I’m exploring which browser extensions are genuinely helpful—whether for productivity, development, or security. With so many options out there, it’s hard to know what’s essential vs. just extra fluff.
I’d love to hear what you guys personally use day-to-day, and what makes those extensions indispensable for you. Any insights from dev or QA workflows are welcome too!
For my daily browsing, a strong privacy setup is a must. Here are the essentials I rely on:
uBlock Origin – Lightweight and powerful ad/tracker blocker.
HTTPS Everywhere – Automatically forces secure versions of sites.
ClearURLs – Strips tracking elements from URLs.
These give me peace of mind without needing to micromanage settings. It’s simple, effective, and doesn’t slow down my browser.
As someone who works in QA, my extensions are focused on testing and debugging -
Wappalyzer – Instantly tells me what tech stack a site is using.
Lighthouse – Built into Chrome DevTools but available standalone too—great for quick performance and SEO audits.
ModHeader – Lets me modify headers and test how websites respond to different scenarios.
When testing cross-browser compatibility, I rely more on LambdaTest than extensions. It allows me to simulate dozens of browser/OS combinations without setting them up manually, which pairs perfectly with the above extensions during debugging.
My workflow gets messy with dozens of tabs open, so I focus on organization and automation. Here are my recommendations:
Tab Suspender (or Auto Tab Discard) – Reduces memory usage by suspending inactive tabs.
Raindrop io – Excellent for saving and organizing bookmarks with tags.
Toggl Track – Helps me track time on tasks directly from the browser.
While these aren’t “QA tools,” I’ve found they help me stay efficient and reduce burnout—especially during long test sessions or documentation work.
I complement this setup with LambdaTest for remote access to browsers I don’t run locally, without needing to clutter my system.