WebWellBlog · Comparisons
Free Momentum alternatives for a calmer new tab
Momentum made the "calm new tab" popular: a big clock, a greeting, a photo and one focus for the day. If you want that feeling without a subscription, or with more privacy, there are good free options. Here is how they compare.
Full disclosure: I make WebWell, one of the extensions below. I've tried to describe the others fairly, from their own sites. Features change, so check each extension's current store page before you install.
What to look for in a new tab extension
A new tab extension runs every time you open a tab, so small differences add up. Four things matter most:
- Speed. It should open instantly. Anything that waits on a server or downloads a big photo each time will feel slow by the afternoon.
- Privacy. Check whether it needs an account, where your tasks and settings are stored, and what its privacy policy says. A new tab sees a lot of your day.
- Permissions. Chrome shows these before you install. "Read and change all your data on all websites" is a lot to grant to a page that only shows a clock.
- Price. Some are fully free, some are free with a paid tier, and some are donation-funded.
The options
Momentum
The original. A clock, a greeting, a daily photo, a focus and a to-do list, with a paid Plus tier for extras. Its blog shows it has been adding features such as AI and a "Tab Stash" for saving tabs. If you like the look and don't mind an account or a subscription for some features, it is still a polished choice.
Bonjourr
A minimalist, open-source start page funded by donations. It says it collects no personal data and needs no account, and it includes a Pomodoro timer, notes, quick links and weather. It is a strong pick if you want something beautiful and simple, and it runs on Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Safari.
Tabliss
An open-source, minimal new tab with photo backgrounds and a set of small widgets. Good if you want a quiet, customisable page and nothing else.
start.me
Closer to a personal homepage than a calm new tab: bookmarks, RSS feeds and widgets on a dashboard. Good if your new tab is where you organise links, less so if you want a focused, empty page.
WebWell
The one I build. It has the Momentum-style essentials (a clock, a daily focus, tasks, quick links and a landmark photo that changes daily) and adds three things the others mostly leave out:
- Focus sessions with a full-screen timer and calming sound, where sites you marked as distracting are blocked until the timer ends.
- Music on the new tab: Spotify and SoundCloud links, offline rain and noise, and lofi radio.
- Screen-time stats per website, with a daily score, kept only on your device.
It is free, has no account and is open source. It runs on Chrome and Brave on desktop, not Firefox or Safari.
Side-by-side
| Best for | Account | Price | Open source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Momentum | The classic calm dashboard | Yes, for some features | Free + paid Plus | No |
| Bonjourr | A minimal, beautiful start page | No | Free (donations) | Yes |
| Tabliss | A quiet, customisable background | No | Free | Yes |
| start.me | Bookmarks and feeds on one page | Yes | Free + paid | No |
| WebWell | Focus sessions, music and private stats | No | Free | Yes |
Which one should you pick?
- You just want a pretty, minimal page: Bonjourr or Tabliss.
- Your new tab is your bookmark hub: start.me.
- You like Momentum and are happy to pay for extras: stay with Momentum.
- You want the new tab to help you actually focus, with a timer, blocking and honest numbers about your day, without an account: try WebWell.
Whichever you choose, read the permissions screen before you click Add. It's the quickest privacy check there is.