What are the differences between the Standalone and Upgradeable versions of Brave Origin? Follow
Brave Origin is a paid version of the browser for users who don't need all of the features that Brave offers, but still want the privacy that only Brave offers.
Brave Origin users will continue to benefit from our industry-leading privacy, ad-block, and speed (via Brave Shields), along with regular software updates, Chromium patches, and ongoing security and privacy improvements.
Brave Origin is available in two ways:
- As a new, standalone browser product, available via a separate app download on your device.
- As an upgrade to the existing version of Brave on your device.
Standalone vs. Upgrade Comparison
Depending on your needs, you might prefer the separate app experience or the seamless transition of upgrading your current browser. Here is how they compare:
| Feature | Brave Origin (Standalone App) | Brave Origin (Upgrade Path) |
|---|---|---|
| Installation | Requires a separate download and installation. Operates as a completely distinct app. | Applied directly to your existing Brave installation. No new app needed. |
| Feature Management | Compiled Out: Non-core features are physically removed from the browser code. | Toggled Off: Non-core features are disabled and hidden via internal group policy. |
| Affected Features | Leo, News, Rewards, VPN, Wallet, Talk, Playlist, Speedreader, Stats/P3A, Tor, Wayback Machine, and Web Discovery Project are automatically removed. | The same features are toggled off by default, but can be re-enabled individually through the Origin settings panel. |
| Settings Panel | None. Features simply do not exist in the browser UI or code. | A new Brave Origin menu appears in Settings to manage feature toggles. |
| Admin Policies | Not affected. Since features aren't present, they cannot be forced on by IT admins. | Managed device policies can override your local Origin toggles. |
For Brave Origin users who download the separate, standalone app, all of the features listed above will be automatically removed. Any new features we release (outside the core of Brave Shields) would not appear in the standalone Brave Origin app. The features will be compiled out of the build.
Brave Origin users who opt to upgrade the existing Brave app on their device will see a new Settings panel. The features listed above will appear in this Settings panel, and be toggled off by default. Any new features we release outside the core of Brave Shields will appear in this panel, and also be off by default. In this case, Brave manages group policies internally to disable features.