The Best Free New-Tab To-Do & Notes Extension for Chrome (2026)

Search for a new-tab extension and you will find two kinds of tool: pretty dashboards that show a wallpaper, a clock, and a motivational quote — and heavyweight productivity suites that want to become your whole operating system. What is surprisingly rare is the middle: a free new-tab extension that actually helps you get things done, with real tasks and real notes, and then gets out of the way.

Here is what to look for, and why we built Slaet to fit that gap.

What makes a new-tab extension worth keeping

Most people install a new-tab extension, enjoy it for a week, and then uninstall it. The ones that last tend to share five traits:

• Genuinely free — not a trial that locks the useful parts behind a subscription.
• Tasks and notes together — so you are not juggling two separate tools.
• No forced account — it should work the second you install it.
• Respects your setup — keeps your search engine and lets you use your own wallpaper.
• Private by default — your notes are yours, stored locally unless you choose to sync.

How Slaet measures up

Slaet is a free Chrome extension and web app that turns your new tab into a customizable workspace for tasks, notes, lists, and reminders. It hits all five: every feature is free with no paid tier, tasks and notes sit side by side, it works with no account, it leaves your search engine untouched and lets you set your own wallpaper, and it is local-first so your data stays on your device by default.

Beyond the basics, it adds reminders you can set in plain language, browser notifications, priority flags, rich-text notes that paste code and links cleanly, and shareable lists with live collaboration. You can see the full feature guide for how each piece works.

Free vs. “free to start”

A lot of “free” extensions are really free trials — the wallpaper is free, but reminders, sync, or unlimited notes cost money. Slaet is free in the plain sense of the word: unlimited tasks, notes, lists, reminders, wallpapers, and cloud sync are all included at no cost. There is no Pro tier to upgrade to.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best free new-tab to-do extension for Chrome?

Look for one that is genuinely free, keeps tasks and notes together, and works without an account. Slaet is built to those criteria — free, with tasks, notes, lists, and reminders on the new tab, and no paid tier.

Do these extensions work on Brave and Edge?

Slaet runs on Chrome and other Chromium-based browsers, including Brave and Edge, and there is also a web app at app.slaet.space.

Is my data safe in a new-tab extension?

It depends on the tool. Slaet stores your tasks and notes locally by default and never reads your browsing history. A synced copy is only kept if you sign in, and you can delete it any time. If privacy matters most, an offline, no-account setup is the safest option.