Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Setapp VS Brave

Compare Setapp VS Brave and see what are their differences

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Setapp logo Setapp

The one place for trusted apps. Hundreds of high-quality apps for your Mac and iPhone, including AI tools.

Brave logo Brave

Fast and secure, ad and tracker blocking browser.
  • Setapp
    Image date //
    2026-06-25
  • Setapp
    Image date //
    2026-06-25
  • Setapp
    Image date //
    2026-06-25
  • Setapp
    Image date //
    2026-06-25
  • Setapp
    Image date //
    2026-06-25
  • Setapp
    Image date //
    2026-06-25

A unified marketplace for Mac and iPhone users to get hand-picked, trusted apps. Get over 260 apps for a flat fee with Setapp Membership, or purchase individual apps on flexible terms through Setapp Marketplace.

  • Brave Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-29

Setapp

Website
setapp.com
$ Details
paid Free Trial $14.99 / Monthly (1 Mac)
Release Date
2017 January

Brave

Website
brave.com
Pricing URL
-
$ Details
Release Date
2015 January
Startup details
Country
United States
State
California
Founder(s)
Brendan Eich
Employees
100 - 249

Setapp features and specs

  • Diverse Application Library
    Setapp provides access to a wide range of high-quality Mac applications across different categories, all from a single subscription service.
  • Cost-Effective
    For a monthly fee, users gain access to multiple paid applications, which can be more cost-effective than purchasing individual app licenses.
  • Updates and Upgrades Included
    All apps within Setapp come with automatic updates and upgrades included in the subscription, ensuring users always have the latest features and security patches.
  • Easy Installation and Management
    The Setapp platform provides a user-friendly interface for browsing, installing, and managing applications, simplifying the overall user experience.
  • Free Trial Available
    Setapp offers a 7-day free trial, allowing potential users to explore and evaluate the service before committing to a subscription.

Brave features and specs

  • Privacy
    Brave blocks trackers and ads by default, providing users with increased privacy and preventing third-party companies from collecting their data.
  • Speed
    Due to its ad-blocking capabilities, Brave loads pages faster compared to browsers that display ads, enhancing the user experience.
  • Ad Blocking
    Brave automatically blocks intrusive ads, which not only helps with privacy but also reduces page clutter.
  • BAT Rewards
    Users can earn Basic Attention Tokens (BAT) by opting into Braveโ€™s privacy-respecting ads, providing an incentive for users to view ads.
  • Security
    Brave includes features such as HTTPS Everywhere, ensuring secure connections, and a built-in password manager.
  • Open Source
    The Brave browser is open-source, allowing anyone to inspect the code and contribute to its development, fostering transparency and community involvement.
  • Chromium-Based
    Being based on Chromium, Brave supports a wide range of extensions available from the Chrome Web Store.

Possible disadvantages of Brave

  • Extension Compatibility
    While Brave supports many Chrome extensions, there are occasional compatibility issues with certain extensions.
  • Syncing Data
    Brave's data sync feature is still maturing and may not be as reliable or comprehensive as competitorsโ€™ syncing services.
  • Advertising Model
    Some users might find the BAT ad model confusing or may not be interested in participating, preferring traditional ad-free browsing.
  • New Ecosystem
    Brave is relatively new compared to other browsers like Chrome and Firefox, which might make users hesitant due to its less established ecosystem.
  • Customization
    While Brave offers various customization options, it may still lack certain features and settings that power-users expect from more established browsers.

Analysis of Setapp

Overall verdict

  • Overall, Setapp is considered good for users who frequently use multiple Mac apps and value convenience and flexibility. It provides excellent value for money by offering a diverse selection of reliable and well-crafted applications. However, it might not be the best choice for those who only need a few specific applications or prefer to own their software outright.

Why this product is good

  • Setapp is a subscription-based service that provides access to a wide range of Mac applications for a single monthly fee. Users often find it beneficial because it offers a curated selection of high-quality apps without the need to purchase each one individually. It saves time and money for those who require multiple tools, ensuring they always have the latest versions without additional costs. Furthermore, it simplifies software management by centralizing the process of discovering, updating, and accessing various applications.

Recommended for

    Setapp is recommended for professionals, creatives, and productivity enthusiasts who use a variety of Mac applications regularly and appreciate the ease of access to a comprehensive software library without the hassle of individual purchases. It's also suitable for users who enjoy exploring new tools and apps to enhance their workflow.

Analysis of Brave

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Brave is generally considered a good web browser.

Why this product is good

  • Brave is recognized for its strong privacy features, fast browsing speed, and built-in ad and tracker blocking. It also offers innovative features like Brave Rewards, which allow users to earn cryptocurrency for viewing select ads, and its integration with the Tor network for enhanced privacy.

Recommended for

  • Privacy-conscious users who want enhanced control over their data and browsing activity.
  • Individuals looking for a faster browsing experience by blocking ads and trackers.
  • Users interested in earning cryptocurrency through passive activities like viewing ads.
  • People who appreciate open-source software.

Setapp videos

What's Setapp?

Brave videos

Brave browser review

More videos:

  • Review - Brave Browser Review 2020: Why You NEED To Switch!
  • Review - Does the Brave Browser Really Beat Fingerprinting? Let's Test!
  • Demo - This Is Brave
  • Demo - song

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Setapp and Brave)
Project Management
100 100%
0% 0
Web Browsers
0 0%
100% 100
Productivity
100 100%
0% 0
Security & Privacy
0 0%
100% 100

Questions & Answers

As answered by people managing Setapp and Brave.

What's the story behind your product?

Setapp's answer

Setapp was created in 2016 by MacPaw, the company behind apps such as CleanMyMac, ClearVPN, and more. The key idea behind Setapp was to give users a simple way to discover high-quality apps for Mac. Over the years, the catalog has grown to over 260 apps and now includes tools for Mac, iOS, and web. Setapp is localized in eight languages and has users all over the world. Here are the key dates:

November 2016: Setapp closed beta is launched for the press, opinion leaders, and influencers. December 6, 2016: Setapp Beta release. January 25, 2017: Setapp public release. August 6, 2020: Setapp let users install iOS apps. August 11, 2021: Setapp arrives on iPhone and iPad. March, 2026: Single app purchase via Setapp Marketplace is introduced. Now, Setapp includes 260+ apps, 50+ iOS apps, and about 10 web apps with more to come.

What makes your product unique?

Setapp's answer

Setapp's key differentiators:

-Curation. Setapp is a curated platform with trusted, hand-picked apps โ€” not a place filled with self-submitted apps.

-Professional focus. Setapp includes apps aimed at improving productivity and workflows for professionals who rely on their Macs. Setapp users range from developers and marketers to educators, healthcare experts, logistics and retail professionals, and more.

-Flexible access. Users have two ways to get apps: a single-fee subscription to 260+ fully unlocked Mac, iOS, and web apps; or individual app purchases via Setapp Marketplace, for those who need just a few apps rather than the full catalog.

-Security. Setapp holds ISO/IEC 27001:2022, SOC 2, and GDPR certifications. Apps are not permitted to display ads or include hidden in-app purchases.

-AI access. AI+ plans give access to all popular LLM models โ€” GPT, Claude, Gemini, and Grok โ€” through a single gateway.

Setapp gives users apps they can count on. Itโ€™s not an endless store but a curated collection of apps worth usersโ€™ time and money.

Why should a person choose your product over its competitors?

Setapp's answer

-Quality over volume. The catalog includes only hand-picked, trusted apps. When downloading an app from Setapp, users can be sure it is high quality and safe to use.

-Trusted apps, no fillers. Every app is Apple-notarized, ad-free, fully unlocked, and has no features locked behind additional paywalls. Getting apps through Setapp means avoiding malware and unpleasant surprises.

-Save costs. Setapp Membership offers access to over 260 apps for a flat fee โ€” no need to subscribe to multiple individual apps and juggle subscriptions. In Setapp Marketplace, users can purchase hand-picked, trusted apps individually, with no need to double-check quality or security.

How would you describe the primary audience of your product?

Setapp's answer

Setapp is actively used by professionals who rely heavily on their Macs and want to improve their workflows โ€” including developers, IT specialists, content creators, designers, marketers, writers, educators, students, and specialists in agriculture, logistics, retail, healthcare, and other fields.

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Setapp and Brave

Setapp Reviews

We have no reviews of Setapp yet.
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Brave Reviews

  1. Word.Studio
    ยท Editor at Word.Studio ยท
    Privacy-focused alternative to Chrome

    Brave is built on Chromium, but has additional privacy features built in. It blocks ads, cross-site trackers, third-party cookies, and cookie-consent banners, and this can be disabled/enabled on a per-site basis. It also has vertical tabs with split view and tab grouping, which are nice if you always have dozens of tabs open.

    ๐Ÿ‘ Pros:    Chrome extensions work on brave|Fast load|Vertical tabs|Split view
    ๐Ÿ‘Ž Cons:    Pushes bat system (can be turned off)

The 7 best web browsers in 2025
Unlike ad blockers, though, Brave doesn't just ban advertisements: it replaces them with its own, far less intrusive and private promotions. Every time you browse Brave and see its ads, it rewards you with points, which you can then use to compensate your favorite publishers and creators. For this to work, the website must be a Brave partner. Many popular ones, like The...
Source: zapier.com
Brave Alternative - 8 Privacy-Focused and Reliable Options
Performance-wise, I found it to be a bit better than the Brave browser, but it doesnโ€™t receive as frequent updates as Brave.
Source: mspoweruser.com
Best Tor Browser Alternative for Risk-Free Web Surfing
Brave Browser is a relatively newer entrant in the world of privacy-conscious browsers. Known for its aggressive approach to blocking advertisements and trackers, Brave Browser aims to deliver a fast and secure browsing experience. Additionally, Brave Browser supports Basic Attention Token (BAT), a cryptocurrency reward system for viewing privacy-respecting ads.
5 Most Privacy Focused Web Browsers
Brave features numerous privacy-centric settings, like the ability to sync browser data securely, without needing to create an account. The browser effectively blocks trackers to give you a private web experience.
Source: itsfoss.com
Avoid The Hack: 6 Best Privacy Browser Picks for Windows
Brave has a native adblocker ("shields") enabled by default. Brave proxies all/any requests to Google, effectively substituting Google Services with "Brave Services." For example, when "Safe Browsing" is enabled, Brave proxies the request to the Google Safe Browsing service.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Brave seems to be a lot more popular than Setapp. While we know about 591 links to Brave, we've tracked only 15 mentions of Setapp. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Setapp mentions (15)

  • Ask HN: How to Sell as a Software Engineer?
    > I've reached the conclusion that software quality and even price matters much less than distribution, especially now. I highly doubt that is true. We don't yet know how end-users will make purchasing decisions now that almost anyone can build something that "works". Taking AI out of the picture: you still need to define the target market segment before you build anything. You still need to find a way to... - Source: Hacker News / 2 months ago
  • Show HN: BoringBar โ€“ a taskbar-style dock replacement for macOS
    There could be 4x buyers at $10. Iโ€™d be one of the now, the dock is a constant annoyance. The app looks great, downloading the trial now. To the appโ€™s author Iโ€™d say get as many licensees as you can fast before youโ€™re Sherlocked or somebody vibecodes a clone out of โ€œwhy notโ€. I use many free and paid apps, little QoL types, like BetterDisplay, Coctail, etc and for me the included support is of little value. These... - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
  • Coders Coded Their Job Away. Why Are So Many of Them Happy About It?
    I used a bunch of tools from https://setapp.com/ and no longer subscribe. I used to pay for Linear for all my personal projects, built one with CC that perfectly fits my needsโ€ฆ I also built a myriad of small tools that help me automate bunch of busy work I used to do manually, both for professional and personal projects. - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
  • Italian Competition Authority Fines Apple $115M for Abusing Dominant Position
    > are there any real 3rd-party AppStores for iOS now "Always has been": Setapp. Very interesting model. Readily recommend devs subscribing to this collection, but non-devs as well if you're into "there's an app for that" and fatigued with IAP. https://setapp.com/. - Source: Hacker News / 7 months ago
  • The One Productivity Tool You Didn't Know You Can't Live Without
    I use Paste, a very feature rich clipboard manager for Mac with gorgeous UI. It's not free, but it comes along with a Setapp license that I got from work, so if you already have a license you can use it to install Paste. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
View more

Brave mentions (591)

  • Chrome removes claim of On-device Al not sending data to Google Servers
    This one: http://brave.com/ I don't use their browser but I like their search engine! - Source: Hacker News / 2 months ago
  • YouTube now lets you turn off Shorts
    Before I quit YouTube, this was my setup. Brave Shields[1] - Adblock SponsorBlock[2] - Crowd-sourced skip sponsored segments DeArrow[3] - Make thumbnails not clickbait UnTrap[4] - Remove shorts and make UI amazing. Return Youtube Dislike[5] [1] https://brave.com. - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
  • Switching to Zed: Made my own VSCode-Rest utility
    Yeah I know, Agentic shit is enabled by default, but it has one switch. I am ok with that approach, I mean, I use brave as a browser and I always have to turn off all that crypto rubbish they have leftovers from the good old days where the hypetrain was bloody NFT and CryptoCrap. - Source: dev.to / 8 months ago
  • Browser Fingerprint Detector
    Use a different browser altogether. Chrome is never ideal for anyone who cares even a little bit about privacy. Use [Brave][0]. [0]: https://brave.com. - Source: Hacker News / 10 months ago
  • How to Firefox
    Just use Brave Browser. https://brave.com/ It's like de-Googled Chrome, as it's based on the same Open Source Chromium browser, has all of the ad-blocking and anti-fingerprint tools built in, and all of the Google taken out. You can also run popular browser extensions published for Chrome, but you don't need to worry about ad blocking, as Brave has you covered by default. It also blocks YouTube ads effectively, by... - Source: Hacker News / 12 months ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Setapp and Brave, you can also consider the following products

Konfigure - APARTMENTS | VILLA | WORKSPACE | RETAIL

Mozilla Firefox - Get the browsers that put your privacy first โ€” and always have

Metavine Platform - Metavine Platform is a comprehensive Platform-as-a-Service that help businesses build agility and compete effectively in the digital world by enabling them to iterate and create apps quickly.

Google Chrome - Google Chrome is a fast, secure, and free web browser, built for the modern web. Give it a try on your desktop today.

QuickBase - Quickbase provides a no-code operational agility platform that enables organizations to improve operations through real time insights and automation across complex processes and disparate systems. โ€‹โ€‹

Vivaldi - Vivaldi is a free, fast web browser designed for power-users. You decide how you browse. Download Vivaldi's fully customisable browser now and browse your way.