Zen Browser is the customizable Firefox I've been waiting for - here's why

Jack Wallen/ZDNET

I've been a fan of Firefox for a long time. However, a few years ago, I dropped it as my default browser because I found its tab management lacking. On top of that, the browser was missing some other UI customizations. 

Plus, it's been nearly four years since the Firefox developers implemented a major tweak to the UI, which means Firefox is getting a bit stale. That's why, when the developers of Zen Browser reached out to me, my interest was piqued. 

Also: 5 Firefox-based, privacy-first web browsers that improve on the original

Zen Browser is based on Firefox ESR 128. But for those who don't know, Firefox ESR is an extended-release candidate, which means it'll be supported for much longer than the standard release. What Zen Browser does with Firefox is impressive because it brings it almost in line with my favorite browser, Arc. 

Zen tweaks Firefox by making use of a sidebar but also (and finally) adding better tab management via Workspaces similar to Opera's. That feature alone makes Zen Browser superior to Firefox (and a worthy option to replace my current default).

Zen Browser includes the following improvements to Firefox:

A highly customizable UIVertical tabsSplit viewsWorkspaces for improved tab managementCustomizable sidebarZen Glance (similar to Little Arc)OCSP enabledHTTPS only modeZen Mods to add even more features

When you add those features on top of Firefox ESR, you have the makings of a pretty sweet browser. 

I've been using Zen Browser for a while now, and I can't imagine going back to Firefox. I'm also starting to believe it could easily overtake Opera as my default on Linux.

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One really cool feature I've been exploring with Zen is the Zen Mode. Through the Zen Mods store, you can install a long list of modifications that help make Zen Browser even better. Some mods are as simple as making your current tab stand out better, while others can be a bit more complicated. I've added Zen Mods such as:

Drop Shadow - adds a drop shadow to the website view panel.Better Active Tab - adds a bright line next to the active tab.Better Letterboxing - a theme-friendly rounded letterbox for the UI.Cleaned URL bar - cleans up the Zen Browser URL bar.Floating Toolbar - detaches the toolbar from the edge of the browser.Super URL Bar - several tweaks to the URL bar Jack Wallen/ZDNET

You could spend a decent amount of time adding Zen Mods to the browser until you're zenned out.

Outside of all the tweaks Zen Browser has added to Firefox, it's just a good browser. It renders pages accurately and quickly, performs well, and has the usual Firefox built-in security.

What's not to like?

Installing Zen Browser

Zen Browser is available for Linux, MacOS, and Windows. You can download an installer for each from the official Zen Browser download page. When you download an installer, you can choose from an Optimized or Generic version. 

I would recommend you go with the Optimized option because it's faster and compatible with modern hardware. For MacOS, there are installers for both Apple Silicon and Intell-based systems. On Linux, you can run Zen Browser as an AppImage, a Portable version (that doesn't actually install), or as a Flatpak app. I recommend going with the AppImage version because if you go with Flatpak you're limited to the Generic option. For the AppImage version, all you have to do is open a terminal and run the command:

Also: 5 ways Arc browser makes browsing the web fun again

Outside of Arc, I haven't been this impressed with a web browser in a long time. So if you want the tab management of Opera, but the security and reliability of Firefox, get your zen on and give this browser a try. I promise you won't regret it.