Seems like a classic privacy vs security trade-off. Using a Mac without an iCloud account and App store offers better privacy, but using Homebrew gives it admin rights and is more invasive. On the other hand, using the App Store offers better security features like sandboxing and automated updates, but it comes at the cost of Apple farming your data.
I guess you can manually drag .dmg apps to the Applications folder menu, but then maintaining updates becomes a headache and inconvenient.
Which approach would you recommend/use and why? I’m struggling to make a decision.
Well, you clearly know the pros and cons of both. It now really depends on how you want to go about it. You should do what you think or feel is best for you.
I personally download via Homebrew and manage it via Cork (GUI app for homebrew). I like the simplicity and I don’t have too many apps that would risk me putting too much trust for my comfort.