Google Chrome: 3.8% browser share

Just a week after its launch, there are more ZDNet.com.au readers using Google Chrome than Apple's Safari browser. Meanwhile, Microsoft Internet Explorer now accounts for just 53 per cent of all browsers.

Browser market share today

Browsers used by ZDNet.com.au readers today.

Google Chrome appears to be a hit, with 3.8 per cent of ZDNet.com.au readers already using the new browser. From internal statistics, it appears that Chrome users have either ditched Internet Explorer or Firefox 2.

Browser market share BC (before Chrome)

Browsers used by ZDNet.com.au readers BC (before Chrome).

On 1 September (the day before Chrome's launch), Microsoft IE 7 enjoyed 35.1 per cent of the market while IE 6 accounted for 22.5 per cent, meaning the total IE market share stood at 57.6 per cent. Today, Microsoft's combined browser market share stands at 52.9 per cent with IE 7 at 33.1 per cent and IE 6 holding on to 19.8 per cent.

Firefox 3.0's market share has been boosted during the same period, from 26.5 per cent to 29.9 per cent. Firefox 2 however, has taken a hit, falling from 8.1 per cent to 6 per cent market share.

Your favourite browser is?

Interestingly, Apple's Safari Browser, which is built on the same WebKit framework as Google Chrome, has hardly been affected, moving down 0.2 per cent from 3.4 per cent share to 3.2 percent.

Chrome's rise has been meteoric, accounting for 2.5 per cent of browsers the day after it was launched and peaking at 4.5 per cent on Thursday — when the hype was at its peak — before dropping off again on Friday. Currently, Chrome's market share stands at 3.8 per cent.

All the above figures are based solely on the browsers used by ZDNet.com.au readers to access the site.

Have you downloaded Chrome? Will it be replacing your regular browser? How much market share can Chrome realistically own? Can IE bounce back? Have your say in the talkback below.

Talkback 30 comments

    IE is still the one Lord Watchdog -- 09/09/08

    In the corporate sector the market share of IE is almost 100%. It is only the blogosphere and its showing of those silly "Get Firefox" buttons that has made Firefox popular amongst Gen Y wannabee nerds - always following blindly like sheep so they can say they are using the latest cool thing.

    How do you know? Anonymous -- 09/09/08 (in reply to #320111569)

    So what facts, Mr Watchdog, are you basing your figures on? I doubt very much that IE is anywhere near 100 percent in corporate networks.

    Because I am informed by several good sources Lord Watchdog -- 10/09/08 (in reply to #320111572)

    I do read papers, listen to the news, read technical websites, etc.

    If you doubt what I've repeated above then please show what you base your doubts on.

    well rick w -- 12/09/08 (in reply to #320111572)

    here at school we have to use IE if we use firefox we get banned from the computer!

    A good reason for it too Lord Watchdog -- 19/09/08 (in reply to #320111809)

    You have to use IE because it has been set up by the administrator to connect to the organisation's proxy and filtering servers. If you take Firefox in on a USB key or other device and use that it bypasses the network security environment and thus subjects the machine you are using to a wide range of security problems.

    I've worked at schools - I know all the tricks the students try and they are all easy to detect but not so easy to stop.

    Chrome vs IE vs FF Anonymous -- 09/09/08 (in reply to #320111569)

    I don't think it's anything to do with 'following blindly like sheep'. There are some very valid reasons not to use IE in the home (or corporate for that matter) environments.

    IE has significant security holes that don't affect Firefox and other browsers. Also, other browsers tend to adhere to web standards far more coherently (although IE7 is far better than IE6 in this regard, and IE8 is looking excellent so far). Finally, non-IE browsers generally have better page rendering performance and innovative features (e.g. tabbed browsing was introduced by Opera originally, then adopted by Firefox, and only now in IE7 has Microsoft added it to their browser).

    I've cleaned up malware infections from so many machines (infected through IE) only to find the same people reinfected a week later. Much blame lies on the user, admittedly, for clicking things they shouldn't have. But to a novice Internet user, it can be hard to distinguish 'safe' from 'sorry'. And it is only due to IE's security flaws that such attacks are possible.

    I am not a Firefox fan. In fact I've used only IE my entire life until last week (despite its flaws). But I now have replaced my default browser with Chrome. The speed difference is noticeable, especially for sites using a lot of Javascript.

    IE is dominant in the corporate sector for two main reasons. Firstly, simply because it's the default installed browser on your typical Windows office computer (and most IT departments don't want to test, install, and manage more software than they have to). Secondly, there's a lot of intranet applications out there (timesheet systems etc) that rely on IE-specific behaviour to operate correctly (this includes my own office). These are not web standards, but because of IE6's historical dominance, a lot of applications were engineered to only work on IE6/7.

    Overall I think Chrome will hurt Firefox more than IE, because as you say, Firefox is the browser of choice for people's home computers, and Chrome is also a home-oriented browser. Whereas IE is and probably always will be dominant in the corporate world.

    Actually Anonymous -- 10/09/08 (in reply to #320111569)

    I use FF because it's the best browser for Linux.

    IE seems like a LOT of trouble considering my platform.

    The Latest Cool Thing Vincent McNabb -- 10/09/08 (in reply to #320111569)

    For starters, Firefox is not the latest cool thing. It's been around for a while now. Seeing as it is based on Mozilla which came from Netscape, it actually has a longer history than IE.

    Secondly Chrome is the latest cool thing. But it's rendering engine isn't exactly new either.

    Thirdly, sheep are more likely to use IE, because that is the default. One actually has to use a few braincells to know FF exists, search for it, download it and install it.

    You sound like the Sheepling stuck in his ways so much that you have to defend your ignorant behaviour.

    Blah Lord Watchdog -- 12/09/08 (in reply to #320111676)

    "For starters, Firefox is not the latest cool thing."

    It isn't now, it once was.

    "Secondly Chrome is the latest cool thing. But it's rendering engine isn't exactly new either."

    No-one said it was. What it is though is a rip of another rendering engine. Whilst the same applies to IE to an extent the fact remains that open source is a great way to ensure a lack of originality. Chrome comes from a corporate behemoth who can't be bothered pouring a few bob into developing its own software. All Chrome is is the same innards with a different GUI and this is why it's introduction is less than extravagant.

    "One actually has to use a few braincells to know FF exists, search for it, download it and install it."

    If you call noticing a 'Get Firefox' link on one of thousands of insignificant weblogs owned by people who've never developed any programmes or other software "using braincells" then you aren't very intelligent.

    "You sound like the Sheepling stuck in his ways so much that you have to defend your ignorant behaviour."

    I'm not defending anything - I don't need to. To each their own. I maintain that Chrome will not eat into IE's market share. I could be wrong but if I am right then remember who was first to tell you.

    The last point I was trying to make (which I noticed that you missed completely) is that I don't give a toss what browser anyone uses and I don't expect people to give a toss about what I use. The fact that people put on their websites that they use Firefox, IE is lame, etc etc etc is a wank. You don't see IE, Opera or Safari users doing this, only people who use Firefox. If Chrome users start doing it then all this will achieve is even more websites with daft, irrelevant content.

    Couldn't be any more spot on Aaron Holesgrove -- 23/09/08 (in reply to #320111569)

    IE is the best, and people just want to try the other browsers it order to fuel their anti-Microsoft sentiment raging on from their battles with Windows 98 et al. Chrome is unbelievably crap. Downloaded it, yawned, reopened IE. Move on, nothing to see here.

    Why would it? Anonymous -- 09/09/08

    <snip>Interestingly, Apple's Safari Browser, which is built on the same WebKit framework as Google Chrome, has hardly been affected, </snip>

    Of course it hasn't; you can't get Chrome for Mac yet. Why would the stats change?

    Are these stats from a single day, or over a period? If it's a single day's stats, the minor differences for the likes of Firefox are pretty meaningless.

    All you can say is people are trying out Chrome, as always happens with a new browser.

    Big deal.

    Lazy journalism. Anonymous -- 09/09/08

    Are there no other stories than Chrome? I mean, how desperate do you have to be to start publishing this type of "information"? Statistically, the results are completely irrelevant and as for the analysis? As others pointed out, Chrome is only available to Windows users willing and able to play with beta software as soon as it is released. Attempts at drawing any meaningful conclusions at this time are pointless.

    Lazy Criticism Vincent McNabb -- 10/09/08 (in reply to #320111575)

    Chrome is certainly only available as a Windows binary for sure.

    However, there is source code that compiles on Linux, and should be ready before long.

    Also the Windows version can run fine in Linux under Wine, which is NOT an emulator.

    Chrome is certainly a big story. It is a new browser that has been pushed out by a huge company. Even if the browser sucked (which it doesn't by any means), it would still be a big story.

    I'm sick of all these people making baseless criticisms, it makes me sick.

    Gone back to firefox Andrew Leane -- 09/09/08

    Well i tested chrome for 2 days and home and at work. However i found myself too inconvenienced by the lack of my favourite ff plugins and found my only attraction was the colour theme.
    This was easily fixed with a new chrome style ff theme. once again showing the adaptability of ff.
    ff will remain my only browser for the time been.
    oh, lord watchdog - how is this blindly following the rest of the Gen Y wannabee nerds?

    zdnet.com.au Dean -- 09/09/08

    I'd hardly think the readership of zdnet.com.au constitutes a random sampling of the population, either. By definiton, zdnet.com.au readers will be far more tech-savvy than normal users.

    Though I guess nobody here is claiming that it IS representative of normal users (I'm positive the total market share of IE is much, much greater than 53% amoung the general population).

    My Biased opinion Anonymous -- 09/09/08

    Ok IE6/7 will remain the leader in the browser comp until the web based applications can be used be the other browsers, everyday I find web based apps that Opera/firefox cant handle because they where written for IE6.

    Firefox I don’t think will ever be high profile because of the fact that you have to customize it I would much rather a browser that you can download and it just works and has everything you want. Really you can download add-ons for IE and do most of the same things that you can with Firefox.

    Opera is good I don’t have anything against it, it just doesn’t have a user base, most people don’t make the move form IE and cant move from firefox cause they cant find out how to add stuff that’s already there. Opera are really steady but don’t have the open source community behind them which is a big shame.

    Safari will nearly always be just for Mac users and most people will use Firefox over safari, nothing against its just how it is.

    Chrome is just the rest of the browsers slapped together just another attempt by Google to through a heap of money at something to drive out competitors. id say it will fail as i havent seen it do anything new or different.

    But hey I am Biased cause I like what I like and that’s the whole thing here isn’t it, if people like it they will use it.

    has promise xBeanie -- 10/09/08

    Being a fan of gmail, google calendar, maps and most of the things google come up with I eagerly downloaded chrome for a try.

    I was instantly impressed with how fast and responsive it was particularly as one of my pet peeves is browsers that lock up whenever you do something - you know, navigate to a new page and then no buttons work for 10 seconds.

    After trying to use it as my main browser however, the gloss is wearing off a little. You have to wonder if at least some of the performance gain is due to lack of functionality. Not working with my fingerprint reader was a big cross. Not automatically checking emails or allowing drag and drop for my works Exchange web client was another cross. Not providing a function to search within a page for googled terms (a la google toolbar) - another big cross.

    Three strikes and its relegated to toy status and may soon find itself uninstalled.

    It does have potential though, and even as someone who has never really given a rats about alternative browsers, I am willing to give it another go sometime down the track.

    Oh, and for those who say it is in beta, check out gmail and google calendar - both have been out for years and both say "beta". That's just the way google does things.

    Bias Alex -- 10/09/08

    I'm seeing drastically different stats for the sites I SEO for. I think it's because ZDNet is oriented towards tech enthusiasts, wheras the sites I'm managing are not- So the likelihood of zdnet visitors test driving Chrome is far greater. For reference, one site I'm managing is showing 0.31% Chrome visitors in the past week, as opposed to Safari being the browser of choice for 9.66% of visitors.

    Chrome , along way to go Anonymous -- 10/09/08

    Remember that Chrome has used the popularity of Google Search Engine to become so wide spread in a short time.
    Meanwhile, other than its fast start up, Chrome brings no productivity to Firefox users.

    Many many people just want to browser the web, and the issue of a more secure browser is something they don't want to get into. Do not consider all Internet users like yourself. Many people, even many important people, do not know a anything about the security holes in Internet Explorer. All they want to do is, to check their e-mails, search the web, sell and buy in it and much like that.
    This is, I guess, what affect the market share so much.

    One website as a benchmark?? Rajesh Valluri -- 10/09/08

    How can you just use your own visitor usage as a overall benchmark. Most people visitng your site are techy to begin with and would be experimenting with new tools out there. So, its quite normal that there is a siginificant number of users of Chrome that visit your site. I seriously doubt that the trend is seen in the broader usage patterns. I for one, didn't find anything that would blow one away. Its just another browser with a few nice features but nothing spectacular. With all the hype sorrounding Chrome, the actual number of general users embracing it is pitully low and will remain so. I surveyed a few of my friends that don't do IT for a living and none of them bothered with Chrome.

    Chrome = bad Al -- 10/09/08

    Three relatively serious 0-day's within 48 hrs means that I won't be using Chrome. Further, I haven't found it to be as stable. In fact, I prefer IE over Chrome (I use FF by default). I also don't like the fact that it updates automatically, without asking, let alone notifying.

    Worst of all though, Google is taking over the web. In a couple of years, everyone will look back and wonder how we let it happen, but Google will be thought of the way MS is today: people will hate it. Around 90% of web searches are done through Google in Aus. We need more competition!

    You kidding me? Anonymous -- 10/09/08 (in reply to #320111632)

    It's beta software. It says Beta right in the title of Chrome. Grow up.

    who kids who Demon Rob -- 11/09/08 (in reply to #320111651)

    gmail's front page say beta too. Grow down.

    Meh. Anonymous -- 10/09/08

    Chrome is nothing but a rip off of safari and firefox without the features. It's not bad but then again it's not good either.

    Real world figures a bit different Redseason -- 10/09/08

    These figures are obviously highly influenced by the type of people who visit zdnet. My company's website that is aimed at the general public rather than tech-savvy users is showing 88.3% IE, 9.4% Firefox, 1.3% Safari and 1.0% for everything else including Chrome, Opera, Mozilla, etc.

    Still waiting Impatient -- 11/09/08

    I just wish they'd hurry up and port it to linux =)
    Compiling the source allows you only to run unit tests and running it in wine leaves you without https =(

    Chrome is amazing joe lambert -- 12/09/08

    Chrome is the best browser released so far. Not only is it quicker, but it looks better, loads faster and has features that firefox lacks.

    Forget about IE, it's so old and decrepit i uninstalled it years ago.

    I'll continue to use chrome as my main browser, with firefox as a backup.

    Here at work, everyone uses Firefox and many now use Chrome as well. We try to discourage use of IE6 since it typically has trouble displaying web sites correctly since it is so old. IE7 is a little better but it's still IE.

    firefox 3.0.2 Anonymous -- 12/09/08

    Firefox 3.0.2 beta is released

    Works great on XP and crap on Vista? Anonymous -- 13/09/08

    Works great on XP and crap on Vista? has any one each come across this aswell? I do have to do so work on making Vista function a bit better than it is currently. IE is not working at all on Vista but firefox runs very well, and I have little incentive to fix this problem.(To busy Studying) And FF is working great on the PC running Ubuntu as well.
    BUT Chrome dose run very well on the XP PC. I expect it will function well on linux too and look forward to its release. Am I the only user that has noticed this problem with vista ? Maybe my vista OS is just a bit of a mess at the moment and I,ve spent too much time playing with Linux.

    Corporate - IE, Home - Chrome Anonymous -- 20/09/08

    IE still reigns supreme for Corporate Users. Particularly for Outlook Web access, Firefox/Opera/Chrome just don't cut it.

    But for everything else, I am very impressed with Chrome. They have cherry-picked the best features from all the browsers and put together a winning combination. Sorry Firefox, but you've been relegated...

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