Overview
Brave browser launched a preview in January 2016, late after others such as Google’s Chrome in 2008 and Microsoft’s Edge in 2015. The project was founded by one of the creators of JavaScript, and Mozilla co-founder, Brendan Eich in partnership with Brian Bondy.
Users might be interested in using Brave because they have two advantages over other browsers:
- Members are paid with a native token to use the browser by viewing Brave ads
- Brave does not tack or sell any user data or IP addresses
Also, because Brave blocks many of the website’s own ads, the browser offers higher speed searches and improved privacy while using the app. The Brave browser blocks ad trackers and wipes other ads to replace them with its own ads.
Overall, Brave functions like other standard browsers. The app is free to download and use, and it will save site authentication information. More importantly, it canlimit the number of online ads that appear on a given site. Brave’s default setting blocks website ads from appearing on your screen. The browser also shows users how many ad trackers (and ads) have been blocked. The browser also stops advertising platforms from collecting user data for targeted ads.
Without the extra images from ads, pages are loaded faster. Because there are fewer ads, Brave’s web browser loads complex site pages 6 times faster than others like Chrome, Safari, and Firefox because there are fewer ads.
Ultimately, Brave is an attractive alternative browser because they eliminate ad tracking, offer faster downloads, and the platform is still a free search engine.
Main Features
- Free Browser
- Browse privately with an ad blocker
- No targeted ads
- Earn Brave’s Cryptocurrency -Basic Attention Token (BAT)
Income Model and Advertisements
Brave’s Income Model
Brave is a for-profit browser, unlike Google or Safari, which profit from other major projects. That means that all ad content is controlled by Brave. Typically, browsers display ads from individual sites. This also means that the browser is collecting data and clicks to display targeted pop-up ads for users.
Brave’s platform wipes other ads and replaces them with their own ads. Brave ads are those advertisers which have paid Brave for ad space. This means that ads with Brave are not targeted. It also means that users will not be bothered with ads for the most part. To actually view an ad, the user must follow the pop-up link.
Brave ads are displayed:
- User ads are pop-up ads, which is the primary ad source
- Publisher ads are banners that appear at the top of the page
- Ads appear like a notification – only by clicking on the pop-up will the user actually view the ad and be rewarded with BAT
Brave Income – Brave Rewards
The business model of Brave functions with a native token, BAT (Basic Attention Token). BAT is the cryptocurrency awarded to users. BAT is also the only currency that the browser operates with. To pay for Brave’s advertising space, advertisers must use BAT. The company takes 30% of user ad revenue and 15% of the publisher ad revenue. They have also raised a reported $35 million from the sale of BAT.
Users can earn BAT by using the Brave Browser, this has benefits for both advertisers and consumers. Brave tracks the attention that each website receives and then pays advertisers monthly in BAT. An added benefit is that users can tip using BAT, the websites and content they visit often, or find helpful -this includes social media channels, YouTube, etc. So, not only do advertisers have an income stream but users are also rewarded for visiting sites.
There is an opt-in option. Users that opt-in can allow ad trackers and tracking scripts. The reason to allow tracking is to earn BAT for using the internet. And users can tip creators in BAT.
However, using Brave may negatively affect the profitability of independent projects and bloggers, as these projects rely on ad revenue. BAT is meant to replace that loss; however, BAT is not as valuable as other fiat or cryptocurrencies.
Although using native tokens to fund projects is a common practice these days, it does mean that you are limited in certain ways. Still, BAT shows a steady performance in the market. BAT has been on the market since 2017 and is reasonably close to reaching its total possible supply of 1,500,000,000. Caping a token supply is an intelligent method for controlling inflation. It is, therefore, possible that the next few years will show a lot of promise for the project and the value of BAT.
As of October 19, 2021, a single BAT was worth less than $0.70, which is down from an April 2021 high of around $1.25. In a Monthly Active User status update, Brave claimed that users had contributed about 26 million tokens to site publishers and content creators.
Digital Wallet
As will all cryptocurrencies, BAT is held in a digital wallet. Brave uses anonymous wallets Uphold and Gemini for storing BAT tokens. BAT tokens are used for any Brave service and can be cashed out or traded on the market.
Privacy and User Ad Settings
Main security features:
- ads blocked
- Blocks cross-site trackers
- Blocks cookies and fingerprinting (cookie-less trackers)
- Malware and phishing protection
- IP addresses are not collected
- Tor mode: which uses anonymized network routing
The browser blocks most ads and does not track usage. However, ads will still appear at the top of your search engine, as it does not block ads within search results. And, while Brave does not store user history, it does provide individually matched ads.
Tech Specs
- Platform: Brave Browser is built on the Chromium platform which is the open-source project that Google and others maintain. Back-end technologies including Blink and V8 JavaScript’s engine power Brave.
- iOS: For iOS Brave uses WebKit, which is the same open-source foundation that Safari uses. WebKit is necessary for any third-party browser with an Apple App.
- Extensions: Brave supports the same extensions as Chrome
- Digital Wallets: Brave uses anonymous digital wallets, Uphold and Gemini
Download Brave
Tailcat Brave’s Search Engine Launch TBD
Recently, in 2021, Brave acquired Tailcat, an open search engine. Tailcat will become the foundation of the soon (TBD) to launch Brave Search Engine. In contrast to Big Tech companies, Tailcat is an independent index that does not store IP address or use personal information for search results. Just like Brave’s browser, users are paid with BAT to view ad content. And users will also be able to pay for an ad-free search engine subscription.
Brave Build Channels
- Brave Nightly: testing and development version of Brave.
- Brave Beta: preview for new versions of Brave.
- Brave Release: the official release version of Brave, new releases approximately every three weeks.
User Reviews
Controversy
Brendan Eich’s name is attached to some controversy, as he was encouraged to leave Mozilla after he voiced support for California’s 2008 Proposition 8, an attempt to ban same-sex marriage.
Why Use It?
Brave’s browser is a useful alternative to other more popular browsers, like Safari or Google. They have a completely different business model than most browsers, as they are for-profit. It is still free for users and, most importantly, a much more private browser.
The difference is that Brave blocks other ads and replaces them with their own ads for which advertisers have paid them.
The benefit of using Brave is that it is an alternative to other browsers, and they do not collect personal data and IP addresses. Because they have blocked most ads, they are a faster browser.
Their business model relies on the native token BAT. This means all advertisers must use BAT, and all users are rewarded with BAT. Relying on a native token to run a platform is a popular proposition these days. It allows the project to raise funds and reward users with cryptocurrency while supporting the project’s ecosystemcan limitwever, it is not a terribly profitable way to earn cryptocurrencies, as BAT does not hold a lot of value. In October 2021, it is valued at less than $1 US. Still, it is early days, as the BAT has only been around since 2017.
The most significant benefit of Brave’s browser is the privacy it offers users, as, unlike Google, it is not collecting user information, nor do they have targeted ads.