BirdTab LogoBirdTab

BirdTab vs Earth View: Which New Tab Is Right for You?

By Jai Pandya, who makes BirdTab · Updated

Choose Earth View if you want a striking satellite landscape on every tab and nothing else; it is free, from Google, with 2,500 images, though it has not been updated since July 2024. Choose BirdTab if you want wildlife instead: a bird photograph with its call and facts, still being developed, with a clock, search and shortcuts if you want them.

At a glance

BirdTab and Earth View compared
BirdTabEarth View
What you seeA bird photograph, its name and factsA Google Earth landscape and its location
ImagesWild birds from 250+ countries and regions2,500 satellite images
SoundEach bird’s recorded callNone
ExtrasSearch, shortcuts, clock, countdown timer, quiz, historyColour map to browse views
PriceFreeFree
AccountNoneNone
Chrome Web Store rating5.0 from 138 ratings4.4 from 5,200 ratings
Users2,000600,000
Last updated15 Oct 20263 Jul 2024
Made byJai Pandya, an independent developerGoogle

Read on 15 October 2026. Sources: BirdTab on the Chrome Web Store, Earth View on the Chrome Web Store

Where Earth View is the better choice

  • You love maps, geography and landscapes. Nothing else looks quite like Earth from above.
  • You want the simplest possible page, with no settings at all.
  • You prefer an extension made by Google, with 600,000 users.

Where BirdTab is the better choice

  • You want something still being developed. Earth View’s last version was in July 2024 and its website now redirects to the store listing.
  • You love wildlife: every tab is a different bird, and you can choose the birds of your own country.
  • You want sound. BirdTab plays each bird’s call, with volume control and quiet hours.
  • You want a few tools on the page: search, shortcuts, a clock or a countdown timer, each optional.

Switching from Earth View

Install BirdTab from the Chrome Web Store and open a new tab; when Chrome asks which new tab to keep, choose BirdTab. To go back to landscapes some days, leave Earth View installed but disabled in chrome://extensions.

If you liked Earth View’s quiet, hide BirdTab’s details with one click so only the photograph shows.

Add BirdTab to Chrome

Frequently asked questions

Is Earth View from Google Earth discontinued?

It is still on the Chrome Web Store, but its last version was released on 3 July 2024 and its website redirects to the listing. Nothing new has been added since.

What is a good alternative to Earth View?

For wildlife instead of landscapes, BirdTab. For general photography, Unsplash Instant or Bonjourr, both still maintained.

Does Earth View have sound?

No. BirdTab plays the call of the bird on each tab, and you can turn it off.

Are BirdTab and Earth View free?

Yes, both are free and neither needs an account.