Search engine
Brave Search
Search with fewer trackers and a more independent index
Brave Search is a that reduces and profiling. It helps you keep more control over your data.
Who is this for?
✓ Good for you if:
- • You want a privacy-first as your default
- • You want an alternative to search engines that profile users
- • You value having more than one major on the web
- • You want a that can work well with privacy browsers
⚠ Think twice if:
- • You need the absolute best results in every niche
- • You want zero ads in search
- • You want a fully transparent/open-source search service
- • You rely heavily on deep personalization
Overview
Brave Search is a privacy-focused search engine that operates its own independent search index, meaning it doesn't rely on other search engines for results. Unlike many privacy search engines that just proxy results from Google or Bing, Brave Search built its own search infrastructure from scratch. This gives you search results without tracking, without building profiles about you, and without storing your personal information. Brave Search doesn't log your IP address, doesn't use cookies to track you, and doesn't create user profiles. The service is integrated with the Brave browser but works in any browser. Brave Search is free to use and makes money through contextual advertising that doesn't track you. It's a good option if you want a privacy-focused search engine that's truly independent and doesn't rely on other companies for results.
Privacy highlight
Privacy-focused search with independent index, no , and no user profiles. Operates its own search infrastructure.
Quick facts
- Country:
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Pricing:
- Free
- Platform:
- Web
- Technical:
- Beginner
- :
- No
- :
- Minimal telemetry
- :
- No
- Open-source status:
- Closed source
- :
- No
- :
- No
Key features
- that reduces and profiling.
Security & encryption Click to expand
- No
- Encryption protocols
- ,
- Brave Search uses standard / () for all connections. The service does not require user keys as it operates as a web-based . All search queries are transmitted over encrypted connections. Brave Search does not store keys for user data because it does not store personal user data, search history, or create user profiles. The service uses standard web security practices including certificate validation and secure connections.
- Offline support
- No
Telemetry & tracking Click to expand
- Minimal telemetry
- No
- Ip no
- Brave Search does not collect personal information or track users. The service does not log IP addresses, does not store search queries, and does not use for . Brave Search may collect aggregated, anonymized statistics for service improvement, but these do not contain personally identifiable information. The service does not use third-party tools or services that track users across websites.
Jurisdiction & compliance Click to expand
- Brave Search is operated by Brave Software, which is based in the United States. Search queries are processed on Brave Search servers, but the service does not store personal user data or search history, so there is minimal data residency concern. Brave Search operates under US privacy laws and complies with GDPR for European users.
- Brave Search does not store personal user data or search history. The service does not log IP addresses and does not create user profiles. Search queries are not stored or linked to users. Brave Search does not retain any data that can be used to identify individual users. The service operates under US privacy laws and does not collect or store personal information.
- Legal frameworks
- GDPR (where applicable), CCPA (where applicable). Brave Search is operated by Brave Software, which is based in the United States.
- Revenue sources
- Ads, Brave Rewards
Editorial signals Click to expand
- 76
- Trust score
- 80
- Trust breakdown (0–10)
- Encryption: 85, Audits: 70, Open source: 50, Telemetry: 95, Jurisdiction: 70, Transparency: 80, Trackers: 95
- Editorial notes
- Usability: 85, Performance: 90, Family friendly: 85
User experience Click to expand
- Signup requirements
- No account or signup required. Brave Search works without registration, email, or personal information. Users can simply visit the website and start searching.
- Onboarding difficulty (1-5)
- 1
- Accessibility features
- Brave Search includes accessibility features such as keyboard navigation and screen reader support. The web interface follows accessibility guidelines and can be used with assistive technologies.
Backup & portability Click to expand
- No
- Migration tools
- No migration tools needed - Brave Search works as a web-based search engine. Users can simply switch their default search engine to Brave Search.
- No account recovery needed - no accounts are required. Brave Search works without user accounts.
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