Most Popular Web Browsers 1992 - 2024

This is an update to this popular video with additional browsers and information. It starts with the second web browser ever created, Line Mode, and includes the most popular browsers from those first few years. Note that no browser ever really drops to zero since there's always a hobbyist trying to use it. Data for the first half of the video is sourced from Wikipedia and many articles from that time while the data for the second half of the video comes from StatCounter.

Here's the text about the first browsers in the video:

1992, **Line Mode**, Second web browser ever created
1992, **MacWWW**, First Mac web browser
1992, **ViolaWWW**, First browser to support scripting and stylesheets
1993, **Mosaic**, First to be widely available on most OS
1993, **Cello**, First Windows web browser
1994, **Lynx**, Oldest web browser still maintained today
1995, **Netscape**, Launched at $49 with a 90 day trial
1995, **IE**, Launched as part of Windows 95
1996, **Opera**, Launched to the public as trialware
1997, **Netscape**, Held 70% of the market but IE being part of Windows was gaining fast
1998, **Netscape**, Acquired by America Online for $4.2 billion
1999, **IE**, Microsoft was taken to court for violating antitrust laws
2000, **Netscape**, Version 6 launched with AOL Instant Messenger
2001, **IE**, Microsoft was found guilty of unlawful monopolization and decided to split IE from Windows
2002, **IE**, Crowned the official winner of the first browser war*

So anyway, what is your favorite browser?

[Eliastion]

The scary thing is how little actual choice there is right now. There is Chrome, Chromium-based Edge, Chromium-based Samsung Browser, Chromium-based Opera, Chromium-based Brave.

The only two non-Chromium browsers with over 1% of market share are Safari and Firefox.

[USArmyVet]

Happy to be one of the three percent. Long live Firefox! 🔥🔥🔥

[HelioJorgeRodrigues]

Its funny, Google went to court because Microsoft Monopoly in the browsers market, saying things like was not fair and so on. And now Google have the Monopoly, how ironic that is.

[splintercast]

Surprised Chrome is still so popular. Used it for a while back in about 2012 but quickly switched to Firefox which I have used ever since.

[leokimvideo]

Just scary to see how so many people are funneled to Google products

[ermox]

Brave is super underestimated.
Once you tried it, and you understand you don’t have to deal with ADs and cookies, you can’t turn back

[Timico]

I'll stay with Firefox, just like in the past 20 years.

[eduardbaciu]

Firefox as my main browser from since I got connected to the internet..

[Mo-Thoughx]

I didn't think about writing this but after buying the pro version of Windows Explorer it's much better, I feel very strange writing this.

[cassiuscartland]

Please can some people notice that for a short period of time “PS3 Internet” was on the leaderboard

[Mr.Cofman]

I thought Opera is more popular. But looks like ADs about Opera are more popular than Opera itself.

[thehuguenot]

Back in the day, IE was great for downloading Firefox

[RBRB-zdbq]

most people use Chrome because of its products like Gmail, drive, maps, etc.

[luckyvicky_slay]

There's something about Google Chrome that has me locked in

[oxintomadev]

I use Firefox since i first got a computer, and will continue to
Idk I'm just used to it

[teamt]

Internet Explorer & Win 7 are still used by many govt employees in India

[ericellis]

That's a really good video. I've never seen it summed up so elegantly.

[sachinyadav]

Opera is winner in my eyes. Imagine Keeping yourself in race until the end.

[perryroblox]

I'll stay with Firefox, and also with Brave for no ads or scam Nice video you did good!🎉

[thewebheadgt]

Just 1% people use Brave??
I believed the number was a lot higher.
You are all missing out.