Pick Safari if
You want the browser that is already on your Mac, easiest on the battery and tied into iCloud.
The catch. It has no vertical tabs or split view, a smaller extension catalogue, and no Windows version.
Safari vs Zen
Safari is best for battery life and Apple devices. Zen is best for an Arc-style sidebar.
Pick Zen if
You miss Arc and want its layout in an open-source browser.
The catch. It runs Firefox add-ons, not Chrome extensions, and a few web apps work best in Chromium.
Safari vs Zen, feature by feature
| Safari | Zen | |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | WebKit | Firefox (Gecko) |
| Vertical tabs | No | On by default |
| Sites on screen at once | One per window | Up to four, in Split View |
| Separate workspaces | Profiles and Tab Groups | Workspaces and Container Tabs |
| Ad and tracker blocking | Trackers, not ads | Trackers built in; ads with an add-on |
| Extensions | Safari extensions | Firefox add-ons |
| Platforms | macOS, iPhone, iPad | macOS, Windows, Linux |
| Open source | No (WebKit is) | Yes |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Development | Active | Active |
Questions
Is Safari better than Zen?
Neither wins everywhere. Safari is best for battery life and Apple devices; Zen is best for an Arc-style sidebar. Pick Safari if you want the browser that is already on your Mac, easiest on the battery and tied into iCloud. Pick Zen if you miss Arc and want its layout in an open-source browser.
Do Safari and Zen block ads?
Safari: Trackers, not ads. Zen: Trackers built in; ads with an add-on.
Which extensions do Safari and Zen run?
Safari: Safari extensions. Zen: Firefox add-ons.
Where do Safari and Zen run?
Safari: macOS, iPhone, iPad. Zen: macOS, Windows, Linux.
Are Safari and Zen free?
Both are free.