Compare Obsidian Web Clipper and New Tab Draft: Which Extension is the Best?

Obsidian Web Clipper is a browser extension that lets you save, highlight, and organize web content to your Obsidian vault with templates, hotkeys, metadata extraction, and local storage.
New Tab Draft transforms your new tab into a distraction-free writing space, perfect for quick notes and to-dos. It's simple, effective, and completely free, but lacks advanced features.
Key Features
  • Privacy-focusedSave anything: Capture entire pages, selected text, or main content
  • Highlight: Mark important passages that remain visible when revisiting pages
  • Templates: Customize how web pages are saved with automatic metadata extraction
  • Rules: Apply specific templates based on website patterns
  • Hotkeys: Quick save pages with keyboard shortcuts
  • Offline access: All content is stored locally in your Obsidian vault
  • Privacy focused: No data collection or third-party sharing
  • Simple Note-Taking: Create, pin, and lock multiple notes directly on your new tab page.
  • Local Storage: Ensures privacy by saving notes locally, not on the cloud.
  • Customization: Options to customize font and background.
  • Additional Tools: Includes calculations, auto-backup, and more.
  • Privacy Protection: No data is uploaded to any server.
Our Rating
8.5
8.2
Total users
278,335
13,006
Total ratings
526
1,176
Average rating
4.7 ⭐
4.7 ⭐
Entry Level PriceFreeFree
Chrome
Chrome Web Store logo
4.8
4.83
297 ratings
200.0K+Users
Chrome Web Store logo
4.8
4.44
1.2K+ ratings
9.0K+Users
Edge
Microsoft Edge Store logo
4.4
4.38
20 ratings
50.6K+Users
Microsoft Edge Store logo
4.6
4.53
16 ratings
4.0K+Users
Firefox
Mozilla Firefox Add-ons Store logo
4.9
4.89
209 ratings
27.7K+Users
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Safari
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Features
8.7

The extension offers a comprehensive set of features that cover all essential web clipping needs. The templating system is particularly powerful, allowing for automatic metadata extraction and custom formatting. The highlight feature works well, though we noticed some issues with certain websites. The ability to save different types of content (full page, selection, main content) provides flexibility. The hotkey system is well-implemented and customizable.

6.0

New Tab Draft offers basic note-taking functionality, local storage for privacy, and some customization options. However, it lacks advanced features like rich text formatting and cloud sync.

Performance
6.5

The direct clipping to Obsidian did not work properly in the test. Only the headline was saved; the rest was not. However, with the intermediate step, Clip to Clipboard and then paste, it works. The clipping process can be slow on certain websites. The highlight feature sometimes lags on content-heavy pages. The extension uses minimal system resources.

8.5

The extension is fast and efficient, with minimal lag or performance issues.

Design
8.9

The interface is clean and intuitive, following Obsidian's design language. The popup menu is well-organized and easy to navigate. The highlight interface is straightforward and user-friendly. The settings page is logically structured, though some advanced options could be better documented. The visual feedback during clipping operations is clear and helpful.

7.5

The design is simple and clean, with options for customization. However, it's not particularly aesthetic or modern.

Value for Money
9.7

The extension is completely free with all features included. There are no premium tiers or paid versions. The feature set is comprehensive and well-implemented. The value proposition is excellent compared to paid alternatives.

8.5

As a completely free tool, it offers good value for those who need basic note-taking features.

However, even though it's free, we don't see too much value in this tool. As there are similar free New Tab extensions out there, we can not give the highest rating.

Ease of Use
8.0

Basic usage is straightforward - just click the extension icon and select what to save. The highlight feature is intuitive and works well. However, setting up custom templates requires some technical knowledge. The learning curve for advanced features can be steep. The documentation could be more comprehensive for new users.

9.0

The tool is very straightforward with a minimal learning curve. Its simplicity is both a strength and a limitation.

Security & Privacy
9.5

The extension maintains excellent privacy standards. All data is stored locally in your Obsidian vault. No data is collected or shared with third parties. The extension doesn't require any special permissions. The code is open source, allowing for community review. The developer has a clear privacy policy.

9.5

All notes are stored locally, ensuring high privacy. There are no concerns about data being uploaded to the cloud.

Conclusion

The Obsidian Web Clipper is a powerful, privacy-friendly tool for saving web content. Its integration with Obsidian makes it particularly valuable for users of the note platform.

The current focus is still on issues with clipping certain content types and occasional performance issues, which need to be resolved. The robust features and commitment to privacy make it a top choice for storing web content once the issues are resolved.

For Obsidian users looking to improve their web research workflow, this extension is a must-have tool that delivers on its promise while maintaining user privacy and data control.

New Tab Draft is great for those who prefer a simple, no-frills note-taking tool. While it may not offer much beyond basic note-taking, its privacy features and ease of use make it a solid choice, especially since it's free.

User reviews are very good with an average of 4.8 stars in the Chrome Web Store. Many users love its simplicity and effectiveness. However, it might not provide enough value for those looking for more advanced features.

In our tests, we weren't fully convinced and found ourselves leaning toward more aesthetically pleasing New Tab Extensions that offer a few basic features.


Our Recommendation

In our comparison between Obsidian Web Clipper and New Tab Draft, Obsidian Web Clipper came out on top, scoring 8.5.

Obsidian Web Clipper is the most widely used, with over 278k users and 526+ reviews—and it also delivered the strongest performance in our tests. User reviews for Obsidian Web Clipper reflect our findings, while we rate New Tab Draft lower than users do.

Notably, Obsidian Web Clipper has the highest user rating in the Chrome Web Store at 4.69, 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.



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