windows 8.1 or macOS 10.14 and older need Firefox ESR.

ToolGPA report cardFirefoxGraded Oct 10, 2026
SubjectGradeComment
Value for moneyAFree, with no paid tier at all. Mozilla sells a separate VPN service at $59.88 a year, but the browser is whole without it and nothing in it is held back for payers.
Free plan and trialAFree outright, with tracker blocking, end-to-end encrypted sync, the PDF editor, translation, and a VPN for 50 GB a month on the desktop. The Mozilla account sync needs is free, and the homepage ads can be switched off.
FeaturesAIt covers the job on its own Gecko engine rather than Chromium. Known trackers blocked by default, each site's cookies kept apart, tab groups and vertical tabs, a sidebar where you pick ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude or Copilot, reader mode, PDF filling and signing, translation done on your machine.
Ease of useB4.65 from about 218,000 App Store ratings, below the 4.8 at the top of this category. Nothing needs configuring: blocking is on from the start and the shield in the address bar shows what it caught.
Platforms and integrationsAAll five: Windows, Mac, Linux, Android and iPhone, with bookmarks, history, passwords and tabs synced end-to-end encrypted, and Send Tab to throw a page at another device. Only the built-in VPN is missing from the phone apps.
Grade point averageExcellent, out of 4.03.8

An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.

Who Firefox is for

  • Fits if you want trackers blocked from day one without touching a setting
  • Works for people who hop between Windows, Mac, Linux and a phone

Who it is not for

  • Skip it if you want the VPN on your phone, as the built-in one is desktop only for now
  • Tight if you'd keep the VPN on all day, since it's capped at 50 GB a month and covers the browser only
  • Pricey if you want a whole-device VPN, as Mozilla's separate service is $9.99 a month or $59.88 a year
  • Watch out: the homepage shows ads to fund development until you switch them off
  • Not for you if you're on Windows 8.1 or macOS 10.14 or older, which need Firefox ESR

Good to know

Good for

  • 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

Worth knowing

  • 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.

Part 02 · Tips

Insider tips

What most people miss: ways to pay less, settings worth changing and the catches

7

Things most people miss, each from its own help pages

The things about Firefox that are easy to miss until they cost you: ways to pay less, settings worth changing and the catches at renewal or when you leave. Each one is from Firefox’s own pages, linked beside it.

Read on Oct 17, 2026. Read from Mozilla's firefox.com pages (protection, the built-in VPN, pinned tabs, the password manager, the eyedropper, private browsing and how Firefox handles your data) on 17 October 2026. Not tried out: these tips are what its own pages say.

  1. 1

    Setting

    Switch tracking protection to Strict to block more trackers

    Firefox starts on Standard. Click the shield to the left of the address bar, then Protection Settings, to pick Strict, which blocks more trackers and cookies, or Custom to choose for yourself. Mozilla warns some sites may need adjusting on Strict.

    firefox.com
  2. 2

    Setting

    Set the built-in VPN per site, not just on or off

    The VPN button in the toolbar turns it on with one click, and you can also set it per site, so a site that misbehaves on a VPN can go direct. It only covers Firefox's own traffic, up to 50 GB a month, not your other apps.

    firefox.com
  3. 3

    Easy to miss

    Pin your email and calendar so they open every time you start

    Pinned tabs open by themselves when Firefox starts, have no close button so you can't shut them by accident, and show when something new comes in. Links you click inside one open in a new tab, so the pinned page stays put.

    firefox.com
  4. 4

    Easy to miss

    Bring your passwords over from Chrome, Edge or Safari in one go

    Switching from another browser? Select Passwords from the menu, then click import them into Firefox at the bottom of the Logins & Passwords page. The import wizard copies your usernames and passwords across, so you don't have to retype them.

    firefox.com
  5. 5

    Easy to miss

    Grab the exact colour code of anything on a page with the eyedropper

    On desktop, the eyedropper sits under More Tools in the toolbar menu, or Browser Tools in the Tools menu. Hover over any colour on a web page and click, and its hex code is copied to your clipboard. No extension needed.

    firefox.com
  6. 6

    Privacy

    Sidebar chatbots follow the chatbot company's privacy rules, not Mozilla's

    Firefox's sidebar can hold ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and others, but what happens to your chats depends on the provider you pick. Mozilla says it has no access to them. Features like Link Previews use models on your own computer instead, so that data stays put.

    firefox.com
  7. 7

    Privacy

    Bookmarks you make in a private window stay after you close it

    Closing the last private window wipes your history and tracking cookies, but any bookmark you saved from it stays. Mozilla also says private mode doesn't hide where you are from websites or stop your internet provider seeing what you do.

    firefox.com

Part 03 · Pricing

What it costs

Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved

Free

No paid plan at all

Firefox is free to use.

The Mozilla account sync needs is free, and the homepage ads can be switched off.
From our grade for free plan and trial

  • 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.

The 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.

Read from firefox.com on Oct 5, 2026.

Part 04 · Features

What it does

Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it

5

Places it runs: macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android

Free, open-source browser from Mozilla with tracker blocking built in. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, end-to-end encrypted, AI features, password manager, web browser.

It covers the job on its own Gecko engine rather than Chromium.
From our grade for features
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.

Where it runs

  • macOS
  • Windows
  • Linux
  • iOS
  • Android

What it works with

  • ChatGPT
  • Gemini
  • Microsoft Copilot
  • Claude
  • Mistral

Who makes Firefox

Firefox is made by Mozilla Corporation, a wholly owned taxable subsidiary of the not-for-profit Mozilla Foundation. Mozilla's 2024 annual report says most of its revenue has come from commercial search partnerships, with display advertising a smaller source.

Founded
2005mozilla.org
Based
Remote-friendly, with offices or coworking spaces in San Francisco, Berlin, Toronto, Paris, London and elsewheremozilla.org
Ownership
Owned by a nonprofit. Mozilla Corporation was set up in August 2005 as a wholly owned taxable subsidiary of the Mozilla Foundation, a not-for-profit, and serves its parent's public benefit goals, according to its own page.mozilla.org
Founders and leaders
Hiring
35 open positions across the Mozilla family of organizations, 11 of them on the Firefox team and 6 each in infrastructure and new productsmozilla.org
Lately
Follow

Read on Oct 18, 2026 from the company’s own pages and from news reports. What is not stated there is left out.

Part 05 · Standing

Where it stands

Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own

13/15

Other browsers it is graded above

Firefox's GPA of 3.8 is higher than 13 of the 15 other browsers we grade, and level with 2.

It stands best on platforms and integrations (A, above 13 of 15) and worst on ease of use (B, above 4).

Firefox has no paid plan.

On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 3.7 out of 4, and no tool on the category's chart scores higher without costing more.

Each grade against the category

Every bar is all 16 browsers we grade, cut by the letter each got. Firefox’s own letter is outlined.

  • AValue for moneyAbove 8 of 15
  • AFree plan and trialAbove 5 of 15
  • AFeaturesAbove 12 of 15
  • BEase of useAbove 4 of 15
  • APlatforms and integrationsAbove 13 of 15

Price against what you get

Each dot is one of 15 browsers. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Firefox is the marked dot.

C2.0B3.0A4.0Free$2$5$10$20More for lessCosts more, scores moreCosts less, scores lessCosts more, scores lessFirefoxBraveGoogle ChromeShift

What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →

Keep it, or make your own?

Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.

Keep it

Firefox is free, so making your own would save you nothing.

And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.8 is higher than 13 of the 15 other browsers we grade.

What you could not

  • A web browser.
  • A password vault, the last thing anyone should make for themselves.
  • Apps for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
  • It plugs into other products, ChatGPT, Gemini and Microsoft Copilot among them.
  • End-to-end encryption done properly.
  • AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
  • Sharing with other people, which means accounts and invitations.
  • The depth: we grade its features A, which means it covers the whole job.

What this rests on. Firefox’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.

Part 06 · Refunds

After you pay

Getting your money back, getting out, and getting help

–Refunds
CSupport

What happens once you have paid: whether you can get your money back, how to leave, and how to reach a person when something goes wrong. Each is graded from Firefox’s own terms and help pages.

Leaving Firefox

–Grade

Not graded · checked Oct 18, 2026

Firefox is free and Mozilla says so flatly on its own FAQ: no hidden costs, nothing to pay. So there is no plan, no renewal and nothing to refund. The only thing you can close is the optional Mozilla account that syncs your bookmarks and passwords, and you delete that yourself from the account settings in a few clicks. It is permanent, and it takes any add-ons you published with it.

Closing your account

There is no paid plan to cancel. The optional Mozilla account used for sync is deleted by signing in at the account site, scrolling to the bottom of the settings, clicking Delete Account, ticking the boxes that acknowledge what deletion does, entering your password and confirming. Mozilla says the account is then permanently deleted.

  1. Open the Mozilla account site and sign in
  2. Scroll to the bottom of the settings and click Delete Account
  3. Tick the checkboxes acknowledging the effects of deleting the account, then click Continue
  4. Enter your Mozilla account password
  5. Click Delete Account to confirm
Stated on support.mozilla.org
What you keep afterwards

Mozilla says the account is permanently deleted, and that add-ons or themes you have developed go with it unless another account holder shares ownership. Passkeys registered to the account stop working for Mozilla services, though they stay listed on your devices until you remove them. A separate article covers deleting synced data from one device by signing out with the delete-data box ticked.

Stated on support.mozilla.org

In your favour

  • The browser is free with no paid tier, so there is no bill and nothing to cancel.
  • You delete the Mozilla account yourself, in the account settings, with nobody to write to.
  • You can wipe synced data from one device without deleting the account at all.

Watch out for

  • Deleting the Mozilla account is permanent, and Mozilla's page makes no offer to undo it.
  • Any add-ons or themes you published are deleted with the account unless someone else co-owns them.
  • Passkeys tied to the account stop working, and you have to clear them off your devices yourself.

Customer support

CGrade

Ordinary · checked Oct 18, 2026

For a free browser this is the usual community arrangement, and a good version of it: a very large knowledge base, hundreds of articles per topic, and public forums where Mozilla's volunteers answer. What you do not get is a person on a phone or a chat window. Mozilla even warns that it will never ask you to call a number, so treat anyone who does as a scam. Documentation plus an active forum is a C.

Ways to get help

  • Contact form or ticket

    Mozilla account problems have their own route: the article on deleting an account says to send a message to the support team if you still cannot sign in, and the sign-in step says an account is needed both to post in the forums and to contact support agents.

    Stated on support.mozilla.org

  • Help centre

    Firefox Help is a large free knowledge base sorted by topic, with more than a hundred articles each on browsing, settings and privacy and security. It is open to anyone without signing in.

    Stated on support.mozilla.org

  • Community or forum

    Mozilla's support forums are the route it offers for Firefox when the articles do not help: the Get Support page shows self-help first, then asks you to sign in with a Mozilla account to post a question for the community to answer.

    Stated on support.mozilla.org

Not listed on Firefox’s pages: live chat, phone.

When people answer

Its pages do not say.

How fast it says it replies

Its pages do not say.

What depends on your plan

Its pages do not say.

In your favour

  • Everything is free: there is no paid support tier because there is no paid plan.
  • The knowledge base is unusually deep and sorted by topic, with hundreds of articles.
  • Mozilla warns on the support page that it will never ask you to call or text a number, which heads off scams.

Watch out for

  • No phone line and no live chat anywhere: the forum is the route for Firefox itself.
  • You need a Mozilla account to post a question or to reach a support agent.
  • No hours and no reply time are stated, and forum answers come from volunteers.

What these two grades rest on. Read on 18 October 2026: the Firefox FAQ on firefox.com, Mozilla's support article on deleting a Mozilla account, its article on deleting sync data by signing out, the Firefox Help knowledge base, and Mozilla's Get Support pages for Firefox and for a Mozilla account. Nobody here deleted an account or contacted Mozilla's support. They are graded apart from the five that make the GPA. How we grade refunds and support.

Part 07 · Alternatives

The alternatives

The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side

Google Chrome, Brave, Zen Browser, Vivaldi and Microsoft Edge

The 5 tools Firefox is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.

  • 3.6GPA

    Google Chrome

    Free

    Google's free browser for desktop and mobile, with Gemini built in.

    • Firefox is open source and end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
    • Google Chrome also covers passkeys.
    Firefox and Google Chrome compared in full
  • 3.8GPA

    Brave

    Free plan · from $3.00/mo

    Open-source browser that blocks ads and trackers by default.

    • Firefox is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
    • Brave also covers video calls.
    Firefox and Brave compared in full
  • 2.8GPA

    Zen Browser

    Free

    Free, open-source desktop browser built around vertical tabs.

    • Only Firefox lists Android and iOS apps.
    • Firefox is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
    • Firefox also covers password manager.
    Firefox and Zen Browser compared in full
  • 3.8GPA

    Vivaldi

    Free

    Customizable browser with built-in mail, calendar and feed reader.

    • Firefox is open source, according to its own site.
    • Firefox also covers password manager.
    • Vivaldi also covers notes, calendar, email client, screenshots and rSS reader.
    Firefox and Vivaldi compared in full
  • 3.6GPA

    Microsoft Edge

    Free

    Microsoft's browser with the Copilot assistant built in.

    • Firefox is open source and end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
    • Microsoft Edge also covers passkeys.
    Firefox and Microsoft Edge compared in full

Part 08 · Questions

Quick answers

The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two

15

Questions, each answered in a line or two

The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.

Is Firefox free?

Yes. Firefox is free to use.

How much does Firefox cost?

Firefox lists one plan. Free: $0.

What platforms does Firefox work on?

Firefox is available on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS.

How is Firefox rated?

Firefox's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.6 out of 5 from 217,973 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 5, 2026.

Is Firefox open source?

Yes. Firefox is open source, according to its own site.

Is Firefox end-to-end encrypted?

Firefox describes itself as end-to-end encrypted on its own site. Nobody here has audited that.

What does Firefox integrate with?

Firefox's listing names ChatGPT, Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, Claude and Mistral.

Who makes Firefox?

Firefox is made by Mozilla Corporation. Mozilla Corporation was set up in August 2005 as a wholly owned taxable subsidiary of the Mozilla Foundation, a not-for-profit, and serves its parent's public benefit goals, according to its own page.

What are the alternatives to Firefox?

The closest alternatives to Firefox in our directory are Google Chrome, Brave, Zen Browser, Vivaldi and Microsoft Edge.

How do I close a Firefox account?

There is no paid plan to cancel. The optional Mozilla account used for sync is deleted by signing in at the account site, scrolling to the bottom of the settings, clicking Delete Account, ticking the boxes that acknowledge what deletion does, entering your password and confirming.

What happens to my data if I leave Firefox?

Mozilla says the account is permanently deleted, and that add-ons or themes you have developed go with it unless another account holder shares ownership.

How do I contact Firefox support?

Firefox's pages list these ways to get help: contact form or ticket, help centre and community or forum.

How does Firefox compare with other browsers?

Firefox's GPA of 3.8 is higher than 13 of the 15 other browsers we grade, and level with 2.

Is Firefox good value for money?

ToolGPA grades Firefox A for value for money. Firefox has no paid plan.

Could I make my own version of Firefox?

Firefox is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.

Where this guide comes from

The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Firefox’s own pages on Oct 5, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Mozilla's own pages on 5 October 2026, and its App Store rating. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-07-15.

Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Mozilla Corporation. Prices change, so check firefox.com before you buy.

Part 09 · About

About ToolGPA

Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it

3,189

Tools graded, in 94 categories

ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.

Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.

  • 3,189

    tools graded

  • 94

    categories

  • 426

    price changes on record

  • 579

    apps priced in 12 countries

What else is on toolgpa.com

Scan for the live page

Prices and grades as they are today

Quoting this guide?

Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:

ToolGPA, "Firefox: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 5, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/firefox

Know someone choosing between browsers?

Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/firefox/guide

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See our other guides

The best-graded browsers after Firefox, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.

ToolGPA

Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.

Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›

Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Firefox’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Firefox is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Mozilla Corporation. Prices and plans change: check firefox.com before you buy.