Chrome Extensions for Power Users: 13 Worth Installing

The Chrome extensions for power users worth installing in 2026 are Vimium for keyboard browsing, Tampermonkey and Stylus for changing sites, React Developer Tools and Wappalyzer for inspecting them, Automa for no-code automation, and uBlock Origin Lite plus Privacy Badger for privacy. If you already live in the keyboard and DevTools, start with Vimium: 600,000 users, and f clicks any link without the mouse.

For grammar checkers and to-do apps, see our productivity extensions roundup. Every listing was checked on 21 October 2026.

The 13 extensions at a glance

Each extension: what it changes and where it falls short

Vimium

Best for: browsing without the mouse.

Vimium gives Chrome Vim-style keys.

• Scenario: press f, type the letter label on a link to click it; T searches open tabs, x closes one and X brings it back.
• Skip it if: you need it on the New Tab page or the Web Store, where it cannot run.
• Price: free.

Vimium C

Best for: Vimium users who want more configuration.

Vimium C adds per-site key maps, global shortcuts that work when the page is not focused, and a v keyword in the address bar.

• Weakness: last store update April 2025, so pick it for settings, not release pace.
• Price: free.

SuperCommands

Best for: reopening saved tab sets and running page actions by keyboard.

SuperCommands is a command bar that sits beside Vimium.

• Scenario: save your morning tabs as a link collection with the shortcut standup; type c, Space, standup in the address bar and all of them open. Dynamic links with {query} work like site search (links docs).
• Weakness: Chrome, Edge and Brave only. See SuperCommands vs Vimium.
• Price: free and open source; the local version is 100% free, forever.

Tampermonkey

Best for: changing how a site behaves with JavaScript.

Tampermonkey runs userscripts and syncs them via Chrome Sync, Google Drive, Dropbox or WebDAV.

• Setup: on Chrome 138 or later, right-click its icon, choose Manage Extension and turn on Allow User Scripts (FAQ).
• Skip it if: you will not read scripts first; each has the same page access you do.
• Price: free.

Stylus

Best for: your own CSS on any site.

Stylus applies per-site styles or community .user.css files.

• Weakness: styles break when a site redesigns.
• Price: free.

Dark Reader

Best for: a dark theme on sites without one.

Dark Reader has per-site toggles and brightness, contrast and sepia sliders.

• Weakness: it injects into every page, and some sites need it switched off.
• Price: free.

React Developer Tools

Best for: debugging React apps.

React Developer Tools from Meta adds Components and Profiler tabs to DevTools; version 8.0 shipped in September 2026.

• Scenario: select a DOM node in Elements and its component, props and state are selected too.
• Skip it if: you do not work on React apps.
• Price: free.

Wappalyzer

Best for: seeing what a site is built with.

Wappalyzer shows the CMS, framework, analytics and CDN, with CSV export.

• Weakness: detection is pattern-based, so treat results as hints.
• Price: free to install.

ColorZilla

Best for: gradients and page palettes.

ColorZilla is the most-used eyedropper at 4 million users.

• Skip it if: you only pick colors; click any swatch in the DevTools Styles pane instead.
• Weakness: last updated May 2024.
• Price: free.

Automa

Best for: no-code browser workflows.

Automa connects blocks (click, type, scrape, loop) and runs them on a schedule; its source has 21.7k stars.

• Weakness: selectors break when a page changes. See automating browser tasks without coding.
• Price: free.

uBlock Origin Lite

Best for: blocking ads and trackers under Manifest V3.

uBlock Origin Lite replaces uBlock Origin, which left the Web Store with Manifest V2, and has no always-running background process.

• Weakness: less custom filtering than the original.
• Price: free.

Privacy Badger

Best for: trackers that block lists miss.

Privacy Badger from the EFF learns which third parties follow you and sends Global Privacy Control.

• Weakness: some embeds become click-to-load placeholders.
• Price: free.

Bitwarden

Best for: passkeys and FIDO2 WebAuthn 2FA.

Bitwarden offers self-hosting for organizations and regular third-party audits.

• Weakness: store rating is 2.9, so read recent reviews.
• Price: free plan with no device limit.

Which one should you pick?

• Pick Vimium and uBlock Origin Lite first: free, every page, almost no setup.
• Pick Tampermonkey or Stylus the first time a site annoys you enough to fix it.
• Pick Automa when you repeat the same twenty clicks every Friday.
• Pick SuperCommands if you open the same six tabs every morning and want them on one command.

FAQ

What is the best keyboard extension for Chrome?

Vimium is the most popular and easiest to start with. Vimium C adds per-site key maps.

Why are my Tampermonkey scripts not running in Chrome?

Chrome 138 and later require Allow User Scripts under Manage Extension. On older versions, enable Developer mode at chrome://extensions.

Is there an open-source browser automation extension?

Yes. Automa's source is on GitHub under AGPL and a commercial license.

Do power-user extensions slow Chrome down?

Some do, especially ones that inject into every page. Check Chrome's Task Manager (Shift + Esc on Windows) and set rarely used tools to "On click".