Brave vs Chrome: What’s the Difference, Is One Better?

Chrome and Brave are two of the most popular browsers, with millions of daily users. Initially, their developers focused on creating efficient browsers for use on desktops.

However, advancements in smartphone and TV technologies prompted the development of multi-platform compatible browsers. Chrome and Brave are compatible with different operating systems, including Windows, Linux, and macOS.

Many people do not compare browsers before settling for one; they often choose the most popular option. However, the browser you use affects your user experience and efficiency. Thus, you should choose a browser compatible with your device(s) and one that supports your intended use. 

This article reviews the Brave vs. Chrome browsers to help you choose the best-fit option.

Brave vs. Chrome: Side-by-Side Comparison

Brave vs. Chrome: What’s the Difference?

Given that browsers impact your user experience and performance, we should compare them from a technical viewpoint. You do not want a browser with a good user interface but poor performance. You also want a browser that is compatible with your device. Below is a comparison of the Brave vs. Chrome browsers.

Privacy

Privacy is a primary concern when comparing browsers. You want a browser that protects your passwords, browsing history, and other personal information from unauthorized access.  

Brave has a good reputation regarding data privacy; it is one of its main selling points. For one, the browser has a tracking protection feature to protect users against intrusive or obtrusive domains. Thus, you don’t have to worry about website trackers when browsing on Brave.

Additionally, the browser has an effective ad blocker that filters out unwanted advertisements and prompts. Brave has an in-built VPN for users who want to hide their IP address. However, the VPN is not free; you can register for the 7-day free trial before subscribing to their monthly or annual subscriptions.

Chrome also offers compelling data privacy features; however, it does not measure up to the Brave browser. The main privacy feature you get with Chrome is its incognito mode. While it’s still impressive, it doesn’t protect you from website trackers and ads.

However, we cannot discredit Chrome’s incognito mode just yet. You can set the browser to periodically clear your browsing history and cookies, thus protecting your information. Brave edges out Chrome in this category as it offers superior privacy features.

User Interface

Chrome and Brave browsers are user-friendly and can be customized according to personal preferences. For instance, suppose you don’t like their default themes; you can switch to the dark mode themes. Both browsers also allow TV casting, which is handy when streaming content from your phone, tablet, or laptop.

But what are their differences? The most compelling difference is that each browser has its unique customization features. For example, you cannot change the tool bar’s positioning with Chrome, so it’s permanently located at the top. On the other hand, Brave allows you to position the toolbar either at the top or bottom.

Additionally, you may notice that Chrome’s address bar is bigger than Brave’s. It might not necessarily affect your browsing experience, but it makes it easy for you to see the URL.

All in all, it’s difficult to determine a winner because both browsers are tailored for different audiences. On the one hand, Chrome offers a simplistic design, while on the other, Brave offers more autonomy regarding customizing your browser.

Performance

Our Brave vs. Chrome comparison also reviews their performance. Generally, both browsers offer considerably fast browsing speeds. In layperson’s terms, a browser’s speed means how fast it loads a webpage, especially when you have several active tabs.

It also encompasses how fast it takes to load various tabs. Using this speed metric, Brave is faster than Chrome. However, this is more theoretical than practical because you won’t realize the difference in speed in real life.  

Chrome and Brave also have memory saver features to boost their browsing speeds. This feature dedicates memory from the inactive tabs to ensure the active ones have sufficient resources. Unsurprisingly, Brave’s memory saver is better than Chrome’s, contributing to the former’s faster browsing speed.  

Ultimately, Brave is slightly faster than Chrome. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean Brave performs better than Chrome. Remember, you won’t notice the difference in speed if you use them together. So, it comes down to personal preference, as both offer satisfactory performance.

Device Syncing

Device syncing has become a significant decision point when comparing browsers. This wasn’t a big deal in the past but today, with people using multiple devices, device syncing is essential.

While both browsers allow device syncing, Chrome’s syncing is better. You only have to log in with your email, and you can access your saved data, including passwords, browsing history, and settings. Google is the company behind Chrome, which explains why the browser syncs seamlessly when you sign in with a Gmail account.

For instance, if you have been using Chrome to access YouTube on your laptop, you can use the same email to log into your YouTube account on TV. This won’t disrupt your YouTube data, including your watch history, recommendations, and liked videos.

On the other hand, Brave’s device syncing feature is not straightforward. For example, though it allows device syncing, the syncing process requires following various steps. And if you aren’t well-versed with the browser, you won’t get it.

This may frustrate users who want to browse seamlessly across multiple devices. Ultimately, Chrome offers more user-friendly device syncing than Brave, which is suitable for the average user.

News Feed

Both Chrome and Brave have news feeds. However, the difference is usually the information you receive. Chrome’s news feed depends on your browsing activity. For example, if you like browsing about basketball, then your news feed will majorly comprise basketball news. However, there is a catch.

Your news feed recommendations may be disrupted if you browse a topic outside your usual interests. For instance, suppose you browse about Tesla after learning about its highly-anticipated Cybertruck; the news feed will likely focus on Tesla-related announcements. Chrome’s news feed is based on your current browsing activity and interests.

Brave’s news feed is a bit different because it allows news feed customization. It means you can choose specific mainstream publications, giving you more control over the news you receive. For example, you can customize the news feed to your interest in topics like sports, cryptocurrency, or geopolitics. You will then receive news feeds that are specific to your interests.

All in all, it’s hard to pick a winner in this section, so it comes down to what you prefer.

Password Protection

Chrome and Brave browsers have password managers that allow users to save passwords for easier sign-ins, especially for websites they visit regularly. The saved passwords are then synced with the browser user profile so that you can access them on multiple devices.

That said, Chrome offers better password protection than Brave. The browser limits password access to individual profiles. For example, suppose several users share a Chrome browser, each with a separate profile. Users can only see the passwords saved under their profiles. 

Like Chrome, Brave allows users to save their usernames and passwords for easy access. Additionally, its password manager prompts users to update their credentials whenever they modify their login details.

However, unlike Chrome, Brave’s password manager is local to your device, meaning you may need to install add-ons to back up your passwords. It differs from Chrome, which encrypts your password and sends the data as an obscured copy to Google.

RAM and CPU Requirements

Browsing often consumes more RAM than you may think; you can monitor your browser’s RAM and CPU consumption when browsing on your laptop. That said, Chrome requires considerable RAM and CPU, which is disadvantageous when your laptop has limited processing speed and memory.

This powerful browser consumes a lot of RAM because Google usually tracks your data input and output when using Chrome. Additionally, Chrome handles each tab, extension, and plug-in as a separate process, which may overload your device.

In contrast, Brave uses significantly less RAM than Chrome. However, surprisingly, it has a higher CPU usage than Chrome. You can reduce your Brave browser’s CPU usage by closing unnecessary tabs and windows or clearing your cookies and cache.

Opt for the Brave browser if your laptop has limited RAM. 

History of the Brave Browser

Brian Bondy and Brendan Eich founded the Brave Software project on May 28, 2015, to develop a privacy-respecting platform. Initially, people thought they were over-ambitious, given the stiff competition from established companies like Chrome and Firefox.

However, Brave weathered the storm as people began installing the browser. The year after its release, Brave introduced an ad-blocking feature, which was a game changer.

At the time, people complained about ads when browsing, so Brave’s ad-blocking feature satisfied most users. By 2019, Brave had attracted 3 million daily users, which was impressive for a company still fairly new to the market. Currently, Brave has more than 20 million daily and 50 million monthly users.

History of Chrome

Surprisingly, Google’s CEO at the time, Eric Schmidt, didn’t want the company to develop a browser. Luckily, some of the company’s decision-makers didn’t agree with him and, in the end, it paid off. Google released its browser in 2008, after years of speculation on whether they would do it. Unsurprisingly, most users loved it after its release because of its amazing user interface.

However, nothing else made people like Chrome like its support for many languages. To this date, this is the one thing that makes Chrome unique. Things didn’t stop there because, in 2012, Google released a Chrome version that was compatible with smartphones.

Besides putting Chrome at the top of the heap, it attracted many users. That’s because most browsers were only compatible with computers. Currently, Chrome is estimated to have at least 2.65 billion global users.

Brave vs. Chrome: 5 Must-Know Facts

1. Brave’s built-in VPN and tracking protection feature offers better data privacy than Chrome.
2. Brave’s password manager is mainly local to your device.
3. Chrome’s device syncing is unmatched because it’s simple and effective.
4. Chrome’s password protection feature is better than Brave’s.
5. Both browsers consume RAM and CPU, but Brave uses less RAM.

Brave vs. Chrome: Which One Is Better? Which One Should You Use?

It is impossible to pick Chrome or Brave as the outright superior browser. Each browser offers unique features that resonate with different users, depending on the intended use. However, that said, Brave slightly edges out Chrome.

For instance, Brave’s privacy feature and customizable user interface distinguish it from Chrome. Additionally, Brave uses less RAM, so you don’t need a powerful computer to run it.

However, you cannot discredit Chrome. Besides its high RAM usage, everything about Chrome is top-notch, including its performance. Chrome also offers better device syncing than Brave. Ultimately, choose the browser that meets your specific browsing needs.

The image featured at the top of this post is ©Tada Images/Shutterstock.com.