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If you’re someone who takes their privacy seriously, check out this Brave Browser Review and you’ll see why it’s time to ditch Chrome and download Brave Browser.
As internet users, we are constantly being tracked around the internet and advertised to. With Brave, not only can you block these trackers by default, but stop annoying pop-up ads and videos too. Not only does this help you to concentrate on the content that you actually want to see, but it will also help to speed up your internet session, giving you a 6 x faster web browsing experience!
If that isn’t already enough for you to kick your Google Chrome to the curb. Read through this Brave browser review and I will go through all the features Brave has to offer. I will also show you how to download Brave, how to use Brave and claim Brave Rewards. If you prefer to watch a video on Brave instead, check out my latest upload below.
Brave Browser Review
What is Brave Browser?
Brave Browser and BAT (Basic Attention Token) was founded by Brendan Eich (creator of JavaScript and co-founder of Firefox Mozilla). Brave is a fast, secure, open-source browser built on chromium which is cryptocurrency driven.
The browser blocks ads and trackers that slow you down and invade your privacy. At the same time, they anonymously capture user attention, to reward creators and publishers in BAT. Plus, you get paid to watch ads at a time and frequency that you control. Brave is trying to fix the internet, by improving the ad model and putting the control back into the user’s hands.
What is the Basic Attention Token (BAT) from Brave?
The Basic Attention Token (BAT) is a digital advertising token which is built on the Ethereum blockchain. The purpose of the ERC20 token is to create an ad exchange marketplace. This connects advertisers, publishers, and users in a decentralized manner. BAT monetizes user attention and removes all the other needless expenditures related to ad networks. It also integrates with the Brave web browser.
Within the BAT ecosystem, advertisers give publishers BAT tokens based on the measured attention of users. This attention is anonymously monitored by Brave. At the same time, Brave users also receive BAT tokens for participating.
Benefits of Brave Browser
Brave are pretty confident in the benefits you’ll get using their browser. So confident, that these are shown as soon as you launch their browser, along with its performance. The browser shows you the number of ads that have been blocked, HTTPS upgrades and the time you have saved. But what are the other features of using Brave?
- Browse Faster: Brave can save you time, as the browser is very fast and they boast that news sites load up to 8x faster than with Chrome or Safari.
- Block Ads: The browser is ad-free by default, stopping unwanted ads from ever appearing on the screen.
- Block Trackers: Improve your online privacy with Brave which stops trackers from taking your data which includes the likes of Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, etc. By sharing less data with advertisers your privacy will be kept intact.
- Tor Integration: Brave integrates Tor into the browser and gives users a new browsing mode that helps protect their privacy not only on a device but also over the network.
- Save Money: You might even find that Brave could help you to save money. If you are using mobile data and downloading ads this could obviously cost you! However, by blocking these ads you’re not paying for unwanted content!
Chrome vs Brave Browser
Google Chrome obviously still dominates the market. But what are the main differences and why are so many people switching to Brave?
The first reason is privacy, due to the growing awareness of how big tech companies collect and use our data. Users should be aware that Google is always watching over your shoulder and collecting your data, as its livelihood is based on this. Brave on the other hand blocks trackers by default keeping your data private. Brave is definitely a new competitor to go along with the likes of Firefox and Tor for users concerned about their privacy.
With Brave, ads are blocked by default. Although Chrome does have adblocker extensions, adding extensions can sometimes decrease the security of your browser.
So where does Chrome overachieve? Well, there are lots of things and one of the main ones is security. Google scans for malicious downloads, is quick to fix bugs or loopholes and allows you to send “Do not track” requests to your browsing traffic. Although Brave’s settings are similar to that of Chrome and feature HTTPS everywhere and Tor integration, it does not come close to Google’s security.
How to Earn Brave Rewards
You can earn Brave Rewards in two ways with Brave, either by downloading Brave Browser and becoming a user or as a content creator.
Earn BAT by Watching Ads
Unlike most browsers which will force ads onto you, as a Brave Browser user, you can earn rewards by watching ads. These will display in the bottom right-hand corner of your screen and you will have the control to accept or deny these so that they don’t interrupt your browsing. If you choose to watch an ad, you’ll get paid a small amount in BAT which can then be stored in their inbuilt wallet or an external wallet like Exodus.
You’re not gonna make huge amounts from watching the ads, but it’s a lot more than you would normally get (which is nothing). It, therefore, creates a small revenue stream for people who want to watch ads, on their terms and in their own time.
Earn Brave Rewards as a Content Creator
As a content creator, you can earn rewards with Brave by signing up as a verified content creator on Brave Rewards. Once you have signed up with Brave Rewards you can link your account to YouTube, Twitch, Twitter, etc. Brave users can tip their favourite verified content creators using the funds in their BAT wallet, built into the browser. You can also earn Basic Attention Tokens by spreading the word. By referring friends and followers to Brave, you can earn $5.00 of BAT by sharing your referral code.
Using a VPN with Brave
Using Brave alone is not enough to protect yourself from online threats. Although Brave does keep your information private you should still ensure you use a VPN. A VPN will help to secure your connection, stay anonymous and encrypt your data. Some VPNs will also have browser extensions, which will provide you with immediate VPN protection straight from within your browser. The likes of ExpressVPN has a browser extension for Brave.
Brave and Tor Integration
Within Brave, you can create private windows with Tor, increasing your privacy whilst browsing. In this way, your browser doesn’t connect directly to the website you are requesting. Instead, it connects to a chain of 3 different computers on the Tor Network and then reaches the final website that you’re visiting. By routing between the Tor servers, there is no way to know who you are or where you are going.
The connections are also encrypted so that no one can see the sites that you visiting, not even your internet service provider. You will also find that DuckDuckGo is the default engine, which won’t track your search engine, nor know your IP address.
How to Import Chrome Bookmarks into Brave
With Brave, you can import your existing Chrome bookmarks. Meaning migrating from your existing browser can be done easily, without the need to re-create your favourite links. Below are the steps to do this;
From the settings in your existing Chrome Browser, click “Bookmarks“
Then select “Bookmark Manager” and click on the icon in the top right-hand corner to “Organise“
You can then choose “Export Bookmarks” and save the file as an HTML file.
If you then head over to Brave Browser and go to Bookmarks, you’ll see an option to “Import Bookmarks & Settings”
From here you can click “Bookmarks HTML File” and then “Choose File“
You’ll then need to locate the HTML file you have just exported from Chrome and your Bookmarks will automatically come across.
Brave Version 1.0
Brave has now released version 1.0. Meaning that the browser has finally come out of beta after 4 years of development. With it comes some new features, plus ways that you can earn more Basic Attention Tokens.
Brave for iOS Users
Brave Rewards are now live for iOS devices. Rewarding their iOS users with Basic Attention Token (BAT) for simply watching ads. This feature was not previously available for its iOS users and means you can more easily tip content creators straight from your mobile.
The latest update is currently live on the App Store for you to use. It’s also worth mentioning that when I updated Brave on my iPhone, I was personally awarded 20 BAT tokens. Which I can then use to tip my favourite content creators.
Brave Browser Wallet
Brave also has a feature named Crypto Wallets, a client-side wallet, meaning that users will control all the keys. Users can manage their keys in a software wallet in Brave. Or connect a physical hardware wallet such as the Ledger Nano or Trezor.
For those of you who are familiar with Metamask, you’ll find that it has a very similar look and feel. However, it is built into Brave’s browser.
As the Basic Attention Token is an Ethereum-based token, they’ve also given you the option to hold Ethereum in the wallet. Plus, you can add further Ethereum-based (ERC20) tokens.
Brave Browser & Binance Widget
In Brave’s latest desktop update (version 1.8), Brave Browser has now released the Binance widget into its privacy-based browser. Meaning that millions of users can now seamlessly trade and manage crypto without ever having to leave their browsers.
How to Update Brave Browser
To update your browser to the latest version of Brave, simply click on the 3 horizontal lines in the top right-hand side of your screen.
Then click on “About Brave”
Brave will then let you know if you are running the latest version, or if there is an update available.
Once the update has been finalized you will need to restart your browser.
