Compare Tab Notes and Save to Pocket: Which Extension is the Best?

Tab Notes lets you jot down notes right in your browser tabs. It's got an easy-to-use interface and works smoothly, making it a great tool for anyone looking to boost their productivity.
Save to Pocket is a browser extension that lets you save articles, videos, and more. With over 2 M+ users, it promises a cross-device reading experience for perfect organization. But does it deliver?
Key Features
  • In-Browser Note-Taking: Tab Notes excels in allowing users to take notes directly within their browser, eliminating the need to switch between applications.
  • Synchronization: The ability to sync notes across multiple devices ensures that users have access to their notes wherever they go, though this feature is limited to the premium version.
  • Customizable Interface: While the interface is clean and user-friendly, it offers limited customization options, which could be expanded to enhance user experience.
  • Open Source: The code can be read in full on GitHub
  • One-Click Saving: Save articles, videos, and more with a single click.
  • Cross-Device Sync: Access your saved content across all your devices.
  • Tagging System: Organize your saved items with tags.
  • Clean Reading Environment: Enjoy a distraction-free space to read your saved content.
  • Pocket Premium: Offers additional features like custom fonts, a permanent library, and unlimited highlights.
Our Rating
7.9
7.4
Total users
1,459
2,000,000
Total ratings
40
7,810
Average rating
4.8 ⭐
4.2 ⭐
Entry Level PriceFreeFree
Chrome
Chrome Web Store logo
5.0
5.0
7 ratings
1.0K+Users
Chrome Web Store logo
4.2
3.34
7.8K+ ratings
2.0M+Users
Edge
-
-
Firefox
Mozilla Firefox Add-ons Store logo
4.6
4.64
33 ratings
459Users
-
Safari
-
-
Features
7.0

In our tests, the functions of Tab Notes proved to be ideal for quickly creating notes directly in the browser. If you need to develop ideas or jot down information quickly while browsing, you don't have to jump back and forth between apps.

notes

Notes can be synchronized across different devices with GitHub gists to keep everything in one place.

There is a dark and light mode function, but we would like to see more customization options here.

The option to access your notes offline can also be an advantage. This also includes the export function, where the notes are exported as a text file.

txt

Functions such as “Customize: Edit font, font size and more” and “Styled text: Make your text bold, italicized or underlined.” are listed as features on Github. These were not found in our tests in the extension on Chrome and Firefox. We feel that this function is important to be able to structure the notes a little, which would further improve the extension.

7.2

Save to Pocket offers a range of useful functions.
The standard is that of saving websites with one click and subsequent cross-device synchronization. This worked almost in real-time in the test and is a strong advantage of the tool.

synchro

The tagging system is particularly helpful for anyone who wants to organize and find their tags. This did not always work perfectly in the test. Sometimes websites were tagged, but these did not appear in the search with a unique search term.

search

Compared to competitors such as Web-Highlights, the highlighting function is only possible after saving a website in the pocket and then searching there. It is not possible to highlight directly on the website.

highlight
Performance
7.5

In terms of performance, Tab Notes is fast and responsive. It doesn't take up any resources, so your browser runs smoothly. Only the settings selection page didn't work for us. Selected options could not be saved here.

6.0

The extension works when saving and synchronizing content on different devices. This happens almost in real-time.
However, there are performance problems with the login process, where the tab is closed on the first attempt without a login. It worked on the second attempt. There are many reports of problems with the login process in the reviews.
Searching for tags also did not work properly, 4 pages were tagged with “Web Clipper”, when searching for it only 2 pages were displayed again.

Design
8.0

The user interface is very clear and easy to use. We had no problems finding my way around and using the tool. In our test, we noticed that we would like to see a few more themes and color options. The layout is intentionally simple to minimize distractions, but it would be important to have different layout options for the font.

8.0

The extension has a clear and intuitive design. The distraction-free reading environment is a good feature. However, the login process could be a little clearer.

Value for Money
8.0

The price-performance ratio of Tab Notes is fine. The extension is completely free. Compared to other free tools, however, the functions and customization options are somewhat limited. However, if you are looking for a simple extension for short notes without any frills, you will find it here.

8.0

The free version offers basic functions that should be sufficient for many users. The premium version offers additional functions such as full-text searches or improved tagging. The price-performance ratio is fine for us but could be too high for many basic users if they only use it occasionally.

Ease of Use
8.2

We found Tab Notes to be super easy to use. Installation and subsequent navigation is a breeze, and you can get started straight away without needing a manual. Due to the small number of functions, it is suitable for anyone, no matter how tech-savvy they are, to take simple notes. Only the non-functioning of the settings page can confuse new users.

7.0

The tool is generally easy to use, but the lack of initial instructions can be a problem for new users. There are also recurring registration problems, which are reported by other users in the reviews.

Security & Privacy
8.5

Tab Notes uses standard encryption to protect your data. Advanced security options are not available. The privacy policy is also kept very simple and does not provide detailed information about data management. In general, the basic security and data protection guidelines are adhered to, but in our opinion they could be presented in more detail.

8.0

Save to Pocket uses industry-standard security measures, including encryption and firewalls. However, there could be stronger assurances regarding data security and liability for third-party services.

Conclusion

Tab Notes is a good tool for anyone who wants to write down ideas as a note as quickly as possible without having to sort them out too much.

Its intuitive and simple design increases productivity by reducing distractions when you just want to make a quick note. It could still be improved in areas such as customization and the number of features.

Overall, it's worth considering for anyone who wants to quickly collect notes and possibly sort them into another application later.

Save to Pocket is a tool for anyone who wants to save and organize web content efficiently.

Its cross-device synchronization makes it a valuable addition to your productivity toolkit. However, it does have some drawbacks, such as occasional login issues and a lack of detailed instructions. Beginners in particular may struggle here.

Overall, it's a solid choice for anyone who needs a reliable content storage solution.

Our Recommendation

In our comparison between Tab Notes and Save to Pocket, Tab Notes came out on top, scoring 7.9.

Save to Pocket is the most widely used, with over 2 million users and 8k+ reviews, but Tab Notes outperformed it in our review. We rate Tab Notes and Save to Pocket lower than users do.

Notably, Tab Notes has the highest user rating in the Chrome Web Store at 4.80, which is even higher than our rating of 7.9.

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? Save to Pocket stands out with a rating of 7.2. On the other hand, Tab Notes lags behind in this area with a rating of 7.
  • Need top performance? Tab Notes stands out with a rating of 7.5. On the other hand, Save to Pocket lags behind in this area with a rating of 6.
  • Both look and feel great: Tab Notes and Save to Pocket. In the Design category, Tab Notes has scored a solid 8. The design is functional and generally pleasing, but not without some minor flaws.
  • Best deal? You can't go wrong with either: Tab Notes and Save to Pocket. In the Value for Money category, Tab Notes has scored a fair 8. It provides decent value for money, though there may be better options in its price range.
  • If you hate complicated tools, Tab Notes stands out with a rating of 8.2. On the other hand, Save to Pocket lags behind in this area with a rating of 7.
  • With privacy and security becoming ever more important, Tab Notes stands out with a rating of 8.5. On the other hand, Save to Pocket lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.

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