Pick Brave if
You want ads and trackers gone from the first page while keeping Chrome extensions.
The catch. It ships extras — crypto rewards, a wallet, an AI assistant — you may want to switch off.
Brave vs Opera
Brave is best for privacy without setup. Opera is best for built-in extras like a free VPN.
Pick Opera if
You want an ad blocker, a free browser VPN and Tab Islands without installing anything.
The catch. It comes with a lot of bundled features and AI, and it is not open source.
Brave vs Opera, feature by feature
| Brave | Opera | |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | Chromium | Chromium |
| Vertical tabs | Yes, in settings | Yes, since 2026 |
| Sites on screen at once | Two, in Split View | Up to four, in Split View |
| Separate workspaces | Profiles and tab groups | Workspaces and Tab Islands |
| Ad and tracker blocking | Built in, ads and trackers | Built in, ads and trackers |
| Extensions | Chrome Web Store | Opera add-ons and Chrome Web Store |
| Platforms | macOS, Windows, Linux, iPhone, Android | macOS, Windows, Linux, iPhone, Android |
| Open source | Yes | No |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Development | Active | Active |
Questions
Is Brave better than Opera?
Neither wins everywhere. Brave is best for privacy without setup; Opera is best for built-in extras like a free VPN. Pick Brave if you want ads and trackers gone from the first page while keeping Chrome extensions. Pick Opera if you want an ad blocker, a free browser VPN and Tab Islands without installing anything.
Do Brave and Opera block ads?
They block the same way: built in, ads and trackers.
Which extensions do Brave and Opera run?
Brave: Chrome Web Store. Opera: Opera add-ons and Chrome Web Store.
Where do Brave and Opera run?
Both run on macOS, Windows, Linux, iPhone, Android.
Are Brave and Opera free?
Both are free.