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 Zen
Tabula is best for seeing many sites at once. 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.
Tabula vs Zen, feature by feature
| Tabula | Zen | |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | Chromium | Firefox (Gecko) |
| Vertical tabs | On by default | On by default |
| Sites on screen at once | As many as you arrange, on a canvas | Up to four, in Split View |
| Separate workspaces | Zones — two free, unlimited on the paid plan | Workspaces and Container Tabs |
| Ad and tracker blocking | Built in, ads and trackers | Trackers built in; ads with an add-on |
| Extensions | Chrome Web Store | Firefox add-ons |
| Platforms | macOS | macOS, Windows, Linux |
| Open source | No | Yes |
| Price | Free; $9.99/month for unlimited zones | Free |
| Development | Active | Active |
Questions
Is Tabula better than Zen?
Neither wins everywhere. Tabula is best for seeing many sites at once; Zen is best for an Arc-style sidebar. Pick Tabula if your work spans several sites and you want them side by side on one canvas instead of in tabs. Pick Zen if you miss Arc and want its layout in an open-source browser.
Do Tabula and Zen block ads?
Tabula: Built in, ads and trackers. Zen: Trackers built in; ads with an add-on.
Which extensions do Tabula and Zen run?
Tabula: Chrome Web Store. Zen: Firefox add-ons.
Where do Tabula and Zen run?
Tabula: macOS. Zen: macOS, Windows, Linux.
Are Tabula and Zen free?
Tabula: Free; $9.99/month for unlimited zones. Zen: Free.