Compare New Tab Notes and A Fine Start: Which Extension is the Best?

	New Tab Notes	A Fine Start
	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. New Tab Note Taking	A Fine Start is a minimalistic new tab page extension for Chrome, offering a clean list of links, customizable themes, and optional syncing for a streamlined browsing experience. New Tab Productivity
Key Features	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.	Minimal Text Links: Presents links in a clean, simple list. Groups: Organize links into customizable groups. Drag-and-Drop Sorting: Easily rearrange links and groups. Group Folding: Collapse groups to save space. Dark Mode: Switch to a darker theme for low-light environments. Multiple Themes: Choose from various themes to suit your style. Restore Points: Save and restore your setup. Optional Syncing Account: Sync bookmarks across devices with a premium account.
Our Rating	8.6	8.7
Total users	1,232	1,602
Total ratings	16	52
Average rating	4.7 ⭐	4.3 ⭐
Entry Level Price	Free	Free
Chrome	4.4 15 ratings 1.0K+Users	4.9 19 ratings 1.0K+Users
Edge	5.0 1 ratings 232Users	3.4 5 ratings 368Users
Firefox	-	4.6 28 ratings 234Users
Safari	-	-
Features	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. 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. 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. 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. 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.	8.0 A Fine Start offers features for users looking for a minimalist approach to managing their new tab. Organizing links into groups and sorting them via drag-and-drop allows for a tidy and efficient workspace to stay focused. Some functions must first be activated in the settings. For example, groups can be collapsed to hide sections that are not needed at the moment. In addition, all pages from an entire group can be opened simultaneously with one click. The optional sync account, available with the premium subscription, is a valuable addition for users working with multiple devices and ensures that their bookmarks are always up to date. Overall, the feature set is designed for minimalism. However, we still see potential here for a few more minimalist functions, such as a simple note-taking option.
Performance	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.	9.7 In terms of performance, we did not notice any problems during the test. No slow loading times or anything similar were detected, even when opening groups with a high number of bookmarks, these were always opened immediately. Overall, A Fine Start offered impressive performance here.
Design	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.	8.2 The design of A Fine Start is characterized by a clean and minimalist aesthetic that emphasizes focused work. The design is very intuitive and you can choose from basic themes, including dark mode. From our point of view, even though the design is meant to be minimalistic, it could be a little more customizable for the user. For example, it would be handy if you could move the groups around the website flexibly, as they can currently only be moved to certain predefined positions. A very rarely seen and positive aspect is a function in the settings. The extension offers the option of hiding the button for premium advertising and the footer on the New Tab page.
Value for Money	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.	8.7 A Fine Start offers all functions in the free version, only the cross-device synchronization is an added value of the premium subscription. For most users, the price-performance ratio of the free version is therefore perfect. However, users for whom synchronization is important may wonder whether just this one function is worth the cost of the premium model. There is still potential here to include other minimalist functions such as those offered by competitors to offer even more added value.
Ease of Use	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.	8.3 A Fine Start offers a straightforward setup process. The drag-and-drop functionality for organizing links is intuitive, allowing users to quickly rearrange their bookmarks to suit their needs. Setting up the required bookmarks initially takes a little time, and a function for transferring bookmarks already in the browser could simplify the whole process. The additional functions that are initially somewhat hidden in the settings may also not be found directly by all users. Overall, the existing functions and the setup are easy to use, but there is still room for improvement.
Security & Privacy	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.	9.5 A Fine Start attaches great importance to security and data protection. The extension collects only minimal personal data and focuses only on what is necessary for the core functions. The privacy policy is transparent and makes it clear that data is not sold to third parties. The optional premium subscription requires an account, otherwise, not even an account is needed.
Conclusion	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.	A Fine Start is a well-designed tool for anyone who just wants to have their bookmarks sorted on their new tab page. Its focus on privacy and user-friendly features makes it a perfect choice in this area. While the free version offers a wealth of features, the premium subscription adds little value. Overall, A Fine Start is a good choice for users who want to stay focused and have a New Tab page without a lot of distractions.
	Install New Tab Notes	Install A Fine Start
Our Recommendation	In our comparison between New Tab Notes and A Fine Start, A Fine Start came out on top, scoring 8.7. A Fine Start is the most widely used, with over 2k users and 52+ 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? New Tab Notes stands out with a rating of 8.7. On the other hand, A Fine Start lags behind in this area with a rating of 8. Need top performance? A Fine Start stands out with a rating of 9.7. On the other hand, New Tab Notes lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.8. Design lovers, take note: New Tab Notes stands out with a rating of 8.5. On the other hand, A Fine Start lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.2. Best deal? You can't go wrong with either: New Tab Notes and A Fine Start. In the Value for Money category, New Tab Notes has scored a good 8.7. It offers solid value for the price, though it may not be the best deal available. If you hate complicated tools, New Tab Notes stands out with a rating of 8.5. On the other hand, A Fine Start lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.3. With privacy and security becoming ever more important, A Fine Start stands out with a rating of 9.5. On the other hand, New Tab Notes lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.2. If you want a quick recommendation, A Fine Start is our top pick. But as always, the best choice depends on what matters most to you.