Every browser ships a new tab page that is somebody’s idea of what a fresh page should be. It is almost never the same idea as the person who opens 100 tabs a day. XDA’s recent piece on self-hosted dashboards made the case that a new tab page could be a launcher, a widget board, a homelab status board, or all three. Two years of trying most of the options for the same job on Windows, macOS, and Linux, and the answers below are the ones that survived. These seven best apps for browser new tab customization on desktop range from a five-second install to a Docker container that runs the whole household’s front door.
The picks span browser extensions that behave like apps, self-hosted dashboards that any browser can point at, and a couple of curated feeds that turn every new tab into a small daily read.
What to look for in a new tab customization app
The features that decide whether a new tab page sticks after the second week:
- Fast paint. If the page takes a second to render, it undoes the point.
- Search bar with the search engine of your choice, keyboard-focus by default.
- Widget layout that survives moving between monitors and window sizes.
- Bookmark or shortcut grid that syncs across browsers if the workflow spans more than one.
- Optional self-hosting so the page loads offline or on a strict network.
- A theme system that does not require CSS engineering to change a background.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Delivery | Free plan | Starting price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Momentum | Calm daily home page | Extension | Yes | Plus subscription | 4.7 |
| Tabliss | Open-source Momentum-style | Extension | Yes | Free | 4.6 |
| Homepage | Self-hosted homelab dashboard | Docker | Yes | Free | 4.8 |
| Dashy | Self-hosted with icons and status | Docker | Yes | Free | 4.7 |
| Start.me | Team-friendly start page | Web | Yes | Pro subscription | 4.5 |
| Speed Dial 2 | Bookmark grid for browsers | Extension | Trial | One-time purchase | 4.6 |
| Muzli | Design-focused daily feed | Extension | Yes | Free | 4.5 |
| Toby | Session-based tab management | Extension | Yes | Pro subscription | 4.6 |
1. Momentum — Best calm daily home page
Momentum replaces the new tab with a photo of the day, a greeting, a to-do list, a focus prompt, and optional widgets. It is one of the most-installed extensions in the category for a reason: it stays out of the way, but every open browser lands on the same calm page.
Where it falls short: the free tier is functional; the widgets that make it excellent are behind Momentum Plus. Some organisations block third-party new tab extensions by policy.
Pricing:
- Free with the core layout.
- Momentum Plus subscription unlocks widgets, custom backgrounds, and multi-photo rotation.
Platforms: Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari (all desktops)
Download: momentumdash.com
Bottom line: the default answer when the goal is “a nicer new tab” and not “a new dashboard framework”.
2. Tabliss — Best open-source Momentum-style
Tabliss is the open-source cousin: same layout idea, similar widget selection, no subscription. Widgets ship with the extension and configure locally. Everything syncs through the browser’s own extension sync when signed in.
Where it falls short: development is community-paced. The widget library is smaller than Momentum’s.
Pricing:
- Free and open source.
Platforms: Chrome, Firefox, Edge (all desktops)
Download: tabliss.io
Bottom line: the honest free pick that hits 90 percent of Momentum’s use.
3. Homepage — Best self-hosted homelab dashboard
Homepage is a self-hosted dashboard that lives at a URL any browser can call as its new tab. It reads service definitions from YAML and pulls status widgets from Sonarr, Radarr, Portainer, Home Assistant, and dozens of other homelab services.
Where it falls short: the setup expects Docker or a Node.js host. Not what most single-user desktops want.
Pricing:
- Free and open source under GPL-3.0.
Platforms: any browser, host runs on Linux, Windows, macOS via Docker
Download: gethomepage.dev
Bottom line: the pick for a homelab where the browser new tab should also be the network status board.
4. Dashy — Best self-hosted with icons and status
Dashy is Homepage’s design-conscious sibling: a self-hosted dashboard with icon-driven tiles, live status checks, and a configuration editor built into the app. Import a JSON file, get a dashboard.
Where it falls short: the maintenance cadence has been slower than Homepage’s in the last year.
Pricing:
- Free and open source under MIT.
Platforms: any browser, host runs on Linux, Windows, macOS via Docker
Download: dashy.to
Bottom line: the dashboard for the household where “what’s the URL for the NAS again” is a daily question.
5. Start.me — Best team-friendly start page
Start.me is a web app that replaces the new tab with a shared board of links and RSS widgets. Teams that want everyone to open the same set of resources on a new day use it as an intranet stand-in.
Where it falls short: the free tier is limited on collaboration features. The interface can feel slower than a local extension.
Pricing:
- Free with a personal page.
- Start.me Pro for shared pages, single sign-on, and admin controls.
Platforms: any browser (web app)
Download: start.me
Bottom line: the pick for teams that outgrew a shared Notion page but do not want an intranet.
6. Speed Dial 2 — Best bookmark grid for browsers
Speed Dial 2 is the extension for people who miss the old Opera speed dial. A grid of high-quality bookmark tiles, folders, and search. No feed, no photos, no widgets. Just a fast grid.
Where it falls short: paid app after a trial. The trade-off is a much cleaner grid than the browser’s built-in.
Pricing:
- Free trial.
- One-time purchase.
Platforms: Chrome, Edge, Vivaldi, Opera
Download: speeddial2.com
Bottom line: the pick when the workflow is “click one of eight sites” and nothing else.
7. Muzli — Best design-focused daily feed
Muzli replaces the new tab with a feed curated for designers: shots from Dribbble and Behance, blog posts, product launches, and news from the design world. It is a browser tab that reads like a magazine index.
Where it falls short: the feed is opinionated toward design. Anyone outside that world sees a lot of noise.
Pricing:
- Free.
Platforms: Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari
Download: muz.li
Bottom line: the pick for designers who want the new tab to feed the day’s inspiration.
8. Toby — Best session-based tab management
Toby turns the new tab into an organised board of tab collections, so a new day starts with the right group open (Work AM, Work PM, Personal). It syncs across browsers and doubles as a bookmark manager.
Where it falls short: the free tier caps the number of collections and shared boards. The value shows up for people who juggle tab groups all day.
Pricing:
- Free personal tier.
- Toby Pro subscription for teams and unlimited collections.
Platforms: Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari
Download: gettoby.com
Bottom line: the pick when the browser session is the workflow.
How to pick the right one
If you want the simplest option: Tabliss. It is Momentum without the paywall on widgets.
If you want the calm daily home page: Momentum, and skip Plus until you know which widgets you want.
If your new tab should also be a homelab status board: Homepage or Dashy, depending on how much time you want to spend on YAML.
If your team should open the same page every morning: Start.me.
If you want a fast grid of bookmarks and nothing else: Speed Dial 2.
If you want the browser to feed you daily inspiration: Muzli.
If you want the browser to open on the right group of tabs each morning: Toby.
FAQ
What is the best free browser new tab customization app?
Tabliss for a Momentum-style layout, Homepage for a self-hosted dashboard, Muzli for a curated feed. All three are free.
Do these work on every browser?
Momentum, Tabliss, Speed Dial 2, Muzli, and Toby are extensions and work on the Chromium and Firefox family across Windows, macOS, and Linux. Safari support varies.
Can I use a self-hosted page as my browser new tab?
Yes. Chrome, Edge, and Firefox all support extensions that redirect the new tab to a URL. Homepage and Dashy expect this workflow. Vivaldi and Brave let a URL be set as the new tab natively.
Do any of these track my browsing?
Momentum, Tabliss, and Toby each publish privacy policies covering what leaves the browser. Homepage and Dashy are self-hosted so nothing leaves the network unless you configure it to.
Which one replaces the new tab and keeps working offline?
Tabliss and Speed Dial 2 render entirely from the extension bundle. Homepage and Dashy work offline when the host is on the same local network.
