What Makes a Good Firefox New Tab Extension: 5 Things to Check Before Installing

Firefox new tab extensions are opened dozens of times per day. A bad one creates friction on every new tab. A good one becomes invisible infrastructure. Here is what to look for before installing.

1. Does it require an account?

New tab extensions that require account creation add friction to what should be a frictionless tool. Every new tab becomes a potential login prompt if the account session expires.

Good new tab extensions store data locally in Firefox's extension storage. No account to create, no session to maintain.

2. Does it make unnecessary permissions requests?

Check the permissions list when you install. A weather extension needs location access. A task list extension needs storage access. These are expected.

Red flags:

• Access to all websites when the extension only replaces a new tab
• Access to your browsing history when the function does not require it
• Access to your identity or profile data

The AMO review process requires extension developers to justify each permission. Extensions with minimal permissions are generally lower risk.

3. Does it load quickly?

A new tab extension that takes 2-3 seconds to load creates a noticeable delay on every new tab. Test by opening several new tabs rapidly — the extension should render nearly instantly.

4. Is the data stored locally?

Your tasks, habits, and preferences are yours. Good new tab extensions store this data in Firefox's local extension storage, not on a remote server. This means:

• Your data persists between browser restarts
• Your data is not dependent on the developer's server staying online
• No data exposure if the developer's server is compromised

5. Does it do one thing well?

The best new tab extensions are focused. A good weather extension shows weather. A good task manager shows tasks. Extensions that try to do everything (weather + tasks + notes + bookmarks + calendar) tend to do each thing poorly.

Recommended extensions that meet these criteria

All are part of a series of 11 Firefox extensions I built — see the full series.