These 3 lesser-known Android browsers do what Chrome refuses to

Statistics show that Google Chrome is the most popular Android browser, but it has been restrictive from the start. While the Google browser works fine with Android, you miss a lot of features because Chrome just refuses to support those options. Be it ad blocking, customization, or media management, Chrome can leave you disappointed sooner than you think. That is not the end of the story, though.

The following three Android browsers offer features that Google Chrome has never supported. They also offer a better overall web browsing experience, depending on your requirements.

Via Browser runs userscripts Chrome has never allowed on mobile

It is still a fraction of what Chrome weighs

Via Browser is a unique Android web browser that does many things Google Chrome never even attempts. The first thing you would notice about Via Browser is that it doesn't take up more than 15MB of storage to work as a fully-fledged web browser. Therefore, even with an older Android smartphone, you can still have a smooth browsing experience. However, what sets Via Browser apart from Google Chrome is its support for userscripts.

Userscripts are custom JavaScript-based programs that you can integrate into a browser. You can use them to inject new features, remove annoying items from a web page, or even customize how a web page functions. That you can natively manage and install these scripts using a minimal web browser is indeed impressive. For instance, you can use a userscript to block ads across webpages or another script to remove a specific element.

Customization is also an area where Chrome can not even hope to beat Via Browser. Despite being super lightweight, the app lets you customize almost every aspect of the browser, including selecting toolbars, enabling ad blocking, and setting a custom homepage. I was also surprised to find features like a download manager and QR code scanner built into a super minimal app like this. Therefore, you can easily switch to this minimal web browser without worrying about losing features.

Given the storage space and other resources Google Chrome consumes on your Android smartphone, Via Browser is a blessing for most people, especially if you have a mid-range smartphone.

Cromite kills the ad before the page even asks for it

Not an extension, but how the browser works.

Staying away from the Google ecosystem and blocking ads are two things you cannot really do with Google Chrome. However, Cromite, a Chromium fork, can help you do it on your smartphone. Therefore, if you plan to de-Google your Android smartphone while retaining a familiar way to browse the web, you can consider installing Cromite. As you may have guessed, Cromite doesn't ship any Google services bundled, and you have to side-load the app from another platform.

The built-in ad blocker is the first thing you would notice on Cromite. It works at the network level, meaning the browser intercepts requests and prevents them from being rendered in the first place. As a result, I noticed a significant improvement in page load speed when moving from Chrome to Cromite. It has also baked certain anti-fingerprinting features into the system. For instance, Canvas, WebGL, and audio fingerprinting surfaces are always randomized so that websites cannot create a fingerprint of your profile.

Cromite also provides access to additional features. For instance, you can use the Credential Manager or add more features using the userscripts support. There are advanced appearance control options as well. While almost everything is great, keep in mind that you might receive updates more slowly because development takes time. Overall, Cromite makes sense as a great alternative to Google Chrome if you don't want to lose the familiarity aspect.

Quetta installs Chrome extensions on your Android phone

From the actual Chrome Web Store

Quetta is another browser that feels like paradise after moving from Google Chrome on Android. For starters, Quetta supports something that Google Chrome has never had on Android: extension support. It means you can use this Chromium-based Android browser to install almost every Google Chrome extension that you can find on the Chrome Web Store. This basically gives you access to extensions such as uBlock Origin, Bitwarden, and Dark Reader.

Even though you technically have access to a variety of extensions, you cannot expect all extensions to work the same way because interface differences are present. The ability to try out these features makes a huge difference indeed. You'd also appreciate that ad-blocking is built into the web browser. Depending on where you download Quetta from, you can also benefit from its support for background audio playback on YouTube, which is something you'd otherwise pay for.

Something else you would really love in Quetta is the built-in video downloader, which works for Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. This is something you cannot expect in Google Chrome, and it works pretty smoothly. I also love how a toolbar appears whenever you load a video, making it easy to manage playback and related features. Like many other browsers on this list, Quetta Browser is very customizable, allowing you to create a unique browsing experience.

In the end, Quetta has enough features to check out, and conveniently, you can always get a Google Play version, even if that means compromising on some features.

Chrome has to up its game

Looking at these three options, it is clear that all other browsers offer the features people want. Sure, given the company's control over how the web works, Google Chrome can take certain reservations, but it won't last long as more people keep switching to better web browsers. Google Chrome will also have to step up its game on Android as much as it does on desktop devices.