Tabwell vs OneTab: keep your tab groups
OneTab has 2M users because it solves one problem well: collapse a window full of tabs into a single list and reclaim memory. But that list is exactly the limitation — when OneTab saves your tabs it discards group membership, so the names, colors, and collapsed state you set up in Chrome are gone the moment you restore. Tabwell takes a different approach: a snapshot records each tab's group assignment via the chrome.tabGroups API, and restoring rebuilds those groups with the same title, the same color, and the same collapsed state. If you already live in OneTab, Tabwell ships a two-click importer that pulls your existing OneTab export straight in, so switching costs you nothing.
The core difference: groups survive the round trip
OneTab stores tabs as a flat list of URLs. That is enough to free memory, but Chrome tab groups are structural — a group has a title, one of nine colors, and a collapsed/expanded state. OneTab keeps none of it. Restore an OneTab list and you get a wall of tabs you must re-group by hand.
Tabwell snapshots the group structure alongside the tabs. Restore rebuilds each group through chrome.tabGroups, so a snapshot taken with three collapsed colored groups comes back as three collapsed colored groups.
Where each tool fits
- OneTab — fastest way to dump a window and reclaim RAM when you don't care about structure.
- Tabwell — when your groups are the work: research tracks, per-project tabs, anything color-coded.
Other practical gaps
OneTab keeps everything local (good) but has no cross-device sync and, per long-running review threads, can lose data after some Chrome updates. It also slows down once a list passes a few thousand entries. Tabwell stores snapshots locally in IndexedDB, virtualizes long lists to stay responsive past 1,000 tabs, and is built on Manifest V3.
Switching from OneTab
Export your OneTab tabs, open Tabwell, and use the built-in OneTab importer. Your existing tabs come across in two clicks — no manual copy-paste.
FAQ
Can I import my existing OneTab tabs into Tabwell?
Yes. Tabwell has a built-in OneTab importer. Export from OneTab, then import the file in Tabwell in two clicks. Your tabs come across without manual copy-paste.
Does OneTab really lose tab groups?
OneTab saves tabs as a flat list of URLs and does not record group membership. When you restore, group names, colors, and collapsed state are gone. Tabwell preserves all three.
Is Tabwell local-first like OneTab?
Yes. Tabwell stores every snapshot locally in IndexedDB on your device. There is no account and no cloud by default — the same privacy posture as OneTab, plus optional opt-in sync.
Which is better for thousands of tabs?
Tabwell virtualizes long lists and stays responsive past 1,000 tabs. OneTab's flat list slows down as it grows. If you routinely keep huge sessions, Tabwell handles the volume better.
How much does Tabwell cost?
Every install includes a 14-day Pro trial. After that, Free keeps your latest 5 snapshots; Pro adds unlimited snapshots, search, and importers from $3.99/month or $19 one-time for Founders.