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

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.
Grammarly is a comprehensive writing assistant offering real-time grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style suggestions. With over 44 million users, it’s a trusted tool for enhancing your writing.
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.
  • Grammar Checker: Detects and corrects grammatical errors.
  • Spelling Checker: Identifies and fixes spelling mistakes.
  • Punctuation Checker: Ensures proper punctuation usage.
  • Tone Detector: Analyzes the tone of your writing.
  • Auto-Citations: Generates citations for online sources.
  • Generative AI: Produces instant drafts, ideas, and replies.
Our Rating
8.6
8.8
Total users
1,232
54,568,609
Total ratings
16
47,132
Average rating
4.7 ⭐
4.2 ⭐
Entry Level PriceFreeFree
Chrome
Chrome Web Store logo
4.4
4.62
15 ratings
1.0K+Users
Chrome Web Store logo
4.5
3.70
42.8K+ ratings
39.0M+Users
Edge
Microsoft Edge Store logo
5.0
5.0
1 ratings
232Users
Microsoft Edge Store logo
3.9
3.69
1.1K+ ratings
14.9M+Users
Firefox
-
Mozilla Firefox Add-ons Store logo
4.1
4.15
3.2K+ ratings
663.7K+Users
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.

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.

9.5

Grammarly goes beyond basic grammar and spelling checks. It offers advanced features like tone detection, vocabulary enhancement, and generative AI capabilities. Compared to competitors, Grammarly provides a more comprehensive set of tools, making it a valuable asset for any writer.

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.

9.0

Grammarly performs well across different platforms, providing real-time suggestions without significant lag. The tool is reliable and helps improve writing efficiency.

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.

8.5

The design is clean and intuitive, making it easy to navigate. The color-coded underlines for suggestions are helpful, and the interface is user-friendly. However, some users might find the pop-ups slightly intrusive.

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.

8.5

While Grammarly offers a free version, the Premium plan is relatively expensive. However, the advanced features and comprehensive feedback justify the cost for those who need a robust writing assistant.

Grammarly is the priciest option for a reason—because, in our view, it's the best writing tool available in its category. If you're looking for the best writing assistant, go for the Premium plan, you won't regret it!

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.

9.0

Grammarly is straightforward to use, with a minimal learning curve. The browser extension integrates seamlessly with various platforms like Google Docs and Gmail, allowing you to get started right away.

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.

8.0

Grammarly takes privacy seriously, with stringent security measures in place. While an account is required, the company assures users that their data is not sold or made public. However, some users may still have concerns about data processing.

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.

In our eyes, Grammarly is the best choice for anyone who wants to write professional articles or other things in English.

Even though Grammarly has an expensice price tag, you can't get anything better on the market. We have been using Grammarly for a long time now. And even in the world of ChatGPT and other AI tools, Grammarly is just super handy and helpful. For us, the Premium plan is worth every penny.

This only applies as long as you are in the English-speaking world. If you need other languages, we would recommend LanguageTool instead.

Our Recommendation

In our comparison between New Tab Notes and Grammarly, Grammarly came out on top, scoring 8.8.

Grammarly is the most widely used, with over 55 million users and 47k+ 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? Grammarly stands out with a rating of 9.5. On the other hand, New Tab Notes lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.7.
  • Need top performance? Grammarly stands out with a rating of 9. On the other hand, New Tab Notes lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.8.
  • Both look and feel great: New Tab Notes and Grammarly. In the Design category, New Tab Notes has scored a very good 8.5. The design is appealing and generally effective, with a few minor areas for improvement.
  • Want to get the most for your money? New Tab Notes stands out with a rating of 8.7. On the other hand, Grammarly lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.5.
  • If you hate complicated tools, Grammarly 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.
  • With privacy and security becoming ever more important, New Tab Notes stands out with a rating of 8.2. On the other hand, Grammarly lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.

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