Brave vs Opera

Brave

• People who want ads and trackers blocked without installing extensions
• Chrome users who want to keep their Chrome Web Store extensions
• Those who want an AI assistant that works without an account
• Crypto users who want a self-custody wallet built into the browser

Opera

• People who want an ad blocker and a VPN without installing extensions
• Keeping messengers and music in a sidebar next to the page
• Trying Opera AI, ChatGPT and Gemini from one browser

Brave

• The VPN is not part of the free browser: it is a subscription at $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year.
• Free access to Leo varies with traffic and usage. Higher rate limits and more models need Leo AI premium at $14.99 per month.
• VPN, Leo, Search and Talk premium are each sold as a separate subscription; the pricing page lists no bundle.
• Brave Origin, the version without Leo, News, Rewards, VPN or Wallet, is a $59.99 one-time purchase on every system except Linux.

Opera

• The free VPN protects the browser only. VPN Pro, which covers the whole device, is a paid subscription from $4 per month.
• Opera earns revenue from ads, sponsored Speed Dials and promoted address-bar suggestions. The sponsored items can be replaced or switched off in settings.
• The Android app lists in-app purchases of $5.99 to $29.99 per item on the US Google Play store, without naming them.
• Opera GX, Opera Air, Opera Mini and Opera Neon, an AI browser at $19.90 a month, are separate products; this entry covers the main Opera browser.

Brave

Shields ad and tracker blocking

Shields block third-party ads, trackers, fingerprinting and cookie consent notices by default on every site, including video ads on YouTube. The settings can be customized or left alone.

Leo AI assistant

Leo summarizes webpages, PDFs and Google Docs, answers questions and drafts text with no account required. Chats are not retained or used for training, and Bring Your Own Model connects local or remote models.

Brave Search

The default search engine for most new Brave users serves results from Brave's own independent index of the web, offers AI answers and does not profile the people using it.

Private Windows with Tor

Tor integration in private windows proxies the IP address, and fingerprint randomization makes the browser look different to every site on each visit.

Sync, vertical tabs and extensions

Bookmarks, passwords and tabs sync encrypted across devices, tabs can be stacked vertically, and Chrome Web Store extensions work, including those that rely on MV2.

Rewards, Wallet and Talk

Brave Rewards pays BAT to people who opt in to privacy-preserving ads, Brave Wallet is a self-custody crypto wallet, and Brave Talk runs private video calls in the browser.

Opera

Ad blocker and free VPN

The ad blocker removes ads and pop-ups without an extension. The browser VPN is free, has no data cap, needs no subscription or login and follows a no-logs policy; on Android it offers three virtual locations.

Opera AI, ChatGPT and Gemini

Opera AI is free with no sign-up and can read the current tab or a group of tabs for context. ChatGPT and Gemini open in the sidebar, and an AI image generator is included.

Tab Islands, workspaces and split screen

Tab Islands keep related tabs together in groups that collapse and expand, workspaces separate tab groups, split screen shows several tabs at once and vertical tabs are available.

Sidebar messengers and music

WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, Discord, Slack and Bluesky open in the sidebar, as do Instagram, X and a music player that works with services such as Spotify.

Flow and sync

Flow sends files, links and notes between a person's own devices, and a free Opera Account syncs open tabs, bookmarks and speed dials between mobile and desktop.

Built-in utilities

Extras include a snapshot tool for capturing and editing screenshots, video pop-out, page translation, a unit and currency converter, a battery saver and a volume booster of up to 5x.

Brave

• Free$0

  The full browser with Shields ad and tracker blocking, encrypted sync, the free tier of Leo, Brave Search and Brave Talk video calls.

• Search premium$3.00

  per month, or $29.99 per year

  Ad-free Brave Search results and a cleaner view on all results pages.

• Talk premium$7.00

  per month, or $69.99 per year

  Video calls with hundreds of people, call recordings, participant muting and passcodes. Includes a 7-day free trial.

• Brave VPN$9.99

  per month, or $99.99 per year

  Whole-device VPN for up to 10 devices across desktop, Android and iOS, with speeds up to 500 Mbps. Includes a 7-day free trial.

• Leo AI premium$14.99

  per month, or $149.99 per year

  More AI models, higher rate limits and early access to new Leo features. Includes a 7-day free trial.

• Brave Origin$59.99

  one-time purchase

  A minimalist version of the browser that can switch off or remove Leo, News, Rewards, VPN, Wallet and other features. Free on Linux.

Opera

• Free$0

  The full browser with the ad blocker, the free browser VPN, Opera AI, sidebar messengers, Flow and sync through a free Opera Account.

• VPN ProFrom $4

  per month; billing term for this rate not stated

  Device-wide VPN for up to six desktop and Android devices at once, with servers in 48 countries. Sold on monthly or annual plans.

Brave

• Annual discount

  About 17% off with yearly billing

  Each Brave premium subscription costs about 17% less when paid yearly: Brave VPN is $99.99 a year against $119.88 for twelve months at $9.99, and Leo AI premium is $149.99 against $179.88.

Opera

No public discounts listed.