What is Safari used for?

Safari is Apple's web browser for Mac, iPhone and iPad, with built-in tracking prevention, extensions and iCloud sync for tabs and passwords. It is a good fit for everyday browsing on Mac, iPhone and iPad; continuing a tab on another Apple device; and browsing with stronger tracking protection.

Is Safari open source?

No. Safari is proprietary (closed-source) software. Open-source alternatives to Safari include Zen Browser, Brave Browser and Firefox.

What are some alternatives to Safari?

Safari competes with Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge and Opera. For open-source options, see Enlisted's ranked list of open-source Safari alternatives.

Safari: features, pricing and alternatives

About Safari

Safari is the web browser made by Apple for macOS, iOS and iPadOS. It ships with Apple devices and is designed to work closely with the rest of the Apple ecosystem, including iCloud syncing of tabs and passwords across a user's devices.

Apple emphasizes privacy and efficiency. Intelligent Tracking Prevention uses on-device intelligence to limit cross-site tracking, a Privacy Report summarizes which trackers were blocked on the sites a user visits, and Private Browsing adds protections such as locking private windows when they are not in use. Safari also supports third-party extensions and is tuned to conserve battery life on portable devices.

Safari is proprietary software and is a local application rather than a hosted or self-hosted service. It is the default choice for people who mostly use Apple hardware and want a browser integrated with the operating system.

Key features

Intelligent Tracking Prevention against cross-site tracking
Privacy Report of blocked trackers
Private Browsing with locked windows
Support for third-party extensions
iCloud sync for tabs and passwords
Battery-efficient browsing on Apple devices

Good fit for

→Everyday browsing on Mac, iPhone and iPad
→Continuing a tab on another Apple device
→Browsing with stronger tracking protection

Tags: web-browser; apple; privacy; macos; ios; icloud

Safari: questions and answers

What is Safari used for?: Safari is Apple's web browser for Mac, iPhone and iPad, with built-in tracking prevention, extensions and iCloud sync for tabs and passwords. It is a good fit for everyday browsing on Mac, iPhone and iPad; continuing a tab on another Apple device; and browsing with stronger tracking protection.
Is Safari free?: Yes. Safari is free to use.
Is Safari open source?: No. Safari is proprietary (closed-source) software. Open-source alternatives to Safari include Zen Browser, Brave Browser and Firefox.
What are some alternatives to Safari?: Safari competes with Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge and Opera. For open-source options, see Enlisted's ranked list of open-source Safari alternatives.