head to head · open source
Zen Browser vs NooBox
Zen Browser has 44,486 GitHub stars, 1,755 forks, 689 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. NooBox has 524 stars, 54 forks, 37 open issues and last shipped 10 months ago. Zen Browser leads on adoption by 8,390% (44,486 vs 524 stars). Zen Browser is written in C++ under MPL-2.0; NooBox is written in TypeScript under GPL-3.0. Zen Browser has attracted 4% as many forks as stars, NooBox 10%. 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 | NooBox | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 44K | ★ 524 |
| License | MPL-2.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Written in | C++ | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-09-17 | 2025-11-21 |
| Forks | ⑂ 1.8K | ⑂ 54 |
| 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 NooBox if
- You want the NooBox feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the GPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You evaluated both and NooBox 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 NooBox
NooBox is a GPL 3.0 Chrome extension, written in TypeScript and React, that bundles reverse image search, bulk image extraction, timed page refresh and HTML5 video control into one toolbar download for people who want those utilities without installing several separate extensions.
read the full NooBox overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is Zen Browser or NooBox more popular?
Zen Browser has 44,486 GitHub stars and NooBox has 524. Zen Browser has the larger community by that measure.
Are Zen Browser and NooBox free?
Both are open source. Zen Browser is licensed under MPL-2.0 and NooBox under GPL-3.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between Zen Browser and NooBox?
Zen Browser is written in C++ and NooBox 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 NooBox?
Choose Zen Browser if you want the larger community (44,486 stars) or its MPL-2.0 licence terms. Choose NooBox if its feature set, stack or GPL-3.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.