Pick Tabula if
Your work spans several sites and you want them side by side on one canvas instead of in tabs.
The catch. It runs on macOS only, it is closed source, and it is newer than everything else here.
Tabula vs Orion
Tabula is best for seeing many sites at once. Orion is best for Safari’s engine with any extension.
Pick Orion if
You want Safari’s engine and battery life with Chrome and Firefox extensions on top.
The catch. It is Apple-only, it has no split view, and some extensions only partly work.
Tabula vs Orion, feature by feature
| Tabula | Orion | |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | Chromium | WebKit |
| Vertical tabs | On by default | Yes, in the View menu |
| Sites on screen at once | As many as you arrange, on a canvas | One per window |
| Separate workspaces | Zones — two free, unlimited on the paid plan | Profiles, each as its own app |
| Ad and tracker blocking | Built in, ads and trackers | Built in, ads and trackers |
| Extensions | Chrome Web Store | Chrome and Firefox extensions |
| Platforms | macOS | macOS, iPhone, iPad |
| Open source | No | No |
| Price | Free; $9.99/month for unlimited zones | Free; Orion+ from $5/month |
| Development | Active | Active |
Questions
Is Tabula better than Orion?
Neither wins everywhere. Tabula is best for seeing many sites at once; Orion is best for Safari’s engine with any extension. Pick Tabula if your work spans several sites and you want them side by side on one canvas instead of in tabs. Pick Orion if you want Safari’s engine and battery life with Chrome and Firefox extensions on top.
Do Tabula and Orion block ads?
They block the same way: built in, ads and trackers.
Which extensions do Tabula and Orion run?
Tabula: Chrome Web Store. Orion: Chrome and Firefox extensions.
Where do Tabula and Orion run?
Tabula: macOS. Orion: macOS, iPhone, iPad.
Are Tabula and Orion free?
Tabula: Free; $9.99/month for unlimited zones. Orion: Free; Orion+ from $5/month.