Zen Browser suits Windows users who want a Firefox-based browser with a design influenced by Arc, and who care about privacy. It is listed under web browsers and lightweight browsers. Version 1.9b was released on March 8, 2025, and the download is 74.9 MB.
Who a Firefox-based Arc alternative fits
The tags point to two audiences: people who know Firefox and people who like Arc Browser. Zen sits between them, with the Firefox base named in several tags and Arc named as a reference point.
It is also listed among the best lightweight browsers, which makes it a candidate for Windows machines where size matters. The package is 74.9 MB.
What Zen Browser does
The description is short. It promises a carefully designed look, a focus on privacy, and a stance that user experience matters more than user data. It names no specific tools, so details such as tab handling or sidebars are not confirmed here.
The package ID is Zen-Team.Zen-Browser, and the project site is zen-browser.app. The listing credits Mozilla as developer, while the licence is MPL-2.0.
Cost, missing data and other options
Zen is free.
If you would rather start with something more established, the alternatives are Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox (en-US), Brave, Opera GX Stable and Opera Stable.
What's new in 1.9b
The latest version is 1.9b, dated March 8, 2025.
Zen Browser pros and cons
Pros
- Free to use
- Open source under the MPL-2.0 licence
- Firefox-based, as the tags state
- Small 74.9 MB download
- Privacy is the stated focus
Cons
- The version is labelled 1.9b, which suggests a beta stage
- Only a short description of its features is available
- The version is labelled 1.9b, which suggests it may still be at a beta stage.
Is Zen Browser safe?
Zen is a Firefox-based browser released under the MPL-2.0 licence. The developer is listed as Mozilla, and the project site is zen-browser.app. We have no malware scan results for this build, version 1.9b, so scan the 74.9 MB file yourself before you run it.
How to install Zen Browser
- Press the download button to get the official file.
- Run the installer you saved and confirm the Windows security prompt if the publisher matches.
- Follow the setup steps, then start Zen Browser from the Start menu.
