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.

Grammar Checker: Grammarly

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. 

  • Simple and clear writing suggestions.

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

Easy Coupon Codes: Honey

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. 

  • Easy to browse.

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

Picture in Picture: PiPer

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.

  • Supports many different video sites.

  • Liable to dent your productivity.

Ad blocker: Adblock Plus

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.

  • Easy to set up.

  • Settings can be a little tricky.

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. 

  • Great for storing links for later reference.

  • You need to sign up first.

Translation: Translate

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.

  • Translates from dozens of languages.

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

  • Easy to compare prices.

  • Only works in the U.S. and U.K.

Cinema Style Lighting Effect: Turn Off the Lights

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.

  • Neat atmospheric lighting effect.

  • Need to load the separate app to change settings.

Password Management: LastPass

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.

  • Extra layer of protection for passwords.

  • Little convoluted to setup.

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