Verdict
Brave Search runs on its own index rather than Google's or Bing's and tops about a third of results with an AI summary that cites sources. Ask Brave chats are deleted after 24 hours of inactivity and are not used for training, and the AI can be switched off with one setting. Users say the Leo assistant still drifts off topic, and the AI features keep reappearing for people who have tried to turn them off.
Best for
Private everyday searching with an optional AI summary
Skip if
Anyone who wants the polish of Google Maps and local listings
Key facts
- Category
- Search & quick answers
- Made by
- Brave Software, Inc.
- Based in
- United States
- Launched
- 2021
- Works on
- iPhone, Android, Web, Windows, Mac
- In the UK
- Yes
- Price from
- $3.0 a month
- Free plan
- Search, AI answers, Ask Brave and Leo are free with no account
Pricing
| Plan | Price | Billed |
|---|---|---|
| Search Premium (ad-free) | $3.0 | month |
| Search Premium (ad-free) | $29.99 | year |
| Leo AI Premium | $14.99 | month |
| Leo AI Premium | $149.99 | year |
| Brave VPN | $9.99 | month |
| Brave VPN | $99.99 | year |
| Talk Premium | $7.0 | month |
| Talk Premium | $69.99 | year |
| Brave Origin | $59.99 | one-off |
What it does
- returns results from its own independent search index
- puts an AI answer with cited sources above the results
- Ask Brave mixes AI chat with a results page and follow-up questions
- Goggles let users filter or re-rank results with custom rules
- does not profile users
Ratings
What people say
Some individual reviewers rate Brave's free AI answers above Perplexity's, mainly because no login is needed. The bigger thread in user reviews is anger at AI features that are hard to switch off for good, and Leo answers that drift off topic. Store ratings cover the whole Brave browser, not search alone.
“Brave AI is better than Perplexity”
Individual user review, 1 September 2026 · source
“Built-in ad blocking + Brave Search = no more fake sponsored scam ads like the Trezor ones.”
Post on X, 7 August 2026 · source
“I just tried to click on a link and brave tried to open it as an AI search instead of just going to the … link.”
Individual user review, 28 January 2026 · source
“I’ve already disabled it in the settings and also through brave://flags, but the AI features still keep showing up in every search.”
Individual user review, 13 September 2026 · source
“Leo AI needs some work … Clearly, the AI got off track here.”
Individual user review, 12 August 2026 · source
Press reviews
- Zapier 2026-09-14
Picked as the best private AI search experience; AI answers 'far more accurate than I expected', with links underneath when the answer falls short.
- Tom's Guide 2026-03-09
AI summaries are on by default but easy to turn off; its own independent index is its main selling point.
Privacy
- Trains on your data
- No. Brave says Leo does not retain chats or use them for training, and Ask Brave chats are not used for training
- Opt-out
- Not needed for training; AI answers can be switched off under the gear icon ('Answer with AI')
- Retention
- Search queries stored de-identified; Ask Brave conversations erased after 24 hours of inactivity (shared chats up to 7 days); Leo history kept on the device
Official videos
FAQ
Is Brave Search free?
Yes, including the AI answers and Ask Brave chat, with no account. An ad-free Search Premium plan costs $3 a month.
Do I need the Brave browser to use Brave Search?
No. Brave Search and Ask Brave work in any browser at search.brave.com.
How do I turn off AI answers in Brave Search?
Click the gear icon at the top right of Brave Search and switch off 'Answer with AI'. Some individual reviewers say Leo prompts still appear in the browser afterwards.
Does Brave use my searches to train AI?
Brave says no. Ask Brave chats are erased after 24 hours of inactivity and Leo keeps chat history only on the device.
Brave Search vs DuckDuckGo?
Both are private and free. Brave uses its own index and puts an AI summary on about a third of searches, while DuckDuckGo separates its AI chat into Duck.ai.
Scores are based on published evidence, not lab tests. How we score.
Similar tools
Duck.ai (DuckDuckGo)
DuckDuckGo's free AI chat, which passes questions to ChatGPT, Claude and other models without an account or a saved history.
Google Search AI Mode
Google's chat-style search tab, which writes an answer from many searches and lets follow-up questions build on it.
Kagi
A paid, ad-free search engine with a quick AI answer on demand and a separate Kagi Assistant chat.
Perplexity
An AI search engine that answers in plain sentences and numbers every source it used.