Google Chrome vs Brave

Google Chrome: what it's good at

Chrome is the browser most of the web is tested against, which in practice means the fewest compatibility surprises. It offers the largest extension library, tight Google account sync, and consistently fast JavaScript performance.

• Broadest website compatibility
• Largest extension catalogue
• Sync across all your devices
• Frequent automatic security updates

Brave: what it's good at

Brave is built on Chromium — so Chrome extensions and site compatibility carry over — but ships with aggressive ad and tracker blocking enabled out of the box. Blocking ads at the browser level typically means noticeably faster page loads.

• Ad and tracker blocking built in
• Runs Chrome extensions
• Faster page loads on ad-heavy sites
• Built-in private window with Tor

Which should you choose?

Both are free, so the honest answer is that you can install either and decide for yourself — that is the advantage of free software over a paid trial.

Both run on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS. If open source matters to you, Brave publishes its source code and Google Chrome does not.

We deliberately do not publish a star rating for either. We have no way to verify a rating that would be honest at scale, and an invented one would be worse than none — so we give you the facts and let you decide.

Frequently asked questions

Is Google Chrome better than Brave?

Neither is universally better. Google Chrome the most widely used browser in the world, while Brave chromium-based browser that blocks ads and trackers by default. The right pick depends on your platform and workflow.

Are both really free?

Google Chrome is free and Brave is open source. Both can be downloaded without paying.

Can I install both?

Yes. Since neither costs anything, installing both and comparing them on your own files is usually the fastest way to decide.