head to head · open source
Ladybird vs Zen Browser
Ladybird has 66,237 GitHub stars, 3,163 forks, 535 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Zen Browser has 44,481 stars, 1,754 forks, 689 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Ladybird leads on adoption by 49% (66,237 vs 44,481 stars). Ladybird is written in C++ under BSD-2-Clause; Zen Browser is written in C++ under MPL-2.0. Ladybird has attracted 5% as many forks as stars, Zen Browser 4%. Ladybird 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
| Ladybird | Zen Browser | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 66K | ★ 44K |
| License | BSD-2-Clause | MPL-2.0 |
| Written in | C++ | C++ |
| Last push | 2026-09-17 | 2026-09-17 |
| Forks | ⑂ 3.2K | ⑂ 1.8K |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick Ladybird if
- You weight community size — 66K stars and counting
- You want the BSD-2-Clause license terms
- Your stack matches C++
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick Zen Browser if
- You want the Zen Browser feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the MPL-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches C++
- You evaluated both and Zen Browser fits your workflow better
About Ladybird
Ladybird is a truly independent web browser and browser engine, written from scratch in C++ rather than as a fork of any existing engine, and it is built for developers who want to work on a browser engine based on web standards while it remains in a pre alpha state.
read the full Ladybird overview →
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 →
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Frequently asked questions
Is Ladybird or Zen Browser more popular?
Ladybird has 66,237 GitHub stars and Zen Browser has 44,481. Ladybird has the larger community by that measure.
Are Ladybird and Zen Browser free?
Both are open source. Ladybird is licensed under BSD-2-Clause and Zen Browser under MPL-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between Ladybird and Zen Browser?
Ladybird is written in C++ and Zen Browser in C++. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, Ladybird or Zen Browser?
Choose Ladybird if you want the larger community (66,237 stars) or its BSD-2-Clause licence terms. Choose Zen Browser if its feature set, stack or MPL-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.