Last checked: October 5, 2026
Disclosure: This page is published by CoinCircle, Inc., the maker of Incognito Browser. We checked the facts about Brave against Brave’s own website, Play listing and public code on October 5, 2026. Sources are at the end of the page.
Short answer: Brave is the stronger privacy browser, because it blocks third-party ads and trackers, randomizes your browser fingerprint by default and is open source; Incognito Browser runs in private mode all the time and wipes history, cookies and sessions when you exit the app.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Incognito Browser (Android app) | Brave (Android) |
|---|---|---|
| Wipes history on exit | Yes. It runs in private mode all the time and wipes history, cookies and sessions when you exit the app. Downloaded files are kept. | Optional. A Clear data on exit setting clears all browsing data. Private tabs do not save history. |
| Ad blocking | Yes. Built-in ad blocker. | Yes, by default. Brave Shields block third-party ads. |
| Tracker blocking | The free app has a built-in ad blocker. Whether it also blocks tracking domains is not documented. | Yes, by default. Shields block third-party trackers and cross-site cookies. |
| Fingerprinting protection | None documented. We claim none. | Yes, by default. Shields randomize the browser fingerprint. |
| Hides IP address | No. It has no VPN. Websites and your internet provider can see your IP address. | Not in the free Android browser. Brave VPN, a paid subscription, hides your IP address. |
| Open source | No. | Yes. Mozilla Public License 2.0. |
| Sync / accounts | None listed on its Google Play page. | Optional Brave Sync, encrypted on your device. Brave says it has disabled Google Accounts and Chrome sync. |
| Platforms | Android only. | Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux. |
| Price | Free. | Free. Brave says the browser shows some of its own ads by default, which can be turned off. Paid extras include Brave VPN. |
How we compared: We use the same nine rows on our Tor Browser and Samsung Internet comparison pages. The Brave column comes from Brave’s own pages and code, listed under Sources. Where something about Incognito Browser is not documented, the cell says so.
How they compare
Brave does more than Incognito Browser to protect you from tracking. If that is what you want from a browser, choose Brave.
Brave Shields are on by default. They block third-party ads and trackers, and cross-site cookies. They also randomize your browser fingerprint, to stop sites using it to follow you from one site or session to the next. Brave is open source. It runs on Android, iPhone, Windows, Mac and Linux, and it can sync between desktop and mobile devices.
Incognito Browser does less. The free app has a built-in ad blocker. We do not claim protection against fingerprinting. Agent Cloaking masks the browser and device the site sees. That is not the same thing as Brave’s fingerprint randomization. Incognito Browser is not open source. Google Play’s Data safety section says it may collect crash logs, diagnostics and other app performance data. Android Authority’s list of privacy browsers says Incognito Browser does not stop sites from tracking you.
The two browsers handle history differently. Brave’s Play listing describes browsing history, bookmarks and private tabs. Brave keeps your history unless you use private tabs or turn on Clear data on exit. The listing also describes an AI assistant, a rewards program and a VPN. Incognito Browser runs in private mode all the time. Every tab is private, and it wipes history, cookies and sessions when you exit the app. Downloaded files are kept.
Neither free app hides your IP address on Android. Brave sells a VPN that does. Incognito Browser has no VPN. For that job, see our page on Tor Browser.
Brave is free, and so is Incognito Browser. Brave says its browser shows some of its own ads by default, which you can turn off. For another free browser with tracker blocking built in, see our page on Samsung Internet.
Choose Incognito Browser if…
- You want a browser that keeps no browsing history on the device.
- You share an Android phone and want a browser that wipes history, cookies and sessions when you exit the app. Downloaded files are kept.
- You want every tab to be private, with no separate private mode to open.
- You want fast, multi-threaded downloads and a video downloader (not every video can be downloaded every time).
Choose Brave if…
- You want ads and trackers blocked by default.
- You want protection against fingerprinting.
- You want an open-source browser.
- You want one browser for everyday use, with bookmarks, history and sync across Android, iPhone and desktop.
- You want the option of a paid VPN in the same app.
Sources (checked October 5, 2026)
- Wipes on exit: the Clear data on exit setting in Brave’s Android interface text, https://github.com/brave/brave-core/blob/master/browser/ui/android/strings/android_brave_strings.grd , and private tabs and browsing history in https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.brave.browser
- Ad blocking, tracker blocking, fingerprinting: https://brave.com/shields/
- IP address and VPN: https://brave.com/firewall-vpn/ . Brave’s private windows with Tor are a desktop feature; adding them to Android is an open request in Brave’s issue tracker: https://github.com/brave/brave-browser/issues/42043
- Open source: https://github.com/brave/brave-browser and https://brave.com/faq/
- Sync and accounts: https://brave.com/privacy-features/ and https://brave.com/faq/
- Platforms: https://github.com/brave/brave-browser
- Price and ads: https://brave.com/faq/ and https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.brave.browser
- Incognito Browser: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.androidbull.incognito.browser , its Data safety section, https://play.google.com/store/apps/datasafety?id=com.androidbull.incognito.browser , and https://www.androidauthority.com/best-privacy-web-browsers-android-1084899/
More comparisons
About the author
David Shadrake works on Incognito Browser’s website and its free privacy tools.
