A friend recommended that I try the Brave browser three months ago, and at that time, I wasn't quite sure what this niche browser could offer. Compared to using Edge for many years, using the unfamiliar Brave surprisingly gave me a feeling of a "clean version of Edge": a simple interface without those unnecessary and annoying ads. As a user who values webpage loading speed and privacy protection, I gradually got used to the ad-free, tracker-free experience of Brave in my daily browsing, and the feeling of having an enhanced browsing experience is truly refreshing.
Simple and Ad-Free Browsing Experience#
The most obvious feature of Brave is its built-in ad blocking and tracking protection. When I first started using it, I found that many websites I usually visited had no pop-up ads or banner ads at all, and the page loading speed improved significantly. Brave's "Shields" feature can block third-party trackers, cookies, and other privacy-intrusive content with one click, leaving only the necessary text, images, and videos on the webpage, undisturbed by flashy ads. In comparison, while Edge can also block ads through extensions, it still loads various recommended content and ads by default. When browsing with Brave, I always feel like I have a clean "browsing shield," allowing me to focus on the content without worrying about privacy leaks.
- Privacy First: Brave blocks ads and trackers by default, eliminating the need for cumbersome plugins, and does not upload your browsing data, achieving true incognito browsing.
- Smart Acceleration: Without ads, webpage resource consumption is lower, and loading speeds are generally faster than when using other browsers.
- One-Click Refresh: The interface is extremely minimalist, retaining only necessary functions and settings, and closing tabs brings a sense of cleanliness that is pleasing.
Privacy Protection: Making Browsing More Secure#
Brave has always claimed to be "user-first," and it has indeed put effort into privacy protection. The browser has built-in features such as anti-fingerprinting, anti-tracking, and forced HTTPS upgrades, which require multiple plugins to achieve in mainstream browsers like Edge or Chrome. In Brave, I can directly enable these options, making browsing feel like an anonymous state: every website sees you as an ordinary user, leaving no extra traces. For friends who often handle sensitive information or do not want websites to record their behavior, this quietly protective experience is truly wonderful. From my usage, Brave performs exceptionally well in terms of privacy protection. It is worth mentioning that Brave also offers a built-in "private tab" (using the Tor network), which can further hide your online activities. Although ordinary online shopping and news reading may not require such advanced features, it shows Brave's sincerity as an additional option.
Performance and Compatibility: A Spring for Chrome Users#
Brave is developed based on the Chromium open-source project, which is great news for users accustomed to Chrome or Edge. All the websites and applications I use daily run perfectly in Brave, with no compatibility issues. Even better, almost all extensions from the Chrome Web Store can be directly installed in Brave, so I don't have to worry about plugin availability. The Brave interface is very similar to Chrome and Edge, making it easy to get started and quickly use various settings smoothly. In terms of performance, after removing ads and tracking, Brave's page loading speed is very fast, and memory usage is not as high as I previously imagined. Sometimes when I switch back to Edge, I actually feel that Brave's optimization is more suitable for daily use, giving the impression that "this is the real clean browser."
Open Source and Community: Transparency and Trustworthiness#
Brave is completely open-source, which makes me feel very reassured. Unlike those closed-source software that may raise privacy concerns, Brave's source code can be reviewed and contributed to by anyone, providing higher transparency. The team behind Brave Software is open and transparent, and it is relatively well-regarded among the user community. Additionally, Brave has introduced an innovative model—Brave Rewards—using blockchain technology to allow users to optionally watch ads and earn token rewards. Although this is an optional feature, it reflects Brave's pioneering spirit. Of course, if I don't want to participate, I can completely disable the rewards system and continue to enjoy a clean browsing environment. The Brave community is also very active, with users sharing various advanced setting experiences. For example, many users recommend using Brave's own search engine (Brave Search) in conjunction, which is also an ad-free and tracker-free search solution that works even better together. Overall, being based on Chromium gives Brave a compatibility advantage, while the open-source philosophy endows it with trust and user engagement, and the combination of the two makes Brave feel very trustworthy.
Experience Comparison: Brave vs Edge#
From my personal experience, I can say that Brave is better than Edge in many ways. After truly comparing them, I found that Brave indeed excels in "purity" and "privacy." Edge does well in tightly integrating with the Windows and Microsoft ecosystems, but it does not perform as well as Brave in blocking ads, tracking, and reducing resource consumption. Once, I couldn't stand the lag caused by trackers while using Edge, as the sidebar or Windows notification center suddenly popped up several recommended contents and ads, and I was too lazy to close them one by one, which was very annoying; when I switched to Brave, such problems completely disappeared.
Of course, this is not to say that Brave has no drawbacks: for some people, the built-in reward ads in Brave can be bothersome (although they can be turned off in settings), and I occasionally encounter minor compatibility issues with some extensions, plus it lacks the full-page screenshot feature like Edge, which requires going to dev tools. However, the overall user experience is still very satisfying. I appreciate Brave's simple design philosophy and respect for privacy, and I see it as an interesting attempt to combat the excessive surveillance of "Big Tech." Therefore, for me, Brave has transcended being just an "Edge alternative" and is a browser worth using and recommending long-term.
Whisper#
My three-month experience has kept my fondness for Brave alive; it has fulfilled my simple wish for a browser: to open a webpage and only see content, not ads. It even has a vertical tab feature like Edge, allowing for a "seamless transition" in my tab experience. While Edge is also good, Brave gives me a more focused and respected feeling. In other words, Brave feels like a "new version of Edge focused on privacy protection and speed." If you, like me, hate ads, cherish privacy, or want to try a different browsing method, then you might as well download Brave and give it a try. You may discover, like I did, that it is better than expected and truly worth a try.
One more benefit of using Brave is that
you won't have your homepage hijacked by 360.
This article is synchronized and updated to xLog by Mix Space. The original link is https://ling.crashvibe.cn/posts/tool/three-months-using-brave-browser-experience