Brave · Privacy Policy

What Brave Collects (and Mostly Doesn't)

Brave's core promise is that it does not collect your browsing history and is designed so that your personal data stays on your device wherever possible. Most features that need to contact Brave's servers either strip your IP address before the request arrives, or process data only for the instant it's needed and then discard it. For example, the built-in AI assistant (Leo) deletes your prompts from its servers shortly after answering, the translation feature deletes your text once it's translated, and Brave News delivers content through a proxy that removes your IP address.

That said, some features do process real personal data. Brave Rewards links a Rewards Payment ID to your country code and, if you connect a crypto custodial account (Uphold, Gemini, etc.), to that account's identifiers — kept for the life of your account plus 4 years for IRS compliance. Brave Talk (video calls) processes your IP address and meeting content during a call, and if you pay for Premium, your email address is stored until you delete your account. Brave Firewall + VPN is handled by a third party (Guardian), who processes your IP address and a pseudonymous user ID. Email Aliases stores your real email address and any aliases you create on AWS servers.

Third-party services come into play in several places. Google (and on iOS, Tencent via Apple) receive partial URL hashes for Safe Browsing. Crypto swaps go through 0x or Jupiter, who see your wallet address and IP. On-ramp partners for crypto purchases do identity verification checks. Stripe handles payments for premium features. AWS hosts synced data and email aliases. None of these are hidden, but you should be aware your data touches outside companies in these scenarios.

Your Controls and Rights

Most privacy-sensitive features — Sync, Brave News, Rewards, Leo chat history, Web Discovery Project, crash reports — are off by default or opt-in, and can be turned off in Settings. Under GDPR (EU/UK) and CCPA (California), you can request access, correction, deletion, or a copy of your data by emailing privacy@brave.com. Brave explicitly states it does not buy, sell, or share personal data about consumers.