r/chrome • u/Low-Memory-4269 • 1d ago
Discussion Google Chrome vs. Brave Browser
Hi everyone. Since my next phone will be a Google Pixel, I’m planning to move more fully into the Google ecosystem, including the browser. I’ve been using Google Chrome for years and have always been happy with it, but over the past year I switched to Brave mainly because of its built-in ad blocking and because it makes using YouTube and YouTube Music ad-free and in the background so easy. Now I’m trying to switch back to Chrome. On PC, there’s not much of a difference compared to Brave thanks to extensions, but on mobile it’s a different story. As far as I can tell there’s no real way to effectively block ads on YouTube services. At least I managed to figure out how to get background playback working, although it’s a bit clunky since you have to switch to desktop mode. Does anyone have any suggestions?
1
u/Responsible-Field653 1d ago
You can try a custom DNS in Chrome. It's under secure DNS in the security settings. Try to find one of the free ad blocking ones to use like next dns or Adguard. It'll only keep the ad files from loading. You'll have weird formatting sometimes and empty grey or white spots where ads should be, but it might be enough to get the job done for you. Most of the websites will give you really detailed instructions on how to make it work.
1
u/Responsible-Field653 1d ago
Eh nevermind. I see you tried a DNS based on already.
1
u/Low-Memory-4269 1d ago
Yeah, dns.adguard-dns.com, but YouTube ads are considered as a part of the video so DNS can't distinguish between the video and the ad.
2
u/Klutzy_Walk_4235 1d ago
I mostly use chrome but will at times use Brave. It’s really hard to beat Gemini and Google sync across all my devices. If Brave had tab group sync to iOS I’d prolly use it full time even with subpar AI.
1
u/modemman11 1d ago
Yes chrome on mobile has no extensions so you have to use either network level ad blocking like pihole or DNS (not sure how effective they are though) or another browser entirely.
Or, instead of watching youtube in a browser which is clunky anyway, use Morphe.
1
u/Low-Memory-4269 1d ago
On the network level I’ve already tried using an adguard DNS but it doesn’t work. I think the only alternative would be to use a VPN since I know that in countries like Albania, ads are blocked by law. But at that point, it would become such a hassle that it would probably be easier to just put up with the ads.
1
u/modemman11 1d ago
Well like I said, you can use Morphe. Basically the official youtube/youtube music app but with no ads, background play, and a ton of other features. It's basically the new fork of ReVanced that doesn't have a douchebag of a developer behind it.
1
u/RbtB-8 1d ago
My suggestion is that if you are happy with using Brave on your phone, then continue using it. On my laptop and other computer, I use Chrome because I also have a lifetime subscription to Adguard for Windows and that effectively blocks ads for me. Also, uBlock Origin Lite works pretty well for ad blocking, but you cannot configure it in many ways like you can when the full blown uBlock Origin mv2 extension was available.
3
u/Low-Memory-4269 1d ago
Yeah I would have preferred to switch back to Chrome just because, in a way, it would feel “cleaner” to have a Google phone with only Google apps and no duplicates. Over the next days I’ll try using Chrome on my old phone, and if I don’t find it too annoying, I’ll switch back to Chrome. Otherwise I think I’ll just stick with Brave.
1
u/Civil_Tea_3250 1d ago
m o r p h e
1
u/Low-Memory-4269 1d ago
Then why not YT Revanced?
1
u/Civil_Tea_3250 1d ago
A lot of reasons. Too many to list quickly, but RV was good until they showed who they really were. Most moved on.
1
u/Low-Memory-4269 1d ago
Thanks, I haven't used RV for many years and i didn't know what happened to it.
1
u/Civil_Tea_3250 1d ago
Np, it's really improved. I hadn't used it ever until I couldn't justify paying Google anymore when so many products/services of theirs I've had for years just turned to garbage while they expect more money from me. Especially the smart home/Nest products. And they have 0 support unless it's a billing question.
-2
u/LopsidedHorror6794 1d ago
Waterfox
1
u/CharmingResort885 Chrome // Stable 1d ago
Waterfox lacks GSB making it terrible for security and Gecko in general is terrible with security on Android.
7
u/Thebestofdrest 1d ago
if youtube ad-blocking is important on mobile, brave is probably better choice chrome integrates nicely with pixel, but you give up some of braves buit-in blocking