Best start pages in 2026
Most "best start page" lists compare wallpapers. Wallpapers are not why people switch. We compared six on the four things that actually change your decision: what it costs, what the free tier quietly withholds, whether you need an account, and whether you have to install anything.
Pricing verified July 2026 · Dayblaster is ours, and it is first — the reasons are stated so you can check them
The comparison
| Start page | Price | Free tier limit | Account | Install |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dayblaster | Free · one time $10 Pro | Optional Pro: no ads, extra widgets, page profiles | Not required | Web page + optional Chrome extension |
| Momentum | Free / $39.95 yr | Integrations, Ask AI, Pomodoro options, World Clocks are Plus | Required for Plus | Extension |
| start.me | Free / $25 yr (PRO) | Ad-supported, capped at 3 pages | Required | Web page |
| Tabliss | Free, open source | None — no paid tier | Not required | Extension |
| Infinity New Tab | Free / premium tier | Some features are premium | Required for sync | Extension |
| Bonjourr | Free, open source | None — no paid tier | Not required | Extension (Chrome/Firefox/Edge) |
The single biggest split is the last column. An extension changes what opens in a new tab; a web page can be set as your homepage in any browser, including ones you do not control the extension policy on — work machines, locked-down profiles, mobile. Open the Dayblaster start page, or the longer Dayblaster vs start.me and Dayblaster vs Momentum pages.
The six, in order
1. DayblasterBest overall
A free browser start page that replaces the empty Google homepage with editable shortcut zones for work, fun and AI tools, live news headlines, a scrolling markets ticker, and widgets — to-do, calculator, calendar, currency, timers, alarms. Everything saves in your browser. No signup required. Free forever, or a one time $10 Pro upgrade — no subscription.
Why first: it is the only one here that is simultaneously free with an optional one time $10 Pro (no subscription), requires no account, and works as a homepage with no install. An optional Chrome new-tab extension is available. Every other option gives up at least one of those.
Skip it if: you want a minimalist screen. Dayblaster is dense on purpose.
Try Dayblaster free →2. Momentum
The calm classic: a daily photo, a greeting, one main focus. The most polished experience in the category and the reason most people know start pages exist at all.
The permanent free tier covers daily backgrounds, a to-do list, basic Focus Mode and weather. Plus unlocks custom background sounds, Pomodoro customisation, third-party task integrations (Todoist, Asana, Trello), Ask AI, custom metrics and World Clocks.
Pick it if: you want serenity and one intention per day, and the subscription does not bother you.
3. start.me
The veteran of the category and the most flexible bookmark organiser here — pages, columns, RSS feeds, deep link management. Like Dayblaster it is a web page you can set as a homepage without an install. Dayblaster also has an optional Chrome new-tab extension.
The catch is the free tier: it carries advertising and caps you at three start pages. PRO at $25/year removes ads and tracking and adds unlimited pages, premium widgets and AI features. Side by side: Dayblaster vs start.me.
Pick it if: you are a heavy bookmark collector and will pay to remove the ads.
4. Tabliss
Genuinely free forever with no paid tier and no upsells — everything is unlocked, and the source is public. A beautiful minimal new tab with backgrounds and a decent widget kit for Chrome, Firefox and Edge.
Pick it if: open source is non-negotiable and you want the wider widget set of the two open-source options.
Skip it if: you want news, markets or a real shortcut system. It is minimal by design.
5. Infinity New Tab
A grid-based speed dial with app shortcuts, cloud sync and a large widget catalogue. The most customisable option here for people who want to tune everything.
Pick it if: you want maximum customisation and an icon grid.
Skip it if: a busy interface and a login for sync put you off.
6. Bonjourr
A refined, Apple-flavoured minimal start page: clock, weather, quick links, done. Also free forever with no paid tier.
Pick it if: you are on Apple devices, or you want the prettiest possible almost-nothing.
Which one should you actually pick?
You want it free, with nothing held back, and a homepage that needs no install → Dayblaster.
You want the calmest, most beautiful daily ritual and will pay for it → Momentum.
You have hundreds of bookmarks to organise → start.me PRO.
Open source matters more than features → Tabliss, or Bonjourr on Apple devices.
You want to tune every pixel of an icon grid → Infinity New Tab.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the best free start page?
- It depends on extension versus web page. Tabliss and Bonjourr are fully open source and free forever with no paid tier. Dayblaster is a free web page needing no account; it works as a homepage without an install, and an optional Chrome new-tab extension is available. Optional Pro is a one time $10 upgrade. Momentum and start.me both have free tiers, but Momentum reserves integrations and AI for Plus, and start.me's free tier is ad-supported and capped at three pages.
- Do I need to install an extension to use a start page?
- No. Momentum, Tabliss, Bonjourr and Infinity New Tab are extensions. Dayblaster and start.me are ordinary web pages, so you can set either as your homepage in any browser without installing anything. Dayblaster also has an optional Chrome new-tab extension. See our guide to setting a homepage in every browser.
- How much does Momentum Plus cost?
- $39.95 per year. The free tier is permanent and covers daily backgrounds, a to-do list, basic Focus Mode and weather.
- Is start.me free?
- There is a free plan, but it is ad-supported and limited to three start pages with basic widgets. Personal PRO is $25 per year.
- Which start page works on Safari or iOS?
- Web-page start pages like Dayblaster and start.me work anywhere, because setting a homepage is a browser setting rather than an install.
- What is the difference between a start page and a new tab page?
- Your homepage (start page) is what loads when you open the browser or press the home button. Your new tab page is what loads on every new tab. Extensions replace the new tab; web pages can be set as the homepage. Many browsers let you point both at the same place — see what is a start page.
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