Should You Switch to the Aloha Browser

What is the Aloha Browser?

Aloha was developed in 2016 by Cyprus-based developer Aloha Mobile. Their mission statement revolves around concerns over Internet privacy, and the Aloha browser has been developed in kind. Aloha comes in a few different flavors. It was originally developed for mobile (Android and iOS), and more recently introduced a PC version, which is currently in open beta. Android offers three different versions—Lite (advertised for lower spec devices), the standard Aloha browser, and Turbo, which boasts a few additional features. All three mobile versions are available in the Google Play store, while iOS only offers the standard version.

What Are Its Features?

One of the biggest features present in all versions of the Aloha Browser is its built-in VPN—a tool that allows you to present a different IP address to any third-party site attempting to gather your data, which will hide your location behind an additional layer of protection. VPNs are a valuable tool to help keep you safe online, and can both increase your privacy and help protect your data in the event of accessing a breached website. Additionally, it can allow users to access region-locked web content. Aloha's VPN is easy to use—simply click the shield icon next to the address bar, and wait for it to turn blue.

Having an included VPN is an excellent feature, particularly for users outside the US looking to access region-locked content or country-specific stores (another function VPNs typically offer). However, Aloha only allows you to switch regions with a premium subscription. The VPN plugin in the basic version of Aloha Browser only functions as a privacy tool, rather than a means of accessing region-locked content. That said, when tested to ensure the VPN worked as described, the source checking tool confirmed a different IP address with the Aloha VPN enabled. How it compares to other VPNs in terms of privacy and protection remains to be seen.

In addition to its VPN, Aloha's standard and Turbo versions also offer the ability to lock and password-protect open browser tabs, which could be useful for anyone sharing a device or otherwise keeping sensitive tabs open. These versions also include a nifty download manager which allows you to save files where you like, a pre-installed ad blocker, and a VR video player. The Turbo version boasts a more robust AdBlock and popup blocker (though even the standard version seemed effective even for Youtube ads and almost 100% effective on other sites, with the odd cleverly formatted ad slipping through), improved anti-tracking measures, and private file vault. The mobile versions of Aloha also offer a dark mode with a convenient button in the menu, which converts any website you visit from its standard light background into the dark. The quick menu also offers one-touch page translation and read-only modes. The mobile version also has a handy, built-in QR reader—just tap the search bar and then the QR symbol next to it to open the reader.

For the PC version, as it's still in beta, features are likely still on the way for it. Right now it doesn't include a pre-installed adblocker or password-protected private tabs, though it does offer Aloha's VPN. Tools and add-ons may be added to it directly from the Chrome store, and it utilizes Chrome's library of extensions.

Is the Aloha Browser Safe?

Safety is naturally a common concern when flipping through the vast catalog of third-party apps, and a previously unknown browser app might certainly raise an eyebrow at a glance. Compared to its larger competitors—even smaller alternatives like Opera—Aloha stands as both a newcomer and an unknown quantity for most users. As best as we can determine, however, the answer is a tentative "yes", the Aloha browser is safe—perhaps much more so than a major browser like Chrome, as recent scrutiny has revealed the darker side of Google's prominent service. Unlike some third-party apps, Aloha won't try to install other programs on your device, and its design philosophy seems to hold true to its mission statement regarding user data protection.

Moreover, unlike Chrome which is incentivized to collect as much user data as possible in order to generate ad revenue, the Aloha browser is supported through other means, thereby indicating they do not need to harvest user data for money. The standard free versions of the mobile browser have limited ads, but from what we observed this is contained to a single small banner above the menu once the menu is opened, and overall quite unobtrusive.

The PC version doesn't appear to utilize ads at this time, aside from those which appear at the top of the search list when using Aloha's native search engine (just like the sponsored results that appear in Google searches). Beyond this, all of the Aloha versions offer an upgraded subscription service, which advertises faster VPN servers, the ability to change VPN regions, an advanced file manager, and naturally comes ad-free.

Does the Aloha Browser Deliver What it Promises?

Aloha advertises itself as a light and fast browser with a focus on privacy. At a glance, it does exactly that. With an equal amount of tabs open, the Aloha Browser ate up less RAM than both Chrome and Firefox on PC, and the mobile version seemed a bit lighter on the battery than Chrome—though admittedly a very small difference in that regard. Chrome is notorious for being a bit of a RAM hog, however, and Firefox isn't much better.

The VPN service of course gives Aloha an edge in privacy over other browsers, though it's a touch disappointing that the region-switching only comes with the subscription service. Non-US users looking to crack open the vaults of American-only online content will need to either pony up the subscription fee or look elsewhere. That said, the subscription fees aren't particularly egregious—advertised at $2.99/month or $24.99/year (which may vary depending on your region) and seem to go on sale periodically for 50% off.

The other features, such as the download manager, tab locking, and popup blocker, seemed to work as described. The download manager in particular is much more robust than Chrome's, allowing both the renaming of files and a choice on where to put them. We weren't able to test the VR features, and there's no way to say precisely how effective the privacy protection of Aloha is, but on the surface at least it seems to make good on its promises.

Any Downsides?

The default Aloha Browser search engine lacks the ability to switch over to image, video, map, etc. search like that built into Google, and uses its own search rankings along with its own top-displayed search slots to advertisers. Whether or not this is a downside might be subjective, but for those accustomed to Google's search and ranking structure, the change might be jarring, and search results might be less relevant without the benefit of Google analytics. However, you can still navigate to Google if desired, or any other preferred search engine, while utilizing Aloha's built-in anti-tracking features.

Password-protecting tabs may be a feature most won't utilize, but in the event, you decide to, note that it requires setting up first—which is an admittedly minor quibble. To do so, open the menu, go into Settings > Privacy and tap the Passcode toggle. You will be prompted to enter a PIN, and you may also enable biometric unlocking. After this, back on the Privacy menu, tap Lock Areas to enable the locking of private tabs, then you're good to go.

One oddity we noticed while using the mobile version was an odd glitch in video resizing on Youtube. When in fullscreen mode, rotating the screen would often position the video off-center rather than property filling the screen, and rotating back to vertical would often displace the video in a different way. This issue only seemed to happen while accessing Youtube via the Aloha browser and didn't occur when pulling up Youtube videos through Bing search. We weren't able to test this on other devices, so it's possible this may be an issue unique to the OnePlus, but it's worth noting all the same.

As far as the PC version is concerned, anyone accustomed to Chrome will find a familiar landscape awaiting them, though it's worth noting the need to install extensions such as an ad blocker. This may change as the desktop app moves out of beta, but it would be nice to see it come in line with the pre-included features of the mobile version.

How About the Looks?

The mobile version keeps a clean and Spartan aesthetic—it may take a moment of getting used to menus being on the bottom of the browser, but overall it presents a slick polish and a nice layout. The settings offer a few different home backgrounds to choose from (not that you'll be hanging out on the home tab too often), and the easily toggled dark mode makes for a nice touch.

The design of the desktop version borrows heavily from that of Chrome, including the layout of its settings menus—but you have the option to spruce it up with a variety of themes. Aloha seems to use the same themes as Chrome, which can be obtained from the Chrome Webstore. You can also navigate there from the settings menu of Aloha by selecting the Appearance tab on the left.

What About Browser Fingerprinting?

The standard answer applies here I'm afraid: Built-in fingerprint protection only goes so far. An external privacy tool or plugin is recommended in order to avoid what is becoming the most common identity and advertising tracking method on the Internet. Anti-fingerprinting tools let users browse the web anonymously, suppress their browser fingerprint, and avoid location-based censorship.

Why Switch to the Aloha Browser?

Overall, the Aloha browser may be the right choice for you if, like many others, you're tired of freely handing your data to Google and many other third parties. Aloha offers the option to enjoy the same web services you typically would, with the small extra step perhaps of navigating to a preferred search engine. Performance-wise, it seems to either equal or outperform its biggest competitors, and while the free version does include some ads, these are unobtrusively placed. Nor does Aloha seem to pressure users into upgrading to the subscription service, which is nice to see in a world where such offers are usually shoved in users' faces as much as possible.

Naturally, the big selling feature is the free VPN, and if you aren't yet convinced why you would want one, a little more reading might help. Even without region swapping in the free version, the extra layer of privacy protection marks a solid point in Aloha's favor. Aloha's premium version offers highly competitive prices compared to other VPN services as well and may be worth considering for that alone. The download manager for mobile and included dark mode and QR readers are also handy to have bundled into a single app, rather than parceling those roles out between multiple others.

If you're still hesitant about the Aloha browser, we recommend giving it a try to see if it's a good fit. They won't ask anything of you for it, so why not see what lies beyond the usual comforts of Chrome and Safari? You might find yourself pleasantly surprised.