---
title: "Kort vs Zen: an honest comparison"
canonical: https://kortbrowser.com/vs/zen
description: "Kort and Zen side by side: what Kort adds, then engine, platforms, price, ad blocking, cookie pop-ups, usage data and AI. With sources and dates."
updated: 2026-11-01
language: en
---

# Kort vs Zen

> Kort and Zen side by side: what Kort adds, then engine, platforms, price, ad blocking, cookie pop-ups, usage data and AI. With sources and dates.

Zen is an open-source Firefox fork with a sidebar, workspaces and a compact mode. It runs on Mac, Windows and Linux, and has no mobile app.

## Kort adds 11 things

- Apple's WebKit, the engine in Safari
- Native Mac app, written in Swift
- Built-in ad and tracker blocker
- Cookie pop-ups answered for you
- AI Overviews hidden in search
- Lock a Space with Touch ID
- Settings per Space
- Site Styles: restyle any site
- Private windows lock with Touch ID
- Pay once, no subscription
- Import from Zen in one step
- iPhone and iPad app (coming)

## Scorecard

|  | Kort | Zen |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Apple's WebKit engine | Yes | No |
| Ad blocker, built in and on | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Cookie pop-ups answered | Yes | Not confirmed |
| No usage data sent | Yes | Yes |
| No account needed | Yes | Yes |
| No AI in the browser | Yes | Yes |
| Vertical tabs and Spaces | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone and iPad app | Coming | No |
| Made in the EU | Yes | Not confirmed |

"Not confirmed" means we could not check it in a primary source. 

Switching: Kort imports your Spaces, Essentials, folders, bookmarks and history from Zen in one step.

## What both have

- Tabs in a sidebar.
- Workspaces in Zen, Spaces in Kort.
- Essentials and pinned tabs.
- Split view with up to four pages, in a grid too.
- Glance.
- No account needed.
- No AI.

## Side by side

|  | Kort | Zen |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Engine on Mac | WebKit, Apple's engine (the same as Safari) | Gecko (Firefox) |
| Platforms | Mac. iPhone and iPad coming to the App Store | Mac, Windows, Linux. No mobile app planned |
| Made by | Made in the EU | Zen Team, a community project |
| Price and business model | 5 € once, no subscription. One license per iCloud account. | Free, donations |
| Ad and tracker blocking | Built in and on by default. Blocked inside WebKit before the request is sent. No extension needed | Not confirmed (last seen: No built-in ad blocker; Firefox tracking protection) |
| Cookie pop-ups | Answered for you: "Reject all" or "Only necessary", or hidden | Not confirmed (last seen: Not confirmed) |
| Usage data | None. Crash reports only if you choose to e-mail them | Firefox telemetry removed, per its privacy policy |
| Account | None. No sign-in | Not required. Optional Firefox Sync |
| AI features | No AI. Google's AI Overviews hidden by default | None advertised |
| Vertical tabs and spaces | Vertical sidebar, Spaces, split view with up to four pages on Mac | Sidebar tabs, Workspaces, Essentials, split view, compact mode |

Zen: Gecko (Firefox), made by Zen Team (Community project), on Mac, Windows, Linux. Facts about Zen checked on 2026-11-01. Kort's price is shown in euros; [every currency](https://kortbrowser.com/pricing.md).

## Questions

### Kort looks like Zen. Is it a fork?

No. Kort is written in Swift on WebKit. Zen is built on Firefox. The sidebar idea is shared.

### Why WebKit instead of Firefox?

WebKit is Apple's own engine, patched with macOS and tuned for battery life on Apple silicon.

### Can I bring my Zen setup?

Yes. On the Mac, Kort imports your Zen Spaces, Essentials, folders, bookmarks and history in one step.

## Sources

- <https://github.com/zen-browser/desktop> (as of 2026-11-01)
- <https://zen-browser.app/download/> (as of 2026-11-01)
- <https://zen-browser.app/> (as of 2026-11-01)
- <https://zen-browser.app/privacy-policy/> (as of 2026-11-01)

We describe other browsers from their own pages, help centers, app store listings and press coverage. Products change. If something here is out of date, write to us and we will fix it.