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Cybersecurity · head to head

Brave Browser vs Proofpoint

Brave Browser logo

Brave Browser

Cybersecurity

Secure, fast & private web browser with adblocker

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Proofpoint logo

Proofpoint

Cybersecurity

Email security and data protection suite from a private company owned by Thoma Bravo, licensed per user with modules sold separately.

From
$6/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Brave Browser has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Brave Browser brave Firewall + VPN features require paid subscription; Proofpoint licensing is per user per year with each capability as a separate stock item, so the platform shown in a proof of concept is normally several products, and adding awareness training, data loss prevention or insider threat monitoring later is a fresh negotiation rather than enabling a feature.
  • They diverge on capability: Brave Browser covers Built-in ad blocker, Proofpoint covers Inline secure email gateway.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Brave Browser and Proofpoint differ
AttributeBrave BrowserProofpoint
Starting priceFree$6/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOSEmail, Cloud, Web
Founded20152002

Identical on both: 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 Proofpoint

  • Inline secure email gateway
  • Attachment sandboxing
  • URL rewriting and click-time analysis
  • Threat Response Auto-Pull
  • Email Fraud Defense
  • Security awareness training
  • Insider Threat Management
  • Enterprise DLP

What people use each for

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

Brave Browser

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

Proofpoint

  • A regulated organisation that needs a filtering layer, DMARC enforcement and archiving with an auditable trail across all threenot Brave Browser
  • An organisation that suffered a business email compromise and must show its board a control that stops delivery rather than remediating afterwardsnot Brave Browser
  • Concentrating stronger controls and training on the specific individuals who actually receive targeted attacks rather than applying uniform policynot Brave Browser
  • Retracting a phishing message from thousands of mailboxes after the verdict changes, including copies that were forwarded internallynot 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

Proofpoint

  • Licensing is per user per year with each capability as a separate stock item, so the platform shown in a proof of concept is normally several products, and adding awareness training, data loss prevention or insider threat monitoring later is a fresh negotiation rather than enabling a feature.
  • It sits inline with MX records pointed at it, so any service degradation is a mail outage for the entire organisation, and both migrating on and migrating off are cutovers with queueing, rollback planning and a real risk of message loss.
  • Most customers on Microsoft 365 E5 or Google Workspace Enterprise are already paying for native filtering, so Proofpoint is a second licence layered over a capability the organisation owns, and that comparison is raised by finance at every single renewal.
  • The administration console carries a decade of acquisitions: the classic gateway policy routes and filters do not share a model with the newer module interfaces, rule evaluation is order-sensitive in ways that surprise untrained administrators, and mistakes there silently change what is delivered.
  • Quarantine management is a standing helpdesk workload because legitimate bulk mail, invoices and supplier notifications are held, and unless end-user digests are configured and users are taught to use them, the security team becomes the mail release desk.

Pricing, plan by plan

Brave Browser

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Brave Browser review.

Proofpoint

$6/month
  • Email Protection$6/month
    • Per user
    • Advanced threat detection
    • Data loss prevention
  • Compliance$8/month
    • All Email Protection
    • Archive & search
    • eDiscovery
  • Advanced Threat$10/month
    • All Compliance features
    • Targeted attack detection
    • Behavior analytics

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 Proofpoint if

  • You need inline secure email gateway.
  • You work on Email, Cloud, Web.
  • You also want attachment sandboxing.
Proofpoint review

Questions people ask

Is Brave Browser or Proofpoint better?
Neither clearly leads. Brave Browser starts at Free and Proofpoint at $6/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Brave Browser or Proofpoint?
Brave Browser has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Brave Browser and $6/month for Proofpoint.
Does Brave Browser or Proofpoint run on more platforms?
Brave Browser runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS. Proofpoint runs on Email, Cloud, Web.
Can I use Brave Browser for free?
Yes. Brave Browser has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Proofpoint starts at $6/month.
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 Proofpoint is typically brought in for.
What can Brave Browser do that Proofpoint cannot?
Brave Browser covers Built-in ad blocker, Tracker blocking, Cryptocurrency wallet, Brave Rewards (BAT). Proofpoint covers Inline secure email gateway, Attachment sandboxing, URL rewriting and click-time analysis, Threat Response Auto-Pull.

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
Proofpoint: Does it replace Microsoft Defender for Office 365?

Functionally it overlaps heavily, and running both means paying twice for filtering. Most Proofpoint customers on Microsoft 365 keep Defender licensed because it is bundled in E5 and use Proofpoint as the inline gateway. Expect to justify that duplication annually.

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
Proofpoint: Who owns Proofpoint?

Thoma Bravo, a private equity firm, which took the company private in 2021. It has continued to acquire since, including Tessian, Normalyze and Hornetsecurity, which is why the portfolio spans so many adjacent categories.

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
Proofpoint: Do I have to change my MX records?

For the gateway, yes. That is what makes it inline and able to block before delivery. Some newer capabilities integrate through the mailbox API instead, but the core protection model is MX-level.

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
Proofpoint: Is security awareness training included?

No, it is a separate subscription. It integrates well with the threat data, so training can target the users actually being attacked, but it is a distinct line item on the quote.

Proofpoint: What does Threat Response Auto-Pull actually do?

It removes messages from mailboxes after delivery when the verdict changes, including copies that users forwarded internally. It is the answer to the case where a link was clean at delivery and weaponised an hour later.

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