I ditched Chrome and tried this privacy-focused browser for a month — here’s my verdict

I’ve used Chrome for years. It’s reliable, fast, and tightly woven into the Google ecosystem. However, privacy concerns, tracking fatigue, and the constant barrage of data-hungry extensions had been nagging at me.

I had heard of Aloha as a privacy-first browser on Reddit. So, I ditched Chrome and tried Aloha Browser, a lesser-known browser, for a month.

The results were surprising. Some features I didn’t even realize I needed became staples of my routine, while a few trade-offs reminded me why Chrome is so entrenched.

Here’s what I learned after 30 days of serious browsing outside Google’s ecosystem.

Setting up Aloha Browser on my phone

Private by default

The first thing I noticed was how easy it was to get started. Aloha doesn’t ask you to sign in or create an account. There’s no sync setup, permissions pop-ups, or “help us improve” tracking toggles.

The app opened straight to a clean home screen with a minimalist layout and a built-in VPN toggle right on the search bar.

Coming from Chrome’s “sign in to everything” ecosystem, this felt refreshing.

The homepage is clean, showing a few shortcuts and a search bar powered by Google. You can switch to DuckDuckGo, Bing, Ecosia, or any other search engine.

It also lets you lock the app behind a passcode or fingerprint, which I turned on right away. It’s a nice layer of privacy most browsers don’t bother offering.

Browsing with Aloha’s built-in VPN

Makes privacy effortless

Aloha treats its VPN as a core part of the experience. It’s built-in, free, and doesn’t require an account to activate, which immediately sets it apart from Chrome or even privacy-focused browsers like Brave.

When I turned it on, the VPN automatically encrypted my traffic across all tabs, not just private ones.

The connection speed was surprisingly stable. It was fast enough for streaming, file downloads, and everyday browsing without the sluggish lag I’ve come to expect from free VPNs.

That said, the free version automatically assigns you the fastest available server, meaning you can’t manually choose a server unless you upgrade to Aloha Premium.

Still, for casual use, it’s more than enough. I found it especially useful when I needed to quickly access region-locked pages without switching apps.

It is worth noting that since the VPN is built into the browser, it only protects traffic within Aloha, and not the rest of your apps on the phone. In practice, this was fine.

When I was reading, shopping, or streaming in the browser, the VPN kept me anonymous. But if I switched to apps like Gmail or YouTube, I had to remember that those weren’t protected.

Meanwhile, the Premium tier unlocks phone-wide protection.

Ad-blocking that works surprisingly well

Say goodbye to pop-ups and trackers

Aloha also includes a built-in ad-blocker, and unlike many browsers, it doesn’t rely on extensions. Most sites loaded faster and cleaner, and without those annoying autoplay videos.

On most sites, it handled pop-ups, trackers, and third-party cookies effortlessly. Even YouTube ads vanished when I viewed videos in the browser, though playback occasionally paused between segments.

However, there’s no granular control. You can’t customize filters. It’s a one-size-fits-all switch, which may frustrate users who want more flexibility.

However, for everyday browsing, Aloha’s ad blocking does what it promises: it strips the web of its clutter and lets you focus on the content.

File downloads and media hub

Your personal file vault

One of Aloha’s underrated features is its file manager. When I download a file — whether it is a PDF, ZIP, or video — it saves it inside Aloha’s encrypted storage, separate from my phone’s regular Downloads folder.

It ensures that no random files appear in my gallery or Google Drive, keeping everything organized within the browser.

Additionally, it serves as a media player, allowing videos to open directly in Aloha’s minimalist viewer, which includes basic playback controls and the option for background play.

I can store articles, videos, and reference PDFs all in one location and access them offline.

However, the system has its drawbacks. There is no easy way to back up or organize media collections, and managing storage space can become tedious.

How Aloha compares to other browsers

The trade-offs I didn’t expect

After a month of using Aloha, I started measuring it against other privacy-focused browsers like Brave and Firefox.

Aloha’s biggest edge is convenience. Its built-in VPN is available right out of the box. Brave and Firefox offer VPNs, too, but they’re locked behind a subscription.

Aloha’s VPN is free, though you’ll need a Premium subscription to unlock features like region selection, phone-wide protection, and faster speeds. Even so, for casual browsing, the default mode worked reliably for me.

However, Aloha isn’t perfect. While the mobile app’s minimalist approach feels refreshing, it also means no support for extensions, something Firefox power users might miss.

My takeaways from using Aloha Browser full-time

After a month of using Aloha Browser as my primary browser, I can say it’s one of the most thoughtful privacy-focused browsers I’ve tried.

The built-in VPN, ad blocker, file vault, and media hub make everyday browsing cleaner and more secure.

That said, some of the best features, like advanced VPN server selection and extra media controls, are locked behind a Premium subscription, which may not appeal to everyone.

Still, for those who value a fast, private, and feature-rich experience, across both mobile and desktop, Aloha delivers.