Compare GPT Reader and New Tab Notes: Which Extension is the Best?

Transform any text into natural-sounding speech with this free ChatGPT-powered text-to-speech tool. We've tested its capabilities on short articles and lengthy PDFs.
Transform your new tab into a distraction-free notepad with New Tab Notes. Offering rich text formatting, auto-sync, and customization, it's a handy tool for seamless note-taking.
Key Features
  • Text-to-Speech Conversion: Natural-sounding AI voices powered by ChatGPT
  • Document Support: Handles PDFs, Google Docs, and web content
  • Audio Download: Option to save generated audio for offline listening
  • Playback Controls: Adjustable speed, pause, and rewind functionality
  • Multi-format Support: Works with pasted text, documents, and website content
  • Rich Text Formatting: Use markdown and shortcuts for easy text styling.
  • Auto-Sync: Notes are saved and synced across devices without an account.
  • Customization: Adjust fonts, zoom, and toggle between dark/light themes.
  • Export Options: Download notes as Markdown, HTML, or plain text.
Our Rating
9.0
8.6
Total users
9,543
1,232
Total ratings
86
16
Average rating
4.2 ⭐
4.7 ⭐
Entry Level PriceFreeFree
Chrome
Chrome Web Store logo
4.5
4.45
67 ratings
8.0K+Users
Chrome Web Store logo
4.4
4.62
15 ratings
1.0K+Users
Edge
-
Microsoft Edge Store logo
5.0
5.0
1 ratings
232Users
Firefox
Mozilla Firefox Add-ons Store logo
3.9
3.83
19 ratings
1.5K+Users
-
Safari
-
-
Features
9.2

The functional scope of GPT Reader is designed for a wide range of users and demonstrated many useful functions in the test. The voice quality is surprisingly good and offers a natural-sounding output. We particularly liked the comprehensive format support, which seamlessly processes everything from PDFs to web content. The control of the playback is also well implemented, making it easy to adjust the speed directly and individually. However, the function for downloading audio files stood out the most in the test. In theory, entire books can be converted and then downloaded as audio books. However, this was the only area where we had to make deductions, as the free ChatGPT version had limitations when processing longer texts or documents.
We tried to convert a 300-page PDF and were able to process 22% of it, which corresponded to around 2 hours of audio. After this 22%, the free quota of requests on ChatGPT was reached, and the request was canceled.

8.7

New Tab Notes offers a range of functions for quickly and effectively storing information and ideas in a structured manner. Headings are generally used to achieve a clear structure of the notes so that you can return to the notes you are looking for on the note sheet, which is always updated.

Overview

The Markdown and shortcut support are particularly worth mentioning here, as they allow users to format the notes effectively and quickly. Anyone who already has experience with Notion, for example, will find it easy to use. However, new users may miss out on this function, as the markdowns are not described again in the extension itself and must be learned on the website. A small manual at the beginning should help new users to be able to use them as well. In addition to the headings, formats such as bullet lists, numbered lists, and codes can also be embedded.

Headings

Other functions such as highlighting notes or integrating links can also be very helpful. For advanced users, a few functions may still be missing here, for example, to highlight them visually using different font colors.

links

The automatic synchronization by the browser is used by the extension to synchronize data across devices. A big difference from other competitors is that the data is not stored on separate servers. Furthermore, the saved notes can be exported in various file formats so that they can be sorted and saved elsewhere later if necessary.

export

Overall, the extension offers all the essential functions for general users to create structured notes. For advanced users, however, additional organizational tools could be beneficial.

Performance
8.3

The performance tests showed a mixed picture. For shorter texts and paragraphs, GPT Reader processes content quickly and delivers a smooth rendering. The application is fast and reliable for typical use cases such as articles or short documents. Here we tested self-written summaries for learning purposes. However, we encountered significant limitations with larger files, as it is not possible to complete processing due to the limited number of requests. The option of pausing and then resuming would help here. In addition, the process takes a very long time for larger files; the extension needed around 40 minutes for around 75 pages of a PDF. The limitations of the ChatGPT API particularly affect the processing of longer documents such as entire books. This is currently only possible with a premium version of ChatGPT.

8.8

In our tests, New Tab Notes works reliably and without any significant noticeable reduction in browser performance.
When opening a new tab, the extension loads quickly and smoothly. There may be short delays with large notes that need to be synchronized, but these are hardly noticeable.
Overall, the performance should be sufficient for most basic users without any performance problems, although there could still be room for improvement for advanced users.

Design
9.0

The design of GPT Reader is clean and professional, with an intuitive layout that makes navigation effortless. The fact that there is even a dark as well as a light mode shows that the different user preferences have been taken into account. The controls are logically arranged and easily accessible. Even though the extension is designed for functionality, the design is not forgotten.

8.5

The design of New Tab Notes is clean and minimalistic. It creates a distraction-free environment where you can easily take structured notes without getting distracted.
Since the design is specifically meant to be distraction-free, this is good. However, there could be a few more customization options, especially when it comes to the color design, including the notes. Overall, the design fulfills its purpose, but it does not win a beauty award.

Value for Money
8.9

Currently, GPT Reader offers a very good price-performance ratio, as all functions are available completely free of charge. We found no hidden costs or unexpected limitations in the free version.
The features should be sufficient for most users; the only thing to note is the limited number of requests per hour that ChatGPT allows. If you need to convert entire books into one, you will need a premium version of ChatGPT.
It should also be mentioned that the extension already indicates that the download function may be offered in a paid version in the future, which could influence this rating in the future.

future premium function

At the moment, however, it is a very good offer in the text-to-speech sector.

8.7

As a free extension, New Tab Notes offers excellent value for money. For the basic user, the range of functions should be sufficient, considering that it is a free tool. For advanced users, there are still a few functions missing that other providers already have. If these were also added free of charge, the price-performance ratio would be unbeatable.

Ease of Use
8.7

In terms of user-friendliness, GPT Reader scores very well. Users of all technical levels should have little problem simply converting text to audio. The user interface is self-explanatory, and all functions are displayed immediately.
The only negative point is that a separate ChatGPT registration is still required, and an error message appears if the ChatGPT requests are exceeded, which can lead to confusion.

8.5

New Tab Notes was easy to install in the test and the learning curve was very fast. Even Basic users should have no problems finding and using most of the functions straight away. However, one suggestion for improvement would be a small tutorial for new users on advanced features such as markdowns and shortcuts. Everyone who installs but doesn't see the website with instructions may not know about these features.

Security & Privacy
9.7

In our security analysis, GPT Reader showed a strong commitment to protecting user privacy. The extension only collects data from user-reported bugs and feedback. We appreciated the transparent privacy policy, where the user can read specific points.

8.2

New Tab Notes is an extension that stores all data exclusively via the browser. This approach is ideal for the user, as it eliminates the need for an account and reduces the risk of data breaches associated with other external cloud storage. This was apparent to us in our tests, but it is not clear whether the basic user is aware of this, as we were unable to find a privacy policy from the provider either in the store or on the website.

This would be an important point of improvement to allow every user to read the extension's guidelines.

Conclusion

GPT Reader is a promising text-to-speech extension based on ChatGPT voices. The easy-to-understand voices, combined with the fact that it is completely free, set it apart from conventional TTS tools.

The extension can process various document formats. Both PDFs and copied web articles can be converted, but it has its limitations with longer texts. For example, a 300-page PDF was only partially converted in the text due to ChatGPT's limitations, which still resulted in about 2 hours of audio.

The tool is very user-friendly and supports multiple languages. This extension is a must for anyone who wants to listen to texts.

With New Tab Notes, ideas, and information can be quickly and easily noted and saved directly in the browser without distractions.

Text formatting features such as headings and the accompanying markdowns and shortcuts make it quick and easy to write them down in a structured way. The design is very user-friendly, but the extension could still benefit from additional export options and possibly more advanced functions.

Overall, it is the perfect choice for anyone looking for a simple and effective solution to quickly save notes.

Our Recommendation

In our comparison between GPT Reader and New Tab Notes, GPT Reader came out on top, scoring 9.

GPT Reader is the most widely used, with over 10k users and 86+ reviews—and it also delivered the strongest performance in our tests. User reviews reflect our findings.

Notably, New Tab Notes has the highest user rating in the Chrome Web Store at 4.70, which supports its strong performance in our review.

In the end, the differences between these extensions are minimal, so your choice may come down to personal preference or specific features.


  • Looking for the richest feature set? GPT Reader stands out with a rating of 9.2. On the other hand, New Tab Notes lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.7.
  • Need top performance? New Tab Notes stands out with a rating of 8.8. On the other hand, GPT Reader lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.3.
  • Design lovers, take note: GPT Reader stands out with a rating of 9. On the other hand, New Tab Notes lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.5.
  • Want to get the most for your money? GPT Reader stands out with a rating of 8.9. On the other hand, New Tab Notes lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.7.
  • If you hate complicated tools, GPT Reader stands out with a rating of 8.7. On the other hand, New Tab Notes lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.5.
  • With privacy and security becoming ever more important, GPT Reader stands out with a rating of 9.7. On the other hand, New Tab Notes lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.2.

If you want a quick recommendation, GPT Reader is our top pick. But as always, the best choice depends on what matters most to you.