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Cybersecurity · head to head

Brave Browser vs Violentmonkey

Brave Browser logo

Brave Browser

Cybersecurity

Secure, fast & private web browser with adblocker

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Violentmonkey logo

Violentmonkey

Browser Extensions

Open source userscript manager

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Brave Browser brave Firewall + VPN features require paid subscription; Violentmonkey smaller script ecosystem compared to Tampermonkey which has larger user base and more available scripts
  • They diverge on capability: Brave Browser covers Built-in ad blocker, Violentmonkey covers Userscript support.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Brave Browser and Violentmonkey differ
AttributeBrave BrowserViolentmonkey
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
PlatformsWindows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOSChrome, Firefox, Edge
CategoryCybersecurityBrowser Extensions
Founded20152013

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

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 Violentmonkey

  • Userscript support
  • Clean interface
  • Cloud sync
  • Script editor
  • Chrome support
  • Firefox support
  • Edge support
  • Opera support

What people use each for

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

Brave Browser

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

Violentmonkey

  • Run open-source userscripts to customize or automate web pagesnot Brave Browser
  • Import scripts compatible with Greasemonkey and Tampermonkey formatsnot Brave Browser
  • Sync scripts and settings across browsers via Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive, or WebDAVnot Brave Browser
  • Batch import/export scripts as zip filesnot 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

Violentmonkey

  • Smaller script ecosystem compared to Tampermonkey which has larger user base and more available scripts
  • Less marketing and visibility results in lower adoption compared to more widely-known alternatives
  • Community maintenance model means slower feature development compared to commercial alternatives

Pricing, plan by plan

Brave Browser

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Brave Browser review.

Violentmonkey

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Violentmonkey review.

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 Violentmonkey if

  • You need userscript support.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Chrome, Firefox, Edge.
  • You also want clean interface.
Violentmonkey review

Questions people ask

Is Brave Browser or Violentmonkey better?
Neither clearly leads. Brave Browser starts at Free and Violentmonkey at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Brave Browser or Violentmonkey?
Brave Browser starts at Free and Violentmonkey at Free.
Does Brave Browser or Violentmonkey run on more platforms?
Brave Browser runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS. Violentmonkey runs on Chrome, Firefox, Edge.
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 Violentmonkey is typically brought in for.
What can Brave Browser do that Violentmonkey cannot?
Brave Browser covers Built-in ad blocker, Tracker blocking, Cryptocurrency wallet, Brave Rewards (BAT). Violentmonkey covers Userscript support, Clean interface, Cloud sync, Script editor.

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
Violentmonkey: Is Violentmonkey open-source?

Yes. Violentmonkey is fully open-source and available on GitHub, making it free to use and community-maintained unlike Tampermonkey which has a larger proprietary ecosystem.

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
Violentmonkey: What browsers does Violentmonkey support?

Violentmonkey works on browsers with WebExtensions support, including Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and other Chromium-based browsers.

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
Violentmonkey: How does Violentmonkey compare to Tampermonkey in performance?

Community benchmarks show Violentmonkey uses about 15 to 30 percent less RAM on Chrome compared to Tampermonkey when managing many open tabs.

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
Violentmonkey: What is the current version of Violentmonkey?

Violentmonkey reached version 2.46.0 as of July 31, 2026, with active ongoing development and regular updates to the open-source project.

Source
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