head to head · open source
Zen Browser vs terminal-browser
Zen Browser has 44,486 GitHub stars, 1,755 forks, 689 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. terminal-browser has 3,081 stars, 145 forks, 64 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. Zen Browser leads on adoption by 1,344% (44,486 vs 3,081 stars). Zen Browser is written in C++ under MPL-2.0; terminal-browser is written in TypeScript under MIT. Zen Browser has attracted 4% as many forks as stars, terminal-browser 5%. 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 | terminal-browser | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 44K | ★ 3.1K |
| License | MPL-2.0 | MIT |
| Written in | C++ | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-09-17 | 2026-09-17 |
| Forks | ⑂ 1.8K | ⑂ 145 |
| 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 terminal-browser if
- You want the terminal-browser feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You evaluated both and terminal-browser 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 terminal-browser
terminal browser is a real Chromium based browser that renders inside a terminal emulator, written in TypeScript under the MIT licence, for developers who live in the terminal and for coding agents that need to see and operate the web.
read the full terminal-browser overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is Zen Browser or terminal-browser more popular?
Zen Browser has 44,486 GitHub stars and terminal-browser has 3,081. Zen Browser has the larger community by that measure.
Are Zen Browser and terminal-browser free?
Both are open source. Zen Browser is licensed under MPL-2.0 and terminal-browser under MIT. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between Zen Browser and terminal-browser?
Zen Browser is written in C++ and terminal-browser 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 terminal-browser?
Choose Zen Browser if you want the larger community (44,486 stars) or its MPL-2.0 licence terms. Choose terminal-browser if its feature set, stack or MIT licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.