Head-to-head · cool-desk.com

CoolDeskMomentum

Momentum owns the "beautiful new tab" category — a stunning photo backdrop, a daily greeting, one focus for today, and a to-do list. Millions of people start their day there.

CoolDesk starts from a different question: not "how do I make my new tab calmer" but "how do I get back to what I was actually working on." It replaces the same blank tab with project workspaces — tabs, apps, links and notes grouped per project — plus a spotlight search that reaches your whole browser and desktop, not just today's to-do list.

Looking for a Momentum alternative with more project structure, or wondering if Momentum's simplicity is all you need? The honest comparison below should make it quick.

01 · The short answer

Skip the reading — which one is for you?

Pick Momentum if…

You want your new tab to feel calm and beautiful more than to be a workspace
A single daily to-do and "main focus" prompt is the habit you actually want
You're happy paying for Momentum Plus for themes, integrations and cross-device sync

Pick CoolDesk if…

You juggle several projects and want each one's tabs, apps and notes to come back together
You want to search — not just look at — your new tab: tabs, history, apps, notes, one bar
You want it free, local, and working the same on Windows and Mac

02 · The difference

Where CoolDesk pulls ahead

Projects, not just today

Momentum resets to a blank focus every day. CoolDesk groups tabs, apps, links and notes into workspaces you return to — a project doesn't reset, it waits exactly where you left it.

It searches, not just displays

Momentum is a dashboard you look at. CoolDesk is also a spotlight search across open tabs, history, bookmarks, notes and running apps — press one key and jump, rather than click through a widget.

Desktop apps and files too

Momentum lives entirely in the browser. CoolDesk's desktop app brings native apps and files into the same project and the same search bar.

Free, not subscription-gated

Momentum's richer features — recurring to-dos, integrations, more themes — sit behind Momentum Plus. CoolDesk's workspaces, spotlight search and AI organization are free.

03 · The scoreboard

Side by side

	Momentum	CoolDesk
Platforms	Chrome, Firefox, Edge + Mac app	Windows + macOS
Price	Free · Momentum Plus subscription for more	Free
Core idea	A beautiful daily dashboard	Project workspaces across tabs, apps, notes & files
Project workspaces	—	Core concept
Spotlight / launcher search	—	Built in
Desktop apps & files	—	Searchable & launchable via desktop app
To-do & daily focus	Built in	Notes widget (not a dedicated to-do list)
Your data	Momentum cloud (for Plus sync)	100% local

04 · Credit where it's due

What Momentum does brilliantly

A genuinely beautiful, calming new tab — curated photography, daily quotes, a soft focus prompt

A dead-simple daily to-do and "main focus" habit that keeps you centered

Mac and mobile companions, so the same dashboard follows you everywhere

A mature product with years of polish and a large, loyal daily-use audience

No point pretending otherwise — if these are what you need, Momentum is excellent at them.

05 · Common questions

Still deciding?

Can I use CoolDesk and Momentum together?

Not really — both replace your new tab, so you end up picking one home base. You can try CoolDesk without uninstalling Momentum first, but only one can own the new tab page at a time.

Is CoolDesk as visually calm as Momentum?

CoolDesk optimizes for a different feeling — organized rather than serene. If a photo backdrop and daily quote matter more to you than project structure, Momentum's aesthetic is hard to beat.

Is CoolDesk really free?

Yes. CoolDesk is free with no account and no subscription. Your data stays on your device; optional AI features run locally or with your own API key.

Round over

Try it in two minutes

CoolDesk is free, needs no sign-in, and runs alongside Momentum — nothing to migrate, nothing to lose.

Get CoolDesk Free