Transparent product comparison
Mist vs Tabliss: launchpad or widget canvas?
Mist keeps a short list of local new-tab functions. Tabliss offers a wide open-source selection of backgrounds and widgets. Both can be calm, but they reach that result differently.
Last verified July 25, 2026. Mist is our product; Tabliss is an independent third-party product. Official sources are linked below.
Method and disclosure
We compare visible purpose, documented features, limitations, data practices and intended use. We do not use a winner score, ratings, user counts or unverified pricing. Product details can change after the verification date.
| Criterion | Mist — Minimal New Tab | Tabliss |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | A small local shortcut launchpad with optional illustrated atmosphere. | An open-source canvas of backgrounds and configurable widgets. |
| Core features | Named shortcut groups and drag-and-drop ordering; Browser-default search; Clock, date, greeting and optional weather; Five base colors and five illustrated themes; JSON import and export | Quick links and search; Photo, animation, gradient and uploaded backgrounds; Clock, weather, todo, notes and other widgets; Custom CSS; Settings sync stated in the official listing |
| Advantages | No account or analytics; Narrow feature surface; Explicit local backup | Many background and widget choices; Open-source project; Official listing states no permissions are required |
| Limitations | Chrome only; No notes, tasks, timer or cloud account sync; Weather and favicons use documented external services | Widget choice can produce a busier page; Some widgets depend on remote content; A broad canvas needs user restraint to stay minimal |
| Data practices | Configuration stays in local extension storage. Optional weather, favicons and submitted feedback contact named providers. | The Store listing describes the product as private and permission-free. Remote background and widget providers still create feature-specific network activity. |
| Price context | Free in the inspected repository and Store listing; no paid tier is implemented. | Official listing states it is free. |
What the table means in practice
Mist organizes links into named groups and keeps search, time and optional weather around them. Tabliss’s official listing describes quick links plus a larger widget catalog including notes, todo, quotes, GitHub contributions, sports and connection information.
Tabliss is a strong fit for building a personalized visual dashboard. Mist is a stronger fit when you want shortcut grouping and do not want to choose among many widget types.
Tabliss’s official listing states that it is free, open source and requires no permissions. Mist requests Chrome search permission and feature-specific optional host access. Permissions do not describe every network request, so compare the enabled providers as well as the manifest.
Choose by the job you want the page to do
Choose Mist for grouped destinations
Use it when project, study or personal shortcut groups are the main job of the page.
Choose Tabliss for configurable widgets
Use it when backgrounds, notes, todo or specialized widgets are part of the desired page.
Keep either page deliberately small
Disable modules that do not help a repeated decision; minimalism is the configured result, not the option count.