The 15 Best Safari Extensions of 2021

Add more functionality to Safari

by
Jennifer Allen
Jennifer Allen
Writer
Jennifer Allen has been writing about technology since 2010. Her work has appeared in Mashable, TechRadar, and many more publications.
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Jennifer Allen
Updated on January 04, 2021
reviewed by
Michael Heine headshot
Michael Barton Heine Jr
Lifewire Tech Review Board Member
Michael Heine is a CompTIA-certified writer, editor, and Network Engineer with 25+ years' experience working in the television, defense, ISP, telecommunications, and education industries.
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Article reviewed on Sep 08, 2021
Michael Barton Heine Jr

Like Chrome, Safari isn't just a stagnant web browser, it also has additional functionality via its Safari Extension plugins which take seconds to install. A form of add-on, Safari extensions now come bundled with relevant Mac apps, as well as via the App Store. 

Whether you're looking for productivity hacks, easy ways of saving money on your shopping, or ways to make your browsing experience more pleasant, there's a Safari extension for you.

Looking for great Chrome extensions? There are plenty out there.

01
of 15

Ad blocker: Adblock Plus

AdBlock Plus app
What We Like

  • Easy to set up.

What We Don't Like

  • Settings can be a little tricky.

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 "safelisting" 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.

02
of 15

Link Saving: Pocket

Pocket app dashboard
What We Like

  • Great for storing links for later reference.

What We Don't Like

  • You need to sign up first.

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 saves to your 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. 

03
of 15

Page Zoom: HoverSee

HoverSee Safari Extension
What We Like

  • Convenient zoom.

What We Don't Like

  • It's not free.

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.

04
of 15

Picture in Picture: PiPer

PiPer picture in picture Safari Extension
What We Like

  • Supports many different video sites.

What We Don't Like

  • Liable to dent your productivity.

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 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.

05
of 15

Time Tracker: WasteNoTime

WasteNoTime Dashboard interface
What We Like

  • Simple to view stats.

What We Don't Like

  • Not the prettiest of extensions.

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 a link and choose to add it to your block list to avoid 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. 

06
of 15

Translation: Translate

Translate Safari Extension translating a page from French to English
What We Like

  • Translates from dozens of languages.

What We Don't Like

  • You need to poke around in settings to gain full benefits.

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.

07
of 15

Easy Coupon Codes: Honey

Honey Safari Extension highlighting coupon codes
What We Like

  • Easy to browse.

What We Don't Like

  • Most coupons are for the U.S. only.

Online, you can find 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. Honey also has a reward scheme for extra bonuses. 

08
of 15

Price Comparer: PriceBlink

PriceBlink price comparison Safari Extension
What We Like

  • Easy to compare prices.

What We Don't Like

  • Only works in the U.S. and U.K.

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 its price 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, click the site, and PriceBlink loads the alternate option in a separate tab. This simple extension could save you a lot of money over time. 

09
of 15

Cinema Style Lighting Effect: Turn Off the Lights

Turn Off the Lights Safari Extension dashboard settings
What We Like

  • Neat atmospheric lighting effect.

What We Don't Like

  • Need to load the separate app to change settings.

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.

10
of 15

Read Faster: SpeedReading

SpeedReading Safari extension
What We Like

  • Boosts your reading speed.

What We Don't Like

  • Hardly stylish.

SpeedReading is a simple extension that encourages you to read faster. Press the Read button, and the extension kicks in for whatever story you have up. It shows each word individually in a large print and switches at a rate of 400 words per minute. It's a speed reading concept that teaches 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. 

11
of 15

Password Management: LastPass

LastPass Safari Extension
What We Like

  • Extra layer of protection for passwords.

What We Don't Like

  • Little convoluted to setup.

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.

12
of 15

Tab Organization: TabsFolder

TabsFolder Safari Extension
What We Like

  • Easy to declutter your browser without losing anything.

What We Don't Like

  • Requires a sign-up.

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. 

13
of 15

Screenshot Annotation: Awesome Screenshot

Awesome Screenshots Safari Extension
What We Like

  • Very easy to use.

What We Don't Like

  • Not quite as automated as we'd like.

If you frequently need to take multiple screenshots of Safari, Awesome Screenshot makes things easier. Click the extension icon, and you can choose to snap the entire page, a selected area or the visible part of it. Once you've gotten that far, you can 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.

14
of 15

Refresh Button: Reload

Reload Safari Extension
What We Like

  • It just works.

What We Don't Like

  • It's very basic.

If you've recently switched from PC to Mac, you might find the lack of a proper reload/refresh button confusing on Safari. Reload returns that functionality in a very simple fashion. All it does is add a button to the left of the URL bar. 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.

15
of 15

Grammar Checker: Grammarly

Grammarly Safari Extension working on Twitter homepage
What We Like

  • Simple and clear writing suggestions.

What We Don't Like

  • You need a subscription to get the most from it.

Grammarly is there for those times when you're not quite sure if your spelling or grammar is up to scratch. It highlights issues via a red line underneath a word and allows you to easily correct them, whether you happen to be typing a Facebook status or a blog post. It's a useful service that's like a little nudge in the right direction when trying to improve your writing ability. 

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