Brave is a free and open source web browser that allows you to browse the dark web without using Tor Browser. It sounds like Brave is a handy option for accessing the dark web, but it's not a good alternative to tried and tested official methods.
3. Brave is not built for anonymity

The desktop version of Brave provides a way to browse the dark web through the “Private Window with Tor” setting. This feature opens a new window in your browser that allows you to access the dark web through a proxy running through the Tor network.
Brave is a privacy-oriented web browser. However, Tor Browser is designed to browse the dark web anonymously.
Privacy and anonymity are two terms that are often confused, but they are actually different. Essentially, Tor hides your identity by removing digital “fingerprinting” information, encrypting data, and sending your anonymous Internet traffic through multiple relays around the world. . However, Brave does not remove identifying information by default. So, browsing the dark web through a Tor proxy in Brave makes you more vulnerable to attention than just using Tor Browser.
While Brave is great for most privacy enthusiasts, it doesn't do a great job of keeping you completely anonymous compared to Tor Browser.
2. Limited Tor functionality
Brave is primarily designed for browsing the clearnet – the public portion of the Internet, normally indexed by search engines. Its Tor mode, introduced later as a side feature, is not the core focus. Previously, the browser had problems when users' dark web browsing history was detected by their ISP. Although that issue was fixed a long time ago, you should use the official Tor Browser for maximum security and privacy.

Brave's fingerprinting protection is not as effective as Tor Browser. The article tested this feature using CreepJS, an open source tool to check the level of recognition of your device online. With Tor Browser, the tool can identify the browser and estimate the operating system but doesn't reveal much else. However, when using Brave's Private window with Tor, CreepJS discovered more details, including time zone, exact operating system, GPU, and screen resolution.
While this information may not seem too sensitive, bad actors could combine this information to track you across websites, similar to how cookies work. Tor reduces this risk by standardizing user agent strings, screen sizes, and fonts for all users. It's much harder to spot individuals when everyone appears exactly the same.
In general, it is not recommended to use a single browser like Brave for both clearnet and darknet activities. Brave's regular browsing window and the Tor window look practically identical. Something might go wrong and you risk exposing sensitive data to the wrong guys.
1. Brave recommends using Tor Browser for complete anonymity
Perhaps the main reason to use Tor Browser instead of Brave is that Brave itself recommends Tor Browser for users “whose personal safety depends on maintaining anonymity”. Because Brave doesn't include all of Tor Browser's privacy protections, it's difficult to guarantee the browser has the same level of anonymity.

Among them, if you need to browse the dark web safely and anonymously, Tor Browser is recommended. It focuses on protecting your identity and Internet activity (in the dark web) completely hidden. It's also cross-platform, easy to install, and quite easy to use.
Brave is still an alternative if you don't mind being a little exposed when browsing the dark web, for example, if you're just testing something or researching a dark web site. However, for anything that requires a lot of privacy, Tor Browser is a better choice. For more protection, consider turning on “Block fingerprinting” in Settings > Shieldsinstall the NoScript add-on and use another browser to access the clearnet while Tor mode is on.