Firefox vs Brave

#1

I just recently read some great reviews for Brave browser and decided to try it on my system. And I can say with confidence, It is definitely faster loading than Firefox( by a couple seconds).

After using strictly firefox since the 90's, I am am going through a bit of a learning curve (withdrawal symptoms)...right now trying to figure out how to permanently put a bookmarks icon on the task bar ( yes, just like Firefox).

I know I can use ctrl-shift-o ...but FF spoiled me! It's much easier to click on an icon.

Anyway, the reason I'm here is to ask: Does anyone have any practical experience with Brave ? how do you like it and Why?

Thanks in advance for all replies.

1 Like
#2

I have used Brave and had no problems with it. I still use it occasionally. Firefox may be starting slow because it may be Snap now depending on when you installed it. :+1:t3:

#3

Thanks for your response...I am using Ubuntu Mate 20.04 LTS , so not sure that applies?

You never told your thoughts on Brave? like or not like? why not still use it?

Thanks!

#4

Hello josephus

I have been using Brave, Vivaldi and Firefox recently. I have come across a very few websites that Brave seems to have trouble rendering; those websites worked with Vivaldi. :slightly_smiling_face:

#5

alpinejohn Thanks for the response...Not ready to test Vivaldi...did those websites also work with Firefox?

#6

I did mention I use it, but infrequently. It works like Chrome. I like Chrome so I use that but occasionally use other browsers. I guess I use Chrome about 90% of the time and 10% other browsers including Brave, Firefox, and Opera. Brave works fine without issues. I have only had issues a few times with Firefox and usually it seems they were problems at the server end so I don't think it was related to Firefox. Vivaldi is fantastic but if feels like using KDE Plasma on a browser. It has too many settings for my taste. Another Chromium based browser like Brave is Opera and I have liked using that too. They all seem good but I enjoy the synchronicity of Chrome across a wide range of devices including Android, Windows 10/11, Manjaro Cinnamon, and iOS for iPad and iPhones. They can all sync information including the Microsoft Edge browser which has gotten good reviews and is available on Linux. From what I have read, for privacy, Brave is really good and so is Edge surprisingly.

#7

HJV , thank you for your response.

#8

I use Brave as my main browser , both out of convenience and from a security/privacy standpoint.

Sometimes (really sporadic) a site doesnt work, pretty much always because it is loaded with trackers, mouseloggers and other crap and Brave blocks that. I like that and it is easy to retract part of Brave's "shields" to allow the site to load if you REALLY need it ( like the horrible crap site of my ISP ).

This together with my favourite plugins (uMatrix, Privacy badger, TamperMonkey, close&clean) makes it the best browsing experience for me.

I have bookmarks on the taskbar, both single bookmars as complete folders. To do that, just use Ctrl+D like in firefox or rightmousebutton on the bookmark bar.

Since I use a systemwide dnscrypt-proxy and have a pretty extensive blacklist, I have firefox (with DNS over HTTPS) as backup for some cornercases. But i'm getting tired of their phone-home tendencies and their google-phylia: I have a completely customized user.js because of that. A long list just to let firefox shut up it's chattyness to sites i didn't ask for.

Yep, I'm very happy with Brave. :slight_smile:

#9

Brave is my browser of choice as well.

Pros:

  • Open source
  • Native package (doesn't take two hours to launch)
  • Fast (and lighter than Firefox on low specs machines)
  • Privacy
  • Debatable features are opt in.
  • Little to tamper with in order to satisfy my needs.
  • Doesn't need an extension for dark mode in websites nor for blocking ads correctly.
  • No political ********
  • Doesn't survive on Google's money while pretending to fight for privacy
  • New features usually bring more than a temporary set of themes
  • PWA

Cons:

  • Lacks bookmarks shortcuts. Workaround: create a new custom search engine in the settings.
  • Less tweakable than Firefox (scroll speed etc...)
  • Crypto
  • Can be bloated (Crypto widgets, Brave Rewards, Brave Wallet, Brave Talk, Brave News etc...)
  • Web engine diversity ?
  • Some shady behaviour in the past (Brave creators drama, affiliate links redirection)
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#10

That's not going to open the expanding menu of a complex bookmarks tree, is it?

To reply to the original question, I like Brave for its speed, but dislike the lack of a keyboard shortcut to the bookmarks. Presumably the reason for this in Chrome was to encourage use of the omnibox, from which they could glean some form of search data.

#11

TKN Thank you for your response.
To do that, just use Ctrl+D like in firefox or rightmousebutton on the bookmark bar.
That's not what I meant...the "add bookmark" icon is already there no need to Ctrl+d, it looks like a banner(?) on the immediate left of the address bar.

In my FF I have three icons I absolutely "need". One that looks like a house, that takes me to my duckduckgo (home) screen, then there's a star in a tray(?), that's the bookmarks and when I click on that the bookmark drop down opens with all my bookmarks in it just like "Ctrl Shft o" In Brave. third , there's a - | 100% | + which increases or decreases size of screen content. I can't 'live" without those 3 and whether I use Brave or not depends on being able to do so. Please see screenshot below.

top
top1270×141 33.1 KB

As you know, if you right click on the screen top and choose "bookmarks toolbar", a screen opens up with all the icon option available...this is what I want!

I know, I know...Brave is not Firefox!

I feel it's time to move on from FF for the reasons you mentioned. But I gotta have the "three", I don't want to have to type to accomplish these things, like in FF I want to just click and go.

I know, I'm picky and spoiled...I guess that's what happens when you use any one thing for 20+ years. I also know life is full of compromises...I just don't want to.

If you have any ideas how to permanently put the icons up there, as I described, I would appreciate it.

#12

Utsuro, Thank you for your informative reply!

1 Like
#13

Coinneach, thanks for your reply.

That's not going to open the expanding menu of a complex bookmarks tree, is it?

I am definitely no expert (can't you tell?) but if you mean to open bookmarks in Brave, you can do a "Ctrl Shft o", and you will get the clickable bookmarks listing in Brave, just like FF, only a lot bigger.

#14

In my FF I have three icons I absolutely "need". One that looks like a house, that takes me to my duckduckgo (home) screen

You can switch it on in 'settings'
een

then there's a star in a tray(?), that's the bookmarks and when I click on that the bookmark drop down opens with all my bookmarks in it just like "Ctrl Shft o" In Brave.

The star in my firefox only adds a bookmark, same as the 'banner' icon in Brave.
So in Brave I created a folder on the bookmark-bar named "speed dial".
It contains all my bookmarks.
twee

Normally, in Brave, the official bookmarks icon can be found on a 'new tab' and shows all bookmarks after clicking on it.

there's a - | 100% | + which increases or decreases size of screen content.

On my firefox it only shows zoomlevel, no way to enlarge or shrink

On Brave there is this icon:
drie
mouse-over shows the zoomlevel, click on it and you can zoom.
(I never use it, i use the button 4 and 5 on my mouse to zoom)

#15

TKN Thank you! for the clear explanation!

#16

You just have to go here:
brave://settings/searchEngines
Add another search engine and set whatever keyword you would like as a shortcut. Tedious but then it works just like Firefox. Shortcuts are tied to this menu instead of the bookmarks manager.

#17

Thanks a million! but, I think I'm done here.