What is Brave?
Brave is an open-source web browser developed by Brave Software, Inc. It uses the Chromium web browser base, although it was synonymous with Firefox in the past. On top of being open-source, the browser is also free to download and use. However, it differs from other alternatives in the market due to its focus on privacy. With this focus, Brave automatically blocks online advertisements and website trackers.
Currently, Brave operates from San Francisco, California, where its headquarters are. The company started its operations in 2015 through Brain Bondy and Brendan Eich. Eich is a well-known name in the technology industry. In 1985, he graduated from the University of Illinois. He majored in Computer Science and joined Silicon Graphics in 1992.
After Silicon Graphics, Eich worked for three years at MicroUnity Systems Engineering. Later, he joined Netscape in 1995. At the time, Netscape was one of the two primary browsers available in the market. The other option was Microsoft’s Internet Explorer. Both of them were competing for market supremacy at the time. Both companies were at war to become the people’s preferred browser.
Eich was a part of Netscape at the time this war was happening. Netscape tried achieving an upper hand in the market. However, Microsoft kept thwarting its efforts. Netscape assigned Eich the task of developing a new scripting language. Consequently, Netscape wanted to take over Microsoft as the browser of choice. Eich delivered that task in the form of JavaScript.
At the same time, Eich and some other developers created an open-source software project. This project came through Mozilla in 1998, another well-known name in the technology industry. At the time, this project aimed to contribute to Netscape’s source code. Eich continued with Netscape until 2003. At the same time, Mozilla started garnering attention from the industry.
In 2005, Eich became the CTO of a newly created Mozilla Corporation. He continued working there until 2011. At that time, he also met Brian Bondy, a software engineer at the corporation. Bondy later moved to Khan Academy in 2014. Meanwhile, Eich became the CEO of Mozilla. However, he only stayed in the position for over a week. His appointment met several protests, causing him to resign.
After his resignation, Eich started working on Brave. In 2015, he announced that he had raised $2.5 million in seed funding for the project. Eich revealed the first test version of the Brave browser in 2016. At the time, it worked on all well-known platforms. Similarly, Brave started its operations with the promise of providing privacy-focused browsing. Over the years, the company has gone through several ups and downs. However, it is still operational and a top name in the industry.
How does Brave work?
Brave works like other standard web browsers. It allows users to access the internet through its features. In that regard, it is almost the same as the Google Chrome browser. On top of that, it also has similarities with most other browsers. These similarities generate from the use of the Chromium engine. However, it integrates other features into that engine. Therefore, it also has some differences from the alternatives.
Users can use the Brave browsers directly on their machines. However, they must download it first. For PC users, the download occurs through another browser. Users can download the executable installation file and install it on their system. Mobile users can access the browser through their system’s app store. Once they download it, they can use the browser like any other.
However, Brave works differently in the background compared to other browsers. When users surf the net through a web browser, they send and receive data. The information they send may include personal stuff, through which they can get tracked. Other browsers do not prevent trackers from accessing that data. On top of that, users also receive information, including ads. Those browsers do not block the ads either.
However, Brave handles both trackers and ads. It prevents both of these, thus, enhancing the browsing experience. These features fall under its privacy-focused strategy. The browser also incorporates several other privacy-related tools. With these, users can ensure their privacy does not get invaded. It also includes extensions, through which users can further enhance the privacy-based browsing experience.
Overall, Brave focuses on user privacy when allowing them to use the internet. However, it does not compromise on speed when providing these features. These aspects make it one of the prominent choices among privacy-conscious users. In the background, the browser still uses the Chromium engine. However, it modifies it to focus more on privacy. Other than that, Brave works similar to other browsers with minor tweaks.
What is the Brave business model?
Brave works on an e-commerce business model, where it gets its users. Primarily, the browser uses this model to provide services through the internet. However, this model does not explain how it generates revenues. Although it is not a primary source of income, the e-commerce business model allows Brave to explore revenue streams.
Brave uses several revenues streams within its business model. Primarily, the company uses Basic Attention Tokens (BAT) as an inside cryptocurrency. Brave allows users to watch ads to get this currency. However, users do not have to do so. The process is optional, and users can opt to watch ads. Through this feature, Brave still blocks third-party ads. Instead, it replaces them with its own generic ads.
In that regard, Brave uses a unique business model to make money. Most other browsers use other methods of generating revenues. However, the BAT cryptocurrency allows the company to go beyond those revenue streams. This cryptocurrency goes into the user’s Brave wallet. Users can then withdraw this money in cash form at a later date.
Brave also uses other strategies in its business model. These may include affiliate promotions or subscriptions. Both of these provide the company with a different way to make money. However, some other browsers also use these revenues streams. Either way, they contribute to the Brave business model and how it makes money.
How does Brave make money?
From the above analysis of Brave’s business model, it is possible to construct its revenues streams. Brave makes money from various sources. Each of these provides a different way to generate revenues from users. However, the browser still focuses on privacy. Overall, some of the ways Brave makes money include the following.
Advertisements
As mentioned, Brave allows users to turn on the advertisement option. With this, the browser displays banner ads across its pages. These include generic ads that do not farm user data. Through these ads, users can earn the BAT currency. However, users get 70% of the revenues that Brave receives. The remaining amount goes to Brave.
Affiliate commissions
Brave also inserts affiliate links into its browser. Through these, it suggests products and services that users can purchase. However, the affiliate links only make money when users complete the transaction. The browser also has a page called Brave Offers. This page includes various affiliate links that users can click and purchase. Overall, affiliate commissions constitute a significant portion of Brave’s revenues.
Subscriptions
Brave, apart from its browser, has ventured into other markets. The company has developed other products relating to its primary Brave browser. These include a VPN and firewall product, the Brave search engine and video conferencing. For these, the company charges a subscription fee. For example, the VPN and firewall come at $9.99 per month.
Store
Brave also has its digital store, known as the Swag Store. Through this store, the company sells both physical and digital products. Usually, these include merchandise, which generates money for Brave. On top of that, the company has also ventured into selling NFTs through this store. However, the Swag Store does not constitute a significant portion of the money Brave makes.
Conclusion
Brave is a privacy-focused web browser that runs on the Chromium engine. It became available for public use in 2016 through Brain Bondy and Brendan Eich. Of these, the latter is a well-known name in the technology market. Overall, Brave’s business model includes several revenues streams. The company makes money from these streams, of which some are available above.
