Compare Momentum and Merlin AI: Which Extension is the Best?
Momentum transforms your new tab into a personalized dashboard with to-dos, weather, and inspiration. We tested it extensively and here's our honest review. | ||
| Key Features A summary of the most important features offered by each extension. |
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| Our Rating Tooltivity's expert review score for each extension, based on hands-on testing and research. | 8.7 Winner in this category | 8.4 |
| Total users Total active users across all major browsers: Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari. | 2,663,645 Winner in this category | 1,000,000 |
| Total ratings Total number of user ratings received across all supported browsers. | 14,714 Winner in this category | 8,802 |
| Average rating Average user rating across all browsers, calculated from available store ratings. | 4.3 ⭐ | 4.8 ⭐ Winner in this category |
| Entry Level Price The minimum price required to start using the extension. "Free" means a free tier is available. | Free | Free |
| Chrome User rating and stats for the extension on Chrome browser. |  4.5 4.17 Average Chrome Web Store rating from the last 100 reviews 2.0M+Users | 4.8 3.24 Average Chrome Web Store rating from the last 100 reviews 1.0M+Users Winner in this category |
| Edge User rating and stats for the extension on Edge browser. |  4.1 3.98 Average Microsoft Edge Store rating from the last 100 reviews 629.5K+Users Winner in this category | - |
| Firefox User rating and stats for the extension on Firefox browser. |  4.4 4.48 Average Mozilla Firefox Add-ons Store rating from the last 100 reviews 34.2K+Users Winner in this category | - |
| Safari User rating and stats for the extension on Safari browser. | - | - |
| Features Tooltivity's expert score for the 'Features' aspect of each extension. | 8.5 Momentum offers a comprehensive set of features that are both useful and easy to use. The focus mode and to-do list are particularly standout features, but some advanced functionalities are locked behind the premium plan. Winner in this category | 8.0 Merlin AI offers a variety of features including summarizing, writing, coding, diagramming and more. It supports multiple AI models such as GPT-4, Claude and Gemini and allows users to create custom AI chatbots and knowledge bases. The platform also integrates with the web and files in real time. However, some features, such as PDF summarization, are not as robust as those of specialized tools. It also lacks what we consider to be the important function of direct communication between AI and the current website. In addition, the function of direct communication between AI and the current website, which we consider important, is missing.  |
| Performance Tooltivity's expert score for the 'Performance' aspect of each extension. | 9.0 Momentum runs smoothly without any noticeable lag or performance issues. It integrates well with various browsers and does not slow down your browsing experience. Winner in this category | 7.5 Merlin is generally fast and responsive, but it can slow down browsers, especially on older hardware. There are occasional bugs and crashes, though the team releases frequent updates and improvements. |
| Design Tooltivity's expert score for the 'Design' aspect of each extension. | 9.0 The design is sleek and user-friendly. The customizable backgrounds in the premium plan and widgets make it visually appealing and easy to navigate. | 9.1 The design has a modern look and feel, with handy keyboard shortcuts and sidebar integration that make navigation easier. That said, the user interface can feel cluttered and overwhelming, especially for new users, and there are inconsistencies between the extension, web, and mobile versions.  Winner in this category |
| Value for Money Tooltivity's expert score for the 'Value for Money' aspect of each extension. | 8.7 The free version offers basic functions for creating to do lists and occasionally using the focus mode. The premium plan offers considerable added value with additional customizations and integrations. Winner in this category | 8.2 The free plan is generous for light users, offering a substantial daily quota and access to a wide range of basic features. The Pro plan is competitively priced, especially when compared to the cost of subscribing to multiple separate AI tools, and unlocks unlimited access to all models and advanced features. However, the absence of a free trial for premium features means users must commit before experiencing the full capabilities of Merlin AI. Additionally, some users report that the query system—where different models and features consume varying amounts of daily queries—can be confusing or feel restrictive, particularly for those trying to understand how far their usage will go on each plan. |
| Ease of Use Tooltivity's expert score for the 'Ease of Use' aspect of each extension. | 9.2 Momentum is straightforward to set up and use. The First Start Tour describes the basic functions to everyone in just a few steps so that you can work in a focused manner after just 2 minutes. The minimal learning curve makes it accessible for users of all skill levels. Winner in this category | 8.5 Getting started with Merlin AI is straightforward—installation is quick, and the onboarding process is simple enough for most users to begin using core features right away. However, the platform’s extensive feature set can be overwhelming at first, leading to a noticeable learning curve as users explore everything it offers. Some users have expressed confusion about how the daily query limits work, how different models are selected or switched, and which features are available on each plan. Occasional bugs and log-in issues can also disrupt the workflow, requiring users to troubleshoot or reach out to support. Overall, while Merlin AI is accessible, mastering its full capabilities may take some time and patience, especially for those new to AI tools. |
| Security & Privacy Tooltivity's expert score for the 'Security & Privacy' aspect of each extension. | 8.0 Momentum takes data protection seriously and offers the option of saving data locally. Nevertheless, some data is collected for functional purposes. | 9.3 Merlin does not sell user data to third parties and only uses data for core functionality. The privacy policy is transparent, but some users remain concerned about the amount of data collected and the permissions required. Winner in this category |
| Conclusion A summary of our findings and final thoughts for each extension. | Momentum is a fantastic choice for anyone looking to enhance their productivity with a visually appealing and functional new tab page. If you're okay with the basic features and don't mind the occasional upsell for premium features, Momentum can be a valuable addition to your productivity toolkit. With the premium plan, you can unlock even more customization options and integrations that can make your workflow smoother. Overall, Momentum is an excellent addition to any productivity toolkit. | Merlin AI is a powerful and versatile tool that can really boost the productivity of a wide range of users. The integration of multiple AI models and functions into a single extension is ideal for this p However, Merlin is not completely perfect. We encountered occasional bugs, inconsistencies in the user interface and some performance issues. Pricing can also be confusing, and some features are locked behind a paywall.. Overall, Merlin AI is a good choice for anyone looking for an all-in-one AI assistant for the browser - especially if you value having multiple AI models and tools in one place. |
| Our Recommendation | In our comparison between Momentum and Merlin AI, Momentum came out on top, scoring 8.7. Momentum is the most widely used, with over 3 million users and 15k+ reviews—and it also delivered the strongest performance in our tests. User reviews for Momentum reflect our findings, while we rate Merlin AI lower than users do. Notably, Merlin AI has the highest user rating in the Chrome Web Store at 4.80, which is even higher than our rating of 8.4. In the end, the differences between these extensions are minimal, so your choice may come down to personal preference or specific features.
If you want a quick recommendation, Momentum is our top pick. But as always, the best choice depends on what matters most to you. | |
