When discussing the Android browser wars, the conversation usually revolves around Google Chrome’s dominance and popular rivals like Firefox and Edge.
However, among them, one unusual contender has surprised everyone: Samsung Internet.
While many tech enthusiasts overlook it, dismissing it as simple bloatware pre-installed on Galaxy devices, this browser has quietly built a loyal, active user base.
Whether it’s performance, customization, features, or privacy, Samsung Internet ticks all the boxes, and in many ways, it actually beats the giants.
The market misconception around browsers
For years, I was firmly in the camp of browser purists.
Ask me about mobile browsing, and I would immediately talk about Chrome’s synchronization, Firefox’s extensions, or the raw speed of a niche competitor like Brave.
Like most tech enthusiasts, I viewed Samsung Internet with skepticism. I saw it as nothing more than OEM bloatware — an app Samsung had to install because it couldn’t make Chrome the default on its devices.
It felt like an afterthought, something many Android manufacturers often do with their default offerings. Every new Galaxy phone I activated, the first thing I did was install Chrome and forget Samsung Internet even existed.
That was my mindset until a few months ago. I decided to give it a genuine, month-long try, and I have to admit: I was completely wrong.
I fully expected I would go back to Chrome, but instead, I discovered a browser that covers the basics and even beats the giants in crucial areas.
I realized that the ‘browser nobody talks about’ has quietly evolved into an intuitive, feature-packed experience.
Samsung Internet is packed with customization options
On paper, Chrome is simple, but in practice, its interface felt rigid and designed for Google’s priorities, not mine. Samsung Internet flips that script entirely.
I can easily go into the Layout and Menu settings and set the address bar to the bottom. But the customization goes so much deeper.
I love having control over my data, so that fact that I can quickly tap the menu and swap my default search engine on the fly — bouncing between Google, DuckDuckGo, or even YouTube for a specific query — is invaluable.
I also ditched the standard Quick Access homepage immediately and set a custom page with a simple, clean landing page of my choice.
I can even tweak the toolbar menu at the bottom and place shortcuts exactly where I want them.
Overall, Samsung Internet doesn’t force a one-size-fits-all approach like the bigger players.
A bunch of productivity add-ons
Samsung Internet’s suite of built-in tools makes mobile browsing productive and enjoyable. It offers a highly effective content blocker. Beyond blocking the junk, it enhances the content I want to see.
When I’m trying to catch up on a dense news site, the one-tap Reader Mode instantly clears away all the sidebars, navigation, and visual noise, and leaves the article text in a clean, distraction-free format.
And then there is the Video Assistant. This is an absolute marvel for anyone who consumes media outside of dedicated apps like YouTube or Netflix.
It gives me a universal set of controls for virtually any video embedded on any website. Plus, I can easily pop the player out into a floating window or, even better, enable background play.
These small tweaks transform Samsung Internet from a simple rendering engine into a genuine productivity powerhouse right out of the box.
Samsung Internet covers security and privacy
This is where Samsung Internet seals the deal for me. For me, privacy isn’t an optional setting; it’s a non-negotiable feature, and Chrome’s basic Incognito mode just doesn’t cut it anymore.
Its secret mode goes beyond simple private browsing. I can set it to be protected by my fingerprint, meaning that even if someone manages to grab my unlocked phone, my private browsing tabs remain locked and inaccessible.
It creates a truly secure vault for my sensitive web activity, which is peace of mind I never had with alternatives.
Apart from the secure vault, the browser offers a Privacy Dashboard. I found this to be insightful. It gives me a simple, visual breakdown of exactly how many trackers and pop-ups the browser has blocked over the last week.
Another thing to note is that Samsung Internet is available on all Android phones via the Google Play Store. It’s not restricted to Samsung Galaxy devices only.
The unlikely victor
For years, many in the tech world dismissed Samsung Internet as a mere pre-installed app on Galaxy devices.
However, during my recent browser showdown, I took it up for a spin and came away quite impressed.
By offering ad blocking, a truly one-handed design, and superior biometric security from day one, Samsung Internet delivers a browsing experience that prioritizes our growing needs.
That said, Samsung Internet is far from perfect. The biggest issue is the lack of cross-platform availability. Although you can access your bookmarks via a Chrome extension, it’s far from ideal.
If that’s a deal-breaker for you, I suggest going with an alternative.
