Kiwi Browser vs Brave in 2026: Why Kiwi Is Dead (Migrate)

Let us be blunt: Kiwi Browser is dead. Its developer discontinued it in January 2025, the repository is archived, and it has not received a security patch since. Comparing Kiwi vs Brave in 2026 is really about one question — where should a Kiwi refugee go? Here is the honest answer.

The Shutdown: What Actually Happened

Kiwi launched in 2018 as a one-person side project by developer Arnaud Granal, who wanted Chrome extensions on his Android phone. By the time it shut down in January 2025, it was pulling a million downloads a month — which is paradoxically why it had to close: one person in their spare time cannot sustainably support a user base that size. Granal announced the discontinuation on Discord and GitHub and archived the repository.

The good news: Kiwi's extension framework did not die — it was merged into Microsoft Edge Canary. The last Kiwi APK still sits on GitHub and still opens websites. But "opens websites" is not the same as "safe to use": security patches stopped with the project, and every month without updates widens the gap.

Quick Comparison

Why Brave Wins (in 2026)

Brave does what most Kiwi users actually wanted: blocks ads and trackers out of the box, loads pages fast, and stays current on security. Verified Play rating: 4.76 with 3,883,070 reviews — one of the highest-rated browsers on Android. It is open source, cross-platform, and bundles extras Kiwi never had: Leo AI assistant, Brave Search, a crypto wallet, and an optional VPN.

Get Brave on Google Play

The One Thing Kiwi Still Wins: Extensions

Here is the catch, and honesty requires it: Brave will not add Android extension support. Brave's team has said plainly that Kiwi achieved extensions using an older Chromium build with security trade-offs, and Brave — a privacy-focused browser — will not take that route. Instead it integrates popular features natively (Shields, Playlist, Leo). Users have requested extensions daily since 2021; the answer has not changed.

If extensions are the whole reason you used Kiwi, Brave is not your replacement. Your real options:

• Quetta: the closest Chromium-based successor — installs extensions from the Chrome Web Store and Edge Add-ons natively, with desktop-style popups. Adds a video downloader and AI-powered ad blocking.
• Firefox: 1,000+ Android add-ons (uBlock Origin, Dark Reader, Bitwarden) on its own open-source Gecko engine. Not Chrome extensions, but a mature reviewed catalog.
• Lemur: Chromium-based, handles Chrome + Edge extensions, sideloads CRX/ZIP files, and runs Tampermonkey user scripts.
• Edge Canary: inherited Kiwi's extension framework directly — the most "official" continuation, though Canary builds are experimental.

Should You Keep Using Kiwi?

No. This is the section some articles dance around, so here it is plainly: running an unmaintained browser as your daily driver is a security risk. Browsers are your most attacked app — they parse hostile web content all day. Every month without patches, the list of known-exploitable flaws in Kiwi's frozen Chromium grows. One developer's farewell post in January 2025 does not protect you in 2026.

The only defensible use: keep Kiwi installed temporarily for one specific legacy extension while you test the replacement — never as your main browser, never for banking or email.

How to Migrate from Kiwi

1. List your extensions: write down names and publishers of the ones you actually use.
2. Pick the replacement: Brave if you mainly wanted ad blocking; Quetta or Firefox if extensions are essential.
3. Test first: install the extension in the new browser and complete its main action — do not migrate everything at once.
4. Back up bookmarks: confirm they are synced or exported before deleting anything.
5. Verify sessions: an imported bookmark does not transfer website sessions or extension settings — log in again and reconfigure.
6. Change the default only when essential tasks work in the new browser.

Brave Shields: What It Actually Blocks

Brave's core pitch is Shields — built-in protection that replaces the extension stack most Kiwi users assembled manually:

• Ads and trackers: blocked by default, no extension needed. Page loads are measurably faster without ad bloat.
• Cross-site trackers and third-party cookies: blocked, with per-site toggles — one tap to allow a site that breaks.
• Cookie-consent banners: auto-dismissed, which alone removes half the annoyance of modern browsing.
• Fingerprinting: Brave randomizes or blocks the signals sites use to identify your device.
• HTTPS upgrades: connections are forced to HTTPS where available.

For a Kiwi user who ran uBlock Origin + Privacy Badger + a cookie-banner blocker, Shields covers all three out of the box. That is the real reason Brave is the natural landing spot: it removes the extension dependency entirely for the most common Kiwi use case.

The Brave Rewards Question (Honest Take)

Brave's most controversial feature: Brave Rewards, which shows you privacy-respecting ads and pays you in BAT (Basic Attention Token) crypto. The community is split — many users call BAT near-worthless and ask why an ad-blocking browser shows any ads at all.

The honest position: Rewards is opt-in and off by default. You can run Brave as a pure ad-blocker and never touch the crypto side. The wallet, the VPN, and Leo AI are all optional too. Judge Brave on Shields, not on the crypto features you never have to enable.

Brave vs Firefox vs Quetta: The Real Choice

For a Kiwi refugee, the decision is actually three-way:

• Pick Brave if: you want the smoothest daily browser — best-in-class blocking with zero setup, current security, huge community, and desktop sync. Accept that extensions are off the table.
• Pick Firefox if: extensions matter but you can live with Mozilla's add-on catalog instead of Chrome's. Fully open source, non-Chromium engine, 1,000+ reviewed Android add-ons. The privacy purist's pick.
• Pick Quetta if: you need actual Chrome Web Store extensions on Chromium — the true Kiwi successor. Newer and less proven than Brave, Android-first, but the extension experience is the closest to what Kiwi offered.

There is no wrong answer here — only the wrong reason. Do not pick Brave and then complain about extensions; do not pick Quetta expecting Brave's polish and update cadence.

Desktop Sync and Cross-Platform

One quiet advantage Brave has over Kiwi: Kiwi was Android-only; Brave syncs across Android, iOS, and desktop. Bookmarks, history, and passwords follow you via Brave Sync (encrypted, no account required — it uses a sync chain code instead of an email login). If you browse on a laptop too, this alone is worth the switch: your mobile and desktop browsing finally live in one place, with the same Shields protection on both.

Who Should NOT Switch to Brave?

Honesty cuts both ways. Skip Brave if:

• Your workflow depends on a specific Chrome extension with no alternative — Brave cannot run it, full stop.
• You need deep UI customization — Brave is less tweakable than Vivaldi or the old Kiwi.
• You distrust anything crypto-adjacent — even though Rewards is off by default, its presence in the settings bothers some users.
• You want a non-Chromium engine for ideological or privacy reasons — Firefox is your browser.

For Kiwi Nostalgia Users

Kiwi had a cult following for a reason: the bottom address bar, night mode, and one-handed design were genuinely great, and its dark mode was widely considered the best of any Android browser. If that is what you miss, know that Brave's customization is thinner — but extensions like Dark Reader (in Firefox or Quetta) recreate the experience. The browser you loved is gone; the features you loved are portable.

FAQs

Is Kiwi Browser still working in 2026?

Technically it opens, but Kiwi was discontinued in January 2025 and receives no security updates. Using an unmaintained browser in 2026 is a security risk — switch to a maintained browser.

Does Brave support Chrome extensions on Android?

No. Brave has stated it will not add mobile extension support for security reasons. It integrates popular features natively instead (Shields, Playlist, Leo AI). If extensions are essential, use Firefox, Quetta, or Lemur.

What is the best Kiwi Browser replacement for extensions?

Quetta is the closest Chromium-based replacement: it installs extensions from the Chrome Web Store and Edge Add-ons natively. Firefox offers 1,000+ Android add-ons on its own Gecko engine. Edge Canary inherited Kiwi's extension code.

Why did Kiwi Browser shut down?

Founder Arnaud Granal discontinued it personally in January 2025 — a one-person side project could not sustainably support a million monthly downloads. The extension framework was merged into Microsoft Edge Canary.

Is Brave better than Kiwi?

In 2026, yes — decisively. Kiwi is unmaintained; Brave is actively developed, blocks ads and trackers out of the box, and has a 4.76 Play rating with 3.9M reviews. The only thing Kiwi still wins is desktop extension support.