Compare New Tab Notes and Urban VPN Proxy: Which Extension is the Best?

	New Tab Notes	Urban VPN Proxy
	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	Urban VPN Proxy offers a free VPN service with additional integrated functions such as adblocking. There are only concerns about the comprehensive data collection. VPN 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.	IP Address Masking: Allows users to change their IP location to any of the 77 available countries. Ad-Blocking: Protects against annoying ads and mining websites. Encryption: Complies with the latest OpenVPN standards for secure browsing. No Additional Software Required: Easy installation as a browser extension. Free Service: Offers a vast network of 530+ VPN servers without a subscription fee.
Our Rating	8.6	7.4
Total users	1,232	6,463,814
Total ratings	16	56,408
Average rating	4.7 ⭐	4.4 ⭐
Entry Level Price	Free	Free
Chrome	4.4 15 ratings 1.0K+Users	4.7 53.0K+ ratings 5.0M+Users
Edge	5.0 1 ratings 232Users	4.4 946 ratings 1.3M+Users
Firefox	-	4.2 2.5K+ ratings 154.7K+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. 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 Several features are included in the free Urban VPN Proxy. The most obvious is IP address masking, which allows VPN access to servers in over 80 countries. An adblocking function is also integrated as an add-on, which reduces unwanted advertising while surfing and also protects against mining websites. However, advanced security features such as a kill switch or multi-hop connections, which are available in some premium VPNs, are missing here, probably due to the free version.
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.	5.5 The performance of Urban VPN Proxy was good at the beginning of the tests, the connection speed and server availability were also okay, but could be even better in our tests. Especially at peak times, when the server load is high, you notice a sharp drop in speed. After longer testing, the connection drops and throttled speeds became more and more frequent at peak times. The performance may still be sufficient for occasional users, but those who need a stable connection will not find what they are looking for with the free extension.
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.	8.0 The design of Urban VPN Proxy is clear and simple. Every user is immediately shown the basic functions and these can be switched on and off directly as required. The design could be a little more customizable and generally look a little more modern.
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.	8.0 Urban VPN Proxy is free and has a good price-performance ratio. With access to over 530 servers without a subscription fee, it's perfect for any basic user. You also get additional functions such as adblocking for free. However, it should be noted and clear to everyone that you “pay” for the use by saving your tracked data through the extension.
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 Urban VPN Proxy is a very easy-to-use tool overall. The installation process is quick and uncomplicated, and you can start establishing a VPN connection immediately after installation. Every user should have no problems with it, only the performance problems can cause some users to despair.
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.	6.0 Urban VPN Proxy offers basic encryption according to OpenVPN standards. Due to the VPN function, you initially browse the websites anonymously. At the same time, however, the service collects precisely this web browsing data for itself. The data is collected in an anonymized format. The browser extension also lacks a clear no-logs policy and other advanced security functions, which also affects the rating in this category.
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.	Urban VPN Proxy is a perfect choice for those looking for a free VPN service with basic features. It stands out for its ease of use and offers a wide range of server locations. The only drawback is the extensive data collection. After all, this is explicitly pointed out several times before use and active consent is required. Overall, the service offers good value for money. However, if you want to use a VPN because of the anonymity on the Internet, you will have to use a different option due to the extensive data collection.
	Install New Tab Notes	Install Urban VPN Proxy
Our Recommendation	In our comparison between New Tab Notes and Urban VPN Proxy, New Tab Notes came out on top, scoring 8.6. Urban VPN Proxy is the most widely used, with over 6 million users and 56k+ reviews, but New Tab Notes outperformed it in our review. User reviews for New Tab Notes reflect our findings, while we rate Urban VPN Proxy lower than users do. 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. There are some noticeable differences between these extensions, so it's worth considering your priorities and the details below. Looking for the richest feature set? New Tab Notes stands out with a rating of 8.7. On the other hand, Urban VPN Proxy lags behind in this area with a rating of 8. Need top performance? New Tab Notes stands out with a rating of 8.8. On the other hand, Urban VPN Proxy lags behind in this area with a rating of 5.5. Design lovers, take note: New Tab Notes stands out with a rating of 8.5. On the other hand, Urban VPN Proxy lags behind in this area with a rating of 8. Want to get the most for your money? New Tab Notes stands out with a rating of 8.7. On the other hand, Urban VPN Proxy lags behind in this area with a rating of 8. If you hate complicated tools, Urban VPN Proxy 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, Urban VPN Proxy lags behind in this area with a rating of 6. If you want a quick recommendation, New Tab Notes is our top pick. But as always, the best choice depends on what matters most to you.