Brave vs Vivaldi

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

Vivaldi

• Power users who keep dozens of tabs open
• People who want mail, calendar and feeds inside the browser
• Those who like to customize shortcuts, themes and layout
• Users who want a browser without a built-in AI assistant

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.

Vivaldi

• Proton VPN for Vivaldi works only in the desktop browser, and faster speeds, more servers and extra devices need a paid Proton VPN plan.
• New installs come with partner bookmarks and search engines that earn Vivaldi revenue. They can be replaced.
• Vivaldi deliberately leaves out an AI assistant, so there is no built-in chatbot or page summarizer.
• The current Mac download requires macOS 13 or later.

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.

Vivaldi

Mail, Calendar and Feed Reader

A built-in email client handles several accounts, mailing lists and feeds in one inbox, next to a private calendar and a feed reader that does not rank items by algorithm.

Tab Stacks, tiling and Workspaces

Tabs group into two-level Tab Stacks, open side by side in a split-screen view, and sort into Workspaces for switching between categories of tabs.

Ad and tracker blocker

A blocker for ads and trackers is built into the desktop and mobile browsers, so no extension is needed to remove them.

End-to-end encrypted Sync

Browsing history, passwords, bookmarks, tabs and notes sync between desktop and mobile devices, protected by end-to-end encryption.

Proton VPN for Vivaldi

An opt-in VPN from Proton is built into the desktop browser. It is free with no ads or data limits after signing in with a Vivaldi account.

Customization and Command Chains

Shortcuts, themes and features can be personalized, mouse gestures trigger actions, and Command Chains run a custom sequence of commands from one keystroke or gesture.

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.

Vivaldi

• Free$0

  The full browser on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS, including mail, calendar, feed reader, sync and the free tier of Proton VPN on desktop.

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.

Vivaldi

No public discounts listed.