Twitch’s popularity has exploded in recent years. Once a niche site for the gaming community, it has steadily cemented its place as the biggest video game streaming platform in the world.
The popularity of Twitch is now reaching further afield as more people recognize the benefits of becoming a streamer themselves, in addition to the enjoyment of watching live streams.
As with any other website, you need a web browser to access Twitch and explore its vast array of entertainment.
Some browsers work better for Twitch than others. Are you using the right one?
Choosing the best browser for Twitch is key if you want the optimal broadcasting and streaming experience. There are so many browsers available that knowing which one to choose can be confusing at times.
Luckily, we’ve done much of the work for you. This list should point you in the right direction.
Firefox is a well-known browser available on numerous devices, making it easily accessible and universal.
The development team appears to be focused on privacy and lower resource usage, two of the primary concerns of many users.
Firefox has a clean, simple UI, making it very user-friendly. It also allows for content streaming on Twitch in 1080p with no issues.
In the Firefox extension store, you can find many useful Twitch-related add-ons that enhance the experience of those looking to stream Twitch content. Installing these add-ons requires just a few clicks, making Firefox perfect for newer users.
Some Reddit users have reported “sluggish” performance when trying to watch streams at a higher quality than 1080p. Even so, with a little tweaking and a few extensions here and there, Firefox can become the best browser for Twitch.
Some useful Firefox add-ons for Twitch include Alternate Player and Twitch Live.
Many internet users dislike advertising, particularly intrusive ads. Among those who care about privacy and peace while browsing the internet, Brave is an increasingly popular browser with a very active community.
Brave carefully selects which types of ads its users will see while browsing the internet, but also combines this with several other unique features.
By using Brave, you earn rewards in the form of a cryptocurrency token. This is the native token of the platform, called Basic Attention Token, or BAT for short.
So what does BAT have to do with Twitch? This is where things get interesting.
When you watch Twitch via another browser, you aren’t directly contributing to or supporting your favorite creators unless you subscribe or donate to them.
Many people simply don’t have the spare cash for a subscription or donation, but they would still like to support their favorite streamers. Brave allows them to do exactly that.
When you watch Twitch through Brave, the BAT tokens you earn just by using the browser will be automatically distributed and credited to your favorite streamers every month.
In addition, you have complete control over setting your individual budget. It’s also possible to completely disable this feature if you want to keep the tokens you earn for your own use. It’s entirely up to you!
With Brave, you can earn cryptocurrency, stay secure and safe on the internet, and actively support your favorite creators without taking any money out of your pocket.
Regarding the technical side of the browser, it fully supports high-definition streams and is faster than Chrome, providing you with the best possible viewing experience.
If you don’t feel like using Brave, take a look at some of the other browser options listed below.
Some users, particularly gamers, prefer watching a Twitch stream on a second monitor while playing a video game. This requires more computing power, and gamers want to squeeze every last frame possible out of their system to achieve an optimal in-game experience.
How does the Opera GX browser fit into this?
Opera GX is the gaming variant of the standard Opera browser. This excellent Chromium-based browser has a visually appealing UI that attracts gamers and comes loaded with numerous awesome features and functions.
We’ll focus on the main advertising point of Opera GX, its “GX Control” system.
Opera GX allows users to limit the number of computer resources it utilizes while running in the background. Don’t worry if this sounds overly “techy” because Opera GX’s developers have done an excellent job of making this feature simple and convenient to use.
Many other brilliant features are included in this gaming-focused browser, such as built-in Instagram and the Hot Tabs Killer option. Integrated instant messengers and ad-blockers are only a couple of clicks away!
How does Opera GX run Twitch? Amazingly well, actually.
The browser has a built-in Twitch section, so you can quickly load up the website and watch content that is the most relevant to you. If you want to see how this looks without first downloading the browser, this YouTube video showcases the feature, timestamp included.
If you are a frequent user and customizing many of your browser’s features appeals to you, Opera GX is likely your ideal choice.
Microsoft Edge is the default browser for Windows 10. Although many people disliked the browser when it initially launched, it has since undergone several great updates that have increased its popularity.
In 2019, Edge was switched to the Chromium platform, and the browser was completely redesigned.
In terms of stability, Microsoft Edge is excellent. Tests suggest that crashes are even rarer than those that occur while using Chrome.
As it is already built into Windows, you don’t need to download anything manually, a positive if you’re low on disk space or simply want the most convenient choice.
One of the biggest advantages of Edge is that it uses far fewer resources than Chrome. This browser is an ideal choice if you want to play video games while simultaneously watching a stream.
As Edge is now Chromium-based, it can support Chrome’s add-ons. You can easily customize your viewing experience by using new video players or changing the look of Twitch.
Visually, Edge has a clean, uncluttered UI. If you prefer the streamlined look to those of other browsers and you want faster performance on your PC, you won’t be disappointed while using this great browser for Twitch.
The majority of people using Windows will be familiar with Google Chrome. It is the world’s most widely used browser.
However, like every product, Chrome also has some minor flaws.
In terms of privacy, Chrome isn’t the safest browser available. It also uses quite a lot of RAM. This is unlikely to have a great impact on users who have more than 16GB of RAM in their systems, but it can make a significant difference for users with lower-end PCs or office-tier laptops.
Considering these factors, why should you choose Chrome?
Drawbacks aside, Chrome is still one of the simplest, fastest, and most user-friendly browsers you can use. There are also thousands of add-ons and extensions available in its extension store, allowing you to customize your user experience and get the very most out of the browser.
To date, there aren’t any known issues with using Twitch on Chrome. Streams run smoothly at 1080p, and if you have a stable internet connection, you should rarely experience buffering.
If you decide to use Chrome for Twitch, you have many options regarding removing and blocking advertisements. However, as the browser can use a lot of RAM, gaming and watching streams simultaneously on Chrome could be too much for lower-end PCs to handle.
Last but not least, if you’re using Chrome it means you can also use the best AdBlocker extension out there, uBlock Origin. To learn more about uBlock Origin not blocking ads on Twitch, take a look at our comprehensive guide covering everything important on that topic.
Conclusion
Reading the advice in this article should help you consider the pros and cons of some of the most popular, Twitch-compatible browsers available today.
Choosing the browser that seems the best fit for your needs will help you enjoy the best possible viewing experience on Twitch.
Always remember that the speed and stability of your internet connection will significantly impact your Twitch viewing experience. Your browser might not be the deciding factor in how well the site runs.