Brave vs Safari

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

Safari

• People who use a Mac, iPhone and iPad together
• Browsing with tracker protection that is on by default
• Families and groups planning together in shared Tab Groups

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.

Safari

• Safari runs only on Apple devices. Apple says it no longer offers Safari updates for Windows or other non-Apple operating systems.
• New versions arrive with operating system updates, so getting the latest Safari means updating macOS, iOS, iPadOS or visionOS.
• Live Text, which selects text inside images and paused video, is supported in seven languages.

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.

Safari

Intelligent Tracking Prevention

On-device intelligence limits cross-site tracking and hides the IP address from known trackers. A Privacy Report lists the trackers stopped on the current site and over the past week.

Tab Groups and Profiles

Tab Groups save named sets of tabs, sync between devices and can be shared with other people. Profiles keep history, extensions, cookies and favorites separate for topics such as Work and Personal.

Sync and Handoff

Passwords, bookmarks, history and tabs sync across Mac, iPad and iPhone, and Handoff passes the page being viewed from one nearby device to another.

Passkeys and iCloud Keychain

iCloud Keychain stores and autofills passkeys, passwords and credit card numbers on trusted devices. Safari also warns about suspicious websites and upgrades HTTP to HTTPS when available.

Reader, Reading List and translation

Reader removes ads and navigation from articles, Reading List saves pages to read later on any iCloud-connected device, even offline, and whole web pages can be translated in the browser.

Extensions and web apps

Third-party extensions for iPhone, iPad and Mac come from the Safari category on the App Store. A website can be saved to the Mac Dock or the iPhone and iPad Home Screen as a web app.

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.

Safari

• Free$0

  The full browser on Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Vision Pro, included with the device's operating system.

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.

Safari

No public discounts listed.