Session Buddy vs OneTab: Which to Use in 2026?

Pick Session Buddy if you want a record of whole browsing sessions to restore after a crash or restart; pick OneTab if you want to collapse a crowded window into a list in one click. Both are free and keep data in the browser, and neither syncs between computers. For named tab sets you reopen daily by command, SuperCommands is a free alternative.

Numbers are from each Chrome Web Store listing as of October 2026.

Session Buddy vs OneTab compared

When is Session Buddy the better choice?

When you want to get back a whole window, or several, after closing or crashing Chrome.

• Fact: version 4.1.2, updated April 28, 2026, about 1 million users; data stays local.
• Limit: a 3.3 rating from 25,100 ratings, and its listing confirms there is no cross-device sync yet.
• Skip it if you only need a few fixed sets of tabs rather than a session history.

When is OneTab the better choice?

When the goal is fewer open tabs and less memory use, right now.

• Fact: version 2.24, updated October 11, 2026, about 2 million users (listing).
• Limit: restoring a group removes it unless you lock it, and uninstalling deletes all stored tabs.
• Skip it if you want to reopen the same tab set again tomorrow without hunting for it.

What if I reopen the same tabs every day?

Session histories and tab lists both make you find the set before you open it. SuperCommands opens a named set directly.

• Scenario: save your support dashboard tabs as support. Press Alt + S, type c support, press Enter: they all open. A hotkey like Alt + 1 works too.
• Limit: no automatic session history or crash recovery. Details in the links docs.

SuperCommands is free and open source. The local version is 100% free, forever.

Which one should you pick?

• Pick Session Buddy to restore past sessions and windows.
• Pick OneTab to clear a crowded window into a free list.
• Pick SuperCommands to reopen the same named tab sets by command. See more options in Session Buddy alternatives and our tab manager comparison.

FAQ

Is Session Buddy still maintained?

Yes. Version 4.1.2 was released on April 28, 2026, and the listing carries a Featured badge.

Does OneTab save my tabs if Chrome crashes?

Only tabs you already sent to OneTab. It does not record sessions in the background the way Session Buddy does.

Can I use both?

Yes. Many people keep Session Buddy for crash recovery and OneTab for clearing windows; they do not conflict.