Understanding Browser Market Share: Which browsers to test on in 2024

The web browser is the most popular gateway to the Internet, replacing traditional “thick clients” with a versatile tool that retrieves and displays web content. Popular browsers like Firefox, Google Chrome, Safari, Internet Explorer, and Opera are widely used today.

With numerous browsers available, cross-browser compatibility testing has become crucial. This ensures that all users, even those using older versions or less common browsers, have a seamless experience. Despite the dominance of Chrome and Firefox, many users still rely on other browsers, making compatibility testing essential to avoid user frustration and potential business loss.

Understanding the browser market share in 2024 is vital to performing effective cross-browser testing and ensuring you test on the most relevant platforms.

The Browser Market As It Stands in 2024

Web browsers continue to advance at the same rapid rate as technology. Due to the continuous introduction of new features and upgrades, it can be tough to keep up with the latest and greatest browsers available on the market. This article will examine the best browsers of 2024, highlighting their essential features and capabilities so that enterprises may make an informed choice.

Overall Browser Market Share 2024

Browser Market share in 2024

12 months trend

A recent market study by Statista shows Google Chrome to be the leading browser in terms of browser market share with 61.80% of all users preferring it. Safari follows with 24.36%, with Edge, Firefox, and other browsers making up the remainder of the list.

However, this list is formulated with both the desktop and the mobile market in consideration.

Desktop-based Browser Market Share Stats 2024

If only desktop-based browsers are considered, then the browser stats change a little bit, with Safari losing its user share; and Edge making significant gains as can be seen below

Mobile-based Browser Market Share Stats 2024

When it comes to checking mobile-based browser stats, Chrome and Safari still hold the lead, whereas Samsung Internet Browser significantly improves its rank by coming up to third place.

Also notable is the omission of Firefox and IE/Edge from this list with Opera and UC Browser supplanting them in their positions.

Individual Browser Statistics & Growth Pattern

Chrome continues to be the most widely used browser on both mobile and desktop platforms. Safari, benefiting significantly from being the default browser on iOS devices, holds a strong second place.

Google Chrome Statistics and Growth Pattern

• As of June 2024, Chrome is among the few apps on Google Play downloaded over 10 billion times.
• Other top Google apps in this category include Google Play Services, YouTube, Google Maps, Gmail, Speech Services by Google, Google Search, and Android Accessibility Suite.
• Chrome operates a Vulnerability Reward Program, offering up to $150,000 for discovering and reporting security vulnerabilities.

Mozilla Firefox Statistics and Growth Pattern

• The Firefox app on Google Play’s Android store has surpassed 100 million downloads.
• Firefox operates as a non-profit organization.
• Currently, more than 20% of Firefox users utilize the ‘Enhanced Tracking Protection’ feature, effectively blocking third-party tracking cookies.

Safari Statistics and Growth Pattern

• Safari is the #1 browser for US mobile users, commanding over 55.21% market share.
• Originally planned to be named ‘Freedom’ by Steve Jobs, developers advocated for ‘iBrowse.’
• Safari has steadily grown in the last decade, now holding a strong number 2 position in the browser market.
• By June 2024, Safari has achieved a usage share of 1-in-5 web users.

Edge Statistics and Growth Pattern

• The original Edge was HTML-based; in January 2020, Microsoft shifted to a Chromium-based version.
• The transition aimed to enhance compatibility and performance.
• Edge has seen consistent year-over-year growth, indicating growing user interest and adoption.

Samsung Internet Statistics and Growth Pattern

• Samsung Internet is a mobile device browser built on the open-source Chromium project and is widely available on many smartphones.
• Since 2015, Samsung Internet has garnered over 1 billion installations from the Google Play Store, surpassing combined installs of browsers like Firefox and Opera.
• Globally, Samsung Internet ranks as the 6th most popular browser across all platforms, following Chrome, Safari, Edge, Firefox, and Opera.

Here are the statistics and growth patterns for Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, Edge, and Samsung Internet as of 2024:

Should volume and market share be sufficient enough to decide the browsers to test on?

The short answer is No. 

First, basing the decision only on volume would exclude a number of market-available browsers. The app’s target market must also be evaluated. For instance, millions of people continue to use Windows XP, and these users are likely to employ Internet Explorer. If the target audience uses Internet Explorer, the website must be fully functional on IE.

Business indicators and value addition may also play a significant role in determining the outcome of this choice. Safari is the second most popular browser, with the majority of its users operating it on Apple devices, which is indicative of affluence. Although having a lower user base than Chrome, these characteristics make Safari an important browser for testing.

Run Cross Browser Tests on Real Mobiles and Desktops

Moreover, with 60% of website traffic coming from mobile devices, it is apparent that users access websites via smartphones. Thus, testing websites on mobile browsers such as Samsung Internet is necessary to ensure mobile compatibility for a wider audience. Even standard browsers such as Chrome and Safari should be tested for mobile versions to guarantee that users can effortlessly access websites using these browsers.

Eventually, a mix of market share, value, and the type of the online application will assist users in narrowing down the browsers that an application or website must be compatible with.

Why test websites on Real Browsers & Devices?

Testing websites on real browsers and devices is crucial to ensure a seamless and consistent user experience. Here are some reasons why prioritizing this approach is important:

1. Precise Results: Testing on real devices and browsers provides accurate insights into how the website performs in real-world conditions, capturing details that emulators might miss.
2. Thorough Testing: Each device and browser has unique behaviors and performance characteristics. Real device testing ensures all potential issues are identified across different environments.
3. Enhanced User Experience: By testing on the same devices and browsers users use, issues that could frustrate them can be identified and addressed, thereby improving overall satisfaction.
4. Effective Debugging: Real device testing allows for more accurate debugging, enabling quick identification and resolution of issues.
5. Browser-Specific Bugs: Some bugs only manifest on specific browsers or versions. Real browser testing helps uncover and address these issues efficiently.

BrowserStack Live offers a robust platform that aligns perfectly with these needs:

• Immediate Access to Real Devices: Users gain instant access to thousands of real devices and browsers, facilitating real-time testing and debugging.
• No Setup Required: With BrowserStack Live, there’s no need for installation or setup. Users can simply log in and start testing on any device or browser right away.
• Reliable and Fast: Seamless testing sessions with minimal lag ensure efficient testing and rapid issue resolution.
• Secure and Private: BrowserStack ensures robust security measures, maintaining a safe testing environment for user data.
• Extensive Compatibility: Users can ensure websites function flawlessly across a wide range of device models, operating systems, and browser versions.

Choosing BrowserStack Live allows websites to deliver a flawless user experience across all devices and browsers, enhancing reliability and user satisfaction.

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Conclusion

Given the discrepancy in the implementation of open web standards by different web browsers, cross-browser testing is required for web developers to achieve compatibility. It is the only approach to provide a uniform user experience across browsers and devices.

While Browser Market Share is a major consideration with which to choose which browsers to test on in 2023, other factors such as application-specific features, target audience, and geographical constraints must be considered to holistically ensure robust cross-browser testing.

Teams can begin cross browser compatibility testing manually with a real device cloud-based solution like BrowserStack Live or with automation tools like Selenium, which is trusted by the majority of enterprises in the automation testing industry.

Depending on the market share, it is essential to test on both the old and the most recent versions of different browsers. Perhaps most significantly, it is essential to test on actual devices, taking into consideration real user conditions for more reliable test results.

Using a cloud-based testing infrastructure such as BrowserStack to perform cross-browser testing is preferable than purchasing and maintaining a digital lab of actual devices.