The Microsoft Edge browser is now being used by more people than Mozilla Firefox making it the 2nd most popular desktop browser.
While Google Chrome is still far greater than all the other browsers combined at 68.5% market share, for the first time the desktop version of Microsoft Edge has surpassed Mozilla Firefox in market share.
In March 2019, NetMarketShare records Mozilla Firefox's popularity at 9.27%, but over the year the browser has slowly been losing market share as it reached 7.19% in March 2020.
Microsoft Edge, on the other hand, had a market share of 5.20% in March 2019 and finished off a 12-month run at 7.59%, 0.40% higher than Mozilla Firefox.
This brings the market share for the top 10 most popular desktop browsers at the end of March 2020 at:
| Chrome | 68.50% |
| Edge | 7.59% |
| Firefox | 7.19% |
| Internet Explorer 11 | 5.60% |
| Safari | 3.62% |
| 2.41% | |
| Sogou Explorer | 1.88% |
| Opera | 1.14% |
| Yandex | 1.01% |
| UC Browser | 0.42% |
Microsoft Edge's lead is not large by any means, but it continues to show how Firefox loses ground as Microsoft's Chromium-based Edge increases in popularity.
With Microsoft Edge now being Chromium-based, it gains the advantage of being able to use all of the extensions available in the Chrome web store and also increases its compatibility and performance to the same level as Google Chrome.
As Windows 10 is running on a billion devices and the new Microsoft Edge to soon be pushed out to all of them via Windows Update, we should expect to see Edge continue to outstrip Firefox as it eats into Chrome's market share.
Comments
DriftyDonn - 4 years ago
How many of these edge users know anything about choice? Do they use it because it comes w/ the new pc they bought with win10 on it? Do they have any knowledge about Firefox? I would be surprised.
MatrixMetering - 4 years ago
I'd wager that a preponderance of them know about choice. The previous version of Edge wasn't in 2nd place which shows that people chose to download another browser instead of using it. This version of edge is gaining traction because it's not a POS and it resembles Chrome enough that people don't feel the need to switch to something else. People that care about the browser they use and prefer Firefox are still switching to Firefox. And those that prefer Chrome are undoubtedly still switching to Chrome.
Windows10User - 4 years ago
Most of them seem to be by choice, in fact the Chromium Edge isn't even installed automatically by Windows as of 2020-04-06 so users would have had to go out and install it.
NoneRain - 4 years ago
As other stated, the increase in Edge usage til now is entirely by choice, since the new Edge need to be manually downloaded.
NoneRain - 4 years ago
How long before Google starts boycotting Edge with some "edgy" trick?
macfanpl - 4 years ago
"How long before Google starts boycotting Edge with some "edgy" trick?"
why do you think Google should boycott Edge?
NoneRain - 4 years ago
To keep with the most number of users possible. Their profit comes from bigdata. More users feeding = more money, and also, they centralize their services on Chrome. You will not find apps for Windows, only things that can't be made in the browser, like the Drive Backup and Sync.
Just to exemplify: Google was fined by €4.3 billion in EU, back in 2018, for "illegal restrictions on the use of Android", for forcing their services.
But, about the browsers:
https://twitter.com/cpeterso/status/1021626510296285185?s=20
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18697824
Google said that they were compromised to follow the standards after the first example receive some attention, and after that changed their deprecated API, but why use something that is not used anywhere else? Or even, why they didn't cached that in their servers, as they did for IE11?
On the second link, Google said that the hidden empty div before all their vids was a bug....
Look, I can't go and give you absolute evidence, but there're A LOT of this happening over the years.
In the end of the day, colleting data, illegal market maneuvers and "opsies", aren't subjects of interest for the common user, so they're good.
DyingCrow - 4 years ago
Not surprised to see Chinese and Russian browsers there.
I'm guessing that the sudden rise of Edge is due to a successful campaign, specially that thing about "Still using FF? Switch to Edge!" nasty piece of work..., but also the somewhat novelty factor, and the somewhat catchy name.
I'd guess that most ppl roaming around this neighborhood and similar have been using alternatives (um, FF) for a long time, and that's not about to change. No need to, unless something breaks, or there is a need to use something like Tor (which is FF) or Brave (interesting project), for whatever reasons.
Personally, i can't take Chrome or Edge seriously. They're just about to go on a "who has the bigger sausage" battle - ok, maybe i should say "tug of war" instead - which might actually have hilarious results, we'll see.
I just really don't want so see any of this garbage shoved in my face through Google search or Win10.
TanyaC - 4 years ago
I'm not surprised Mozilla is losing market share. They lost their way a long time ago (about the time they released Quantum v57), and have gotten further away from reality ever since. I stick with ESR releases as the mainstream releases are just as bad as Microsoft patches and trying to keep pace with things the new versions keep breaking for 10 PCs takes too much time.
Compared to v60esr, v68esr is slow, breaks compatibility with addons (again), and themes are being deprecated so they are slow and clunky to load. There's a bunch of things, and there seems to be no support.
I will never use a Microsoft browser, but Mozilla need's to wake up before they make themselves totally irrelevant.
macfanpl - 4 years ago
"I'm not surprised Mozilla is losing market share. They lost their way a long time ago (about the time they released Quantum v57), and have gotten further away from reality ever since. I stick with ESR releases as the mainstream releases are just as bad as Microsoft patches and trying to keep pace with things the new versions keep breaking for 10 PCs takes too much time.
Compared to v60esr, v68esr is slow, breaks compatibility with addons (again), and themes are being deprecated so they are slow and clunky to load. There's a bunch of things, and there seems to be no support.
I will never use a Microsoft browser, but Mozilla need's to wake up before they make themselves totally irrelevant. "
well said :) Just few things. You say that Mozilla needs to wake up, BEFORE its too late. No man - I think that this IS too late ALREADY. Mozilla is DONE. With all these actions they took, they have come to the point where there is absolutely NO return.
Its sad, but its reality Im affraid
TanyaC - 4 years ago
Indeed. It is sad that they seem to go in directions that no-one but their devs want to take things. Every time they change something the Mozilla and other browser forums get flooded with "how do I undo" or "how do I restore"....
But the choices are limited. Edge, IE, Chrome are privacy and security disasters. Massive exploit targets.Functionality on a lot of the smaller browsers like Opera, Palemoon, SeaMonkey etc is highly limited... Where you go?
dogood76 - 4 years ago
God, I cannot wait to hear about Edge exploits into the operating system. I've always maintained a distance between what's provided by the OS and my Internet play. Firefox is still my choice because Chrome OS exists so any exploit into that ecosystem is magnified, same with Safari on macOS, Epiphany in Gnome, Konqueror in KDE... well, you get the idea.
macfanpl - 4 years ago
".. well, you get the idea."
No, I dont. Please explain yourself.
KeiFeR123 - 4 years ago
Firefox will always be a third placer but I am okay with that. I love how Firefox protects users compare to Edge or Chrome browsers.