Brave is a privacy-focused Chromium browser with built-in ad blocking and cryptocurrency rewards, while Safari is Apple's optimized browser with superior battery efficiency and deep OS integration. Brave excels in privacy and customization, while Safari leads in performance on Apple devices.
Brave vs Safari — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Privacy-first Chromium browser with built-in ad blocking and BAT token rewards.
Apple's native browser with deep OS integration, exceptional performance, and privacy features.
Privacy Model. Battery Drain (MacBook 8-hour test). Built-in Ad Blocking. Cryptocurrency Integration. Available Platforms. Page Load Speed (Speedometer 3.0). RAM Usage (10 tabs open)
Choose Brave if you prioritize privacy, want built-in ad blocking without extensions, value cross-platform availability, or are interested in cryptocurrency rewards. Choose Safari if you own Apple devices and want the best performance, longest battery life, and seamless OS integration with iCloud and Apple services.
Brave Browser: 101 million | Safari: N/A
Brave Browser: Yes (Brave Shields) | Safari: N/A
Brave Browser: Chromium-based | Safari: N/A
Brave Browser: Yes (BAT token rewards) | Safari: N/A
Brave Browser: Yes (native Shields) | Safari: No (requires extensions)
Brave Browser: Chromium 147.0.7727.102 | Safari: WebKit (Safari 26.4)
Brave Browser: 6 platforms (Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, Raspberry Pi) | Safari: 2 platforms (macOS, iOS)
Brave Browser: ~95% | Safari: Safari Web Extensions (5,000+ extensions)
Brave Browser: Good (Chromium overhead) | Safari: Excellent (native optimization)
Brave Browser: Third-party trackers, fingerprinting, scripts | Safari: Third-party trackers only (ITP)
Brave Browser: v1.89.137 (Apr 2026) | Safari: v26.4 with 44 new features (Mar 2026)
Brave Browser: Yes (Chromium 147) | Safari: Yes (Safari 26.4)
Brave Browser: 100+ million users | Safari: N/A
Brave Browser: Chromium 147.0.7727.102 | Safari: N/A
Brave Browser: Yes, enabled by default | Safari: N/A
Brave Browser: Yes, built-in | Safari: N/A
Brave Browser: Brave Leo (free, integrated) | Safari: N/A
Brave Browser: Brave browser required; Brave Search available elsewhere | Safari: N/A
Brave Browser: ~180-220 MB | Safari: N/A
Brave Browser: Ad blocker, tracker blocking, HTTPS enforcement, fingerprint protection (4) | Safari: N/A
Brave Browser: Basic theme and extension settings | Safari: N/A
Brave Browser: 2026 (v1.89.137, April 2026) | Safari: N/A
Brave Browser: Standard tab restoration on restart | Safari: N/A
Brave Browser: Minimal - works effectively out of box | Safari: N/A
Brave Browser: 2.1s (with blocking) | Safari: N/A
Brave Browser: None; privacy-first | Safari: N/A
Brave Browser: Yes (built-in) | Safari: N/A
Brave Browser: Partial (manual workarounds) | Safari: N/A
Brave Browser: 1.8s | Safari: 1.5 seconds
Brave Browser: Tab grouping, standard organization | Safari: N/A
Brave Browser: No (extensions required) | Safari: N/A
Brave Browser: Yes (Brave Wallet + BAT rewards) | Safari: N/A
Brave Browser: 2016 (stable, mature) | Safari: N/A
Brave Browser: +27% (faster) | Safari: +8% faster
Brave Browser: 100% (default Shields) | Safari: N/A
Brave Browser: 5 (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android) | Safari: N/A
Brave Browser: Leo AI (optional paid) | Safari: N/A
Brave Browser: BAT token (Brave Rewards program) | Safari: N/A
Brave Browser: Standard tabs (extension support) | Safari: N/A
Brave Browser: 78 points | Safari: 94 points
Brave Browser: 180,000+ (Chrome Store) | Safari: ~20,000
Brave Browser: 50+ million | Safari: N/A
Brave Browser: None (data not shared with advertisers) | Safari: N/A
Brave Browser: Strong fingerprint blocking + tracker blocking | Safari: N/A
Brave Browser: N/A (not a search engine) | Safari: N/A
Brave Browser: Blocks ~95% of tracking requests | Safari: 99% (ITP)
Brave Browser: Brave browser only (1 browser) | Safari: N/A
Brave Browser: 0.5 to 5 USD per month (depends on ad views) | Safari: N/A
Brave Browser: ~95 MB (full browser) | Safari: N/A
Brave Browser: Zero browsing data collection | Safari: N/A
Brave Browser: 60+ million | Safari: N/A
Brave Browser: None (third-party only) | Safari: N/A
Brave Browser: Maximum (no telemetry, blocking enabled) | Safari: N/A
Brave Browser: $0 (optional Brave Search premium: $10/month) | Safari: N/A
Brave Browser: ~280 MB (idle) | Safari: N/A
Brave Browser: Stable/Production (since 2016) | Safari: N/A
Brave Browser: 4.2 hours | Safari: 5.8 hours
Brave Browser: Yes, enabled by default | Safari: No, requires extensions
Brave Browser: 5 platforms (Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS) | Safari: 3 platforms (macOS, iOS, iPadOS)
Brave Browser: Yes, BAT token rewards | Safari: No
Brave Browser: Shields default (blocks trackers) | Safari: Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP)
Brave Browser: ~13,000 Chrome extensions supported | Safari: ~500 Safari extensions
Brave Browser: N/A | Safari: Apple platforms only (Mac, iOS, iPadOS)
Brave Browser: N/A | Safari: More responsive
Brave Browser: N/A | Safari: Optimized, lower usage
Brave Browser: N/A | Safari: Good but trailing
Brave Browser: N/A | Safari: Apple Intelligence Safari Summary
Brave Browser: N/A | Safari: Privacy-first architecture
Brave Browser: N/A | Safari: Safari 26.4: 44 new features
Brave Browser: N/A | Safari: 15-17 hours
Brave Browser: N/A | Safari: None (no VPN)
Brave Browser: N/A | Safari: 2 (macOS, iOS)
Brave Browser: N/A | Safari: 3 (macOS, iOS, iPadOS)
Brave Browser: N/A | Safari: No - external tools only
Brave Browser: N/A | Safari: No - not available
Brave Browser: N/A | Safari: Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch (full parity)
Brave Browser: N/A | Safari: Yes - detailed tracker blocking report
Battery Drain per Hour (macOS Video Playback)
Brave Browser: N/A | Safari: Horizontal bar with basic tab groups
Brave Browser: N/A | Safari: Apple Intelligence (limited, device-dependent)
Brave Browser: N/A | Safari: 4 (macOS, iOS, iPadOS, visionOS)
Brave Browser: N/A | Safari: Limited: basic appearance, reader mode, privacy settings
Brave Browser: N/A | Safari: Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP) with fingerprint protection
Brave Browser: N/A | Safari: 15-20% better
JavaScript Performance (Speedometer 3.0)
Brave Browser: N/A | Safari: Apple devices only
Brave Browser: N/A | Safari: Good (improving)
Brave Browser: N/A | Safari: +15% (better than baseline)
Brave Browser: N/A | Safari: No - closed source
Brave Browser: N/A | Safari: Yes - via iCloud
How to choose between Brave Browser and Safari
Brave vs Safari — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Brave vs Safari. Contains 123 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Brave vs Safari — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Brave vs Safari.
Is Brave really more private than Safari?
Both are privacy-focused, but differently. Brave blocks ads and trackers by default with no data collection on browsing activity. Safari's Intelligent Tracking Prevention blocks third-party cookies and limits tracking, but Apple collects some usage data for analytics. For maximum privacy, Brave edges ahead, but Safari is sufficient for most users, especially within Apple's ecosystem.
Safari uses significantly less battery—in an 8-hour test on MacBook Pro, Safari retained 5.8 hours of usage versus Brave's 4.2 hours. This 38% difference is due to Safari's native integration with macOS. If battery life is critical, Safari is the clear winner.
Yes, Brave's Rewards program pays users in BAT (Basic Attention Token) cryptocurrency for viewing privacy-respecting ads. However, earnings are modest (typically $2–5 per month). Safari offers no such monetization program.
Can I use Brave on iPhone if I have an Android phone?
Yes, Brave is available on both iOS and Android, making it ideal for cross-platform users. Safari, however, is only available on Apple devices (macOS, iOS, iPadOS), so it's not viable if you use non-Apple devices.
Does Brave slow down web pages compared to Safari?
Yes, slightly. On Speedometer 3.0 benchmarks, Safari scores 94 points versus Brave's 78 points—about a 22% speed advantage for Safari. However, this difference is often imperceptible during normal browsing. Brave's ad blocking can sometimes speed up page loads by removing ad content.
How to Choose Between Brave Browser and Safari
Privacy Model: Brave Browser has Shields block ads/trackers by default; no data collection, while Safari has Intelligent Tracking Prevention; limited tracking.
Consider: Battery Drain (MacBook 8-hour test)
Battery Drain (MacBook 8-hour test): Brave Browser has 4.2 hours remaining, while Safari has 5.8 hours remaining.
Built-in Ad Blocking: Brave Browser has Yes, enabled by default, while Safari has No, requires extensions.
Cryptocurrency Integration: Brave Browser has BAT rewards for viewing privacy ads, while Safari has None.
Available Platforms: Brave Browser has Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, while Safari has macOS, iOS, iPadOS only.
Consider: Page Load Speed (Speedometer 3.0)
Page Load Speed (Speedometer 3.0): Brave Browser has 78 points, while Safari has 94 points.
RAM Usage (10 tabs open): Brave Browser has 450 MB, while Safari has 320 MB.