This open source browser finally fixed my biggest frustrations with Chrome on Android

Chrome has been my default browser on Android for years. It works on every device I own and rarely gives me a reason to think about switching.

But over time, a handful of small frustrations started adding up.

I wanted a browser that blocked intrusive ads without extensions, respected my privacy a little more, and didn’t make me dig through settings for a cleaner browsing experience.

That’s what led me to Brave, which came with several built-in features that solved problems I’d learned to live with.

After using it for a while, I found myself reaching for Chrome less and less because it made browsing noticeably better.

Brave blocked the ads and pop-ups I was tired of seeing

The first thing I noticed after switching to Brave was how much cleaner the web felt.

Many of the websites I visit every day are now free of the intrusive banner ads, autoplay videos, cookie prompts, and pop-ups that have become a normal part of browsing.

Unlike Chrome on Android, which doesn’t support ad-blocking extensions, Brave includes its Shields feature out of the box.

By default, it blocks third-party ads, trackers, and many other privacy-invasive elements without requiring any setup.

The cleaner pages also made browsing feel less distracting.

News articles were easier to read, recipe websites weren’t constantly interrupted by floating ads, and I spent less time closing pop-ups to reach the content I wanted.

On the rare occasion a website doesn’t display correctly, I can temporarily disable Shields for that site with a couple of taps.

Websites felt faster without me changing anything

The second thing I noticed after switching to Brave was that many websites felt faster.

Brave’s built-in Shields blocks ads, trackers, and other unnecessary content before they load, so that web pages have less data to download and process.

The result is shorter loading times and less clutter.

I noticed the biggest difference on ad-heavy news sites and recipe websites. Pages that used to take a few extra seconds to become usable now load almost immediately.

I could start reading without waiting for banner ads, autoplay videos, and other page elements to finish loading.

I finally stopped worrying about trackers following me around the web

No browser can make me completely anonymous online, especially if I have logged in to my Google account or other services.

Even so, I wanted a browser that did more to limit the amount of information websites could collect about me by default.

That’s another area where Brave made a noticeable difference.

Brave’s built-in Shields don’t just block ads. They also block third-party trackers, limit cross-site cookies, protect against many forms of browser fingerprinting, upgrade connections to HTTPS when available, and strip away many of the behind-the-scenes technologies advertisers use to follow your activity across websites.

The best part is that all of these protections are active out of the box, so I didn’t have to install extensions or spend time modifying privacy settings.

Tapping the Brave icon at the top shows me how many ads and trackers were blocked on the current page, giving me a better idea of how much activity was happening behind the scenes.

Brave Search turned out to be much better than I expected

I’ll admit that I was skeptical about Brave Search at first.

Google has been my default search engine for years, and I wasn’t sure an alternative could consistently deliver the results I needed.

After using Brave for a while, though, I decided to give its built-in search engine a fair chance, and I was pleasantly surprised.

For everyday searches, I rarely noticed a difference.

Looking up recipes, troubleshooting issues, finding product reviews, or searching for news worked as much as I’d expect.

Brave Search uses its own independent search index rather than relying on Google, and it doesn’t build a profile based on my searches, which appealed to me from a privacy standpoint.

It also includes AI-powered answers and follow-up questions when I want a quick overview of a topic.

One feature that pleasantly surprised me is Rerank. It allows me to customize which websites appear in my search results, rather than using the same ranking algorithm for every query.

After running a search, I click the three-dot menu button beside the search window and tap Rerank.

I can give trusted websites a thumbs up to boost them in future searches or give low-quality domains a thumbs down to remove them from my results altogether.

These preferences are stored locally on my device and apply only to my own searches, so Brave isn’t creating a profile of my browsing habits.

I’ve finally found an Android browser that suits me better

After using Brave, I realized that many of the frustrations I’d accepted as part of web browsing weren’t inevitable.

Features such as built-in ad and tracker blocking, stronger privacy protections, and faster page loads ensure a noticeably better everyday experience.

Brave’s Chromium foundation also meant I didn’t have to sacrifice website compatibility to get those benefits.

If you have invested in Google’s ecosystem, Chrome will still make the most sense. But if you’ve grown tired of intrusive ads, endless trackers, and cluttered web pages, Brave is worth trying.