Zen Browser: A New Era of Browsing
Zen Browser is an open-source browser built on Firefox that aims to deliver a fast, distraction-free experience without compromising your privacy. It pitches itself as a “calmer internet” alternative in a market dominated by data-hungry browsers like Chrome. By leveraging the Firefox engine and stripping away unnecessary bloat, Zen helps you stay productive (with features like Workspaces and split-screen) while keeping trackers and telemetry at bay.
Key Features
Workspaces
Organize your browsing into separate tab groups based on tasks or projects. Each workspace lives in the sidebar and can even run in separate Firefox containers—perfect for switching between different contexts or accounts.Compact Mode
Hide all toolbars and interface elements to create a clean, immersive, full-screen browsing experience. Great for reading, watching content, or staying focused.Glance
Instantly preview any link in an overlay without leaving your current tab. Just Alt+Click and peek—perfect for skimming articles or quick lookups.Split View
Tile multiple websites side-by-side in the same window. Ideal for research, coding with docs open, or watching videos while multitasking.
Zen Browser vs Chrome & Firefox
| Feature | Zen Browser | Google Chrome | Mozilla Firefox |
|---|---|---|---|
| Privacy | Strong by default: tracking protection, no telemetry | Weak defaults, heavy integration with Google | Strong (configurable), some telemetry |
| Performance | Fast and optimized with PGO/LTO | Fastest engine (V8), heavy resource usage | Solid performance with Quantum engine |
| UI/UX | Minimalist, sidebar tabs, immersive focus modes | Familiar UI, feature-rich, often cluttered | Customizable, classic top-tab layout |
| Extensions | Firefox-compatible (WebExtensions) | Huge library, moving to Manifest V3 | Smaller library, still WebExtension-based |
| Resource Usage | Lighter than Chrome, moderate memory usage | High memory footprint | Generally efficient, multi-process |
⚠️ Tech Alert: We’re diving into nerdy stuff. Skip ahead if you’re just here for vibes.
Under the Hood
Zen is based on Firefox, meaning it inherits all its latest features, performance improvements, and security updates. It tracks Firefox updates closely—most new versions are merged within days.
Zen builds are compiled with PGO (Profile-Guided Optimization) and LTO (Link-Time Optimization) for extra speed. The team previously offered AVX2-optimized versions but found modern compilers made those unnecessary.
On the privacy side:
- HTTPS-Only Mode is enabled
- Tracking Protection is on by default
- OCSP checks and phishing protection are active
- No telemetry is sent back to Mozilla or Zen
All tweaks are open-source and customizable via the browser’s internal config or files.
And yes—it’s still in beta, so some quirks or bugs may exist. But updates are frequent, and the roadmap is transparent.
Final Thoughts
Zen Browser is a serious alternative for users who care about performance, privacy, and productivity. Whether you’re tired of Chrome’s bloat or want a sleeker, faster take on Firefox, Zen offers a refreshing browsing experience that puts you back in control.
👉 Download Zen Browser
Give it a try—you might not look back.