Dream Afar vs Tabliss: Which New Tab Extension Is Right for You?
Compare Dream Afar and Tabliss new tab extensions. Both are free and privacy-focused, but they serve different needs. Find out which is best for you.
Dream Afar and Tabliss are both free, privacy-focused new tab extensions. But they take different approaches — Dream Afar focuses on productivity features, while Tabliss prioritizes open source simplicity.
This comparison helps you choose the right one for your needs.
Quick Summary
| Factor | Dream Afar | Tabliss |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Wallpapers | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Todos | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Timer | ✅ Pomodoro | ❌ No |
| Focus Mode | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Notes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Open Source | No | Yes |
| Privacy | Excellent | Excellent |
TL;DR: Choose Dream Afar for productivity features. Choose Tabliss if open source is essential.
Detailed Comparison
Wallpapers
Dream Afar:
- Unsplash integration (millions of photos)
- Google Earth View (satellite imagery)
- Curated collections (nature, architecture, abstract)
- Custom photo uploads
- Multiple refresh options (per-tab, hourly, daily)
Tabliss:
- Unsplash integration
- Giphy backgrounds (animated)
- Solid colors and gradients
- Custom image URLs
- Per-tab refresh
Winner: Dream Afar — Google Earth View + curated collections provide more variety
Productivity Features
Todo List
| Feature | Dream Afar | Tabliss |
|---|---|---|
| Todo widget | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Add tasks | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Complete tasks | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Persistent storage | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
Winner: Dream Afar — Has todos; Tabliss doesn't
Timer / Pomodoro
| Feature | Dream Afar | Tabliss |
|---|---|---|
| Timer widget | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Pomodoro sessions | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Break reminders | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
Winner: Dream Afar — Has timer; Tabliss doesn't
Focus Mode
| Feature | Dream Afar | Tabliss |
|---|---|---|
| Website blocking | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Blocklist | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Focus sessions | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
Winner: Dream Afar — Has focus mode; Tabliss doesn't
Notes
| Feature | Dream Afar | Tabliss |
|---|---|---|
| Notes widget | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Persistent storage | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
Winner: Tie — Both have functional notes
Core Widgets Comparison
| Widget | Dream Afar | Tabliss |
|---|---|---|
| Time/Clock | ✅ | ✅ |
| Date | ✅ | ✅ |
| Weather | ✅ | ✅ |
| Greeting | ✅ | ✅ |
| Search | ✅ | ✅ |
| Quick Links | ✅ | ✅ |
| Notes | ✅ | ✅ |
| Todos | ✅ | ❌ |
| Timer | ✅ | ❌ |
| Focus Mode | ✅ | ❌ |
Winner: Dream Afar — More widgets available
Privacy Comparison
Both extensions excel at privacy:
| Aspect | Dream Afar | Tabliss |
|---|---|---|
| Data storage | Local only | Local only |
| Account required | No | No |
| Tracking | None | None |
| Analytics | None | None |
| Permissions | Minimal | Minimal |
Winner: Tie — Both are privacy-first
Open Source
Dream Afar:
- Not open source
- Closed source but transparent practices
- Clear privacy documentation
Tabliss:
- Fully open source (GitHub)
- MIT license
- Community contributions welcome
- Code auditable by anyone
Winner: Tabliss — For those who value open source
Why Open Source Matters (to Some)
- Auditability: Anyone can verify the code
- Trust: No hidden behaviors
- Community: Users can contribute
- Longevity: Community can maintain if developer stops
Why Open Source Might Not Matter (to Others)
- Privacy is verifiable: Network tab shows no tracking
- Functionality matters more: Features over source access
- Reputation: Established extensions are generally trustworthy
Customization
Dream Afar:
- Widget enable/disable
- Widget positioning
- Wallpaper source selection
- Collection choosing
- Timer settings
- Focus mode configuration
Tabliss:
- Widget enable/disable
- Widget ordering
- Background source selection
- Many display options
- Custom CSS (advanced)
Winner: Tie — Different customization approaches
Browser Support
| Browser | Dream Afar | Tabliss |
|---|---|---|
| Chrome | ✅ | ✅ |
| Edge | ✅ | ✅ |
| Brave | ✅ | ✅ |
| Firefox | ❌ | ✅ |
| Safari | ❌ | ❌ |
Winner: Tabliss — Firefox support
Performance
| Metric | Dream Afar | Tabliss |
|---|---|---|
| Load time | ~200ms | ~150ms |
| Memory usage | ~50MB | ~40MB |
| Bundle size | Medium | Small |
Winner: Tabliss — Slightly lighter
Both are well-optimized and won't slow your browser.
User Experience
Dream Afar:
- Polished, modern interface
- Intuitive settings
- Consistent design language
- Good defaults
Tabliss:
- Clean, functional interface
- More technical settings
- Developer-friendly
- Good defaults
Winner: Subjective — Dream Afar is more polished; Tabliss is more developer-oriented
Use Case Recommendations
Choose Dream Afar If:
✅ You want todo list functionality ✅ You want a Pomodoro timer ✅ You want focus mode with site blocking ✅ You want Google Earth View wallpapers ✅ You prefer a polished interface ✅ Productivity features matter more than open source
Choose Tabliss If:
✅ Open source is essential to you ✅ You need Firefox support ✅ You prefer minimal resource usage ✅ You want custom CSS options ✅ You don't need productivity features ✅ You want to contribute to the project
Side-by-Side Screenshots
New Tab View
Dream Afar: Full-featured dashboard with wallpaper, time, weather, todos, and timer all visible.
Tabliss: Clean display with wallpaper, time, weather, and customizable widgets.
Settings
Dream Afar: Visual settings panels with clear options for each feature.
Tabliss: Technical settings with more granular control, including custom CSS.
Migration Guide
From Tabliss to Dream Afar
- Note any important settings in Tabliss
- Install Dream Afar
- Configure wallpaper source (Unsplash collections)
- Enable desired widgets
- Set up todos and timer
- Disable Tabliss in
chrome://extensions
From Dream Afar to Tabliss
- Export or note your todos
- Install Tabliss from Chrome Web Store
- Configure wallpaper source
- Enable desired widgets
- Note: You'll lose todos, timer, and focus mode
- Disable Dream Afar in
chrome://extensions
Final Verdict
Feature Comparison Summary
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Wallpapers | Dream Afar |
| Productivity | Dream Afar |
| Privacy | Tie |
| Open Source | Tabliss |
| Browser Support | Tabliss |
| Performance | Tabliss (slight) |
| User Experience | Dream Afar |
Overall Recommendation
For most users: Dream Afar
The productivity features (todos, timer, focus mode) provide genuine daily value. Unless open source is a hard requirement, Dream Afar offers more functionality.
For developers/open source advocates: Tabliss
If you value auditable code and community-driven development, Tabliss is the clear choice. It's well-maintained and does its job well.
The Honest Answer
Both are excellent, free, privacy-respecting extensions. You can't go wrong with either. The decision comes down to:
- Need productivity tools? → Dream Afar
- Need open source? → Tabliss
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- Best Free New Tab Extensions for Chrome 2025
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