Pick Safari if
You want the browser that is already on your Mac, easiest on the battery and tied into iCloud.
The catch. It has no vertical tabs or split view, a smaller extension catalogue, and no Windows version.
Safari vs Brave
Safari is best for battery life and Apple devices. Brave is best for privacy without setup.
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.
Safari vs Brave, feature by feature
| Safari | Brave | |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | WebKit | Chromium |
| Vertical tabs | No | Yes, in settings |
| Sites on screen at once | One per window | Two, in Split View |
| Separate workspaces | Profiles and Tab Groups | Profiles and tab groups |
| Ad and tracker blocking | Trackers, not ads | Built in, ads and trackers |
| Extensions | Safari extensions | Chrome Web Store |
| Platforms | macOS, iPhone, iPad | macOS, Windows, Linux, iPhone, Android |
| Open source | No (WebKit is) | Yes |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Development | Active | Active |
Questions
Is Safari better than Brave?
Neither wins everywhere. Safari is best for battery life and Apple devices; Brave is best for privacy without setup. Pick Safari if you want the browser that is already on your Mac, easiest on the battery and tied into iCloud. Pick Brave if you want ads and trackers gone from the first page while keeping Chrome extensions.
Do Safari and Brave block ads?
Safari: Trackers, not ads. Brave: Built in, ads and trackers.
Which extensions do Safari and Brave run?
Safari: Safari extensions. Brave: Chrome Web Store.
Where do Safari and Brave run?
Safari: macOS, iPhone, iPad. Brave: macOS, Windows, Linux, iPhone, Android.
Are Safari and Brave free?
Both are free.