7 ms·

Firefox and its derivatives remain the only true alternative at this point.

fyrabanks 2y ago
You can still install uBlock Origin in Brave, assuming you don't mind the crypto stuff and how they pay it out (or, rather don't) to site owners. Even Firefox feels a little weird now with the advent of Mozilla Advertising. Very much a lesser of all evils situation.
- somenameforme 2y ago
  Brave has a native adblocker that lets basically nothing through, though it can be configured as desired. Crypto stuff is opt-in, though there is a little monochrome button for it on the browser that one can disable with a right click.
- AstralSerenity 2y ago
  You can, but ultimately Brave is downstream of Chrome and their stated intention of supporting Manifest V2 "for as long as [they're] able" doesn't inspire as much confidence. Firefox is also the only open alternative to Chromium at the moment, so I prefer to endorse it instead.
  - ray023 2y ago
    Brave has its own Rust based Adblocker BUILD IN. That is at the very core of the Browser, uses the exact same filter lists uBlock Origin and all the other use. There is no point in using uBlock origin in Brave at all. I have been using Brave for years now and the adblocker pretty much like uBlock. Never looked back. I think it even inspired by uBlock but the fact they can even integrate it tighter with Chromium makes more then than an extension written in JS.
    - fabrice_d 2y ago
      uBlock Origin does a bit more than applying community maintained filter lists though. I regularly use its capability to add custom filters for instance. Is that also possible in Brave?
      - jemmyw 2y ago
        Yes
    - WD-42 2y ago
      For now. We’ll see how long it takes for them to integrate their Brave Bucks for either enabling the blocker or whitelisting ads.
      - BrendanEich 2y ago
        We would not do that on principle, but imagine we're the mustache twirlers you fantasize we are: we'd light our brand on fire doing any such thing, lose all our lead users, stop growing and start shrinking. Think / Type / Post is the Ready / Aim / Fire analogue you seek.
        kikokikokiko 2y ago
        I know that you probably went with Chromium based on the way your relationship with Mozilla ended, but man... I'll never have a Chromium based browser as my daily driver, I simply never trusted the ad company to not do what they ended up doing in the end (killing ad blockers). Brave will always be a no go for me for this reason. And now more than ever, we really need some company with real fire power to take the reins of the Firefox source code and create a real trustable fork.
        jlkuester7 2y ago
        I get it. I run FF as my primary browser (mostly because I don't want to see the internet devolve into a Blink mono-culture). But, I always recommend Brave for less-technical folks. It just works! My FF setup includes a number of extensions, some of which need a bit of tuning to be useful. Then you have to deal with issues in websites that just don't properly support FF, etc. My grandmother can install Brave and simply start browsing. Things just work without extra config or tinkering.
        BrendanEich 2y ago
        No, we started with Gecko (on Graphene, a sandboxing multiprocessor framework from b2g/FirefoxOS). We switched for hard-nosed wins of Chromium (as part of Electron) because out of the box vs. Gecko, most rows in the spreadsheet favored Chromium decisively. This is covered in https://brianbondy.com/blog/174/the-road-to-brave-10 https://brianbondy.com/blog/174/the-road-to-brave-10 Why do you write "probably... based on... relationship ended"? Brave as a startup does not have time for feels not realz, pathos-over-logos nonsense. I recommend you avoid it in your work efforts too.
- homebrewer 2y ago
  > install uBlock Origin in Brave There's no need to do it, their built-in adblocker supports the same rule lists. https://github.com/brave/adblock-rust https://github.com/brave/adblock-rust
  - tmtvl 2y ago
    But does it support blocking JavaScript, large media elements, social widgets, and fonts?
    - johnisgood 2y ago
      I would like to know this, too. It does not seem to be on the list of features unless they are referring to it via "cosmetic filtering". I often block particular elements on websites.
      - jemmyw 2y ago
        You can block elements, there's an option on the right click context menu to do it visually.
    - pnw 2y ago
      Yes, you can block elements directly from the context menu. I use it all the time on Reddit. There's also built in blocking under brave://settings/shields for Javascript and social features. It doesn't have a specific feature to block fonts AFAIK but it does have fingerprint protection if that's your concern.
      - antonok 2y ago
        Brave's adblocker supports the standard `$font` resource type modifier on adblock rules as well.
        pnw 2y ago
        Thanks, TIL!
- ClikeX 2y ago
  Luckily, Firefox has several forks that strip that telemetry.
- novemp 2y ago
  Another day, another subtle insinuation that Brave is the only Chrome fork anyone uses. Are you people being paid to do this?
  - Novack 2y ago
    It is not a subtle insinuation, Brave is the defacto only browser apart from Chrome right now. All the rest are niche and irrelevant if you measure adblock, compatibility and widely subpar privacy protection. There is some bitching about the ads crypto token, but that is entirely optional, so complaints are mostly fear and dogma. And to be honest, is a fascinating new approach to ads that suvberts the current state of affairs in the advertising market.
  - rockskon 2y ago
    Or maybe it's just popular? Recommend something else if you don't like it rather than just insinuating crap about people who do.
  - antonok 2y ago
    As I see it, Brave is the only Chromium-based browser with a competitive Mv2-deprecation-resistant adblocker. If adblocking is important to you - and it is, to many people - then Brave literally is the only one worth considering. Not to mention it is open source, unlike most of the others. (I work on Brave's adblocker, and FWIW the folks who work for Brave are very open about their affiliation when commenting about it online)
jhickok 2y ago
Do you have thoughts about Kagi/Orion browser? I've been using it for a bit now and I've been pleased with the ad blocking capabilities and the ability to have ublock origin on my iPhone and iPad. The browser definitely has scales but it's usable for me at this point.
- 64805968473 2y ago
  Not open source.
  - drdaeman 2y ago
    Your comment was downvoted into oblivion, but it's a very valid point. There is a significant number of GNU/Linux users who value the freedoms granted by FLOSS licensing, so I believe Orion not being a FLOSS project is a valid argument against it - specifically in context of GNU/Linux (as a part of Free Software movement). At least it certainly leaves me (personally) having second thoughts, even though I'm no purist and use proprietary software (but try prefer free software if I can).
- RamRodification 2y ago
  macOS only
  - lolinder 2y ago
    Linux is coming, but that still leaves Windows and Android (and iOS?) out.
    - wartijn_ 2y ago
      There is an iOS version https://apps.apple.com/app/id1484498200 https://apps.apple.com/app/id1484498200
carlosjobim 2y ago
It's easy to block ads on an entire system DNS level, instead of using browser plugins.
- h4x0rr 2y ago
  This way you're missing out on specific js patches for sites with hard to block ads (like YouTube)
  - carlosjobim 2y ago
    That's a special case, which can be solved by buying YouTube premium. For general ad-blocking, the DNS filters work great.
    - paulryanrogers 2y ago
      What incentives does this enforce in the market? Strangling smaller players and reinforcing the dominant ones.
      - jpc0 2y ago
        "We understand some users don't want ads so to monetize our product we allow those users to pay and not see ads" Your response: "I want to keep my cake and eat it too." I have a solution for you, stop using YouTube if you feel so strongly that a video platform should be free to use. I'm paraphrasing in the quotes, they aren't real quotes...
- Yeul 2y ago
  How does that work on a smartphone?
  - carlosjobim 2y ago
    You install NextDNS from the App Store.
bluescrn 2y ago
How long will Mozilla be around for, though?
- squarefoot 2y ago
  As long as Google pays them to remain alive to reinforce the narrative that Chrome isn't a monopoly.
  - lolinder 2y ago
    That deal is on the chopping block as part of the DOJ's lawsuit.
    - squarefoot 2y ago
      Yep, very likely. https://arstechnica.com/google/2025/03/doj-google-must-sell-chrome-android-could-be-next/ https://arstechnica.com/google/2025/03/doj-google-must-sell-... Now, why do I have this feeling that it will be bought by some entity very close to the current US administration?
- mrandish 2y ago
  If the Google, Pocket and other ad money dries up, Mozilla the company may go away but the Firefox browser itself will continue on because it's open source. As an exclusively Firefox user for over 20 years, I suspect if Mozilla the company dies, it will won't negatively impact Firefox much, at least in any meaningful way. In fact, the browser may be somewhat better off managed like the Blender or MAME projects. In the last five years or so Firefox has increasingly introduced controversial changes that make it (IMHO) less good, primarily around interface design. And, from what I understand, Mozilla employs full-time UX designers who've been driving much of that. Of course, with Firefox it's still possible to modify, fix and restore all these recent interface "improvements" with user CSS but it's a constant annoyance to need to keep fixing it. Fortunately, there's an active community effort around restoring the Firefox interface and usability, exemplified by the brilliant Lepton project https://github.com/black7375/Firefox-UI-Fix/releases https://github.com/black7375/Firefox-UI-Fix/releases. My perception just watching the evolution of Firefox from the outside, is that it used to be a browser that celebrated the ethos of "Have it Your Way." However, Mozilla the company gets money to pay its executives and employees (millions in the case of more than one recent CEO) by actively driving users and eyeballs for Google, Pocket and other advertisers. So the company is highly incentivized to try myriad changes and redesigns to increase appeal to "the masses" of browser users. Thus, the UX keeps getting 'simplified' and 'de-cluttered' with advanced functionality 'de-prioritized' and add-on support demoted to second-class afterthought - instead of the shining key feature advanced users value most. Basically, in recent years the Firefox UX and end-user features have been pushed by the substantial payroll needs of the Mozilla company to become more like Chrome and Safari instead of embracing its unique position as a tool for power users who value advanced features, customization and extension. And it was all for naught because Firefox has continued to lose market share while ignoring (and even actively alienating) its niche community of fanatically devoted power users.
johnklos 2y ago
...so long as you're not in a market where they automatically opt you in to sending all your DNS requests to a for-profit company without asking, and if you are, you remember to set up a canary domain or go and update your settings for every new install and new profile.

You can still install uBlock Origin in Brave, assuming you don't mind the crypto stuff and how they pay it out (or, rather don't) to site owners. Even Firefox feels a little weird now with the advent of Mozilla Advertising. Very much a lesser of all evils situation.

somenameforme 2y ago
Brave has a native adblocker that lets basically nothing through, though it can be configured as desired. Crypto stuff is opt-in, though there is a little monochrome button for it on the browser that one can disable with a right click.
AstralSerenity 2y ago
You can, but ultimately Brave is downstream of Chrome and their stated intention of supporting Manifest V2 "for as long as [they're] able" doesn't inspire as much confidence. Firefox is also the only open alternative to Chromium at the moment, so I prefer to endorse it instead.
- ray023 2y ago
  Brave has its own Rust based Adblocker BUILD IN. That is at the very core of the Browser, uses the exact same filter lists uBlock Origin and all the other use. There is no point in using uBlock origin in Brave at all. I have been using Brave for years now and the adblocker pretty much like uBlock. Never looked back. I think it even inspired by uBlock but the fact they can even integrate it tighter with Chromium makes more then than an extension written in JS.
  - fabrice_d 2y ago
    uBlock Origin does a bit more than applying community maintained filter lists though. I regularly use its capability to add custom filters for instance. Is that also possible in Brave?
    - jemmyw 2y ago
      Yes
  - WD-42 2y ago
    For now. We’ll see how long it takes for them to integrate their Brave Bucks for either enabling the blocker or whitelisting ads.
    - BrendanEich 2y ago
      We would not do that on principle, but imagine we're the mustache twirlers you fantasize we are: we'd light our brand on fire doing any such thing, lose all our lead users, stop growing and start shrinking. Think / Type / Post is the Ready / Aim / Fire analogue you seek.
      - kikokikokiko 2y ago
        I know that you probably went with Chromium based on the way your relationship with Mozilla ended, but man... I'll never have a Chromium based browser as my daily driver, I simply never trusted the ad company to not do what they ended up doing in the end (killing ad blockers). Brave will always be a no go for me for this reason. And now more than ever, we really need some company with real fire power to take the reins of the Firefox source code and create a real trustable fork.
        jlkuester7 2y ago
        I get it. I run FF as my primary browser (mostly because I don't want to see the internet devolve into a Blink mono-culture). But, I always recommend Brave for less-technical folks. It just works! My FF setup includes a number of extensions, some of which need a bit of tuning to be useful. Then you have to deal with issues in websites that just don't properly support FF, etc. My grandmother can install Brave and simply start browsing. Things just work without extra config or tinkering.
        BrendanEich 2y ago
        No, we started with Gecko (on Graphene, a sandboxing multiprocessor framework from b2g/FirefoxOS). We switched for hard-nosed wins of Chromium (as part of Electron) because out of the box vs. Gecko, most rows in the spreadsheet favored Chromium decisively. This is covered in https://brianbondy.com/blog/174/the-road-to-brave-10 https://brianbondy.com/blog/174/the-road-to-brave-10 Why do you write "probably... based on... relationship ended"? Brave as a startup does not have time for feels not realz, pathos-over-logos nonsense. I recommend you avoid it in your work efforts too.
homebrewer 2y ago
> install uBlock Origin in Brave There's no need to do it, their built-in adblocker supports the same rule lists. https://github.com/brave/adblock-rust https://github.com/brave/adblock-rust
- tmtvl 2y ago
  But does it support blocking JavaScript, large media elements, social widgets, and fonts?
  - johnisgood 2y ago
    I would like to know this, too. It does not seem to be on the list of features unless they are referring to it via "cosmetic filtering". I often block particular elements on websites.
    - jemmyw 2y ago
      You can block elements, there's an option on the right click context menu to do it visually.
  - pnw 2y ago
    Yes, you can block elements directly from the context menu. I use it all the time on Reddit. There's also built in blocking under brave://settings/shields for Javascript and social features. It doesn't have a specific feature to block fonts AFAIK but it does have fingerprint protection if that's your concern.
    - antonok 2y ago
      Brave's adblocker supports the standard `$font` resource type modifier on adblock rules as well.
      - pnw 2y ago
        Thanks, TIL!
ClikeX 2y ago
Luckily, Firefox has several forks that strip that telemetry.
novemp 2y ago
Another day, another subtle insinuation that Brave is the only Chrome fork anyone uses. Are you people being paid to do this?
- Novack 2y ago
  It is not a subtle insinuation, Brave is the defacto only browser apart from Chrome right now. All the rest are niche and irrelevant if you measure adblock, compatibility and widely subpar privacy protection. There is some bitching about the ads crypto token, but that is entirely optional, so complaints are mostly fear and dogma. And to be honest, is a fascinating new approach to ads that suvberts the current state of affairs in the advertising market.
- rockskon 2y ago
  Or maybe it's just popular? Recommend something else if you don't like it rather than just insinuating crap about people who do.
- antonok 2y ago
  As I see it, Brave is the only Chromium-based browser with a competitive Mv2-deprecation-resistant adblocker. If adblocking is important to you - and it is, to many people - then Brave literally is the only one worth considering. Not to mention it is open source, unlike most of the others. (I work on Brave's adblocker, and FWIW the folks who work for Brave are very open about their affiliation when commenting about it online)

jhickok 2y ago

Do you have thoughts about Kagi/Orion browser? I've been using it for a bit now and I've been pleased with the ad blocking capabilities and the ability to have ublock origin on my iPhone and iPad. The browser definitely has scales but it's usable for me at this point.

64805968473 2y ago
Not open source.
- drdaeman 2y ago
  Your comment was downvoted into oblivion, but it's a very valid point. There is a significant number of GNU/Linux users who value the freedoms granted by FLOSS licensing, so I believe Orion not being a FLOSS project is a valid argument against it - specifically in context of GNU/Linux (as a part of Free Software movement). At least it certainly leaves me (personally) having second thoughts, even though I'm no purist and use proprietary software (but try prefer free software if I can).
RamRodification 2y ago
macOS only
- lolinder 2y ago
  Linux is coming, but that still leaves Windows and Android (and iOS?) out.
  - wartijn_ 2y ago
    There is an iOS version https://apps.apple.com/app/id1484498200 https://apps.apple.com/app/id1484498200

carlosjobim 2y ago

It's easy to block ads on an entire system DNS level, instead of using browser plugins.

h4x0rr 2y ago
This way you're missing out on specific js patches for sites with hard to block ads (like YouTube)
- carlosjobim 2y ago
  That's a special case, which can be solved by buying YouTube premium. For general ad-blocking, the DNS filters work great.
  - paulryanrogers 2y ago
    What incentives does this enforce in the market? Strangling smaller players and reinforcing the dominant ones.
    - jpc0 2y ago
      "We understand some users don't want ads so to monetize our product we allow those users to pay and not see ads" Your response: "I want to keep my cake and eat it too." I have a solution for you, stop using YouTube if you feel so strongly that a video platform should be free to use. I'm paraphrasing in the quotes, they aren't real quotes...
Yeul 2y ago
How does that work on a smartphone?
- carlosjobim 2y ago
  You install NextDNS from the App Store.

bluescrn 2y ago

How long will Mozilla be around for, though?

squarefoot 2y ago
As long as Google pays them to remain alive to reinforce the narrative that Chrome isn't a monopoly.
- lolinder 2y ago
  That deal is on the chopping block as part of the DOJ's lawsuit.
  - squarefoot 2y ago
    Yep, very likely. https://arstechnica.com/google/2025/03/doj-google-must-sell-chrome-android-could-be-next/ https://arstechnica.com/google/2025/03/doj-google-must-sell-... Now, why do I have this feeling that it will be bought by some entity very close to the current US administration?
mrandish 2y ago
If the Google, Pocket and other ad money dries up, Mozilla the company may go away but the Firefox browser itself will continue on because it's open source. As an exclusively Firefox user for over 20 years, I suspect if Mozilla the company dies, it will won't negatively impact Firefox much, at least in any meaningful way. In fact, the browser may be somewhat better off managed like the Blender or MAME projects. In the last five years or so Firefox has increasingly introduced controversial changes that make it (IMHO) less good, primarily around interface design. And, from what I understand, Mozilla employs full-time UX designers who've been driving much of that. Of course, with Firefox it's still possible to modify, fix and restore all these recent interface "improvements" with user CSS but it's a constant annoyance to need to keep fixing it. Fortunately, there's an active community effort around restoring the Firefox interface and usability, exemplified by the brilliant Lepton project https://github.com/black7375/Firefox-UI-Fix/releases https://github.com/black7375/Firefox-UI-Fix/releases. My perception just watching the evolution of Firefox from the outside, is that it used to be a browser that celebrated the ethos of "Have it Your Way." However, Mozilla the company gets money to pay its executives and employees (millions in the case of more than one recent CEO) by actively driving users and eyeballs for Google, Pocket and other advertisers. So the company is highly incentivized to try myriad changes and redesigns to increase appeal to "the masses" of browser users. Thus, the UX keeps getting 'simplified' and 'de-cluttered' with advanced functionality 'de-prioritized' and add-on support demoted to second-class afterthought - instead of the shining key feature advanced users value most. Basically, in recent years the Firefox UX and end-user features have been pushed by the substantial payroll needs of the Mozilla company to become more like Chrome and Safari instead of embracing its unique position as a tool for power users who value advanced features, customization and extension. And it was all for naught because Firefox has continued to lose market share while ignoring (and even actively alienating) its niche community of fanatically devoted power users.

johnklos 2y ago

...so long as you're not in a market where they automatically opt you in to sending all your DNS requests to a for-profit company without asking, and if you are, you remember to set up a canary domain or go and update your settings for every new install and new profile.