Why I ditched Chrome, Firefox, and Samsung Internet for Brave

I’ve tried nearly every popular Android browser out there, but no matter which one I settled on, there was always something missing that eventually pushed me to try another. Chrome integrates seamlessly with Android, but it also feels barebones without extension support, ad blocking, and stronger privacy features.

Firefox sits at the opposite end of the spectrum. It offers extensions, privacy controls, and plenty of customization, but lacks basic conveniences like tab groups and a bookmark manager. Samsung Internet came the closest to becoming my default browser, but its desktop version is still a work in progress, making device syncing more complicated than it needs to be.

That frustration eventually pushed me toward Brave. I went in with fairly low expectations, but Brave ended up offering the most complete package out of every browser I tried.

If there’s one thing that convinced me to try Brave, it was the constant praise about its privacy features across countless Reddit threads. And as it turns out, the browser really does live up to the hype. For starters, Brave blocks trackers and third-party cookies across sites. That means I no longer have to worry about searching for a product once and then seeing ads for it everywhere online.

Brave also blocks intrusive scripts that slow down websites and clutter pages with popups, autoplay videos, and other annoyances. This makes browsing feel cleaner compared to some other browsers. It even offers protection against fingerprinting, an advanced form of tracking that identifies your device based on browser settings, screen resolution, and hardware configuration.

The best part is that all these privacy features are pre-enabled in Brave, so there’s no need to dig through menus to set everything up. At the same time, Brave gives plenty of options for anyone who wants even stricter privacy controls.

I also like how the browser is transparent about everything it blocks. On any website, I can tap the Brave Shields icon to see how many trackers, ads, scripts, and other elements were stopped. Most importantly, Brave itself doesn’t collect any personal data — something that the company proudly states on its official website.

Unlike Firefox or Samsung Internet, Brave doesn’t support extensions on Android. Initially, I thought this would be a dealbreaker because I’ve always relied on add-ons to improve my browsing experience. But surprisingly, I never really missed them. And that’s mainly because many of the features I’d normally install through third-party add-ons are already built directly into Brave.

The biggest example is ad blocking. It’s one of the first extensions I install on any browser, but with Brave, there’s no need. Now, as someone who works for sites that rely on ads, I fully understand why they matter. But I also despise it when some sites push things too far by covering half the screen with banners or interrupting every few seconds. Thankfully, Brave strikes a good balance. It lets me whitelist sites I want to support while avoiding the worst kinds of intrusive advertising elsewhere.

Brave also includes features like Force Dark Mode, which is handy during late-night browsing sessions. This is again something that requires an extension in browsers like Firefox. Brave even ships with its own built-in firewall and VPN service, though it requires a paid subscription. Personally, I don’t use it, but it’s nice knowing the option is there.

Having these features built in means I still get most of the functionality I want without the risks of third-party extensions. I don’t have to worry about questionable permissions, poorly maintained extensions, or tools that collect data in the background.

The most obvious one is ad blocking. I don’t have to worry about unskippable ads or those sponsored banners while watching YouTube. Brave strips all of that away automatically. It also supports background play, so I can start a video, lock the screen, and the audio keeps playing. It’s perfect for podcasts, music, or long-form videos where I’m mostly listening rather than actively watching the screen. There’s even support for picture-in-picture mode. This lets me keep a small floating video window open while scrolling social media, replying to messages, or using other apps.

But my favorite part about watching YouTube on Brave is the level of control it gives me. I can block content recommendations, hide distracting elements like members-only videos, and even remove the Shorts tab entirely.

Beyond all the headline-worthy features, Brave is packed with smaller tools that made me love it even more. For instance, I like how Brave lets me fully customize the main menu. If there are options I never touch, like Translate, Brave VPN, or Brave News, I can simply hide them. Another small but useful feature is “Copy Clean Link.” Modern URLs often come packed with tracking parameters and unnecessary junk attached to the end of links. With this option, Brave strips all of that away before copying the URL.

Brave also includes its own AI assistant called Leo AI. I’m not a fan of apps that push AI into everything, but Leo AI is handy for summarizing webpages, asking quick questions, and analyzing files on my phone. The best part is that Brave stores all chat history locally on my phone, not on a distant cloud server.

Performance is another area where Brave impresses. According to Brave’s own testing, it can load pages up to three times faster than many popular competitors. And yes, in everyday use, it does feel fast. Finally, Brave is also open-source. This may not be a big deal for everyone, but I’m someone who prefers using open-source apps whenever possible, so that’s a big plus for me.

Of course, all this doesn’t mean Brave is a perfect browser. Personally, I’m not a fan of its crypto-related features, and yes, the lack of extension support is still a big miss. But despite these flaws, Brave is the closest thing I’ve found to a complete browser experience on Android. It’s faster than Chrome, more privacy-focused than Firefox, and packs better features than Samsung Internet.

Because of that, I’m no longer hopping between browsers at this point, and I hope it stays that way.