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Cybersecurity · head to head

Brave Browser vs Milestone XProtect

Brave Browser logo

Brave Browser

Cybersecurity

Secure, fast & private web browser with adblocker

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Milestone XProtect logo

Milestone XProtect

Cybersecurity

Open platform video management software with perpetual per-device licences

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Brave Browser brave Firewall + VPN features require paid subscription; Milestone XProtect care Plus is presented as optional but is not in practice: without it, perpetual licences stop receiving version upgrades and eventually you cannot add a current camera because your frozen version does not support it.
  • They diverge on capability: Brave Browser covers Built-in ad blocker, Milestone XProtect covers Open device support.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Brave Browser and Milestone XProtect actually diverge.

Attributes where Brave Browser and Milestone XProtect differ
AttributeBrave BrowserMilestone XProtect
Pricing modelfreemiumOne-time purchase per device licence, plus annual Care Plus
PlatformsWindows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOSWindows, Web, iOS, Android
Founded2015Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cybersecurity).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Brave Browser

  • Built-in ad blocker
  • Tracker blocking
  • Cryptocurrency wallet
  • Brave Rewards (BAT)
  • Tor private browsing
  • HTTPS everywhere
  • Script blocking
  • Fingerprinting protection

Only in Milestone XProtect

  • Open device support
  • Perpetual device licences
  • Federated architecture
  • Failover recording
  • Evidence export
  • Smart Map
  • Integration platform
  • Video summarisation

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Brave Browser

  • Private web browsing with ad blockingnot Milestone XProtect
  • Encrypted search via Brave Searchnot Milestone XProtect
  • Privacy-focused web navigation without trackingnot Milestone XProtect
  • AI-powered answers via Ask Bravenot Milestone XProtect

Milestone XProtect

  • A city or transport operator running tens of thousands of cameras across federated sitesnot Brave Browser
  • An enterprise with mixed legacy camera brands that refuses to standardise on one manufacturernot Brave Browser
  • A critical infrastructure site needing failover recording servers and tamper-evident evidence exportnot Brave Browser
  • An integrator building a bespoke security application on top of an open VMS platformnot Brave Browser

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Brave Browser

  • Brave Firewall + VPN features require paid subscription
  • Brave Talk Premium is subscription-based, not included in free tier
  • Brave Rewards programme is optional and requires user participation

Milestone XProtect

  • Care Plus is presented as optional but is not in practice: without it, perpetual licences stop receiving version upgrades and eventually you cannot add a current camera because your frozen version does not support it.
  • Per-device licensing means multi-sensor and multi-imager cameras consume several licences each, so a headline camera count badly understates the true licence cost of a modern design.
  • It is Windows only for servers and needs a properly designed server and storage architecture, so the software price is a fraction of a project that also needs recording servers, storage and an integrator.
  • Complexity requires trained staff or a certified integrator; organisations that install it without either end up running a large deployment on default settings and never using the features they paid for.
  • Milestone retired Kite from its portfolio in favour of Arcules from January 2025, which stranded buyers who had standardised on Kite and is a reminder that the cloud side of the portfolio has changed direction more than once.

Pricing, plan by plan

Brave Browser

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Brave Browser review.

Milestone XProtect

Free
  • XProtect Essential+Free
    • Free for up to 8 cameras
    • No recording time limit
    • No vendor support included
  • XProtect Express+$109/one-time
    • Perpetual device licence, distributor list price
    • Single site, single server
    • Care Plus purchased separately per device per year
  • XProtect Professional+$177/one-time
    • Perpetual device licence, distributor list price
    • Multiple recording servers
    • Edge storage retrieval
  • XProtect Expert$282/one-time
    • Perpetual device licence, distributor list price
    • Failover recording servers
    • Advanced video wall and evidence handling

Which should you pick?

Choose Brave Browser if

  • You need built-in ad blocker.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS.
  • You also want tracker blocking.
Brave Browser review

Choose Milestone XProtect if

  • You need open device support.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want perpetual device licences.
Milestone XProtect review

Questions people ask

Is Brave Browser or Milestone XProtect better?
Neither clearly leads. Brave Browser starts at Free and Milestone XProtect at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Brave Browser or Milestone XProtect?
Brave Browser starts at Free and Milestone XProtect at Free.
Does Brave Browser or Milestone XProtect run on more platforms?
Brave Browser runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS. Milestone XProtect runs on Windows, Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Brave Browser for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Brave Browser best used for?
Brave Browser is most often used for private web browsing with ad blocking, encrypted search via brave search, privacy-focused web navigation without tracking, ai-powered answers via ask brave. Of those, private web browsing with ad blocking and encrypted search via brave search are not what Milestone XProtect is typically brought in for.
What can Brave Browser do that Milestone XProtect cannot?
Brave Browser covers Built-in ad blocker, Tracker blocking, Cryptocurrency wallet, Brave Rewards (BAT). Milestone XProtect covers Open device support, Perpetual device licences, Federated architecture, Failover recording.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Brave Browser: Is Brave Browser completely free?

Yes. The Brave Browser itself is completely free for desktop, Android, and iOS. All core features including ad blocking, privacy protections, and tracker blocking are included at no cost.

Source
Milestone XProtect: Is XProtect really free for small sites?

Essential+ is free for up to eight cameras with no recording time limit, but it comes with no vendor support and no multi-server capability.

Brave Browser: Does Brave offer any paid features?

Yes. Brave offers subscription-based features including Brave Firewall + VPN (protecting every app on your entire device across up to 5 devices) and Brave Talk Premium, though specific pricing is not listed on the main page.

Source
Milestone XProtect: Are licences perpetual or annual?

Device licences are perpetual. The annual cost is Care Plus, the support and software update contract, which you need to stay on current versions.

Brave Browser: Can I earn money using Brave?

Yes. Brave Rewards is an optional program that allows users to earn BAT tokens by viewing privacy-protecting ads. Tokens earned can be stored securely in Brave Wallet.

Source
Milestone XProtect: What happens if I do not renew Care Plus?

The system keeps recording, but you stop getting version upgrades, and over a few years that blocks you from adding newer cameras.

Brave Browser: Can I use Brave Search without a subscription?

Yes. Brave Search is free at search.brave.com and does not require a subscription.

Source
Milestone XProtect: Who owns Milestone?

Canon. The portfolio also includes BriefCam analytics and Arcules cloud video, with Arcules replacing Milestone Kite from January 2025.

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