The 15 Best Safari Extensions of 2020

No one likes obtrusive ads when trying to read an interesting article online. Adblock Plus makes it simple to block ads and tracking ads that bug you, while 'whitelisting' websites that you want to see all the ads for. Adblock Plus takes a responsible approach to ads with an option allowing for 'acceptable ads', appreciating that website owners still need to generate revenue, while saving you the hassle of the worst kind of adverts.

How often do you find yourself looking at a great long-form article and realizing you don't have the time to read it right now? With Pocket, you just need to click the 'Save to Pocket' button and the link is saved to your Pocket account so you can easily consult it later on. It works across multiple devices and you can tag and label articles so that everything is neatly organized. 

Sometimes, even on a large screen, it can be tricky to see certain details on a webpage or video. HoverSee is essentially a zoom button for your browser. You can hover your cursor over an item such as an image or video and if there's a larger version available, HoverSee zooms in for you, so you get a clearer view. It's particularly useful if you have vision issues, or you simply like to be able to zoom in on key details. Unlike other extension/app combos, it's not free and costs $7.99.

Being able to multitask is always a valuable skill. While you can switch between windows and tabs, it hasn't been possible to have YouTube or Netflix running alongside what you're working on in Safari. PiPer changes all that. Via its simple to use extension, you can easily place a video in the corner of your screen, allowing you to continue working while the video plays to the side. It's a great tool for juggling multiple things together but don't be surprised if you find yourself looking more at the video than your work!

When you're trying to be productive, you don't need distractions. WasteNoTime allows you to block certain sites and links so that you aren't distracted by viewing them. Just right click on a link and choose to add it to your block list to be saved the temptation. It also has a tracker which shows how much time you've spent on different sites, so you know exactly where the problem is. 

One of the best things about Chrome is its ability to translate websites for you. Translate brings that functionality to Safari. Simply go to a website, tap the translate button, and Translate converts everything to English via Google Translate or Bing Translate. It takes a moment or two but you can see it being converted before your eyes which is neat. Translations are reasonably accurate too.

Online, there are thousands of coupon codes and offers, but it's likely that you forget to look them up until you've already ordered something. At the touch of a button, you can open Honey to the side of Safari, and check out the coupons available to you. The extension offers up plenty of popular retailers such as Macy's, Bloomingdale's, eBay, and Sears. Just tap on the name of the retailer and you can look up coupons, as well as details on how long ago they worked correctly. There's also a Honey reward scheme for extra bonuses. 

PriceBlink keeps an eye on prices so you don't have to. Go to somewhere like Amazon or eBay, and the moment you load an item, PriceBlink pops up with the price of the item elsewhere. You can instantly see if Amazon really is offering the best price or if there's somewhere cheaper you could switch to. If a better alternative is listed, simply click on the site and PriceBlink loads the alternate option in a separate tab. This simple extension could save you a lot of money over time. 

One of the most effective things at the cinema is how the lights go down and you can focus solely on the cinema screen. Turn Off the Lights offers that same kind of effect on your laptop or desktop. When on YouTube or another video based site, hit the lightbulb icon on Safari, and the lights around the video playing are immediately dimmed. You can focus on the screen itself rather than everything going on around it. To get the full effect, you need to tweak some settings, but it's a neat way of adding some atmosphere when watching a video.

SpeedReading is a simple extension that encourages you to read faster. Simply hit the Read button and the extension kicks in for whatever story you're reading, showing each word individually in a large print and switching at a rate of 400 words per minute. It's a speed reading concept that's been proven to work, teaching people how to read and comprehend at a much faster pace than they may have through conventional methods. You can choose to tweak the speed at which words pop up too, so you can gradually learn to read increasingly more quickly. 

Safari has built-in password management but LastPass is much better at the job. It works across multiple devices, and also gives you somewhere to store files and notes securely. A lot of the time, you'll need to delve into the separate app to use it fully, but the Safari extension gives you the ability to generate secure passwords, quickly fill in forms, or add notes, all directly from your browser. It's a real game changer for security and privacy concerns.

Ever feel like you're overwhelmed with tabs but also don't want to close them for various important reasons? With TabsFolder, you can save all those tabs, in the order they're currently in, for future reference. That way, you won't lose your train of thought but you'll also be able to start afresh with a window that isn't cluttered full of tabs from that important project of yours. The interface isn't the most stylish, but it works well. It's kind of like a twist on the Bookmarks folder, but a little more practical. 

If you frequently need to take multiple screenshots of Safari, Awesome Screenshot makes things easier. Simply click on the extension icon and you can choose to snap the entire page, a selected area or the visible part of it. Once you've got that far, you can then choose to crop it, draw shapes on the image, or add text as annotations to explain the process. It could save you a lot of time if you frequently need to screenshot things.

If you've recently switched from PC to Mac, you might find the lack of a 'proper' reload/refresh button confusing on Safari. Reload adds that functionality in a very simple fashion. All it does is add a button to the left of the URL bar. Simply tap it whenever you want to reload the page, and it reloads super quickly. That's all there is to it. Sure, there are keyboard shortcuts that enable you to do this anyhow but if you prefer a more tangible button, this is a simple yet effective extension.