What we check on every extension
Each listing is drafted against the same set of checks, regardless of category or popularity. Facts that come straight from the Chrome Web Store, such as the extension ID and store title, are verified against the live listing by automated scripts. The rest is drafted with AI assistance and is not individually reviewed by a human editor.
- What the extension actually does, based on its features and stated purpose
- Which permissions it requests, and whether they match what it needs to do
- Its update history, including how recently it shipped a change
- Whether it links a real privacy policy, and what that policy covers
- Who the developer is, and whether they have an identifiable presence
- Its pricing model: Free, Freemium, or Paid
- Whether it requires creating an account to use core features
Verdict, best for, and comparisons
From those checks, we draft a short verdict, a best for and not for summary, and a pros-and-cons list. Where similar tools exist, we compare them honestly rather than steering every reader to one pick.
Why comparisons matter
Two extensions can look identical on the surface but differ in permissions, pricing, or how actively they're maintained. We call that out directly instead of hiding it.
Permissions explained in plain English
Chrome's permission prompts are written for developers, not readers. Each review's safety section translates the access the extension asks for into plain language: what data or browser access the extension gets, and what that means in practice. Our permissions guide covers the most common ones in depth.
Listing Health signals (being added)
Listing Health is a set of freshness and transparency signals we are adding to each listing. It is not shown on listings yet, so don't read anything into its absence. When it goes live, it will be a checklist of visible signals, not a security audit or malware scan.
- Recently updated
- Whether the extension has shipped a change within a reasonable window, or has gone quiet.
- Manifest V3
- Whether the extension runs on Chrome's current extension platform rather than a deprecated one.
- Privacy policy linked
- Whether a working privacy policy link is present and reviewable.
- Developer site live
- Whether the developer has an active, reachable website or support page.
- Broad host access flagged
- Whether the extension asks for access to all or most websites, called out explicitly.
- Ownership changes flagged
- Whether the extension has changed hands, which can also change how it behaves.
Not a security audit
Listing Health is a set of visible, checkable signals. It is never a substitute for a security audit, and we don't describe it as one.
Last-checked dates on every page
Extensions change: permissions get added, pricing shifts, developers go quiet. Every listing shows the date it was last checked, so you can judge for yourself how current the information is before you rely on it.
Flagging removed or abandoned extensions
When an extension disappears from the Chrome Web Store, or shows no updates or developer activity for an extended period, we flag it on its page rather than quietly leaving the listing as-is.
AI drafting and automated checks
The descriptive content in our listings is drafted with AI assistance. Extension IDs and store titles are checked against the live Chrome Web Store listing by automated scripts, and a listing whose ID or title does not match is rejected. A human does not review each page individually. Pages stay set to noindex, and out of the sitemap, until they pass our automated and content checks, and we do not publish invented statistics, ratings or test results. If you spot a mistake, tell us and we will correct it.
Independence in our reviews
This methodology applies the same way to every listing, sponsored or not. Sponsored placements are always labelled Sponsored, and neither sponsorship nor affiliate links change a verdict. See our editorial policy for how we keep that separation.