Best Free Alternatives to Momentum: 7 Options That Don't Lock Features
Frustrated by Momentum's paywalls? Discover 7 free alternatives that offer weather, focus mode, and todos without premium subscriptions.
Momentum's beautiful new tab page attracted millions of users. But over time, more features moved behind the $5/month paywall. Weather? Premium. Focus mode? Premium. Full customization? Premium.
If you're tired of "upgrade to unlock" messages, here are 7 free alternatives that give you what Momentum charges for.
Why Users Are Leaving Momentum
The Premium Creep Problem
Features that moved to premium over time:
| Feature | Before | Now |
|---|---|---|
| Weather | Free | Premium ($5/mo) |
| Focus Mode | Free | Premium ($5/mo) |
| Integrations | Partial | Premium ($5/mo) |
| Themes | Free | Premium ($5/mo) |
| Custom Photos | Free | Premium ($5/mo) |
Common Complaints
- "I just want to see the weather without paying"
- "Focus mode is basic functionality, why charge?"
- "The free version feels like a demo now"
- "Too many 'upgrade' prompts"
What Users Want (Free)
- Beautiful wallpapers
- Weather display
- Todo list
- Timer/Pomodoro
- Focus mode
- No account required
- Privacy respected
Let's find alternatives that deliver.
The 7 Best Free Momentum Alternatives
1. Dream Afar — Best Overall Alternative
Why it's #1: Everything free, forever. No premium tier exists.
Free features (that Momentum charges for):
- ✅ Weather widget
- ✅ Focus mode with site blocking
- ✅ Pomodoro timer
- ✅ Full todo list
- ✅ Custom photo uploads
- ✅ Multiple wallpaper sources
- ✅ Notes widget
Additional advantages:
- Google Earth View wallpapers
- Unsplash integration
- Local-only data storage
- No account required
- No upgrade prompts
What you get vs. Momentum:
| Feature | Dream Afar (Free) | Momentum (Free) | Momentum (Premium) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weather | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Focus Mode | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Timer | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Todos | ✅ Full | Limited | ✅ |
| Custom Photos | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
Rating: 9.5/10
2. Tabliss — Best Open Source Alternative
Why choose it: Fully open source, auditable code, community-driven.
Free features:
- ✅ Weather widget
- ✅ Unsplash wallpapers
- ✅ Notes
- ✅ Quick links
- ✅ Search bar
- ✅ Custom CSS
Missing (vs. Dream Afar):
- ❌ No todo list
- ❌ No timer
- ❌ No focus mode
Best for: Developers, open source advocates, Firefox users
Rating: 7.5/10
3. Bonjourr — Best Minimalist Alternative
Why choose it: Ultra-clean, distraction-free design.
Free features:
- ✅ Weather
- ✅ Unsplash wallpapers
- ✅ Notes
- ✅ Quick links
- ✅ Search
- ✅ Greeting customization
Missing:
- ❌ No todo list
- ❌ No timer
- ❌ No focus mode
Best for: Minimalists who want simplicity over features
Rating: 7/10
4. Infinity New Tab — Best for Customization
Why choose it: Extensive layout options and bookmark management.
Free features:
- ✅ Weather
- ✅ Todo list
- ✅ Notes
- ✅ Bookmarks grid
- ✅ Multiple layouts
- ✅ Search
Missing:
- ❌ No timer
- ❌ No focus mode
- Some features premium
Best for: Power users who want customization
Rating: 7/10
5. Homey — Best Design Alternative
Why choose it: Beautiful aesthetics, curated wallpapers.
Free features:
- ✅ Weather
- ✅ Basic todos
- ✅ Curated wallpapers
- ✅ Clean interface
Missing:
- ❌ No timer
- ❌ No focus mode
- ❌ Limited free wallpapers
Best for: Users who prioritize visual design
Rating: 6.5/10
6. Leoh New Tab — Best for Beautiful Photos
Why choose it: Stunning photography focus.
Free features:
- ✅ Beautiful photos
- ✅ Quick links
- ✅ Search
- ✅ Simple, clean
Missing:
- ❌ No weather
- ❌ No todos
- ❌ No timer
- ❌ No focus mode
Best for: Users who want photos without distractions
Rating: 6/10
7. Start.me — Best for Bookmark Organization
Why choose it: Dashboard-style with widgets and bookmarks.
Free features:
- ✅ Weather
- ✅ Bookmarks
- ✅ RSS feeds
- ✅ Notes
- ✅ Search
Missing:
- ❌ Less beautiful wallpapers
- ❌ No timer
- ❌ Account required
Best for: Users who need bookmark/link organization
Rating: 6/10
Comparison Table
Feature Comparison
| Extension | Weather | Todos | Timer | Focus Mode | Notes | Free |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dream Afar | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | 100% |
| Tabliss | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | 100% |
| Bonjourr | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | 100% |
| Infinity | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | 90% |
| Homey | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | 70% |
| Leoh | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | 100% |
| Start.me | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | 80% |
Privacy Comparison
| Extension | Storage | Account | Tracking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dream Afar | Local | No | None |
| Tabliss | Local | No | None |
| Bonjourr | Local | No | None |
| Infinity | Local/Cloud | Optional | Some |
| Homey | Cloud | Optional | Some |
| Leoh | Local | No | Minimal |
| Start.me | Cloud | Yes | Some |
The Clear Winner: Dream Afar
Why Dream Afar Beats Every Alternative
vs. Tabliss: Dream Afar has todos, timer, and focus mode vs. Bonjourr: Dream Afar has more productivity features vs. Infinity: Dream Afar has timer and focus mode vs. Homey: Dream Afar is 100% free with more features vs. Leoh: Dream Afar has weather, todos, timer, focus mode vs. Start.me: Dream Afar doesn't require an account
Feature Parity with Momentum Premium
Dream Afar (free) includes everything Momentum charges $5/month for:
| Momentum Premium Feature | Dream Afar |
|---|---|
| Weather | ✅ Free |
| Focus Mode | ✅ Free |
| Themes | ✅ Free |
| Custom Photos | ✅ Free |
| Full Todos | ✅ Free |
| Integrations | ❌ Not available |
The only thing Momentum Premium offers that Dream Afar doesn't: third-party integrations (Todoist, Asana). If you don't use those, Dream Afar provides everything else for free.
Switching from Momentum
Quick Migration Guide
Step 1: Install your new extension
- Dream Afar (recommended)
- Or any alternative from this list
Step 2: Transfer your data
- Copy any todos to the new extension
- Note important settings
Step 3: Disable Momentum
- Go to
chrome://extensions - Find Momentum
- Toggle OFF or click "Remove"
Step 4: Cancel subscription (if applicable)
- If you're paying for Momentum Plus, cancel through your payment method
Step 5: Enjoy your new tab
- No more "upgrade" prompts!
FAQ
Is Dream Afar really free?
Yes. There's no premium tier. Every feature is available immediately.
Why is Dream Afar free when Momentum charges?
Different business models. Dream Afar is created by developers who believe productivity tools should be accessible to everyone.
Will Dream Afar start charging later?
The extension has no infrastructure for payments. All data is stored locally. There's no account system to monetize.
Is my data safe with these alternatives?
Dream Afar, Tabliss, and Bonjourr store all data locally on your device. No cloud storage means no data to breach.
What if I need Todoist integration?
Unfortunately, only Momentum offers this (premium). However, you can use Todoist's own browser extension alongside Dream Afar.
Final Recommendation
For Most Users: Dream Afar
If you want everything Momentum offers (and more) for free:
- Weather ✅
- Focus mode ✅
- Timer ✅ (Momentum doesn't have this!)
- Todos ✅
- Beautiful wallpapers ✅
- Privacy ✅
- No upgrade prompts ✅
For Open Source Needs: Tabliss
If open source is non-negotiable, Tabliss is excellent (just without productivity features).
For Extreme Minimalism: Bonjourr
If you want the absolute minimum, Bonjourr delivers clean simplicity.
Related Articles
- Chrome New Tab Extensions Compared
- Dream Afar vs Momentum: Complete Comparison
- Dream Afar vs Tabliss
- Privacy-First New Tab Extensions Ranked
Done with Momentum's paywalls? Install Dream Afar free →
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