The Brave browser is known for prioritizing user privacy and security. In today’s internet world where there are a lot of ads, trackers, and cookies, you need a browser like Brave to stay safe.
Brave does more than block ads and trackers. It lets you browse three to six times faster than regular browsers, comes with a built-in VPN, and is one of the first browsers to feature a crypto wallet.
While Brave is no doubt very reliable for safe browsing, there are many other privacy-focused browsers you can also use. Hence, if you’re searching for the best Brave browser alternative, you can check out the 15 options listed below.
Best Brave Browser Alternatives
1. Vivaldi
The Vivaldi browser was dubbed the best web browser on the web by Wired.com. While that’s arguable, there’s no debate that it’s one of the best privacy-focused browsers which makes it an ideal alternative to Brave.
Vivaldi is a very flexible Brave browser alternative. You can access and control features any way you want. You don’t get tracked when you browse with Brave and neither do you when you browse with Vivaldi. This browser comes with a built-in ad and tracker blocker.
Other built-in features you can access include screen capture, image properties, and notes to name a few.
A unique Vivaldi feature is you can set your browser to a minimalist or more features-packed display. In addition, Vivaldi lets you view tabs in split screen, use mouse gestures, and there’s a mail client.
You can use Vivaldi on Mac, Windows, Linux, and Android only. There’s no app for iPhone which is one of the downsides. Nevertheless, it’s one of the best Brave browser alternatives for tablets as the version comes with extra features.
Unlike Brave Browser, however, Vivaldi doesn’t feature a crypto wallet. In fact, the browser takes a stance against cryptocurrencies.
Interesting Comparison: Vivaldi vs Firefox
2. Opera
Opera is a popular browser and perhaps the alternative that matches Brave, feature for feature. This browser primarily focuses on user security and privacy.
You can browse quickly and securely with the Opera browser with the built-in adblocker. In addition, you can maintain your privacy and browse the web anonymously with the built-in VPN.
Opera makes it easy for you to transfer files, notes, and links between devices using Opera Flow. The browser is available for all major device types and you can sync your browsing data across all devices.
Notably, Opera features a crypto wallet which is one of the standout features of the Brave browser. Hence, you can store, receive, and send cryptocurrency as you surf the web. However, you can only use the crypto wallet on Opera mobile apps.
If you’re a social media person, you’ll pick Opera as the alternative to Brave. With the desktop version, you can access all your social media feeds in the sidebar including Twitter and Instagram.
The social media sidebar, workspaces, and integrated messages are some of the features on Opera that you can’t enjoy with the Brave browser.
Find out more Opera like browsers here.
3. Waterfox
Waterfox is a browser that aims to balance usability and privacy. It’s a top choice if you need an open-source alternative to Brave.
This browser is based on the Mozilla platform so it shares similarities with Firefox. However, it’s a privacy-focused browser with speed as its core functionality.
Waterfox compares to Brave in many ways. First of all, there’s no tracking. No one can monitor what you browse; not the websites and not even the Waterfox developers.
The browser only collects minimal data from you to provide a personalized experience. Hence, the browsing experience is fast and a lot more convenient if you localize using the built-in languages.
With Brave, you can go incognito by launching a private window. With Waterfox, on the other hand, you can simply open a private tab on your regular browser window.
Furthermore, you can use the Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Opera browser extensions with Waterfox. This is a major win over Brave that only lets you use Chrome extensions.
Waterfox has two versions; the Classic version for legacy systems and Current version for regular browsers. In addition, the browser is available for desktop systems only.
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4. Tor Browser
The Tor browser is synonymous with accessing the deep web. Nevertheless, the main objective of the Tor project is for internet users to protect themselves against tracking, online surveillance, and censorship.
It’s difficult to find a browser that’s more anonymous and private than the Tor browser; not even Brave comes close. However, it’s not a popular browser among regular internet users due to its setup and operations.
With Tor, trackers don’t exist as it isolates each website you visit. It automatically clears your cookies as you finish browsing.
By default, your IP address is hidden when you browse with Tor. This is due to the multi-layer encryptions as your traffic passes through thousands of volunteer-run servers, aka Tor relays.
Anyone spying on you will only see that you’re on the Tor network. It’ll be impossible to identify you since Tor makes all users appear the same.
The Tor browser comes with HTTPS Everywhere and No Script to keep you secure online. It comes with a ton of plugins so you don’t need to install extra ones yourself.
Notably, the Tor browser is available for free. However, you can make donations to support the project.
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5. Firefox Focus
Firefox Focus is the privacy browser version of Firefox, developed by Mozilla. You should skip this option if you need a web browser for your computer. Firefox Focus is only available for mobile and tablet devices.
The browser was initially developed as an application for blocking trackers on mobile devices. Now, it’s a full-fledged minimalist privacy browser.
Just like the Brave browser, you experience faster page loads, with features like ad blocking and tracking protection by default. This is what sets it apart from the regular Firefox browser where tracking protection is optional.
Notably, Firefox Focus blocks social trackers and crypto mining scripts. You can think of it as a default Firefox incognito mode browser. It takes just a click to erase your browsing history including visited pages, passwords, cookies, etc.
As mentioned earlier, Firefox Focus is only available for mobile and tablets. You can download it on your Android, iPhone, iPad, or Android Tablet device.
It’s possible to still use this alternative exclusively as a tracker blocker for Safari if you use iOS. Finally, unlike Brave, the Firefox Focus browser is open source.
Also Read: Best Browsers For Low-end PCs
6. LibreWolf
The LibreWolf browser is a Firefox fork and is exclusively available for desktop devices. It’s one of the best open-source alternatives to Brave as it focuses on privacy, security, and freedom.
With LibreWolf, you can browse free of trackers and fingerprinting amongst other security improvements. The browser also disables DRM so you can browse freely and there’s no data collection or telemetry.
You can block ads with the Brave browser but with LibreWolf, you can block ads and also content using the native uBlock Origin integration. The browser lets you conduct private searches using DuckDuckGo, Qwant, and Searx.
You enjoy all of these privacy features without any effect on usability. The browser still works very fast and is always up to date with the latest Firefox versions.
Notably, all privacy and security settings in the LibreWolf browser are customizable. You can adjust any setting you’re not comfortable with. You can further improve your online security by enabling features like letterboxing.
LibreWolf supports most Firefox extensions and add-ons. You can install the browser on Windows, Mac, and Linux computers.
7. Iridium Browser
Iridium and Brave are both Chromium-based browsers hence they share a lot of similarities. Like Brave, Iridium is a blazing-fast browser and will load even the most complex of sites in seconds.
However, while Brave is a proprietary browser software application, Iridium is open source with the source code available on GitHub.
By default, the Iridium browser blocks all third-party cookies so no one can collect your data. All your browsing results are sent with a “Do Not Track” header.
While you’ll find the option to sign in to Google like on Chrome, the feature is disabled as signing in means Google can track you across devices. In addition, the browser disables network and DNS prediction.
Other Google Chrome features disabled in the Iridium browser include password storing, form auto-fill, and automatic update check.
The default search engine in the browser is Qwant but you’re free to use any search engine you want. Just like Brave, the Iridium browser works with Chrome extensions.
One downside of this alternative is that it’s unavailable for mobile platforms. However, it does support a good number of desktop and other platforms including Windows, Mac, OpenSUSE, Fedora, RHEL/CentOS.
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8. Polarity
Here is another noteworthy web browser on our list that is available for Windows and Android devices. It prioritizes safe browsing but what makes it stand out is its high customizability. Unlike Brave, Polarity isn’t based on Chromium alone; it also has Trident functionality.
One of Brave’s main features is speed and you also get that with Polarity. The browser is very fast thanks to the multi-process architecture that reduces memory leaks and bloats.
Like other Brave browser alternatives, ad blocking and tracking protection are built-in features in this browser with the Privoxy integration. Polarity doesn’t track your sessions, browsing history, or any other sensitive information you may enter online.
Brave comes with a firewall and VPN. Polarity, on the other hand, lets you do more with proxy and Tor support. In addition, Polarity also comes with a content blocker.
You can configure the built-in extension, pBlock, to block any malicious web content and requests. Blocking malicious requests can increase your browsing speed. Furthermore, the PhishTank integration alerts you of any potentially harmful websites.
Using Polarity could help positively affect your device’s battery as it features a Power Saver mode.
9. Epic Browser
The Epic browser is one of the best Brave browser alternatives for anonymity; it’s all about online protection. The browser blocks ads, trackers, fingerprinting, ultrasound signaling, crypto mining, and a lot more. In total, this browser blocks about 600 different online tracking techniques.
You’ll enjoy the speed and ease of use with the Epic browser. There’s no history, web cache, DNS cache, autofill, Google sync, spell-check, or third-party cookies among others.
Similar to Brave, the Epic browser comes with a free built-in VPN that features servers in eight different countries. These countries include the US, Canada, Singapore, France, Germany, India, the Netherlands, and the UK. It takes just one click to connect the proxy to your preferred country.
The Epic browser ad blocker is one of the most comprehensive ones out there. It blocks not only regular ads but also third-party widgets and dangerous malvertising.
Unlike other web browsers that use web services for autocomplete URLs and searches, the Epic browser offers this feature via a local database. Your data isn’t collected in any way following the browser’s maximum security policy.
You can install the Epic browser on Mac, Windows, Android, or iOS devices.
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10. Ghostery Dawn
Ghostery Dawn is more than just a privacy browser; it’s a complete privacy suite. The browser is available for Windows, Mac, Linux, and also mobile platforms including iOS and Android.
The browser features a smart ad blocker that auto-optimizes your browsing session. The tracker blockers improve your browsing speed and you can use the anti-tracking option that anonymizes your data rather than outright blocking.
An interesting Ghostery Dawn feature is the cookie pop-up blocker. If you hate the Accept Cookies pop-up websites that always display on the first visit, you can get rid of them with Ghostery Dawn.
After browsing, you can wipe off your entire browsing history by simply tapping the delete button. It deletes not just history but any other saved information from your browsing session.
Ghostery Dawn provides you with privacy statistics; you get a similar feature with Brave. With the statistics, you can get insights on blocked ads and trackers among others.
Ghostery Dawn isn’t proprietary software like the Brave browser, it’s open-source with source code on GitHub. In addition, the browser comes with premium features; you can subscribe monthly at $4.99 or annually at $47.88.
11. Decentr
This browser boasts of unparalleled speed, security, and utility. The main difference from the Brave browser is that Decentr is open-source. You get about the same privacy and security options on both browsers. Nevertheless, Decentr uses a unique approach.
As a Decentr user, you own your personal data. Your web visits and data are securely stored in your DecID which is like a blockchain system. Since Decentr follows a blockchain approach, it’s not surprising that it features a built-in crypto wallet.
However, you can do more with the Decentr browser’s crypto wallet than with that of the Brave browser as it supports staking. You can stake or become a validator. With the Decentr browser’s Blockchain Explorer, you can seamlessly manage all your crypto transactions and validators.
All of these make the Decentr browser an ideal Brave browser replacement if your primary interest is cryptocurrency. Away from blockchain, Decentr comes with a free VPN and Adblocker which ensures a fast browser.
However, Decentr doesn’t compare to Brave in terms of mobile support. The browser only has stable versions of desktop platforms including Windows, Mac, and Linux. However, there’s a beta version for Android.
12. DuckDuckGo Privacy Browser
DuckDuckGo is popular for its 100 percent private search engine without result personalization. If you’re unaware, this internet search engine also features a web browser which is great if you need a Brave browser alternative for mobile.
When you browse with DuckDuckGo, know that you’re not sharing your personal information with anyone. The browser makes privacy simple by simply not collecting any personal data.
The main features of the DuckDuckGo Privacy Browser are private search using the native search engine, tracker blocker, and site encryption. The Tracker Radar feature blocks all kinds of third-party web trackers and Smarter Encryption enforces HTTPS connection on every site you visit.
Currently, DuckDuckGo is testing a beta feature to block email trackers. If you access emails with your browser, tracking is possible since your email address is public to the email providers. The browser aims to stop this with the email protection feature.
The standard browser is only available for Android and iOS. Nevertheless, you can use the DuckDuckGo Privacy Browser on your desktop with the Chrome browser. Simply install the Chrome extension and you can enjoy all of the privacy and security features as you browse normally.
13. Phoenix Browser
Phoenix Browser is an ideal browser if you need a lightweight alternative to Brave. Installing this browser consumes very little resources on your device. However, the browser is currently only available for Android and iOS.
With the Phoenix browser, you can browse about 2x faster than regular browsers. This isn’t as fast as Brave browser’s 3x to 6x browsing speed but it’s worthwhile. You’ll appreciate Phoenix’s browser speed more when downloading files from the web.
The main feature linking the Brave and Phoenix browsers is the unlimited and free VPN. The Phoenix browser VPN has servers in locations in different parts of the world for unrestricted and anonymous browsing.
Also, Phoenix features an ad blocker which is one of the contributing factors to its fast speed. You can browse free of cookies and caching when you switch to incognito mode. Phoenix features a multi-tab manager which is similar to Brave browser’s tab groups.
As an exclusive mobile browser, Phoenix has some mobile-focused features you don’t get on Brave. This includes features like the Whatsapp status saver plugin, powerful file manager, smart video downloader & player, and data saver.
Also Read:Â Best Google Chrome Alternatives
14. Aloha
Aloha is a popular mobile browser with millions of users. The browser has an almost perfect rating on the App Store and Google Play with 4.9 and 4.5-star ratings respectively.
Aloha would be an ideal Brave browser replacement for mobile users. However, the developers recently launched a desktop version for Windows users. So, you can enjoy safe browsing on mobile or desktop.
If you like the Brave browser for its speed, you’ll love the Aloha browser. This browser employs hardware acceleration and an optimized rendering engine for a rocket-fast browsing experience.
Furthermore, this browser comes with an unlimited free VPN that doubles as a tracker blocker. The adblocker removes all intrusive and annoying ads so you can enjoy a clean browsing experience.
You can browse even more privately with the Private Mode that lets you lock tabs with passwords or fingerprint/face ID.
Notably, you’ll find Aloha easy to use as all the features are laid out in a friendly interface. It comes with a file manager so you can manage your downloads. The file manager supports file and folder locking using passwords or fingerprint/face ID.
15. Bromite
The last alternative here is Bromite and it’s based on Chromium. It’s just like Google Chrome but with privacy enhancements and an ad blocker. The ad blocker, however, is the standout feature.
It uses ad filters from services like EasyPrivacy and EasyList. Be rest assured that you won’t see a single ad throughout your browsing session. The browser is free to download but unlike Brave, it’s only available for Android users.
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Bottom Line
Overall, the best alternative to Brave is Opera. It’s available for all major device types and has almost every Brave browser feature including ad and tracker blockers, VPN, and a crypto wallet.
Opera doesn’t focus on privacy and security alone. The browser also prioritizes user functionality with features such as a social media sidebar, workspaces, unit converter, and integrated chart. Furthermore, Opera is more popular than Brave.
