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Zen Browser copies some Arc Browser features like the sidebar but runs on Firefox's engine, so your extensions won't work and sites may be buggier compared to Firefox.
Only use Zen Browser if you specifically want its sidebar, otherwise stick with Firefox since Zen Browser offers no clear advantage.
Both Zen Browser and Firefox run on the same non-Chromium engine, so you're getting the same core tradeoff: fewer extensions, less reliable site compatibility, and a higher chance that websites won't work as expected compared to Chromium browsers.
Zen Browser tries to put a modern Arc-like spin on Firefox by adding features like a sidebar, but the review calls out that this doesn't solve the underlying problems. In fact, you'll notice even more friction if you're coming from Chrome or Safari, since only a tiny fraction of your extensions will work and you're more likely to hit bugs or missing developer tools. Unless you're already a die-hard Firefox fan who specifically wants a new look, you'll just run into the same extension and compatibility headaches, plus whatever quirks come from being built by a smaller team.
Firefox is the original here, and while it faces all the same ecosystem and compatibility issues, it's at least the source. If you want a privacy-focused browser that isn't Chromium-based, Firefox is the one to pick since Zen Browser doesn't actually fix or improve on the core limitations. Zen Browser is really just Firefox with a different coat of paint, and the review makes it clear you're better off sticking with Firefox if you're choosing between the two for this reason.
