People download Brave specifically because they're tired of installing separate ad-blocker extensions on Chrome or Edge — Brave bakes that blocking straight into the browser engine, so it's on by default from the first launch. Since it's built on Chromium, most Chrome extensions still install fine if you want them. It's available across desktop and mobile, which matters if you want the same blocked-tracker count syncing across your phone and laptop.
What's Actually Different Under the Hood
Brave strips out Google's tracking and telemetry from the Chromium base while keeping the rendering engine and extension compatibility intact, so sites render the same as they would in Chrome.
The optional Brave Rewards and crypto wallet features are entirely opt-in — you can disable both in Settings and use Brave purely as a fast, ad-blocking browser with nothing extra running in the background.
Who ends up using Brave
Brave appeals to Chrome users who want ad and tracker blocking on by default instead of managing a stack of separate extensions.
- Users switching from Chrome who want built-in ad blocking without installing uBlock Origin manually
- People wanting ad blocking, private Tor windows, and a crypto wallet in one browser
- Mobile users wanting the same tracker-blocking behavior on Android or iOS as their desktop browser
Before you install
A couple of things worth knowing about Brave before you request the link: it covers Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS, so pick the right build for the machine you're setting up. And on pricing, Brave is open source, so the installer is free with no trial timer, feature lock, or upsell screen to click past. It's developed and maintained by Brave Software.
System requirements
- WindowsWindows 10 or 11 (64-bit); older 7/8.1 builds usually still run but no longer get official support
- macOSa recent macOS release — check the download page for the current minimum version, since Apple Silicon vs Intel builds sometimes differ
- Linuxmost current 64-bit distributions; look for a native .deb/.rpm/AppImage or a package in your distro's own repository
- Androida recent Android build installed from the Play Store or the developer's own APK
- iOSa recent iOS release installed from the App Store
It's a lightweight tool, so there's no serious CPU/RAM/storage requirement beyond what its OS already needs to run comfortably.
Quick steps
- Download the build for your desktop or mobile OS below
- Install and optionally import bookmarks/passwords from your old browser
- Check the shield icon in the address bar to confirm ad blocking is active
Brave: the honest trade-offs
- Tracker and ad blocking built into the engine, active from first launch
- Full Chrome extension compatibility since it's Chromium-based
- Private windows with Tor built in for an extra layer of browsing privacy
- Some sites break or misrender when aggressive shield settings are left on default
- Brave Rewards and crypto features add UI clutter that uninterested users must manually disable
This page links directly to Brave Software's official release channel, so the installer you get is identical to downloading from brave.com.
Other Web Browsers downloads people search for
Browse the full Web Browsers category →
Keeping Brave up to date
Since Brave is open source, most Linux distributions keep it current through their own package manager. On Windows/macOS, re-running the installer from the official site (or an updater built into the app, if it has one) gets you the latest release. Sticking to the developer's own distribution channel — which is what this page links to — means you're never stuck on an old build with unpatched bugs just because a mirror site stopped updating its copy.
Features, install steps, alternatives and more detail live on the main Brave page.
Frequently asked questions
Can I still install Chrome extensions in Brave?
Yes, Brave supports the Chrome Web Store since it shares the Chromium extension engine.
Do I have to use the crypto/rewards features?
No, both are optional and can be turned off entirely in Brave's settings without affecting browsing or ad blocking.
