The new Brave browser blocks ads and trackers that slow you down and invade your privacy.
Discover a new way of thinking about how the web can work.
Publisher’s description
What is Brave?
Brave by Brave Software Inc (developed by Sanjeev Mishra) is open-source Windows software in the web browsers category. It ranks 1st by popularity among web browsers in this catalogue. The first release dates back to 2016. It is written in JavaScript, C, and C++. Besides Windows, it is available for macOS, Android, iOS and Linux.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides EXE installers for 64-bit, ARM64 and 32-bit Windows. Installation asks for administrator rights. A silent install is possible with the installer’s documented switches.
Updates and version history
The current version is 155.1.97.56, released on October 7, 2026. The version history goes back to November 29, 2023: 163 releases, all linked to the official files. That is about 57 releases a year. The last update is less than a month old.
Popularity and file types
The Chocolatey package has been downloaded 4,877,692 times. The source code on GitHub (brave/brave-browser) has 23,944 stars. Wikipedia has an article about it in 37 of our languages. On Windows it registers 8 file types, including .pdf, .html, .xhtml, .webp and .htm. Similar programs include Waterfox, qutebrowser and ungoogled-chromium.
Project description on GitHub: “Brave browser for Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows.”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Native ARM64 build for Windows on Arm
- Documented silent install
- Frequent updates (about 57 a year)
- Also runs on macOS, Android and iOS
- Large user base
- Mature project (since 2016)
Cons
- Installation needs administrator rights
In short: Brave is an open-source web browser tool for 64-bit, ARM64 and 32-bit PCs. It is actively maintained. Administrators can deploy it unattended.
Screenshots
Is Brave safe to download?
- The file is served by github.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
860FCD9B0DAAA7D2647D5230B16AA7B7F1BE0CA03DB49944A925E24A2600A9A2· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link has not been checked yet
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Security practices (OpenSSF Scorecard)
Automated checks of the brave/brave-browser repository on GitHub by the Open Source Security Foundation, last run on October 19, 2026.
- Actively maintained10
- No binaries in the repository10
- No dangerous workflows10
- Pinned dependencies10
- Restricted token permissions10
- Licence declared10
- Signed releases8
- Branch protection5
- Code review2
- OpenSSF Best Practices badge0
- Security policy0
- Fuzzing0
- Static code analysis0
The score rates how the project is developed and released, not whether the program is safe to install. scorecard.dev
Recent versions
All 163 versions ›163 versions over 3 years · about 57 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 155.1.97.56Latest | October 7, 2026 | — | ARM64 EXE32-bit EXE64-bit EXE64-bit EXE |
| 154.1.96.61 | October 2, 2026 | — | 32-bit EXE64-bit EXEARM64 EXE32-bit EXE |
| 154.1.96.60 | September 30, 2026 | — | ARM64 EXE64-bit EXE32-bit EXE32-bit EXE |
| 154.1.96.59 | September 24, 2026 | — | 32-bit EXEARM64 EXE32-bit EXEARM64 EXE |
| 153.1.95.104 | September 18, 2026 | — | 32-bit EXE32-bit EXE64-bit EXE64-bit EXE |
| 153.1.95.102 | September 16, 2026 | — | ARM64 EXE64-bit EXE32-bit EXE64-bit EXE |
| 152.1.94.121 | September 4, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXEARM64 EXE64-bit EXE32-bit EXE |
| 152.1.94.119 | September 2, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE64-bit EXEARM64 EXEARM64 EXE |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id Brave.Brave -echoco install brave -yscoop install extras/braveBraveBrowserStandaloneSetup.exe /silent /installRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Also for other systems
brew install --cask brave-browserflatpak install flathub com.brave.BrowserInformation
- Publisher
- Brave Software Inc
- Developer
- Sanjeev Mishra and Marshall Rose
- Category
- Web browsers
- Licence
- MPL-2.0
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/brave/brave-browser
- Written in
- JavaScript, C, and C++
- Content rating
- All ages
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit, ARM64, 32-bit
- Installer
- EXE
- Other platforms
- macOS, Android, iOS, Linux
- Version
- 155.1.97.56
- Released
- October 7, 2026
- First release
- 2016
- Added to the catalogue
- November 30, 2023
- Versions listed
- 163
- Updates / year
- 57.1
- Chocolatey downloads
- 4,877,692
- GitHub stars
- 23,944
- GitHub forks
- 3,256
- Website
- brave.com
- winget ID
- Brave.Brave
- Chocolatey package
- brave
- Scoop package
- extras/brave
File types it opens (8)
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
Alternatives to Brave
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Frequently asked questions
Is Brave free?
Yes. Brave is open-source software under the MPL-2.0 licence.
Is Brave safe to download?
The download comes from github.com, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install Brave with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Can Brave be installed silently?
Yes. The silent install page lists the exact command for each installer.
Does Brave run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
Yes, there is a native ARM64 installer.
Where can I download an older version of Brave?
The versions page lists all 163 versions with links to their official installer files, back to November 29, 2023.
Can I use Brave without administrator rights?
Yes, there is a per-user installer that does not need administrator rights.
What are alternatives to Brave?
Waterfox, qutebrowser, ungoogled-chromium, Microsoft Edge and Safari. The alternatives page compares them.
