These are the best Firefox forks on Android and desktop

Mozilla hasn’t had the smoothest 2025 so far. The company behind the Firefox web browser recently introduced updates to its Privacy Notes and Terms of Use that alarmed privacy-minded users. While the company has clarified that the changes were primarily made to remove any exacting statements about its treatment of user data, it came as a blow to a browser built on its privacy credentials.

Understandably, some users are considering alternatives to Firefox, but what if you don’t want to use Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Brave, or the like? What if you want to stick with Firefox but remain skeptical of the company’s data practices? Thankfully, there are plenty of Firefox forks for you to try.

Mozilla builds and maintains the primary version of Firefox, but as an open-source project, it also allows other developers to build on or “fork” it in another direction. These versions are referred to as Firefox forks. They essentially contain all the underpinnings that make Firefox work but with a different design, layout, set of settings, or objectives. Many Firefox forks focus on bolstering the browser’s privacy credentials, while some aim to make it more conducive to productivity or customizable.

Forks also offer a viable workaround if you want to duplicate Firefox on your mobile device. Firefox on Android doesn’t let you use multiple profiles, even if it does on Windows. However, using multiple Firefox forks essentially plugs this feature gap.

For the lion’s share of users, there’s no reason to use a Firefox fork over the stable version of the browser. Despite their possible advantages, forks often suffer from being slightly behind the mainline Firefox development curve. There’s always the risk of a project being dropped, like Mull, leaving long-term users cold and wet if they don’t jump ship. This isn’t something that would happen when using the official version of the browser.

In short, unless a Firefox fork offers that specific something you’re looking for and won’t find in the mainline browser, just stick with the latter.

The best Firefox forks on Android and desktop

So, which Firefox forks are worth trying? I’m not one to recommend a specific fork for you, but I will suggest those that offer something unique.

Fennec foxes are among my favorite animals, so I have natural, irrational admiration this Firefox fork. Objectively, though, it’s a pretty good browser. It’s difficult to tell apart from the mainline Firefox build, but there are clear differences if you look closely.

First off, Fennec offers a far cleaner start screen that’s devoid of sponsored shortcuts (disabled by default) and links. It also trades Google as the default search engine for DuckDuckGo. Fennec developers have also stripped the telemetry and data monitoring tools from the browser, making it more privacy-conscious than Firefox itself. Add-on support and even support for Firefox’s hidden about:config tinker menu are available.

If Fennec has any flaws, one is that you won’t find it on the Google Play Store. You’ll need to snag it via F-Droid, which makes it a little tricky for those who aren’t familiar with third-party app stores on Android. It’s not available on desktop OSes.

Waterfox is one of the few Firefox forks easily found on the Google Play Store, and somehow, I haven’t used it until this month. It’s also offered to Windows users if the desktop version of Firefox isn’t your cup of tea.

The browser follows Fennec by stripping data collection and tracking tools, but its default search is monetized. You can easily switch out Startpage for something else, though. Waterfox also has Oblivious DNS on by default, which disguises a user’s IP address from a DNS server during requests. It adds another layer of identity obfuscation to your browsing habits.

Beyond this, Waterfox also supports Firefox Sync, allowing you to easily sync your desktop Firefox (or Waterfox) with your Android browser. You will need a Mozilla account for this, though. While Waterfox supports extensions, its Android version does not offer about:config access.

Of the two Firefox forks mentioned above, I’ve probably used Iceraven the most, but only as a secondary browser. It’s far less pointed with its privacy or stability claims than Waterfox and Fennec. One rather amusing note in its GitHub description reads: “No warranties or guarantees of security or updates or even stability!” Naturally, it’s not available on the Play Store, but it does support Firefox Sync and allows users access to the browser’s about:config page.

Iceraven keeps sponsored shortcuts and sponsored stories from Pocket activated on its new tab page but switches out Google and Startpage for DuckDuckGo as its default search engine. The developers also claim the browser offers broader extension support than the mainline Firefox browser.

While not a fork, I felt that Focus should be mentioned on this list as a variant of Firefox itself. Developed by Mozilla, Focus offers no tab support, doesn’t save history or cookies, and clears browsing data after you close it. It does include some user data features like the mainline Firefox browser, but this can also be switched off in its settings tree. Notably, Focus is meant to be a one-and-done type of browser for single-tab searches, and it largely works well in that role.

Unrelated to Focus, Mozilla has a few other versions of Firefox on the Play Store, including Nightly, which offers bleeding-edge features that are not ready for prime time, and Beta, which is one step closer to the stable build. These two browsers are not forks, though, rather early previews of the stable version of Firefox.

An emerging fork of Firefox for desktop, Zen is primarily focused on improving productivity. It makes several divergent design decisions, offering multiple tab support within a single browsing window, a feature called Workspaces that allows separate tab trees across sub-browser windows, and a more compact design that makes vertical tabs the default. My favorite Zen feature is Zen Glance, which loads web pages in a small popout window, allowing me to investigate a page without clicking the link. This keeps me zoned into my original task.

In addition to Firefox’s broad extension library, Zen also has its own extension system called Zen Mods. These community-made modifications change various facets of the browser, from minor aesthetic updates to more intricate productivity improvements. There are less than 100 at this time, but I expect its size to grow as the browser gains popularity.

Zen does have a few problems, though. For one, it’s currently in beta, so I wouldn’t advise people to use it for mission-critical work. Secondly, it’s unavailable on Android and seems unlikely to ever land on the mobile platform.

With a name like that, how could I not mention Floorp? It sounds like a joke, but the browser is arguably one of the best Firefox forks on desktop right now. It’s massively customizable, giving users five distinct interface design choices to suit their particular needs. Its support for dual sizebars — that is a left and right sidebar on either sides of the browser window — is surprisingly great for multitasking.

Despite its focus on design, Floorp is also upfront about its privacy focus. It includes no user tracking and promises regular updates based on Firefox’s Extended Support Release program.

Basilisk is probably one of the more interesting Firefox forks on this list. It may look like a much older version of Firefox, but that’s just its cover. It utilizes the older Firefox Australis design that takes me back to the good, old Windows 7 days, but it’s still maintained and offers all the modern support you’d expect from a browser in 2025. Nevertheless, its use of an older UX allows it to support older Firefox add-ons hosted on its own site, making it useful in a very particular way. It also offers an x86 version, allowing it to run on much older hardware.

The developers are open with their treatment of user data, openly stating, “We don’t want your data” in its privacy breakdown. While it doesn’t support Firefox Sync, it does offer Pale Moon Sync, a

Beyond this, Basilisk is perhaps better used as a backup or secondary browser than a primary mode of transport.

Finally, if you want a Firefox fork for desktop that focuses on bolstering privacy and security, it’s tough to recommend anything other than Librewolf. Right up front, the developer of this fork notes the browser’s primary focus is protecting against user tracking and identification, with additional security improvements thrown in for good measure.

It includes several private search providers, has uBlock Origin preinstalled, and lacks the telemetry tools you’ll find in Firefox proper. Due to its stricter stance on privacy, Librewolf has been known to break a few sites. I wouldn’t consider using it as a daily driver.

Is there a Firefox fork that you use daily? Why do you use it? Let us know in the comments below.