Comparison

Tabless vs ReTab

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Tabless

This web browser prioritizes focus by opening a fresh session each time, eliminating distractions from previous searches. It includes optional built-in content blocking for enhanced privacy and reduced intrusions.

Highlights
  • Opens fresh each time
  • Search-based browsing
  • Optional content blocking
  • Enhanced privacy
  • Reduced distractions
Features
Read full description

The intentional search-based web browser. Focus on what you're looking for: - Tabless opens fresh each time you open it, so you aren't distracted by whatever you were searching for last. - Tabless has built-in (optional, off by default) content blocking to keep browsing private and reduce intrusions.

About

ReTab

Streamline your Safari browsing with a keyboard shortcut that lets you quickly switch between your most recent tabs. Access a visual picker for cycling through tab history, or instantly jump between the two most recent ones. It's designed to keep you focused without clutter.

Highlights
  • Quick switch between two most recent tabs
  • Cmd+Tab style tab history picker
  • Hold Shift to reverse cycling direction
  • Jump back to previous tab on close
  • Customizable keyboard shortcuts
  • Private by design, no tracking
Features
Read full description

Cmd+Tab — but for your Safari tabs. Tap Cmd+E to flip between your two most recent tabs. Hold it to summon a Cmd+Tab-style picker for cycling through your tab history — release to land on the highlighted tab. Hold Shift while cycling to reverse direction. One shortcut, two gestures, zero clutter. Already use Cmd+E for Use Selection for Find? On Safari 26 and later you can give ReTab a different shortcut in Safari Settings → Extensions. What's New in 3.0 A unified, redesigned experience. ReTab now uses a single intelligent shortcut that adapts to how you press it — replacing the old "two separate shortcuts" model. The new visual picker brings the macOS Cmd+Tab feel directly to your tabs, with a frosted-glass overlay that shows where you are in your history at a glance. Tap to Hop Tap Cmd+E and let go to instantly flip between your two most recent tabs. The fastest way to compare, copy, or context-switch while you work. Clicking the ReTab toolbar icon does the exact same thing — handy when you're not on the keyboard. Hold to Cycle Hold Cmd+E to summon the Cmd+Tab-style overlay. Each subsequent tap of E walks the highlight one step forward through your tab history; release the modifier to commit. Hold Shift to step backwards. Prefer arrows? ← and → step through the picker the same way. Prefer the mouse? Click any card to jump straight to that tab. Up to 9 recent tabs at your fingertips. Jump Back on Tab Close Closing a tab automatically returns you to your most recently active tab — no more hunting after Safari drops you on a random neighbor. Toggle this off any time in extension settings if you'd rather keep Safari's default. Customizable Shortcuts Safari 26 and later let you remap ReTab's shortcut directly in Safari Settings → Extensions to fit your workflow. On older Safari versions, tools like Karabiner-Elements or BetterTouchTool do the job. Private by Design Nothing ever leaves your Mac. No analytics, no remote calls, no tracking. Safari will warn you on install that ReTab "can read and alter webpages" and "see your browsing history" — that's the standard wording for any extension that touches tab data. Here's exactly how each permission is used: • Script access — only to draw the picker overlay on the tab you're already viewing. • Tab access — only to read titles and icons of your open tabs so the picker can list them in the right order. That's the complete list. Your tab history, the picker, everything — stays on this Mac. Built for Your Flow Whether you're a developer jumping between docs and code, a researcher comparing sources, or a power user juggling dozens of tabs — ReTab keeps you in the zone. Just install, enable in Safari Settings → Extensions, visit a couple of tabs, and tap Cmd+E. That's it.

Screenshots

Tabless2 screens
ReTab2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Tabless at Free against ReTab's $1.99. Tabless also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.0) and review sentiment (100% vs 79%). ReTab's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs every 5 months). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Tabless is free to download; ReTab costs $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Tabless holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 12 and 4 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Tabless's written reviews are positive against 79% of ReTab's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Tabless ships an update every 5 months, ReTab every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Tabless versus ReTab: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTablessReTab
PriceFree — better$1.99
Rating4.8 (12 ratings) — better4.0 (4 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better79.2% of reviews
Number of ratings12 — better4
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB1 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperEric BomgardnerLychee Isle Co

Customer experience

Tabless

All ratings12 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

ReTab

All ratings4 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%
Written reviews24 reviews
Positive79.2%
Neutral4.2%
Negative16.7%

In-app purchases

None

Tabless

No in-app purchases

None

ReTab

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Tabless free?
Tabless is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is ReTab free?
ReTab costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Tabless or ReTab?
Tabless is rated higher. Tabless averages 4.8 out of 5 from 12 ratings, while ReTab averages 4.0 from 4 ratings.
Do Tabless or ReTab have ads?
Neither Tabless nor ReTab shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Tabless or ReTab?
Tabless ships an update every 5 months, and ReTab every 5 days. Most recently, Tabless was updated on November 2, 2026 and ReTab on November 8, 2026.

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