Browsers - Free Software Downloads and Software Reviews

Browsers

If you're looking for browsers or browser extensions, CNET Download.com has you covered. We feature all the latest versions of Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera, and more, as well as Firefox extensions, Internet Explorer add-ons, even RSS readers. If you want to surf the Web, CNET Download.com is the place to start. See all 3,814 products in this category.

for the week of: November 30Downloads

1.
Adobe Reader
Other Browser Add-ons & Plugins118,158
2.
Flash Player
Other Browser Add-ons & Plugins76,045
3.
Avant Browser
Web Browsers58,956
4.
Internet Explorer
Web Browsers25,424
Memeo Share

Share photos and videos directly to the desktop.

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5.
Mozilla Firefox
Web Browsers21,921
6.
Opera
Web Browsers12,721
7.
Internet Explorer 8
Web Browsers11,001
PaltalkScene 12.61

See, hear, and chat live in video rooms.

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Memeo AutoBackup

Start backing up your files in less than 60 seconds.

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8.
IE7Pro
Internet Explorer Add-ons & Plugins10,930
9.
Google Chrome
Web Browsers10,878
10.
ieSpell
Internet Explorer Add-ons & Plugins8,359

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RecoverMyFiles Data

Recover files lost to crashes, deletions, disk formatting.

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TrendMicro AV+AntiSpy

Detect and remove adware and spyware from your computer.

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Release date

Website Extractor Dec 05
Web Browsers
Opera Dec 04
Web Browsers
The Kraken Dec 04
Firefox Add-ons & Plugins
IE Tab Dec 04
Web Browsers
Cool Screen Capture Dec 04
Internet Explorer Add-ons & Plugins
StumbleUpon for Internet Explorer Dec 03
Internet Explorer Add-ons & Plugins
StumbleUpon Dec 03
Firefox Add-ons & Plugins
BMExtreme Dec 03
Web Browsers
Google Chrome Dec 02
Web Browsers
CharTTool Dec 02
Web Browsers

See all new releases

1.
Adobe Reader
Read Adobe PDF files on your desktop or on the Web.
2.
Mozilla Firefox
Surf the Web, block pop-ups, and keep spyware at bay with this lean and fast open-source browser.
3.
Opera
Browse with a multiple-document interface, mouse gestures, keyboard shortcuts, zooming functions, and integrated search.
4.
Maxthon (Classic)
Surf the Net with pop-up filtering, tabbed navigation, and automatic page-scrolling.
5.
SlimBrowser
Browse multiple Web sites in one window with a pop-up killer, an ad blocker, and a quick-search feature.
6.
IE7Pro
Customize, secure, and add features and extras to your Internet Explorer.
7.
McAfee SiteAdvisor for Firefox
See safety ratings for the sites and search results to protect yourself against online scam.
8.
FoxyTunes
Control almost any MP3 player from Mozilla Firefox, Thunderbird, or the Mozilla suite.
9.
Tab Mix Plus
Duplicate and control Firefox tabs in ways you never thought possible.
10.
PDF Download
Open, download, or view Adobe Acrobat files as PDF or HTML files.

See all editor's picks

from the download blog

Opera 10 alpha: Compliant and faster--but not fastest

Posted by Seth Rosenblatt on Dec 04, 2008

Opera 10 is both Acid3 compliant and faster than previous versions of Opera. Get a hands-on look at the future of the Norwegian Web browser.

an introduction to Browsers

Browsers, often called Web browsers, are software clients that allow users to navigate to sites on the World Wide Web. The majority of these Web sites use the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), but many browsers can also interpret other protocols, including FTP, RSS, and P2P protocols such as BitTorrent. Hypertext pioneer Tim Berners-Lee created the first ever Web browser, WorldWideWeb, in 1990, but the software didn't become popular until the release of NCSA Mosaic, the first graphical client.

Browsers truly hit the mainstream with the launch of Netscape Navigator, which was later shortened to simply Netscape, though the free client's popularity was radically affected by the 1995 release of Internet Explorer, Microsoft's entry into the browser market. In the years since, IE has completely dominated the market, only recently losing ground to alternative browsers such as Mozilla Firefox and Opera.

Aside from general Web browsers, various subsets of the category offer special services. Offline browsers cache content from the Internet for future reference when you're not connected to a network. Newsreaders manage content from Usenet newsgroups and syndicated feeds.

In recent years, the open-source browser Mozilla Firefox has earned praise for the ability of third-party developers to easily create extensions that add functionality. Among the thousands of home-brewed add-ons for Firefox, we've narrowed down our favorites in a collection of the best. The Microsoft browser also allows for IE add-ons, but its closed framework makes it a bit more difficult for developers.