Alternatives to Brave
Chromium browser with built-in ad and tracker blocking
Brave ranks #2 of 14 in Browsers, with an Alt Score of 85. It is licensed under MPL-2.0, free and available on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android. 10 of 12 checklist rows are verified against a public source.
People who want a faster, more private everyday browser without manually installing ad blockers or extensions, including anyone switching from Chrome or Firefox for better default privacy.
A Chromium-based browser with built-in ad and tracker blocking, cookie-consent pop-up blocking, and fingerprinting protection enabled by default. It includes Brave Search (a private, independent search engine), and optional extras like Brave Wallet for crypto, a Firewall+VPN subscription, and Brave Rewards for earning tokens by opting into privacy-respecting ads. Because most ads and trackers never load, pages generally render faster than in browsers without built-in blocking.
You download and install Brave like any other browser and can import bookmarks, passwords, and settings from your previous browser during setup. From there it works like a normal browser, but its Shields feature blocks ads, trackers, and fingerprinting on every site automatically, with per-site controls if you need to adjust or disable them.
Where Brave stands out
Verified capabilities most alternatives don't have.
Why people leave Brave
Dashed reasons are sourced facts; the rest are opinions. Vendors can dispute.
Sign in to add a reason — new reasons go through moderation before appearing.
Ranked alternatives
Ordered by Alt Score. Click any score to see the breakdown.
Feature comparison
Rows come from the Browsers checklist (16 rows). Human-verified cells only. ? means the value has not been verified.
| Browsers checklist | Brave | Vivaldi | Waterfox | Orion | Firefox | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | ||||||
| Starts at | ||||||
| License | ||||||
| Platforms | ||||||
| Engine (Chromium / Gecko / WebKit) | ||||||
| Built-in ad blocker | ||||||
| Built-in VPN or proxy | ||||||
| Vertical tabs | ||||||
| Tab groups & workspaces | ||||||
| Extension ecosystem compatibility | ||||||
| Sync (E2E encrypted) | ||||||
| Battery / memory saver mode | ||||||
| Privacy: fingerprinting protection | ||||||
| Telemetry opt-out | ||||||
| Profile containers | ||||||
| Reader mode |
Every fact and feature listed for Brave is verified against its own pages. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.
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License MPL-2.0 verified 2026-07-11
Mozilla Public License Version 2.0
https://github.com/brave/brave-browser/blob/master/LICENSE -
Pricing model Free verified 2026-07-11
The Brave browser is available on Linux, macOS and Windows.
https://brave.com/download/ -
Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android verified 2026-07-11
browser for Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows
https://github.com/brave/brave-browser -
Status active verified 2026-07-11
browser for Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows
https://github.com/brave/brave-browser -
Engine (Chromium / Gecko / WebKit) Yes verified 2026-07-11
Both Brave and Chrome are built on the open-source Chromium browser engine (which also powers Edge, Opera, and Vivaldi)
https://brave.com/compare/chrome-vs-brave/ -
Built-in ad blocker Yes verified 2026-07-11
Shields offer default, built-in protection, blocking ads, trackers, fingerprinting, cookies, and more.
https://brave.com/features/ -
Built-in VPN or proxy Yes verified 2026-07-11
Built into the browser; no extra downloads
https://brave.com/vpn/ -
Vertical tabs Yes verified 2026-07-11
Enabling the vertical tabs setting relocates your open tabs from the top of your browser window (i.e. above the address bar) to the left side of the window, where they'll appear stacked vertically rat
https://brave.com/blog/vertical-tabs/ -
Tab groups & workspaces Yes verified 2026-07-11
An efficient way to organize your tabs (plus pinning, grouping, and other tools).
https://brave.com/features/ -
Extension ecosystem compatibility Yes verified 2026-07-11
any extension found in the Chrome Web Store will also work in Brave.
https://brave.com/learn/using-chrome-extensions-in-brave/ -
Sync (E2E encrypted) Yes verified 2026-07-11
Encrypt and sync your Brave bookmarks, passwords, tabs, and more across devices.
https://brave.com/features/ -
Privacy: fingerprinting protection Yes verified 2026-07-11
Brave makes you look different to every site, each time you visit.
https://brave.com/features/ -
Telemetry opt-out Yes verified 2026-07-11
You can deactivate Privacy-Preserving Product Analytics in Settings.
https://brave.com/privacy/browser/ -
Reader mode Yes verified 2026-07-11
Declutter pages for focused reading, faster loading, and less data usage.
https://brave.com/features/
FAQ
Yes. Vivaldi, Waterfox and Orion have a free tier or are fully free. Free-tier limits in the comparison table are verified and dated.
Waterfox, Firefox and LibreWolf — every license claim links its source.