Leaf browser extension or horse browser, which is the best option to enhance your work efficiency? Let’s find out in this article.
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Leaf browser Extension
Leaf browser is a Google Chrome extension, first launched as a Chrome app by Sam Lanning in 2016. Later in 2018, the extension for Leaf browser was also launched by a Child developer. This extension is a continuation of the Leaf Browser Alpha project.
This extension has various features that can help you to make your work easier. Some features of the Leaf browser extension are:
1. Hierarchical tab management system: With this feature, you can hierarchically organize your browser tabs like a tree-like structure. Hierarchy means arranging things in the correct order from lowest to highest. Ex: Tabs> subtabs> sub subtabs.
2. Color coding: You can color code your tabs, which means you can change the color of your tabs for better visualization.
3. Pin and retitle tabs: You can easily pin and retitle your tabs in the tab settings. By pinning tabs, you can easily find your important tabs, and if you don’t want to pin, you can simply rename your tab title and give it an attractive name.
4. Turns off inactive tabs: This performance-based extension closes all the inactive tabs in the browser, which helps you to save your browser memory and speed up things.
5. Sidebar for tabs: It has a dedicated sidebar of tabs, allowing you to access your tabs more easily; it also hierarchically organizes your tabs, so you easily find your important tabs.
6. Allows you to access restricted sites: This extension allows you to access websites that are restricted in your region or country. Students especially use this extension to access these sites.
These are some features that make this extension a top choice for any internet user to enhance their browsing experience. But along with the features, it has some drawbacks:
- This extension is only available for Chromebook or ChromeOS.
- Can create compatibility issues with other browsers.
- Is inactive since 2018 and has not been updated.
Horse Browser
Horse Browser, a stand-alone browser launched on October 29, 2024, by Pascal Pixel, is a Chromium-based browser specially made for researchers and professionals.
This browser is paid to use and is a minimalist web browser that has various features.
Horse browser features:
1. Trails: This browser has a special feature known as trails, which replaces your traditional browsing tabs. Trails are nested groups of pages that visually map your browsing journey. Through trails, you can organize your pages hierarchically, and it also has a dedicated sidebar for the trails. There’s more; you can rename the trails or assign an emoji or icon.
Users can also organize their trails just by a simple drag and drop. Trails help researchers for better visualization of tabs and organize tabs more cleanly.
2. Ad blocker: It has an inbuilt ad blocker that protects its users from unwanted ads. Plus, it also blocks malware and harmful websites to protect your privacy.
3. Search in your favorite search engine: It allows you to select and search from your favorite or preferred search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, and more.
4. Dark mode: This allows you to work and read in a dark environment. If you have a problem with light, then you can use the dark mode.
5. Operating system support: Works on Windows, macOS, and Linux without any compatibility issues.
Drawbacks:
- Is paid to use. $60/year
- Is a closed source browser.
So, which one is best?
The Leaf browser extension is a free-to-use extension, and on the other hand, Horse browser is a paid-to-use browser. If we compare both browsers and find out which one is best, then no doubt the horse browser has the upper hand.
Horse Browser is a stand-alone Chromium-based browser that receives time-to-time updates, and it is supported in multiple operating systems.
On the other hand, Leaf Browser is a Chrome extension that has not been updated since 2018. Although there are other versions of this, like the Leaf browser Clone, but they also have compatibility issues.
Plus, this extension is only supported in Chromebook and Chrome OS environments.
So, should you use the Horse browser?
Well, it depends because you have to pay for it. The price for the browser was $20 per year or $60 lifetime, and now, when I checked, it has changed to $60 per year with a 7-day trial.
I have also encountered some issues regarding the price because when I checked their pricing page, it showed $60 per year with a 7-day trial, and when I navigated to their payment page, it showed €60.00 per year after. Maybe there is confusion between dollars and euros, or maybe it’s a glitch.
I think the browser is not worth the price, seeing its features. Yeah, the trials are a good feature for better visualization, but aside from that, the browser is pretty basic with no extra value.
In the era of free browsers like Google Chrome, Bing, Vivaldi, and more browsers, I don’t think Horse Browser is going to stand out with its paid plan. Many free options and extensions are available that can do the job without any further questions, so we don’t suggest using the Horse browser if you are just a normal internet user.
Horse browsers target users who prefer a clutter-free environment while doing their work, and maybe they will prefer to pay for using the Horse Browser.
As a closed-source browser with no investors, the developing team may need money to continue with the project, so maybe they are charging this amount. Plus, the browser is free of ads, so maybe users will prefer to pay to experience ad-free browsing, but there’s always an alternative.
In the end, if you are a normal user, we don’t suggest you use Horse browser, and you can go up with the Leaf Browser web extension or any other browser or extension you prefer.