Chrome extensions are a double-edged sword. The right five make you 20% faster on the web. The wrong five steal your browsing history and sell it. I run a tight ship – eight extensions, all vetted, all earning their slot.
Here is the lineup that has survived my 2026 Toronto IT consulting workflow.
Is uBlock Origin still the best ad blocker after Manifest V3?
Yes, but you need the right version. Google killed Manifest V2 in mid-2024. The original uBlock Origin (MV2) is gone from Chrome. Use uBlock Origin Lite by Raymond Hill – the official MV3 successor at Chrome Web Store. It is less powerful than MV2 uBlock Origin but blocks 95% of ads with zero noticeable performance hit.
If you want the full power of original uBO, switch to Firefox or use a Brave browser.
Which password manager extension should I install?
Bitwarden free tier. Auto-fill on every site, secure password generation, cross-device sync. Free is genuinely usable forever (unlike LastPass which crippled its free tier in 2023). $10/year Premium unlocks TOTP and emergency access.
1Password is the polish king if you have budget. My password manager guide covers both deeply.
Is Grammarly worth installing in 2026?
Even with AI Writing Tools in Word and Gmail, the Grammarly free extension catches things native spell-check misses. Sentence rhythm, tone consistency, comma splices. I leave it on for client emails and turn it off when writing fiction.
Premium ($12/month) adds clarity rewrites – useful but optional.
What about tab management?
Two extensions, different jobs:
- OneTab – one click closes 50 tabs and saves them in a list you can reopen anytime. RAM savings are massive. I have 2000+ saved URLs.
- Toby – more visual, organizes tabs into named workspaces. Great for “client X” or “research project Y” sessions.
Why screen recording in the browser?
Loom extension records a 5-minute walk-through faster than typing a 200-word email. Free tier: 25 videos, 5 min each. I send 5-10 Loom links per week instead of typing instructions for the same Toronto small-business client questions.
Alternative: ScreenRec, also free, unlimited length.
What about saving articles for later?
Save to Pocket (Mozilla-owned now) clips the article body, removes ads, syncs to mobile for offline reading on the subway. Free, lightweight, no upsells.
Is Honey actually useful or just affiliate spam?
Mixed. Honey (PayPal-owned) automatically tries coupon codes at checkout. It works on big retailers (Best Buy, Walmart, Newegg). It also takes affiliate credit from creators – if you watch YouTubers with promo codes, Honey overrides their codes silently. Ethical issue exists.
Alternative: Coupert (similar features, fewer ethical concerns).
How do I vet a new Chrome extension before installing?
- Check the permissions. Click “Details” on the Chrome Web Store page. “Read and change all your data on all websites” needs a damn good reason.
- Check the developer. Is it from a known company or a random username with no other extensions?
- Check the user count. Above 100,000 users is safer (but not guaranteed – bad extensions have been caught with millions).
- Check the last update. If it has not been updated in 2+ years, abandon it.
- Skim recent 1-star reviews. Real abuse usually surfaces in reviews.
For deeper browser privacy, see my encryption guide. For network-level ad blocking that beats any extension, my home server guide covers Pi-hole. And if Chrome is slow, my slow internet fixes often help.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many extensions is too many?
10-15 max. Each one runs in every tab. RAM usage adds up fast. Past 20, Chrome noticeably slows.
Are Chrome extensions safe?
The vetted ones above, yes. The ecosystem has had scandals – random “screenshot tool” extensions caught selling browsing history. Stick to known names.
Do these extensions work on Edge and Brave?
Yes – both browsers support the Chrome Web Store directly. Brave bundles its own ad blocker so you can skip uBlock there.
What happened to LastPass?
Multiple breaches (2022 was severe). Free tier crippled to one device type. Most security pros, including me, migrated to Bitwarden or 1Password.
Should I sync my extensions between PCs?
Yes – sign in to Chrome with the same Google account, enable sync. Saves reinstalling everything when you reformat.
