made the switch from chrome to brave 8 months ago. should have done it years earlier.

here's everything you need to know about switching - spoiler alert: it's easier than you think and your browsing actually gets better, not worse.

WHY I SWITCHED:
chrome is spyware. google tracks every click, every search, every site you visit. they build detailed profiles to sell to advertisers. even in "incognito" mode, google still knows what you're doing.

brave blocks all that shit by default. same chromium engine, same extensions, same bookmarks - but without google watching your every move.

THE SETUP PROCESS:
1. download brave from brave.com (takes 2 minutes)
2. import bookmarks/passwords from chrome (one click)
3. install your extensions (they all work the same)
4. delete chrome

that's it. seriously. no complicated config, no learning curve, no broken websites.

WHAT ACTUALLY CHANGES:
- pages load FASTER (no ads/trackers to download)
- battery lasts longer (less background crap running)
- no more google login required for sync
- built-in tor mode for sensitive browsing
- automatic https upgrades
- fingerprinting protection enabled

WHAT STAYS THE SAME:
- all your bookmarks and passwords transfer over
- same keyboard shortcuts and interface
- netflix, banking, shopping - everything works
- chrome extensions work identically
- google docs, gmail, youtube all function normally

REAL-WORLD PERFORMANCE:
tested both browsers for 2 months on same machine:

brave: avg 2.1 second page loads, 47% less memory usage
chrome: avg 3.4 second page loads, memory hog as usual

sites with heavy ads (news, tech blogs): brave loads 60% faster
clean sites (wikipedia, github): roughly the same speed

PRIVACY FEATURES THAT ACTUALLY WORK:
- blocks 50+ trackers per day without breaking anything
- prevents fingerprinting (websites can't ID your specific setup)
- tor integration for when you need real anonymity
- no google sync uploading your data to their servers
- shields tell you exactly what's being blocked

COMMON CONCERNS DEBUNKED:
"but i have all my stuff in google"
- brave imports everything in 30 seconds
- you can still use google services, just privately

"what about chrome extensions?"
- 99% work identically in brave
- same extension store, same functionality

"brave is slower"
- objectively false. tested extensively.
- blocking ads/trackers = faster loading

"websites will break"
- been using brave for 8 months
- zero websites broken that weren't fixed by one click

THE BRAVE ADS THING:
brave has optional ads that pay YOU in crypto. completely optional. turn them off if you want. even with them on, you see 90% fewer ads than chrome users.

MIGRATION CHECKLIST:
□ download brave
□ import chrome data
□ install extensions (ublock origin not needed - built in)
□ set as default browser
□ uninstall chrome (optional but recommended)
□ enjoy faster, private browsing

BOTTOM LINE:
switching to brave is the easiest privacy upgrade you can make. zero learning curve, better performance, actual privacy protection.

there's literally no downside unless you enjoy being google's product.

made the switch yet? your future self will thank you.

// next post: why proton mail beats gmail without sacrificing convenience
// privacy doesn't have to be painful