In 2016, a competitor to Google Chrome called Brave was released. Brave is built on Chromium but removes all of Google’s code that could affect users’ privacy. The final product is a browser with the same look and feels as Chrome but with improved security and privacy protections when browsing the web. This is a detailed brave browser review.

What is the Brave web browser?

Unlike other browsers, Brave automatically eliminates advertisements and other forms of online tracking. After using Brave for just a few days, I could see that I was no longer being “followed” online.

However, blocking advertisements and trackers does more than protect your privacy it also improves your browsing speed. Most advertisements and third-party trackers, which are scripts, significantly increase web page load times. For instance, Google and its advertising partners can give you more relevant adverts if you use Chrome, which keeps track of what sites you visit.  

The issue is Tracking Ads.

When it comes to protecting your data, modern browsers have you covered. Secure HTTP connections are supported everywhere, incognito tabs are available when you’re not on your computer, and sandboxing is available in multiple configurations to prevent data theft between tabs. However, advertising is one area where privacy has been gradually compromised.

Targeted advertising is essential for maximizing returns. Show me an ad for the newest piece of technology, and I might click on it but don’t bother me with ones for rock climbing gear or baby strollers. Advertisers create digital profiles of your online behavior to target you, with advertising more likely to appeal to your tastes. That seems innocuous enough, helpful, on its own. However, advertising tracking methods are becoming increasingly intrusive.

It’s a major business to advertise online. Google’s projected 2021 revenue of $209 billion is a large number. Advertising accounts for a sizable portion of that income. It makes money from selling smartphones, smart speakers, cloud storage, apps, and movies. But advertising generates the vast majority of revenue. That’s a lot of cash in an advertising model where money only changes hands when an ad is clicked.

Regain command with the Brave browser.

While there are several alternatives for doing so, the Brave browser’s default behavior simplifies the process. Most ad networks employ tracking and identification methods to monitor your online activities. 

The Brave browser eliminates these restrictions. There is an increase in speed in addition to the privacy benefits. Brave claims that their mobile and desktop browser is up to six times faster loading major news sites than Chrome, Safari, and Firefox. Why? Because there is no longer a requirement for additional graphics, JavaScript, and tracking info.

Integrated Tor

Brave, like most browsers, allows you to open a private window. When you’re surfing in a private window, no information about your browsing habits is saved by Brave. When you close the window, your browsing history, cookies, form data, and site data will be erased. But Brave provides a private window that can be used with the anonymous network Tor. 

There are two more advantages to using Tor. Because of how Tor works, the websites you visit won’t be able to see your real IP address. Second, your browsing activity is anonymous and cannot be tracked by someone observing the network. The Onion Routing protocol is better known by its acronym, Tor. Designed by the US Naval Research Laboratory, it prevents your computer from directly connecting to servers by relaying all network traffic through a distributed network of “Tor nodes.” 

Conclusion

The dashboard in Brave was quite well organized. Many browsers’ cluttered top bars can be hidden by placing the settings, bookmarks, and history in the bottom right as minimalist icons. We conclude the Brave browser review.

Brave may be used in the same ways as any other browser, allowing for personalization of the dashboard, resizing and moving tabs and windows, bookmarking, searching directly from the address bar, and so on. Unfortunately, many of their features are still in development. Thus complete functionality may not be available on all platforms. 

Finally, Brave Rewards and Playlist are nice additions you won’t find in every browser, but they need to be more to recommend Brave over other options.