Brave partners with Guardian to bring a paid VPN and Firewall to its browser
Brave Software, maker of the Brave web browser for desktop and mobile operating systems, is integrating firewall and VPN functionality into its web browser. Brave 1.39 for Android includes the new functionality, which launched for Brave on iPhone and iPad earlier this year.
Brave entered into a partnership agreement with Guardian to promote and integrate Guardian's firewall and VPN product into the browser.
The update to Brave 1.39 for Android is required before the new VPN link becomes available in the browser's main menu. Activation of the item in the menu displays basic information about the offer and the price.
Brave VPN is powered by Guardian, a company known for its firewall and VPN product. The product supports the blocking of trackers and advertisement, and secure connections using the WireGuard technology. Unlike several other browser integrated VPN solutions, Brave VPN works systemwide, which means that all applications benefit from it when it is enabled.
Brave VPN is available as a commercial product only. Users of Brave may pay $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year to subscribe to Brave VPN; Guardian Firewall is not available for Android officially, but the pricing matches the pricing of the standalone iOS version.
Compared to other VPN solutions, Brave VPN can't be described as a cheap option. Mozilla VPN, a VPN solution by Mozilla that is powered by Mullvad, is available for half the price. Popular VPN providers such as NordVPN or ExpressVPN are available for even less during sales, which seem to happen all-year-round. Some support the blocking of ads and trackers as well.
Is Brave VPN bringing anything to the table other than what other VPN apps and services support as well? Brave Software highlights its unique authentication system. While it is necessary to buy a subscription for Brave VPN to use the service, Brave is using a pseudonymous digital receipt to provide access to the VPN service, and "randomized, rotated identifiers" when connecting to VPN servers.
According to Brave, this system provides access to the VPN "in a manner that does not require Brave or Guardian to be aware of a user's identity". Guardian uses the same technology for its standalone application, as highlighted in the company's Privacy Policy.
Brave plans to roll out Brave VPN to all Brave users on Android devices, version 8 and up, over the coming days. Brave 1.39 is expected to become available by the time as well. The company plans to introduce Brave VPN in all desktop versions of the web browser in the "next several months" as well, so that it is available for all supported operating systems and device types.
Microsoft launched the free Secure Network browser VPN in its Edge browser for select customers recently. Browser makers have started to integrate VPNs into their browsers recently.
Now You: would you rather subscribe to a standalone VPN, or a VPN integrated into a browser?
I like a browser without a VPN built-in.
And do I understand it correctly that this VPN is a Five Eyes, Nine Eyes & 14-Eyes country VPN?
When it is the VPN is sending your privacy data directly to the Five Eyes, Nine Eyes & 14-Eyes countries.
Brave should really consider a “Brave Lite” build/installer that users who want only the browser can use. They should not keep adding and adding, let the browser be a browser. Another way could be that after install the user gets to see some kind of “tool tip” notifications about the VPN (and other stuff) that they can accept or decline the offered feature, should they want it or not. But they can not keep going down this “adding” path much longer if they want to keep all users who only want a great, simple browser in their userbase.
I have used Brave for years as a browser. I have found that their support which years was very responsive is now lacking especially in their Community, for now, crypto ./ Web 3.0. Brave only have so many devs working for them and they are having issues fixing 2+ year old issues in the browser. Piling on more features that can be handled by existing software at lower costs is only going to result in even poorer support.
A firewall, which one can use free DNS services to achieve.
Aaaaaand just like that uninstalled Brave from my phones and my computers, also sent messages and emails to all my friends to do the same. This former browser cannot be recommended to anyone anymore. Greed, ain’t that a beautiful thing.
Gimmicks,gimmicks and more gimmicks.
Reel em in captain they is suckers dear sir.!
VPN-Complete waste of time and money and you have to place your trust in a VPN comapny…oh the tragic irony shipmates.!!.
Might as well dump extension stores and just throw the lot into the browser..How’s that for features fellow travellers.!.
I can’t tell if it has split tunneling and the ability to block individual apps from accessing the internet, including system apps. If it does not have this functionality, then there are better Android VPN products available. If it can do this, then it may be OK.
I’m glad that Brave continues to look for privacy-oriented ways to make money and to ensure that the company can continue financially. From that perspective this looks like a good idea.
Bloat, bloat, bloat, bloat. Can we go back to when browsers weren’t filled with junk.
Maybe they have realised Crypto s*** they’re doing currently is a hoax and they need stable revenue for basically a browser which essentially is a fork, just my two crypto cent.
@Yash
Dude, how is it a “hoax”? You do realize that you can convert BAT into fiat currency, right? If you don’t, then it is you who is stupid, not Brave. This is not financial advice.
In crypto world there is not a problem for currency conversion but rather storage which eventually can go bust. Not a financial advice.
Brave team is looking for diversification of revenue which is a good thing if they’re dependent on someone. This move signals panic coz crypto thing maybe isn’t rising as well as they liked. Otherwise why would they integrate VPN in browser instead of a standalone app.
ITT: Firefox user is trying to make an argument
>Brave team is looking for diversification of revenue which is a good thing if they’re dependent on someone. This move signals panic coz crypto thing maybe isn’t rising as well as they liked.
Brave’s revenue is in USD. The price of BAT can go down, but the revenue remains the same
>Otherwise why would they integrate VPN in browser instead of a standalone app.
Doesn’t mean anything
What does this ‘Firefox user’ mean? I try every product to check which one suits me. Firefox is my daily driver but others are also used. Do you solely use Brave and have never used anything else?
“Brave’s revenue is in USD. The price of BAT can go down, but the revenue remains the same
“Doesn’t mean anything”
Read them together mate. Thanks for telling revenue is in USD, who knew it anyway. Main point is crypto is volatile and market is highly competitive. If one source of revenue is stable, then why would company launch another potential source of revenue in the same browser instead of releasing standalone app? Opera tactic right.
Your points doesn’t answer anything.
@Yash
Dude, you have no idea how Brave makes money. Advertisers are running campaigns in Brave and pay the company for said campaigns. The currency involved here is BAT, not USD, although BAT can always be converted into USD and has a USD equivalence. Brave also gets a small commission fee whenever a user donates BAT.
Further, Brave diversifies its income a bit via search deals or now via a VPN service, although these will never become the main income streams.
That you all it a “hoax” is laughable btw, especially from the user’s point of view. Brave users, provided that they opt into Brave Rewards in the first place, receive BAT entirely risk-free. BAT can then be converted into fiat currency, e.g. USD. It being a “hoax” either implies that the users never receive BAT in the first place or that BAT can’t be converted into fiat currency, both of which is totally and provably false. That BAT price fluctuates is also expected, however, it is never at zero and users receive the BAT risk-free. This is not financial advice. Your comments are a joke and totally absurd, and I am tired of your misinfo, @Yash.
ITT: Firefox user doesn’t know that most of Brave’s revenue comes from BAT
Stickers are next!
Then ads in the stickers.
If Brave, or any other browser for that matter, provides a product that provides the features one wants, does it really matter if the devs keep adding features one does not want? As long as they are optional, I cannot see the problem, just disable them.
Potential problems:
1. More features means more complicated programming, which can always cause problems.
2. The team might not grow in direct proportion to the added amount of work required to build/maintain the new features, leading to a decline in the quality/reliability.
3. The business powers that be might decide to shift resources from the free features to the paid features, also leading to a decline in the quality/reliability.
None of these are guaranteed to happen, of course. But they’re not uncommon consequences of this kind of thing either.
@anonymous: good points, thanks for mentioning them.
I prefer the standalone version and have been subscribed to Mullvad in combination with the Wireguard app for several years now. Only $5/€5 a month and completely anonymous. No email, phone number or personal info required to sign up.
Mullvad’s own app works with both Open VPN and Wireguard.
https://mullvad.net/en/
1 EUR != 1USD
(1 – (4.64€ / 5USD))*100 = 7.2% additional cost on EUR zone users, as their currency is stronger.
Why would I pay 7.2% more?
Taxes
Getting more bundle & bundle… we just need a browser! Secure, fast & privacy oriented (period)
All the more to spy on you with, and fill the fat VC pockets. Brave is an advertising company that produces a fork to con people
now Brave is sending out unsolicited mass marketing mail using third party data that identifies users
– https://old.reddit.com/r/privacy/comments/v44vut/brave_browser_sending_unsolicited_marketing_mail/