I tested Brave browser on Android and found where its privacy features fall short

Brave, a browser marketed as a privacy-focused option, performs differently on Android when compared to other browsers, according to recent tests. Upon first use, Brave successfully blocked ads, trackers, third-party cookies, and fingerprinting. However, it comes with five settings enabled by default, which send data to Brave or display its own ads.

The initial setup only covers two of these settings. Beyond these five settings, there are additional privacy features with room for improvement on Android. The browser's Shields page defaults to blocking trackers and ads, third-party cookies, and fingerprinting, with tracking URLs auto-redirected. In a privacy test, Brave reported blocking nine ads and trackers on a busy news page, placing it ahead of other Android browsers.

However, Brave's default settings include five additional data and ad settings, which were not disclosed during setup. These settings include options to send crash reports, private product insights, daily usage pings, enable Sponsored Ads, and show New Tab Page Ads. To fully disable these settings, users must navigate through multiple settings pages.

Despite Brave's claims of blocking all tracking by default, there are still ways for sites to save data in the browser and use it to identify users in future visits. Brave's Shred feature, which can delete site data when a tab or the app is closed, is also not enabled by default. Specifically, the 'Automatically shred browsing data' option is set to 'Never', and 'Clear data on exit' is turned off.

Therefore, Brave may still retain downloaded files even in private browsing mode. Furthermore, Brave's private tab promises to leave no trace on the device, but this does not include downloads, which remain accessible. Brave offers users the option to disable its own data collection and ads during setup, but it still defaults to displaying two web discovery options, allowing users to choose whether or not to participate.

Overall, Brave's default settings offer some level of privacy protection, but users must actively manage additional settings to ensure maximum privacy.