Hermit

Hermit creates Lite Apps that use almost no storage, which makes them ideal for low-space devices. Lite Apps also avoid running in the background, so you save battery and reduce unnecessary resource use. You can extend functionality with User Scripts, and you can activate a built-in Content Blocker to stop ads, malware, misinformation, and targeted propaganda. The blocker stays customizable, so you decide exactly what to filter.

Better Than Traditional Browsers

Hermit treats each Lite App like its own dedicated app window instead of opening endless tabs. You keep a permanent space for every site you use often, and Hermit stores its settings separately. When you tap links inside other apps, you can open them directly in the correct Hermit Lite App. You can also share links from Android apps straight into your Lite Apps and keep permissions, themes, and icons saved per site.

Sandboxes: Multiple Profiles and Isolated Containers

Hermit includes Sandboxes, which act as isolated containers for browsing. You can run multiple accounts at the same time in the same browser and keep work profiles separate from personal ones. Sandboxes help when you use privacy-invasive social platforms because they prevent cross-site mixing. You can even keep a site in permanent Incognito Mode, which can be useful for sites that show free content to new visitors.

An Advanced Browser for Power Users

Hermit targets users who want deeper control, so it requires some learning to use effectively. The app provides documentation to help you get started and understand advanced tools:

• Getting Started Guide: https://hermit.chimbori.com/help/getting-started
• Help Articles & FAQ: https://hermit.chimbori.com/help

Privacy-First Design with a Premium Option

Hermit funds development through paid premium features rather than ads or data sales. The developers avoid behavior tracking, personal data collection, and third-party SDKs designed to profile users. The app removes advertising and focuses on privacy-friendly design, while still allowing many features to work for free.

Advanced Browser Features

Hermit includes tools that go beyond what most mobile browsers offer:

• User Scripts for custom extensions
• Reader Mode with on-device article extraction for privacy
• Dark Mode for comfortable night reading
• Fast, private browsing through content blocking
• Multi-window support to run two Lite Apps at once on supported devices
• Double Back to escape pages that trap the back button
• Lite App backup for moving to a new device
• Custom user agent options (mobile, desktop, or custom)
• Atom/RSS notifications when sites publish updates
• Web monitors that track changes on any part of a page and alert you

Unlimited Customization

Hermit gives you unusually deep per-site customization. You can assign custom icons (including monograms), create custom themes, and save text zoom settings separately for each Lite App. You can force desktop mode, enable full-screen mode for distraction-free viewing, and fine-tune the content blocker to filter exactly what you want, including ads, malware, and misinformation.