The Great Suspender alternatives
Outlets reported on 4 February 2021 that Google removed The Great Suspender from the Chrome Web Store as malware. The closest match today is The Marvellous Suspender. Pick Auto Tab Discard for the lightest job. Pick Tab Wrangler to close idle tabs for you. Pick OneTab to park tabs in a list. Chrome also has Memory Saver built in.
What happened to The Great Suspender?
Several outlets reported on 4 February 2021 that Google removed The Great Suspender from the Chrome Web Store for containing malware, and that Chrome disabled it for people who had it installed. Android Police reported that Chrome showed a message saying it was disabled because it contains malware. Google's own page was not available to us.
The extension put idle tabs to sleep to save memory, according to Android Police. Reports from Android Police, Android Central, Gizmodo and Tom's Guide say the original developer sold it to an unknown third party, and that later versions added code that could run arbitrary code and tracking. Android Police also reported that the last store releases contained changes not published on the project's GitHub. We repeat these as reports, not as our own findings.
Why do people look for Great Suspender alternatives?
The extension is gone from the store, and the reports above made people ask what is safe to use now. We list only what the outlets reported. We can say that each pick below has an Xplorekit page where you can read what we checked, and that most are open source, so you can read the code.
The Great Suspender and its alternatives at a glance
| Extension | How it saves memory | Open source | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Marvellous Suspender | Suspends idle tabs, with timer, whitelist and tab-group controls | Yes (GPL-2.0) | The closest match |
| Auto Tab Discard | Uses Chrome's own tab discarding | Yes (MPL-2.0) | The lightest job |
| Tab Wrangler | Closes idle tabs into a list you can restore from | Yes (GPL-3.0) | Automatic cleanup |
| OneTab | Parks your tabs in one list | Not stated | A simple list with no account |
| Workona | Project spaces with built-in tab suspension, per the vendor | Not stated | Tabs grouped by project |
What is the closest alternative to The Great Suspender?
The Marvellous Suspender. Its GitHub description says it is based on The Great Suspender, cleaned up. It is open source under GPL-2.0, runs on Manifest V3, and has an idle timer, a whitelist, an always-suspend list, tab-group suspend and a battery timeout. Its permission list is long, and it can back up sessions to Google Drive if you choose.
What is the lightest alternative that frees memory?
Auto Tab Discard. It uses Chrome's own tab discard function instead of replacing the page. Its README says this is more efficient and less buggy than extensions that swap in a placeholder page. That is the developer's claim, and we did not test it. It is open source under MPL-2.0. See Auto Tab Discard vs The Marvellous Suspender.
Is there an alternative that closes idle tabs for me?
Tab Wrangler. It closes, not suspends, tabs that have been idle for a set time, one hour by default, and keeps them in a Tab Corral list you can restore from. Pinned tabs and tabs playing audio are never closed. It is open source under GPL-3.0.
What if I want to park tabs in a list?
OneTab. It moves your tabs into one list and out of the tab strip, so it removes tabs rather than sleeping them. Its privacy page says tab information is not sent to the developers unless you share a list. Pick it if you want your tabs parked in a list, not suspended in place.
Does Chrome have tab suspending built in?
Yes. Chrome has Memory Saver, which deactivates tabs you are not using and reloads them when you return. Google's help page lists things that stop a tab from being deactivated, including audio or video, screen sharing, notifications, downloads, partly filled forms and pinned tabs. If you do not need extra controls, you may not need an extension.
FAQ
Is The Great Suspender safe to use?
We do not recommend it. Outlets reported it was removed from the Chrome Web Store as malware in February 2021. Use one of the picks above and read each page first.
Is The Marvellous Suspender the same as The Great Suspender?
No. Its GitHub description says it is based on The Great Suspender, cleaned up. It is a separate project by a different maker. We cannot say what code was kept or removed, so read its source if that matters to you.
Which one should I pick?
Pick The Marvellous Suspender if you want the same idea with more controls. Pick Auto Tab Discard if you want the lightest tool. Pick Tab Wrangler or OneTab if you would rather close or park tabs than suspend them.
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All five are third-party extensions, not built by Xplorekit. We don't show ratings or user counts because we can't verify them.