head to head · open source
Zen Browser vs Deta Surf
Zen Browser has 44,481 GitHub stars, 1,754 forks, 689 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Deta Surf has 3,570 stars, 251 forks, 32 open issues and last shipped 25 days ago. Zen Browser leads on adoption by 1,146% (44,481 vs 3,570 stars). Zen Browser is written in C++ under MPL-2.0; Deta Surf is written in TypeScript under Apache-2.0. Zen Browser has attracted 4% as many forks as stars, Deta Surf 7%. Zen Browser was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
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Side by side
| Zen Browser | Deta Surf | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 44K | ★ 3.6K |
| License | MPL-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | C++ | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-09-17 | 2026-08-24 |
| Forks | ⑂ 1.8K | ⑂ 251 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick Zen Browser if
- You weight community size — 44K stars and counting
- You want the MPL-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches C++
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick Deta Surf if
- You want the Deta Surf feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You evaluated both and Deta Surf fits your workflow better
About Zen Browser
Zen Browser is a privacy focused, open source web browser built on Firefox’s Gecko engine. It inherits Firefox’s compatibility and extension ecosystem while introducing a streamlined interface and productivity oriented features. The project lives in the desktop browser ecosystem, targeting users who want a Firefox based experience with reduced clutter and enhanced customization.
read the full Zen Browser overview →
About Deta Surf
Deta Surf is an open source AI notebook and browser workspace. It combines tabs, split view, a sidebar, local files, web pages, and generated notes in one application. The project lives in the productivity and browser extension ecosystem, and it is built primarily with Svelte, TypeScript, and Rust. It runs on MacOS, Windows, and Linux.
read the full Deta Surf overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is Zen Browser or Deta Surf more popular?
Zen Browser has 44,481 GitHub stars and Deta Surf has 3,570. Zen Browser has the larger community by that measure.
Are Zen Browser and Deta Surf free?
Both are open source. Zen Browser is licensed under MPL-2.0 and Deta Surf under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between Zen Browser and Deta Surf?
Zen Browser is written in C++ and Deta Surf in TypeScript. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, Zen Browser or Deta Surf?
Choose Zen Browser if you want the larger community (44,481 stars) or its MPL-2.0 licence terms. Choose Deta Surf if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.