Why I ditched Chrome, Firefox, and Samsung Web for Courageous

I’ve tried practically each well-liked Android browser on the market, however irrespective of which one I settled on, there was at all times one thing lacking that ultimately pushed me to attempt one other. Chrome integrates seamlessly with Android, however it additionally feels barebones with out extension help, advert blocking, and stronger privateness options.

Firefox sits on the reverse finish of the spectrum. It gives extensions, privateness controls, and loads of customization, however lacks fundamental conveniences like tab teams and a bookmark supervisor. Samsung Web got here the closest to turning into my default browser, however its desktop model continues to be a piece in progress, making gadget syncing extra difficult than it must be.

That frustration ultimately pushed me towards Courageous. I went in with pretty low expectations, however Courageous ended up providing probably the most full package deal out of each browser I attempted.

If there’s one factor that satisfied me to attempt Courageous, it was the fixed reward about its privateness options throughout numerous Reddit threads. And because it seems, the browser actually does stay as much as the hype. For starters, Courageous blocks trackers and third-party cookies throughout websites. Which means I now not have to fret about looking for a product as soon as after which seeing adverts for it all over the place on-line.

Courageous additionally blocks intrusive scripts that decelerate web sites and muddle pages with popups, autoplay movies, and different annoyances. This makes shopping really feel cleaner in comparison with another browsers. It even gives safety in opposition to fingerprinting, a sophisticated type of monitoring that identifies your gadget primarily based on browser settings, display decision, and {hardware} configuration.

The very best half is that each one these privateness options are pre-enabled in Courageous, so there’s no have to dig by way of menus to set every little thing up. On the identical time, Courageous provides loads of choices for anybody who needs even stricter privateness controls.

I additionally like how the browser is clear about every little thing it blocks. On any web site, I can faucet the Courageous Shields icon to see what number of trackers, adverts, scripts, and different components have been stopped. Most significantly, Courageous itself doesn’t acquire any private information — one thing that the corporate proudly states on its official web site.

Not like Firefox or Samsung Web, Courageous doesn’t help extensions on Android. Initially, I believed this could be a dealbreaker as a result of I’ve at all times relied on add-ons to enhance my shopping expertise. However surprisingly, I by no means actually missed them. And that’s primarily as a result of lots of the options I’d usually set up by way of third-party add-ons are already constructed instantly into Courageous.

The most important instance is advert blocking. It’s one of many first extensions I set up on any browser, however with Courageous, there’s no want. Now, as somebody who works for websites that depend on adverts, I totally perceive why they matter. However I additionally despise it when some websites push issues too far by overlaying half the display with banners or interrupting each few seconds. Fortunately, Courageous strikes a great steadiness. It lets me whitelist websites I need to help whereas avoiding the worst sorts of intrusive promoting elsewhere.

Courageous additionally contains options like Power Darkish Mode, which is useful throughout late-night shopping periods. That is once more one thing that requires an extension in browsers like Firefox. Courageous even ships with its personal built-in firewall and VPN service, although it requires a paid subscription. Personally, I don’t use it, however it’s good figuring out the choice is there.

Having these options in-built means I nonetheless get many of the performance I need with out the dangers of third-party extensions. I don’t have to fret about questionable permissions, poorly maintained extensions, or instruments that acquire information within the background.

The obvious one is advert blocking. I don’t have to fret about unskippable adverts or these sponsored banners whereas watching YouTube. Courageous strips all of that away mechanically. It additionally helps background play, so I can begin a video, lock the display, and the audio retains taking part in. It’s good for podcasts, music, or long-form movies the place I’m principally listening somewhat than actively watching the display. There’s even help for picture-in-picture mode. This lets me hold a small floating video window open whereas scrolling social media, replying to messages, or utilizing different apps.

However my favourite half about watching YouTube on Courageous is the extent of management it provides me. I can block content material suggestions, disguise distracting components like members-only movies, and even take away the Shorts tab fully.

Past all of the headline-worthy options, Courageous is full of smaller instruments that made me like it much more. As an example, I like how Courageous lets me totally customise the principle menu. If there are alternatives I by no means contact, like Translate, Courageous VPN, or Courageous Information, I can merely disguise them. One other small however helpful characteristic is “Copy Clear Hyperlink.” Trendy URLs typically come full of monitoring parameters and pointless junk hooked up to the tip of hyperlinks. With this feature, Courageous strips all of that away earlier than copying the URL.

Courageous additionally contains its personal AI assistant referred to as Leo AI. I’m not a fan of apps that push AI into every little thing, however Leo AI is useful for summarizing webpages, asking fast questions, and analyzing information on my cellphone. The very best half is that Courageous shops all chat historical past domestically on my cellphone, not on a distant cloud server.

Efficiency is one other space the place Courageous impresses. Based on Courageous’s personal testing, it could actually load pages as much as thrice quicker than many well-liked opponents. And sure, in on a regular basis use, it does really feel quick. Lastly, Courageous can also be open-source. This is probably not an enormous deal for everybody, however I’m somebody who prefers utilizing open-source apps every time doable, in order that’s an enormous plus for me.

In fact, all this doesn’t imply Courageous is an ideal browser. Personally, I’m not a fan of its crypto-related options, and sure, the shortage of extension help continues to be an enormous miss. However regardless of these flaws, Courageous is the closest factor I’ve discovered to a whole browser expertise on Android. It’s quicker than Chrome, extra privacy-focused than Firefox, and packs higher options than Samsung Web.

Due to that, I’m now not hopping between browsers at this level, and I hope it stays that manner.