If you have read some of my posts before you might know I was a big fan of Firefox. I also strongly dislike Chrome. But there is one chrome based browser I have started to grow fond of and that is Brave.
Brave and cryptocurrency
I first heard about Brave because of the build-in cryptocurrency called BAT. Also known as Basic Attention Tokens.
It seemed like a neat idea. Block ads but support websites with a cryptocurrency called BAT. You can give tips or auto contribute based on the time you spend on sites.
So I tested it out and it was neat. I made a Gemini account to convert my BAT into real money.
I was never really a cryptocurrency enthusiast but I see potential in BAT. I’m glad someone is attempting something new.
Brave’s ad blocking and bandwidth saving
What ended up getting me to switch was an event that ruined my day. I was looking up some info on my phone when my wife asked me to help her with something. So I put my phone down on the table and forgot about it for a while. When I picked my phone back up later I noticed some video ad was playing. Then I checked my data and I had gone over my cap. This was before I had real internet at home. So I was not happy.
At this point, I was paying extra to see ads. So I installed the Brave phone app to save data and money.
I’m not sure how long I was using the app to save 261MBs of data but as you can see it adds up over time.
Brave’s Privacy Protection
Ad blocking, data saving, and privacy protection almost go hand and hand. So privacy protection is Brave’s other selling point. They automatically block tracking ads, scripts, and cookies. No need to install an add-on.
But if you need to you can drop the shield for individual websites. I have done this a few times for sites I really want to support or sites that might have issues loading.
Built in Tor connection
If you want even more privacy Brave allows you to open a private window with Tor.
Tor hides your IP address from the sites you visit, by encrypting your data and routing your browsing through several Tor servers before it reaches your destination.
But it can be a lot slower. That’s not Brave’s fault that’s just how Tor works. If you need this level of protection you might be better off with a VPN. But it’s nice to have this free option in Brave.
My verdict on Brave
I like Brave a lot and almost exclusively use it as my phone browser now. On my desktop and laptop, it’s also my number one choice.
It’s definitely worth checking out Brave and if you like it then maybe send a BAT tip my way. I would appreciate it!
