Softwr

Cybersecurity · head to head

Brave Browser vs Passbolt

Brave Browser logo

Brave Browser

Cybersecurity

Secure, fast & private web browser with adblocker

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Passbolt logo

Passbolt

Cybersecurity

Open-source password manager for teams with self-hosted or cloud deployment

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Brave Browser brave Firewall + VPN features require paid subscription; Passbolt pro Edition requires a minimum of 10 users, making it costlier for very small teams.
  • They diverge on capability: Brave Browser covers Built-in ad blocker, Passbolt covers Password sharing and folders.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Brave Browser and Passbolt actually diverge.

Attributes where Brave Browser and Passbolt differ
AttributeBrave BrowserPassbolt
Pricing modelfreemiumopen-source
PlatformsWindows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOSweb, windows, mac, linux, api
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 Passbolt

  • Password sharing and folders
  • Groups and role-based access
  • Browser extensions and CLI
  • Open API
  • LDAP provisioning and SSO
  • Activity audit log

What people use each for

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

Brave Browser

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

Passbolt

  • Self-hosting a team password manager for data sovereigntynot Brave Browser
  • Provisioning vault access from an existing LDAP/AD directorynot Brave Browser
  • Sharing credentials across engineering or IT teams via folders and groupsnot Brave Browser
  • Automating credential retrieval through the CLI or open APInot 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

Passbolt

  • Pro Edition requires a minimum of 10 users, making it costlier for very small teams.
  • Community Edition lacks SSO and LDAP provisioning, which many organizations need for onboarding at scale.
  • Self-hosting the Community Edition requires infrastructure and maintenance effort compared to fully managed competitors.
  • Enterprise-tier support and HA consulting require custom, quote-based pricing rather than transparent rates.

Pricing, plan by plan

Brave Browser

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Brave Browser review.

Passbolt

Free
  • Community EditionFree
    • Unlimited users
    • Password sharing and folders
    • Role-based access control
  • Pro Edition$4.9/month
    • Minimum 10 users, billed annually
    • LDAP/AD provisioning
    • Single sign-on
  • Enterprise Edition$undefined/month
    • High availability and disaster recovery consulting
    • White-glove migration
    • Custom feature development

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 Passbolt if

  • You need password sharing and folders.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, windows, mac, linux, api.
  • You also want groups and role-based access.
Passbolt review

Questions people ask

Is Brave Browser or Passbolt better?
Neither clearly leads. Brave Browser starts at Free and Passbolt at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Brave Browser or Passbolt?
Brave Browser starts at Free and Passbolt at Free.
Does Brave Browser or Passbolt run on more platforms?
Brave Browser runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS. Passbolt runs on web, windows, mac, linux, api.
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 Passbolt is typically brought in for.
What can Brave Browser do that Passbolt cannot?
Brave Browser covers Built-in ad blocker, Tracker blocking, Cryptocurrency wallet, Brave Rewards (BAT). Passbolt covers Password sharing and folders, Groups and role-based access, Browser extensions and CLI, Open API.

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
Passbolt: Is Passbolt free to use?

Yes. The Community Edition is free forever with unlimited users, including password sharing, folders, groups, role-based access, browser extensions, a CLI, and an open API.

Source
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
Passbolt: What does the Pro Edition cost and add?

Pro Edition costs $4.90 per user per month billed annually, with a 10-user minimum, and adds LDAP/AD provisioning, single sign-on, account recovery escrow, activity audit logs, and next-business-day support.

Source
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
Passbolt: What license is Passbolt distributed under?

All Passbolt editions, including Pro and Enterprise, are distributed under the AGPL v3 open-source license.

Source
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
Share

Related pages

More on Brave Browser

More on Passbolt

Keep looking

Other head to heads