head to head · open source
Zen Browser vs MaterialYouNewTab
Zen Browser has 44,486 GitHub stars, 1,755 forks, 689 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. MaterialYouNewTab has 735 stars, 190 forks, 64 open issues and last shipped 6 days ago. Zen Browser leads on adoption by 5,953% (44,486 vs 735 stars). Zen Browser is written in C++ under MPL-2.0; MaterialYouNewTab is written in JavaScript under GPL-3.0. Zen Browser has attracted 4% as many forks as stars, MaterialYouNewTab 26%. 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.
← all 13541 open source comparisons
Side by side
| Zen Browser | MaterialYouNewTab | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 44K | ★ 735 |
| License | MPL-2.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Written in | C++ | JavaScript |
| Last push | 2026-09-17 | 2026-09-13 |
| Forks | ⑂ 1.8K | ⑂ 190 |
| 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 MaterialYouNewTab if
- You want the MaterialYouNewTab feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the GPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches JavaScript
- You evaluated both and MaterialYouNewTab 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 MaterialYouNewTab
MYNT: Material You New Tab is a free, GPL 3.0 licensed browser extension that replaces the default New Tab page in Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave, and Opera with a customizable, Material You inspired home page, built for anyone who wants search, weather, shortcuts, and bookmarks gathered in one screen.
read the full MaterialYouNewTab overview →
More in Productivity & Utilities
Related comparisons
More Browsers & Extensions projects
Compare either of these against the rest of the Browsers & Extensions field.
Frequently asked questions
Is Zen Browser or MaterialYouNewTab more popular?
Zen Browser has 44,486 GitHub stars and MaterialYouNewTab has 735. Zen Browser has the larger community by that measure.
Are Zen Browser and MaterialYouNewTab free?
Both are open source. Zen Browser is licensed under MPL-2.0 and MaterialYouNewTab under GPL-3.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between Zen Browser and MaterialYouNewTab?
Zen Browser is written in C++ and MaterialYouNewTab in JavaScript. 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 MaterialYouNewTab?
Choose Zen Browser if you want the larger community (44,486 stars) or its MPL-2.0 licence terms. Choose MaterialYouNewTab if its feature set, stack or GPL-3.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.