Brave — A free, open-source Chromium-based browser with built-in ad and tracker blocking, plus an optional $9.99/month VPN.
By Noahlast updated pricing verified
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Brave in 20 seconds
Best for: privacy-conscious users who want built-in ad and tracker blocking without installing separate browser extensions
Pricing: Browser free on all platforms; optional Brave VPN $9.99/month or $99.99/year for up to 10 devices.
- Brave the browser is free on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android.
- Brave Firewall + VPN costs $9.99/month or $99.99/year and covers up to 10 devices.
- Brave's client code is open source under the Mozilla Public License 2.0.
- Brave blocks ads and trackers by default with no extensions required.
- Brave Search, the browser's default search engine, runs on an independent index.
Limitations: Brave Rewards' opt-in BAT-token ad program confuses some users about what's on by default.; VPN is a separate paid subscription, not bundled free with the browser.; Built on Chromium, inheriting Google's underlying engine decisions.
Top alternatives: Google Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, DuckDuckGo, Opera — full list
What is Brave?
Brave is a free web browser built on the open-source Chromium engine, with its own client code released under the Mozilla Public License 2.0 so security researchers can audit it directly. It blocks ads, trackers, and third-party cookies by default, with no extensions required to get baseline privacy protection. Brave bundles several privacy and productivity tools most browsers require add-ons for: a built-in ad/tracker blocker, script blocking, fingerprint randomization, a native crypto wallet, and Brave Talk for video calls. Its default search engine, Brave Search, runs on an independent index rather than reselling Google or Bing results. Brave Rewards is an opt-in program that pays BAT tokens to users who choose to view privacy-preserving ads, which the company can then convert to support content creators. The core browser is free across desktop and mobile; Brave VPN and Brave Talk Premium are separate paid subscriptions layered on top.
Brave is a free, privacy-focused web browser built on Chromium, with the browser's own client code released under the Mozilla Public License 2.0. It blocks ads and trackers by default without requiring separate extensions, ships its own private search engine (Brave Search) as the default, and includes a built-in crypto wallet. The core browser is free on every platform; Brave Firewall + VPN, an add-on that encrypts all device traffic (not just browser traffic), costs $9.99/month or $99.99/year and covers up to 10 devices with a 7-day free trial. Brave differentiates through its optional Brave Rewards program, which pays users in BAT tokens for viewing privacy-preserving ads they opt into, and through bundling privacy tools (ad blocking, script blocking, fingerprint randomization) that competitors typically require extensions to replicate. It's available on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android, supporting nearly 160 languages.
Standout feature: Ships with ad and tracker blocking, script blocking, and fingerprint randomization built in and on by default, with no extensions needed to match what competitors require several add-ons to replicate.
Biggest weakness: Brave Rewards' opt-in BAT-token ad program has drawn criticism from users who find its ad-serving and crypto-wallet defaults confusing to disable, and the VPN/Firewall add-on requires a separate $9.99/month subscription rather than being bundled free.
Pros
- Blocks ads and trackers by default with no extensions required to set up.
- Client code is open source (MPL-2.0) and independently auditable.
- Built-in Brave Search runs on an independent index rather than reselling another engine's results.
- Available on every major desktop and mobile platform with nearly 160 languages supported.
Cons
- Brave Rewards' opt-in BAT-token ad program confuses some users about what's on by default versus optional.
- Brave VPN is a separate $9.99/month subscription, not bundled free with the browser.
- Built on Chromium, so it inherits Google's engine-level decisions and roadmap even while blocking Google's tracking.
- Some sites misidentify Brave's fingerprint randomization as bot activity, occasionally breaking site functionality.
Brave pricing
Free tier · paid from $9.99/mo · verified from the vendor's pricing page
| Plan | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Browser | Free | Free on all platforms; includes built-in ad/tracker blocking, Brave Search default, and the built-in crypto wallet. |
| Brave Firewall + VPN | $9.99/mo | Encrypts all device traffic (not just browser traffic) across up to 10 devices, 300+ servers in 40+ regions; $99.99/year if billed annually; 7-day free trial. |
What reviewers say
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