Quick Links The Google Chrome AI Chatbot Extensions I Tested AI Chatbot Extensions Head-to-Head Comparison This Is the Best Chrome AI Chatbot Extension
There are so many AI chatbot extensions for Google Chrome that finding a good one in the stack of poorly designed tools is an overwhelming task. So, I've tested four of the most popular AI chatbot extensions to find the best one.
The Google Chrome AI Chatbot Extensions I Tested
I tested the Monica, Merlin, and ChatGPT Sidebar extensions for Chrome. These AI chatbot extensions have millions of users with ratings of 4.8 and 4.9 stars out of 5. I also added Perplexity AI into the mix as I liked using its AI chatbot and am curious whether its extension is as good. I also checked the safety and legitimacy of these Chrome extensions before installing them, and all of them should be safe to install. So, all in all, we have four extensions to try and compare.
AI Chatbot Extensions Head-to-Head Comparison
I compared features, ease of use, and performance to determine the best AI chatbot extension. Note that these tools each have a full-featured web app separate from the extensions. I only compared them based on the extensions' features. So, features that require you to visit the AI chatbot website are not included.
Also, output quality and speed performance depend heavily on the specific AI model. This does not directly reflect the extension itself. So, we will base performance on factors such as the models they support and the number of queries you can do for both basic and advanced models.
Extension
Features
Ease of Use
Performance
Perplexity AI
Quick and lightweight. Instant page summaries, real-time Q&A.
User-friendly interface with straightforward toolbar integration.
Unlimited queries. It uses real-time web search and Claude 3 Haiku to provide quick and accurate information. Best used for queries requiring short answers.
Monica
All-in-one extension. The comprehensive suite of features includes chat, search, writing assistance, file uploads, translation, and creative capabilities like image and video generation.
Cluttered. UI can be overwhelming for new users but can be easier to use with proper setup and keyboard shortcuts.
Unlimited queries on lots of popular basic models like DeepSeek R1(small), GPT-4o mini, and Gemini 2.0 Flash. Does not provide free credits for premium models.
Merlin
Well-curated set of features. Focuses on productivity enhancement with quick answers and content summarization.
Simple interface focusing on quick access to AI assistance. UI is good but can feel outdated.
Provides a substantial amount of queries (free 100 credits per day). Lacks the latest models like DeepSeek and GPT-o1 but provides free credits to other advanced models like GPT-4o, Claude 3 Sonnet, and Mixtral. Good for research and coding assistance.
ChatGPT Sidebar
All-in-one extension. It features a comprehensive suite of AI features and utilities like AI web search, chat, translation, file converters, file uploads, and image and video generation.
Clean layout. Core features are easy to navigate, while more advanced features can be accessed in the sidebar.
Limited (30 credits per day). No free credit for popular advanced models.
Perplexity AI Extension
Perplexity was the simplest and easiest to use out of the four. You can only do two things -- ask a question and ask for a summary. I like its focus feature, which allows you to choose where Perplexity sources its answers, whether it be the web page you're currently on, the entire website, or the internet.
Monica
Taking an entirely opposite approach, Monica feels more like a full-featured app rather than a Chrome extension. It stands out as the most versatile extension, offering a wide range of AI capabilities, including writing, search, translations, and even image/video generation. These AI features are further improved with context memory, file uploads, live voice, real-time search, and the ability to choose between popular AI models. My favorite feature is the free and unlimited use of basic models like GPT-4o mini, Claude Haiku, and DeepSeek R1 (small).
Due to its massive amount of features, Monica does feel very cluttered and can be confusing for new users. However, I do like that it provides options for keyboard shortcuts and toolbar preferences, which makes it much easier to use in the long run.
Merlin
Merlin provides a good middle ground between Perplexity's simplicity and Monica's assortment of features. I enjoyed using it as its UI feels simple and intuitive while still packing enough features for me to do a good deal of productivity with just my browser. What I find limiting with Merlin is that it only gives you 102 credits to use per day. Although quite substantial when using small models like GPT-4o, which uses one credit per query, the daily free credit does feel very limiting when you start using advanced models like GPT-4o, which uses 15 credits per query.
ChatGPT Sidebar
ChatGPT Sidebar provides roughly the same features as Monica while being much less cluttered. However, my biggest problem with ChatGPT Sidebar is that it only offers 30 credits per day, even with smaller AI models like GPT-4o mini, DeepSeek R1 70B (small), and Claude 3.5 Haiku, taking one credit per query. It doesn't offer any free credits for advanced models like GPT-4o and Claude 3.5 Sonnet like Merlin does. However, it does allow you to try "super advanced" models like GPT-o1 at 15 credits, GPT-o3 at three credits, and DeepSeek R1 (big) at two credits per query.
This Is the Best Chrome AI Chatbot Extension
There are many AI-powered Chrome extensions for productivity, but after testing some of the most popular AI ones, Monica stands out as the best Chrome AI chatbot extension.
Monica provides the most features and best performance without paying for any subscription or worrying about credits. Although I dislike its cluttered UI, I find that its sheer amount of features and the versatility of its free AI models allows me to do a lot more than any of the AI extensions I've tried. With real-time web research available in Monica, having access to small AI models like GPT-4o mini is enough to provide accurate answers, making it a great free AI tool that saves me money on premium AI subscriptions.
ChatGPT Sidebar seems to provide the best set of features with a very clean and intuitive UI, but its low daily credit makes it very limited. I recommend Merlin over ChatGPT if you're a free user. At least Merlin provides a good amount of credit for using basic AI models while still having all the useful features you'd want in an AI extension.
If you're willing to pay a premium for a monthly subscription, the ChatGPT Sidebar extension is the best-paid option out of the four. Remember that these extensions do not allow you to use your existing premium subscriptions to any AI chatbot you may have. This means that your already existing subscription to premium AI services like ChatGPT Plus cannot be used within these extensions.
So, if you're already subscribed to any premium AI chatbot service like ChatGPT, it might just be better for you to directly visit the web app and supplement it with the Perplexity AI extension for quick Q&A and summaries.
As for me, I'll continue to use Monica as my all-in-one AI extension for Chrome.
