Brave
A Chromium-based browser that blocks ads and trackers out of the box, with its own private search engine built in
by Brave Software, Inc. · listed Nov 7, 2026
Quick verdict
Brave is one of the easiest ways to get a cleaner, less tracked browsing experience on a phone, and the core features cost nothing. Skip the crypto and paid add-ons if you do not need them and it is an easy recommendation.
Best for People who want a free mobile browser that blocks ads and trackers without any setup
Reviewed by AppsPicks on Nov 7, 2026. How we review
Brave review
Brave is a web browser for iPhone and Android that blocks ads, pop-ups, video ads, cookie banners and cross-site trackers by default, with no extensions or setup needed. It ships with Brave Search, which runs on its own index, plus an AI assistant called Leo. It suits anyone who wants a cleaner, less tracked web without fiddling with settings.
Day to day it behaves like a normal mobile browser, just with less clutter on news and shopping pages. Shields can be adjusted per site when a page misbehaves. Shred lets you wipe one site's cookies and storage without logging out of everything else, and can run automatically when you close a tab. Bookmarks and settings sync across devices, and links you copy have tracking codes stripped.
Why we picked it: It delivers solid ad and tracker blocking on mobile with zero configuration, which is still rare, and it is free and open source.
Watch out for: The VPN and premium tier of Leo cost extra, the app also promotes optional crypto features like Rewards and Wallet, and the occasional site breaks until you lower Shields for it.
What we like
- Blocks ads, video ads and cookie banners with no setup
- Shred clears data for a single site without logging you out elsewhere
- Independent search engine built in, with no search profiling
- Per-site Shields controls when something breaks
- Free and open source, with sync across devices
What could be better
- VPN and premium AI features require a paid subscription
- Crypto features like Rewards and Wallet add clutter for people who do not want them
- Aggressive blocking can break some logins or page elements
- On iPhone it runs on Apple's WebKit engine, so it is not identical to the desktop version
Questions about Brave
Is Brave free?
Yes, the browser, ad blocking and Brave Search are free. Optional extras such as Brave VPN and a premium tier of the Leo AI assistant are paid subscriptions.
Which platforms does it run on?
It is available on iPhone and iPad through the App Store and on Android through Google Play. Brave also has desktop versions for Windows, macOS and Linux, and bookmarks can sync between them.
Does Brave collect my browsing data?
Brave says it does not sell your browsing data, and Brave Search does not build profiles of you. Leo chats are not used for model training, according to the developer.
Can I use Google instead of Brave Search?
Yes. Brave Search is the default, but you can switch to other search engines in the settings.
What are the alternatives?
DuckDuckGo's browser and Firefox Focus take a similar privacy-first approach, while Firefox with an ad-blocking add-on works on Android.
From the developer: how Brave describes itself
Brave is a fast, private web browser that blocks ads and trackers on every site, automatically. No settings to change, no extensions to install.
Over 125 million people browse with Brave. It's free, open source, and independent — we don't sell your browsing data.
Everything below is built into the browser. One app, not a stack of them.
BLOCK ADS ON EVERY SITE Brave Shields stops banner ads, pop-ups, autoplay interruptions, and the ads that play before and during videos. Same on news sites, shopping sites, forums and video pages — no per-site setup, no ad blocker extension. It dismisses cookie consent banners too, and it's on from your first tab.
PRIVATE BROWSING THAT BLOCKS TRACKERS Private mode in most browsers only hides your history from your own phone. Brave blocks the cross-site trackers and fingerprinting scripts that follow you from a shopping page to your social feed, strips tracking codes from links you copy, and turns on Global Privacy Control by default.
SHRED: DELETE ONE SITE'S DATA, NOT ALL OF IT Clearing browser data usually logs you out of everything. Shred deletes the cookies and storage for one site and leaves your other sessions intact. Set Auto Shred to run whenever you close a tab.
BRAVE SEARCH: A PRIVATE SEARCH ENGINE, BUILT IN Brave Search is the default search engine in the browser, running on its own independent index — not resold results from Google or Bing. It doesn't profile you or log your searches. Ask Brave puts search results and AI answers in one place. Switch search engines any time.
BRAVE LEO: A FREE AI ASSISTANT Summarize a long article, translate a page, or draft a reply without leaving the tab. Choose from several AI models. Leo doesn't record your conversations, share them, or use them to train models.
BRAVE NEWS: A FEED WITH NO PROFILE BEHIND IT Personalize a news feed from hundreds of sources or any RSS feed with Brave News.
FASTER PAGES, LESS MOBILE DATA Ads and trackers are most of what a modern page downloads. Blocking them means fewer requests, less data and less battery drain. We rebuilt Brave's ad blocking engine to use 75% less memory, so it stays responsive with many tabs open.
MAKE BRAVE YOUR DEFAULT BROWSER Open Settings, scroll to Brave, choose Default Browser App. Every link you tap — from Mail, Messages or any app — opens with ad and tracker blocking already on.
WHAT'S FREE AND WHAT ISN'T Free: the browser, ad and tracker blocking, Shred, Brave Search, Brave Leo, Brave News, Sync and night mode.
Text from the app store listing, quoted for reference. Our own take is above.
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