Brave review

Brave is the easiest privacy upgrade for anyone coming from Chrome, because it keeps the Chromium engine and extension support while turning protection on from the first launch. Brave Shields block third-party ads and trackers, partition cross-site cookies, replace third-party storage with ephemeral storage and uncloak CNAME trackers. Fingerprinting defenses randomize browser APIs so you look different to each site, and Global Privacy Control is on by default. Shields come in Standard and Aggressive modes and can be dropped for a single site that breaks. The browser is free on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS. Paid extras are optional: Firewall + VPN costs $9.99 a month or $99.99 a year for up to 10 devices with a 7-day trial, Search Premium is $3.00 a month, and Brave Origin is a $59.99 one-time license that lets you manage or remove features found in the free version. The main drawback is that the free build carries those extras by default.

Who it is for

people switching from Chrome who want strong defaults

Price

Free browser; optional Brave VPN $9.99 a month, Search Premium $3.00 a month, Brave Origin $59.99 one time.

the existing Brave browser product will remain free and fully supported
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 14, 2026.

Key features

• Brave Shields block third-party ads, trackers and cross-site cookies on every page by default
• Fingerprint randomization makes the browser look different to every site after each restart
• CNAME uncloaking and ephemeral third-party storage
• Global Privacy Control on by default
• Optional Firewall + VPN at $9.99 a month or $99.99 a year for up to 10 devices

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Works on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS
• Strength: Chrome extensions and import of bookmarks and passwords
• Strength: Blocks YouTube pre-roll and mid-roll ads
• Weakness: Rewards, Wallet and AI features are included in the free version and have to be hidden manually
• Weakness: Brave Origin, the stripped-down build, costs $59.99 outside Linux
• Weakness: VPN is a separate subscription

Key facts

• Price: Free
• Engine: Chromium
• Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
• Paid add-on: Firewall + VPN, $9.99 a month

Where it ranks

Brave is No. 1 in our Best Privacy Browsers verdict.