When I realized how much data big tech exploits, I knew it was time to start making some changes, and one of my starting points was abandoning Chrome. Firefox was an easy alternative. It represented freedom and was built for privacy. But then the years passed, and I lost trust in Firefox and stopped using it.
That said, I didn’t just wake up one morning and quit Firefox. I knew it would eventually happen, but I needed to find the perfect replacement. Privacy is a big deal, but functionality counts as well, so I hung on to Firefox and only finally quit for Brave.
Ideals matter
I was sold on Firefox’s ideals
To understand why I now use Brave, it’s important to talk about the ideals that won me over to Firefox. In the mid-2000s, despite the heavy monopoly that Internet Explorer had, Firefox challenged its dominance. It supported new web standards consistently and showed developers that they didn’t need to rely on proprietary Microsoft technologies to create sites that worked across browsers. Firefox popularized tabbed browsing and customizable toolbar innovations.
But it did much more. It made privacy a principle, not just a feature, introducing built-in ad tracking and pop-up blocking before it became trendy, and this set the new standard. These and the use of DuckDuckGo as the default search engine reinforced the privacy-first ethos.
However, what mattered most was its community-driven spirit. Its add-on ecosystem allowed developers to extend Mozilla’s vision. The open-source development meant code inspections, bug fixes, and community contributions. Then, of course, I got a sense that the browser supported a broader social mission thanks to Mozilla’s campaigns for net neutrality and digital rights.
The privacy policy
Brave’s privacy is what Firefox’s should be
If I were ever to quit Firefox, it would have to be for a browser that shared the same ideals that sold me on Firefox—ideals Firefox seems to be losing. My starting point is always the privacy policy. A product’s actions may not match its privacy promises, but the policy gives me a basis for judgment. Brave’s privacy policy won me over, and it read a bit more like what Firefox’s privacy policy should be.
Reading the on-device functionality that requires all chats with the Brave AI to be encrypted and stored locally was welcoming. But what really struck a chord was Brave’s data collection policy that avoids collecting data on key services like Safe Browsing, Brave Wallet, and Brave Translate. Many browsers send Safe Browsing queries directly to Google along with your IP; Brave proxies those queries to strip identifying information.
This was a breath of fresh air. Where Firefox had become the browser with robust privacy settings, Brave was the browser that prioritized privacy by default. Privacy isn’t some feature to hunt down in the settings page, and Brave understands this.
The top Brave features
Privacy browsers are typically not this functional
In my search for a Firefox replacement, I tried many privacy-focused browsers. A lot of them were built on the same Gecko base as Firefox and implemented many features just like Firefox. They were generally great privacy options, but they lacked functionality. Firefox was not just a privacy option; it was innovative and a perfect daily driver.
Librewolf, for instance, would break certain websites because of its hardened privacy and security defaults. Waterfox has an inconsistent update schedule and a smaller developer team. None were good enough to replace Firefox.
But Brave understands that a private browser should be functional and fast. After installing it, I didn’t have to start tinkering with settings. I could watch YouTube videos without ads, and news sites that were plagued with ads and pop-ups were now clean and easy to navigate. Brave has a “continue where you left off” function that ensures you’re not always starting afresh. I didn’t need to choose between privacy and the web; Brave gets the perfect balance.
The new standard
Brave’s built-in features replace some common extensions
Brave reminds me of what Firefox used to be. In its early days, Firefox set the standard. It pioneered features that almost every other browser had to adopt. These days, browsers are all about extensions and privacy trackers, but Brave is going down a different path. It’s building critical tools directly into the browser.
The Brave approach fixes a problem we’ve seen in many browsers. Installing extensions such as ad blockers and password managers can eventually slow down the browser and introduce security risks.
Brave Shields is a core built-in feature that blocks ads and trackers efficiently. Browsers typically rely on extensions for Web3, but Brave integrates this natively with Brave Wallet. It even integrates its own private video-conferencing tool. All these integrations make it forward-thinking and give me the same level of excitement I had when I first tried Firefox.
Real-world tests
Brave is top in real-world privacy tests
There are people who will swear by Brave. To them, Brave is the best browser, and nothing can shake that feeling. Before joining this school of thought, I want to be careful. I need to be sure the marketing hype isn’t getting the better of me. I liked the features Brave rolled out. I loved how the privacy policy read, but it was time to put it to the test, and the results sealed the fate of Firefox.
I ran the Cover Your Tracks test. This test checks if your browser prevents fingerprinting across websites. Firefox produced a unique fingerprint, indicating weaker protection; Brave produced a randomized fingerprint, indicating stronger anti-fingerprinting.
Uniqueness in fingerprints means a user stands out and is easily identified across different websites, while randomized fingerprints show a user blends in and is harder to track across websites.
However, this was just one of many tests. Brave did better in the WebRTC Leak test run on Browser Leaks, and the Content Filters test showed that Brave has adequate Canvas protection and an ad-blocking mechanism.
Brave is the best browser so far
If the goal is to switch to a fast, lightweight browser, Brave is a great choice. If the aim is to try a very functional and modern browser, Brave is a great option. If you simply want a privacy option, Brave also fits. So, is Brave the best browser?
Of course, there are many other criteria that go into determining what the absolute best is, but I left Firefox for Brave, and so far, it’s felt like the right choice every single day.
