I switched from Chrome To Brave about 3-4 years ago due to its popularity as one of the fastest privacy focused browsers. Plus, I was interested in cryptocurrency at the time, and getting paid in BAT to view some ads sounded like a nice incentive to switch to a browser very similar to Chrome (both are Chromium-based). But in the last year, I feel that Brave is not as fast as it used to be. The BAT novelty is over for me and the browser just feels bloated. Built-in VPN, crypto wallet integrations and “Leo AI” never really interested me anyway.
So I finally decided to switch to something else rather than another Chromium browser (due to increased privacy and monopoly issues). So my best options were Firefox and Zen Browser. I had heard a lot about both, but wanted to try something new I went ahead with Zen Browserand I’m happy to report that I’m sticking with it.
Unlike Brave, Zen Browser actually focuses on privacy
It was time to wake up
Brave makes lofty claims about putting the customer first and taking privacy more seriously than others, but at the end of the day, it just reinforces Chromium’s monopoly on the web. Zen Browser is built on the Gecko engine that powers Firefox, another browser that supports the open web, free from Chromium’s dominance. Websites like Zen Browser and Firefox require support for multiple rendering engines, not just Google’s.
Brave came under the scanner for adding its own referral link to the URLs of certain websites and not properly implementing the Tor network. Even converting your earned BAT to real money requires you to perform a KYC check on a third-party exchange, which flies in the face of Brave’s privacy claims.
For a long time, I didn’t care much about how my data was handled by users like Chrome or Brave. Given that I’m pretty in-depth with the Google ecosystem on my phone (Pixel 7) anyway. I kept delaying the switch from Chrome to something else on my computer. After discovering this, he said Great chrome-free alternatives Acceptable without too much disruption to my digital life, it was hard to stay on Brave much longer.
Now that I’m comfortable with Zen Browser, I can gradually move away from Chrome on my phone. With Firefox Sync, I can continue my desktop browsing in Zen Browser in my Firefox mobile app.
It feels fresh and fast without any major downsides
I love the organizational and customization features
When I switched to Zen Browser, the first thing that came to my mind was the light vibe. It really feels like a “quiet” browser without the bloat I’m used to in Brave. It also feels faster than Brave right now, and I love the workspaces feature where I can split my view between work, personal, financial or other individual categories.
I can further group tabs into containers to better track all my browsing activity within workspaces. Unlike the tab groups you see in almost every other browser, workspaces and containers allow you to customize your browser a lot. Then there is the option to use “important” and “saved” icons. While important icons are always there even when switching workspaces, pinned icons are specific to a single workspace. I’m still getting used to them, but they are really nice features.
Now, Zen Browser has some downsides, namely the lack of DRM-protected content and the lack of a dedicated mobile app. However, none of this bothers me because I don’t like to watch a lot of content on my computer (other than YouTube) and I keep my mobile browsing separate from my computer anyway. Once I set up Firefox Sync on my phone, I’ll surf on my computer and phone without a problem, so that’s not a problem either.
Firefox add-ons and Zen Mods mean I haven’t missed Brave
I just needed a push to leave the brave behind
Many users are deep in the Chrome or Brave ecosystem, finding it difficult to switch to something else thanks to tons of extensions. I’m not a power user when it comes to browsing, so I’ve only used a few extensions on Brave – one for switching to the previous active tab, one for Keepa’s grade tracking feature, one for Grammarly, and a few more.
Thankfully, Firefox, and thus Zen Browser, has access to a vast repository great browser extensions and plugins that can fill in any gaps I find after transitioning. Plus, “Zen Mods” let me test out various community-created features like custom themes and icons, URL bar customization, download indicator customization, and more. With these mods you can basically customize every aspect of the browser.
After a week of switching to Zen Browser, I discovered that my addiction to Brave wasn’t really anything – I just needed the push to try a better, cleaner, and more privacy-focused browser.
Be brave enough to go through Brave
Brave is often touted as the best browser out there, but it fundamentally contradicts many of its principles. As a Chromium fork, it’s just another Chrome alternative, and it’s not even the fastest out there. Zen Browser is based on the Gecko rendering engine, takes privacy seriously, and offers tons of productivity and customization features for anyone switching from the Chromium browser. I wish I had changed earlier, but now that I have, I don’t see myself going back.
