Brave Software
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Software, Web browser |
| Founded | 2015 |
| Founder | Brendan Eich, Brian Bondy |
| Headquarters | United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Brendan Eich (CEO) |
| Products | Brave web browser, Brave Search, Brave Rewards, Basic Attention Token (BAT) |
| Website | brave |
Brave is a no-cost, open-source web browser developed by the US-based company Brave Software, Inc. and launched in 2016. It is constructed on the Chromium framework. Marketed primarily as a privacy-centric browser, Brave incorporates features such as built-in ad blocking, safeguards against browser fingerprinting, and a private browsing option that integrates with the Tor anonymity network.
Brave differentiates itself through a unique business approach that includes its proprietary advertising platform alongside a rewards mechanism utilizing cryptocurrency. This system allows users to earn Basic Attention Tokens (BAT) by choosing to view advertisements. The model seeks to establish an alternative revenue source while prioritizing user privacy. Although its privacy-oriented features have been widely commended, Brave has encountered criticism related to early efforts to substitute publishers' ads with its own, as well as controversies tied to affiliate links and privacy concerns within its private browsing mode.
Founding and Initial Development (2015–2016)
Brave Software was established in 2015 by Brendan Eich, known for creating JavaScript and serving as former Mozilla CEO, together with developer Brian Bondy. The Brave browser was introduced in 2016, emphasizing privacy by default through automatic ad and tracker blocking. Initial strategies included replacing conventional website advertisements with privacy-respecting Brave ads.
Acquisitions and Shifts (2016–2018)
In 2016, Brave acquired Link Bubble, an Android browser that preloaded web pages within floating bubbles. This application was rebranded under the Brave name but was later separated in 2017 due to usability challenges and technical constraints, leading Brave to revert to a standard tabbed browsing interface.
By August 2016, the company had raised over US$7 million in angel funding from investors such as Peter Thiel's Founders Fund, Propel Venture Partners, Pantera Capital, Foundation Capital, and Digital Currency Group.
The year 2017 saw the introduction of the Basic Attention Token (BAT), an Ethereum-based cryptocurrency designed to facilitate direct financial support from users to content creators, circumventing traditional advertising revenue channels. The initiative secured roughly $35 million through an initial coin offering and integrated BAT into the Brave Rewards program by 2018, enabling users to earn tokens by consenting to ads and allocate them to publishers.
Until late 2018, Brave utilized Muon—a customized fork of Electron—to enhance security. In October 2018, development shifted to the Chromium codebase—the same foundation behind browsers like Google Chrome, Vivaldi, and Opera—while deliberately excluding Google service integrations. This transition aimed at lowering maintenance expenses and resulted in a 22% increase in performance. The last Muon-based release appeared in January 2019 before being fully replaced by Chromium-based versions.
Growth and Developments (2019–present)
In 2019, Brave launched version 1.0 across multiple platforms, signaling its exit from beta status and readiness for widespread adoption. This update introduced the Brave Ads platform on iOS and allowed users to trade Basic Attention Tokens (BAT) on cryptocurrency exchanges through a collaboration with Uphold, facilitating conversion of BAT into US dollars.
The following year, Brave unveiled Brave Today—a privacy-oriented news aggregator integrated into the new tab page—that delivered tailored content without exposing users’ IP addresses by leveraging Brave's proprietary content delivery network (CDN). While it avoided third-party tracking, advertisements were still presented via Brave’s own Brave Ads program. This feature was subsequently renamed Brave News. In 2020, Brave faced backlash for automatically embedding referral codes into URLs related to cryptocurrency services such as Binance, Coinbase, and Trezor, as well as search queries including "bitcoin." CEO Brendan Eich issued an apology and pledged that such promotions would become opt-in going forward.
On March 3, 2021, Brave acquired Tailcat—a search engine created by former members of the Cliqz team known for privacy-focused tools like Ghostery. Tailcat was rebranded as Brave Search in October 2021 and designated as the default search engine for new installations. That same year saw the release of a native cryptocurrency wallet within Brave that claimed enhanced phishing protection and reduced CPU consumption compared to competitors like MetaMask. Initially supporting Ethereum and Ethereum-compatible blockchains, it did not include Bitcoin or Dogecoin support at launch.
In 2023, Brave introduced Brave Leo—a privacy-preserving large language model powering AI functionalities such as a chatbot capable of summarizing web pages and responding to queries. To safeguard user information, requests are routed through Brave’s servers using HTTPS proxies that mask IP addresses; no logs of user interactions are retained. By 2024, Leo AI was accessible on Android and iOS devices and integrated into Brave Search.
As of October 2025, Brave reported reaching 100 million monthly active users alongside 42 million daily active users.
Privacy
The Brave browser has received varied feedback. It is recognized for its emphasis on privacy, featuring an integrated ad blocker and safeguards against tracking techniques like browser fingerprinting, local port scanning, cross-site data leaks, and bounce tracking. These protections are part of the Brave Shields framework, which is activated by default. Additionally, Brave provides a Private Window option that routes user traffic through the Tor network to boost anonymity. Independent evaluations generally validate Brave's privacy assertions. For instance, the Electronic Frontier Foundation's Cover Your Tracks initiative rated Brave as offering "strong protection," while PrivacyTests.org places it among top performers. A 2021 scholarly analysis revealed that Brave sent the smallest amount of identifiable information to its parent organization compared to other browsers.
Despite these strengths, Brave's approach to privacy has attracted criticism. In 2020, the company embedded affiliate referral codes into URLs for cryptocurrency exchanges and suggested search results, including links to Binance and Coinbase. CEO Brendan Eich admitted this was an error and pledged to make affiliate links optional for users. The Private Window with Tor feature encountered a DNS leak problem in 2021, which was quickly resolved with a fix. In 2022, Brave came under scrutiny for pre-installing its paid VPN service, Brave Firewall + VPN, within Windows browser setups without obtaining user permission.
Revenue model
Brave's financial strategy has been a subject of controversy. The browser initially sought to substitute traditional website advertisements with its own privacy-conscious ads, sharing revenue with content publishers. However, numerous web publishers opposed this model, contending that it redirected income away from creators and publishers. In 2018, YouTuber Tom Scott raised concerns about Brave Rewards after receiving tips from users who had not enrolled or consented to support his channel. He noted that Brave had not transferred these funds to him and failed to clearly notify users of his non-participation. In response, Brave revised the system to refund unclaimed tips when recipients are unverified and to transparently display publisher participation status.