Brave is a free and open-source web browser that lets you browse the dark web without the use of Tor Browser. Now, while that sounds like a handy option to get on the dark web, it’s not a good alternative to the official, tried and tested methods.
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It Is Not Built for Anonymity
Brave’s desktop version offers a way to browse the dark web via the “Private Window with Tor” setting. This feature opens a new window in the browser that allows you to access the dark web through a proxy that runs through the Tor network.
Brave is a privacy-oriented web browser. However, Tor Browser is designed for anonymously browsing the dark web.
Privacy and anonymity are two often conflated terms, but they are different. Essentially, Tor masks your identity by removing digital fingerprinting information, encrypting your data, and sending your anonymized internet traffic through multiple relays worldwide. However, Brave does not remove identifying information by default. So, browsing the dark web via the Tor proxy in Brave makes you more conspicuous than simply using Tor Browser.
While Brave is great for most privacy enthusiasts, it does not do a good job of keeping you completely anonymous compared to the Tor Browser.
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Limited Tor Functionality
Brave is primarily designed for browsing the clearnet—the public, regular part of the internet indexed by search engines. Its Tor mode, introduced later as a secondary feature, is not a core focus. In the past, the browser had an issue where users’ dark web browsing history was exposed to ISPs. Although that issue is long fixed, I’d advise using the official Tor Browser for maximum security and privacy.
Brave’s fingerprinting protection isn’t as effective as the Tor Browser’s. I tested this using CreepJS, an open-source tool for checking how identifiable your device is online. With the Tor Browser, the tool could identify my browser and approximate my operating system but revealed little else. However, using Brave’s Private window with Tor, CreepJS uncovered more details, including my time zone, exact operating system, GPU, and screen resolution.
While this information might not seem very sensitive, a malicious actor can combine it to track you across websites, much like how cookies work. Tor reduces this risk by standardizing user agent strings, screen sizes, and fonts for all users. It is much harder to spot individuals when everyone appears identical.
Using a single browser like Brave for both clearnet and darknet activity is generally not recommended. Brave’s normal browsing windows and Tor windows look really identical. Mistakes can happen and you risk exposing sensitive data to malicious actors.
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Brave Recommends Tor Browser for Complete Anonymity
Perhaps the major reason to use the Tor Browser instead of Brave is because the Brave company itself recommends Tor Browser for users whose “personal safety depends on remaining anonymous.” Since Brave doesn’t include all the privacy protections of the Tor Browser, it is hard to guarantee the same level of anonymity from the browser.
In that, if you need to browse the dark web securely and anonymously, Tor Browser is highly recommended. It focuses on protecting your identity, and your internet activity (within the dark web) is completely masked. It is also cross-platform, easy to install, and quite easy to use.
Brave is still an alternative if you don’t mind being a little exposed while browsing the dark web. For example, if you’re just checking something out or researching a dark web page. However, for anything that requires more privacy, Tor Browser is the better option. For more protection, consider turning on “Block fingerprinting” under Settings > Shields, installing the NoScript addon, and using another browser for clearnet access while the Tor mode is on.
