Key Takeaways
- Brave Browser offers Brave Rewards, where users earn cryptocurrency for viewing ads, ensuring privacy and earning passive income.
- Opera and Opera GX use Opera Points to reward users for taking advantage of the browser's features, offering cashback and savings opportunities.
- Microsoft Edge incentivizes users through its Microsoft Rewards program, encouraging the use of Microsoft products and services for points that can be redeemed for various activities and purchases.
The idea of having a source of passive income is very appealing, especially if all you have to do is surf the web. Well, there are web browsers out there that are not only designed to boost your online experience but also provide you with different ways to earn some revenue.
Whether it comes in cashback, cryptocurrency, or other unique incentives, these web browsers will help turn idle internet surfing into a lucrative endeavor.
Best Web Browsers That Reward You
Several web browsers reward you for using them, but these five are the best: Brave, Opera, Microsoft Edge, CryptoTab, and Gener8. Here's a brief rundown of what each of the five web browsers offer.
Browser name | Brave Browser | Opera and Opera GX | Microsoft Edge | CryptoTab | Gener8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Reward system name | Brave Rewards | Opera Points | Microsoft Rewards | Bitcoin | Gener8 Points |
Type of rewards | Cryptocurrency | Cashback system | Cashback, discounts, and freebies | Cryptocurrency | Cashback, discounts, and freebies |
Other related benefits | Increased browsing privacy | Better rewards with each use | Better rewards when using Microsoft products and services | Completely passive crypto mining | Completely passive income system |
Now, let's look at each browser reward system in more detail.
1. Brave Rewards From Brave Browser
Those concerned about data integrity and overall browsing performance are probably well aware of Brave Browser.
Brave is a privacy-oriented web browser that comes with plenty of surprising features that make it a worthwhile alternative to many mainstream web browsers out there. However, for this article, the main focus is on Brave Rewards earned by viewing Brave Ads.
For those who don't know, typical web browsers collect your data (browsing habits, search history, etc.) to make a revenue. Well, Brave browser not only does not do that, but it rewards you for viewing ads you may want to see.
All you need to do is enable Brave Rewards within your Brave Browser and set how you want to see the ads. Some options include seeing ads on the New Tab page, in the Brave News feed, or as very discreet push notifications that will not hinder your browsing experience, among others.
To add an extra layer of non-invasiveness, remember that you are rewarded for merely having a Brave Ad appear on your screen. So, you don't need to click or interact with it if you don't want to.
Brave states that users will earn 70% of the ad revenue that Brave receives. This will come in the form of Basic Attention Tokens (BAT) that users will receive at the end of each month. The amount of BAT received will vary based on the number and type of ads the users willingly engage with.
Advertisers will also benefit from Brave Rewards since they know for sure that the users who interacted with their ads are genuinely interested in their products or services.
As for what you can do with the BATs, think of pretty much everything you could do with any other crypto token:
- Purchase gift cards.
- Exchange them for fiat and crypto.
- Store them in your Brave wallet together with all your other crypto assets.
Download: Brave Browser for Windows, macOS, Linux | Android | iOS (Free)
Opera Points From Opera and Opera GX
Both Opera and Opera GX are two trendy web browsers, the latter being considered by many as one of the best web browsers for gamers. However, besides the many fun features and benefits of using Opera and Opera GX, you now also have the chance to make some revenue while using them.
Opera employs a system called Opera Points, which expands a preexisting Opera program called Opera Cashback. The Opera Points Program is a loyalty program, and as such, it rewards users the more they take advantage of it. The more Points you have, the higher the cashback rate you'll get based on the total savings you've made.
In other words, the more points you have, the more money you can save. More so, even if you withdraw rewards from the cashback account, you won't lose your cashback rate, so there's no need to HODL as you would with typical crypto tokens.
To start earning Opera Points, you'll first need to create an Opera account, which is entirely free. You'll also need to create an Opera Wallet to store the Opera points.
Then, you must log in to Opera Cashback using your Opera account. The final step is to connect your Opera Cashback to your Opera wallet, and you can start earning Points!
As for how you make the points, go to Opera Cashback and start shopping. You'll get the Cashback along with the Points with a Pending status of up to 48 hours. The amount of Points you'll receive will vary based on what cashback percentage each website offers.
Download: Opera/Opera GX for Windows, macOS, Linux | Chromebook | Android | iOS (Free)
Download: Opera GX for Android | iOS (Free)
Microsoft Rewards From Microsoft Edge
Microsoft Edge comes with a cashback system called Microsoft Rewards. However, unlike some other entries presented so far, Microsoft's system is more focused on incentivizing users to use their products.
First, you must create and log into your Microsoft account to benefit from Microsoft Rewards. Then, there are several ways you can earn rewards, and the more Microsoft services you use, the more points you get. The simplest way to earn points is to surf the internet using Bing as the default search engine. For each search you make, you'll receive three points. However, you'll gain a little boost using Microsoft Edge as the web browser.
Other activities that allow you to earn Microsoft Rewards include:
- Using Microsoft Edge as the web browser.
- Searching with Bing in the Windows Search Box in Windows 10 and 11.
- Searching with Bing via Cortana.
- Making purchases from the Microsoft Store.
- Exploring the earn page for daily bonus searches.
- Playing certain games and earning specific achievements on Xbox One.
Unlike the previous entries, Microsoft Rewards are limited to Microsoft-only products and services. You cannot use the points to exchange them for crypto, fiat, or gift cards outside of Microsoft's stores. However, you can use them for purchasing gift cards, sweepstakes entries, nonprofit donations, and other fun activities.
Download: Microsoft Edge for Windows, macOS, Linux | Android | iOS (Free)
CryptoTab
CryptoTab's way of earning money dramatically differs from the other entries on our list since it does it actively by mining BTC.
Marketed as the first and only browser in the world with built-in crypto mining, it has already secured a stable user base that's actively earning money while doing what they do best: browsing the internet.
As far as web browsing capabilities are concerned, CryptoTab is designed to be as lightweight as possible. This is mainly because the core focus of the program is crypto mining.
To start mining Bitcoin, you'll first need to create a CryptoTab account by using (and thus linking) a social media account, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. Then, download and install CryptoTab, and press the CryptoTab icon in the upper-right corner of the UI to turn mining on. Your web browser will start mining and will continue to do so as long as at least one CryptoTab tab is opened, even if it's just running in the background.
You can adjust the mining speed, with higher speeds increasing the rate at which you earn Bitcoin and the amount of resources the browser will use. However, don't be afraid to run CrytoTab at higher speeds since it was designed to use only the unused resources of your device. Thus, you won't feel your device running any slower, and even if you have over a dozen apps running simultaneously, CryptoTab will mine slower.
Lastly, you can withdraw the Bitcoin at any moment you desire, and all payments are confirmed in Bitcoin's blockchain transaction database, where anyone can look.
Users can participate in CryptoTab's referral program, where they can invite friends, promote the web browser through social media platforms, and get additional earnings.
Download: CryptoTab for Windows, macOS | Android | iOS (Free)
Gener8
Gener8 is a newcomer in the web browse market. While its user base is not as big as some of the other browsers on our list, its primary selling point is its ability to earn users money.
As for how exactly Gener8 works, it's pretty similar to Brave Browser's Brave Rewards system. Thus, the browser allows users to benefit from complete online privacy while also providing them with the ability to earn money by viewing only specific ads. For starters, you'll need to create a Gener8 account. Then, you have to download and install Gener8 on your computer and then log in using your Gener8 account.
Once you've installed Gener8 on your computer, you can access two browsing modes: Privacy or Rewards.
While in Privacy mode, Gener8 will behave like any other privacy-focused web browser. This means that you can experience ad-free browsing, prevent third-party tracking, and you can block cookie popups. However, since you aren't sharing your data with Gener8, you aren't eligible for any rewards. On the other hand, Rewards mode allows the web browser to monetize your data through advertising, intelligent tracking, and even surveys.
As a token of appreciation, you'll receive Gener8 points, which you can use to purchase products and services, buy vouchers, or do a good deed and donate to charity.
Download: Gener8 for Windows | Android | iOS (Free)
Earn Money While Browsing the Internet the Easy Way
Overall, web browsers have evolved significantly from mere tools for accessing information to dynamic platforms that can help users earn money.
Each of the five browsers discussed in this article has a unique approach to providing cashback, cryptocurrency rewards, or other financial incentives.
However, if you feel more comfortable using more mainstream web browsers, you could install those and add cashback extensions to gain the same benefits.
