Sandy Stachowiak October 3, 2016 11 minutes
Firefox is famous for its addons, and for good reason: they can make your browser do just about anything. But which addons are the most useful? Here are the addons we think are best, what they do, and where you can find them.
Enjoy! Also let us know if we’ve missed anything, okay? We plan to update the list semi-regularly.
Bookmarks and Clipping
If you’re using the web for research, you need to compile what you find as quickly as possible, and note a few sites for future reference. Here are tools for saving those relevant bits of information, and for compiling and managing your bookmarks.
Evernote Web Clipper
If you don’t use Evernote, you’re missing out: it’s the perfect place to put all those things you need to remember for later but don’t need right now. And the fastest way to send something to Evernote is the Web Clipper, which Aaron called the ultimate content saving tool. You won’t remember how you browsed without it.Evernote's New Web Clipper Is The Ultimate Content Saving Tool Evernote's New Web Clipper Is The Ultimate Content Saving ToolEvernote's Web Clipper isn't new. But if you haven't heard, or perhaps didn't like the Evernote clipper in the past, this is the right time to look into it again.READ MORE
Zotero
Creating citations is the funnest part of academic writing, right? If you’re convinced, check out Zotero for Firefox. It takes the stress out of referencing by creating a bibliography in just one click, and it’s also a useful tool for compiling resources. A must for academics.Take The Stress Out Of Referencing With Zotero Take The Stress Out Of Referencing With ZoteroEssays are dry. They're time consuming. They're dull. And the worst part of it? Referencing. Thankfully, there's an app out there making referencing less frustrating.READ MORE
Scrapbook
If you’d rather your clippings live right in your
Xmarks
If you use more than one browser, you need this. XMarks is a bookmark and password syncing service compatible with Firefox, Chrome, Safari and internet Explorer – meaning you can take your bookmarks with you when you switch from one to the other.XMarks Syncs Bookmarks & Passwords Between All Major Browsers XMarks Syncs Bookmarks & Passwords Between All Major BrowsersREAD MORE
Pearltrees
Compile things you find interesting, arrange them visually and share the results with the world. That’s the idea behind Pearl Trees, which lets you share the best of the web with your own visual library. It’s long been a top-rated Firefox addon, check it out and learn why.Organize The Best From The Web In Your Own Visual Library On Pearltrees [Chrome] Organize The Best From The Web In Your Own Visual Library On Pearltrees [Chrome]Pearltrees is a more natural way to process all we save and share on the web. At its simplest, it is a free web curation tool but with a completely visual interface (like a mindmap)...READ MORE
Notepad (formerly QuickFox Notes)
Sometimes, while researching, you need to quickly write something down. If you’d rather keep everything in the browser, QuickFox notes lets you write and save notes with a tabbed interface.QuickFox Notes - Write and Save Notes In Firefox QuickFox Notes - Write and Save Notes In FirefoxREAD MORE
Custom Browsing
Firefox isn’t just a tool you can use: it’s something you can make personal, and use to make the web look however you like. Here are some addons that let you do just that, by changing how you browser behaves or adding quick tools to the right-click menu.
Stratiform
There are a lot of Firefox themes out there, but if you can’t find one that’s just right, don’t worry: you can design your own Firefox skin with Stratiform. It’s easy.Design Your Very Own Firefox With The Amazing & Versatile Stratiform Design Your Very Own Firefox With The Amazing & Versatile StratiformThe competition between Firefox and Chrome is getting ever fiercer, and as users, it’s us who hold the power to choose which browser makes our lives better. Without commenting on which is actually superior, I...READ MORE
All-In-One Sidebar
Bookmarks, history, downloads: why should all of these things live in a tiny toolbar? Give yourself more room to work, without adding clutter: put everything you need in a sidebar.The Real End Of Clutter: All-In-One Sidebar Brings Everything You Need To Your Sidebar [Firefox] The Real End Of Clutter: All-In-One Sidebar Brings Everything You Need To Your Sidebar [Firefox]I'm not easily impressed with add-ons, but All-in-One Sidebar is an excellent addition to anyone's Firefox browser. Yes, you shouldn't install too many browser extensions, but AiOS can easily replace several you're already using, and...READ MORE
Vertical Toolbar
Don’t want an entire sidebar? Just move a few buttons, then. Doing so can save you a lot of vertical space, so give it a shot if you want more of your screen to show the site you’re looking at.Going Vertical - Free Your Browser Window From Clutter With Vertical Toolbar [Firefox] Going Vertical - Free Your Browser Window From Clutter With Vertical Toolbar [Firefox]I love Firefox. Yes, it’s not perfect, I’ll admit to that in a heartbeat, but for me, it’s almost everything I want from a browser. One thing that does bother me though, is its slight...READ MORE
Classic Theme Restorer
This handy addon brings back some of the buttons, tab preferences, and toolbar options from previous Firefox versions. There are many customization options such as changing tab location, different sizes and modes for menu icons, and options for closing tabs and opening panels.
gTranslate
See some text you don’t understand? With this addon installed all you need to do is right-click to see a translation.
TinEye
Where did that picture come from? TinEye lets you find out quickly: just right-click, then click “Search image on TinEye” to find images similar from around the web. There’s no end of uses for this sort of reverse image search, from spotting fake Facebook profile pictures to determining whether an image is fair use.Check Out Some More Uses Of A Reverse Image Search Using TinEye [Chrome] Check Out Some More Uses Of A Reverse Image Search Using TinEye [Chrome]Image recognition is getting better by the day. Perhaps, that’s why we keep talking about it so much. The reverse search engine that usually gets most of the clicks is TinEye. We didn’t miss out...READ MORE
Greasemonkey
Customize the way your favourite websites look with scripts. This addon is legendary, though possibly less useful with the decay and eventual death of UserScripts.org. GreasyFork is probably the best place to find scripts now.
Stylish
Similar to Greasemonkey in some ways, but focused on changing how sites look instead of how they act. Think of it as themes for your favourite sites.Use Custom Styles For Any Website With Stylish [Chrome] Use Custom Styles For Any Website With Stylish [Chrome]Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder. Web designers and developers have to live with this curse every day. And when you happen to work for a major website like Facebook, even the slightest...READ MORE
User Agent Switcher
Want to see the mobile version of a page? Or access a site that’s “Chrome Only”, or “internet Explorer Only”? User agent lets you trick websites into thinking you’re using a different browser.Impersonate Other Browsers With User Agent Switcher [Firefox] Impersonate Other Browsers With User Agent Switcher [Firefox]The User Agent Switcher extension is a secret agent in disguise for Firefox. You can put on your IE hat and slip past virtual bouncers into Internet Explorer-only websites; blend in as an iPhone and...READ MORE
Developers
If you’re an aspiring web developer, you need to know about these tools – they’re the reason so many pros use Firefox, or at least keep it around for certain instances.
Firebug
If you’re a developer, you’re already using it. If you’re just curious, know that it’s a way you cancustomize any website by editing the CSS, HTML and Javascript in real time. Watch what happens and learn!Amateur's Guide To Customizing Website Design With FireBug Amateur's Guide To Customizing Website Design With FireBugREAD MORE
Firepicker
You probably don’t have every color code memorized, so use while you’re editing sites with Firebug. It pops up and lets you pick a color with your mouse, and pastes the proper code.
SeoQuake SEO Extension
When you need a little help with search engine or social media optimization, SeoQuake SEO Extension is a terrific tool. With this addon, you can investigate site parameters, view keyword density for phrases, look over site compliance data, and see the internal and external links.
FireFTP
Why install a separate program for FTP transfers when you can do it right in your browser? FireFTP is a powerful Firefox FTP client.FireFTP is a Powerful Firefox FTP Client You Can Use in Your Browser FireFTP is a Powerful Firefox FTP Client You Can Use in Your BrowserIf you've ever done any sort of web management, then you've probably used FTP at some point or another. Most web hosts will have a primitive file uploader than you can use straight from your...READ MORE
FEBE
Back up and rebuild your Firefox extensions with FEBE. Decide what to back up along with where and when. The addon’s options include reminders, cloud service connections, and import and export tools. You can also perform a quick backup or restore right from your main menu.
MeasureIt
It’s like a tape measure for web designers, letting you quickly measure the size in pixels of any area. Perfect if you need to know how big an image you can fit in a given place.MeasureIt: A Simple Ruler Extension for Firefox MeasureIt: A Simple Ruler Extension for FirefoxREAD MORE
FontFinder
Hey, which font is that? Find out quickly with this tool.
RightToClick
When a website disables your options for selecting text, right-clicking, or saving images RightToClick is there to help. This extension includes a list of items you can choose from for what you would like to disable including handlers, page timers, event listeners, and CSS.
Connect To Mobile
Firefox syncs your bookmarks and open tabs with its mobile version, but you can send a lot more than that to your phone. Here are tools for getting content from your desktop Firefox to you other devices.
Send To Kindle
Found a long article, but don’t have time to read it now? With this you can save websites to your Kindle, so you can read them later on your e-ink screen.How To Save Websites To Read Later On Your Kindle How To Save Websites To Read Later On Your KindleOur computers aren't made for reading long-form articles, but Kindles are. You can send websites to your Kindle and read them later, just like you'd read eBooks on your Kindle. This lets you use your...READ MORE
Send the currently open article to the ultimate digital bookmarking service, so you can read it later on your phone or tablet.Pocket - The Ultimate Digital Bookmarking Service Pocket - The Ultimate Digital Bookmarking ServiceAs Bakari previously reported, the well loved Read It Later - which enabled users to save articles to read later from a bookmarklet or various apps it was integrated with - was discontinued and replaced...READ MORE
LastPass
Nothing is worse than typing a long password with a phone keyboard. With LastPass for Firefox, you can sync your passwords to your phone and all of your other devices. LastPass also makes logging into sites faster on your desktop, so it’s the ideal password management system.LastPass for Firefox: The Ideal Password Management System LastPass for Firefox: The Ideal Password Management SystemIf you've not yet decided to use a password manager for your myriad logins online, it's time you took a look at one of the best options around: LastPass. Many people are cautious about using...READ MORE
Pushbullet
Pushbullet is a great tool for sending and syncing information to and from most anywhere quickly. You can send a link, share a screen shot, type a message, or drop a file between your devices or even to other people. The tool also lets you send to multiple devices at one time, show notifications, and add a password for end-to-end encryption.
Music and Video
There’s a lot of great media online, and Firefox is a good browser to enjoy it with. But are there tools that can make streaming, and downloading, a bit better? Of course there are.
DownThemAll
If you like to find and download media – images, videos or music – you’re going to want this legendary addon. One click lets you download every piece of media linked to on a page, or every image on that page.
Ant Video Downloader
Downloads videos from a surprising number of sites, so you can watch them offline. Use responsibly.
Hola Unblocker
Darkens everything on the page but the video you’re watching, kind of like turning the lights off in the theater.
Security
HTTPS everywhere
Lots of sites offer HTTPS encryption, but leave it off by default. This addon turns it on whenever possible, giving you an added layer of security.Encrypt Your Web Browsing With HTTPS Everywhere [Firefox] Encrypt Your Web Browsing With HTTPS Everywhere [Firefox]HTTPS Everywhere is one of those extensions that only Firefox makes possible. Developed by the Electronic Frontier Foundation, HTTPS Everywhere automatically redirects you to the encrypted version of websites. It works on Google, Wikipedia and...READ MORE
Web Of Trust
Is the site you’re looking at trustworthy? Users vote about the trustworthiness of a site, meaning you’ll get a warning if you’re browsing something potentially harmful. It’s your own personal internet bodyguard.Encrypt Your Web Browsing With HTTPS Everywhere [Firefox] Encrypt Your Web Browsing With HTTPS Everywhere [Firefox]HTTPS Everywhere is one of those extensions that only Firefox makes possible. Developed by the Electronic Frontier Foundation, HTTPS Everywhere automatically redirects you to the encrypted version of websites. It works on Google, Wikipedia and...READ MORE
TrackMeNot
Don’t want Google watching your every move? This addon sends a bunch of random searches to Google, Bing and more, making it harder to search engines to track your online activity.
Ghostery
For finding tracking elements, Ghostery is a wonderful extension. When visiting a page, you will see the Ghostery icon in your toolbar display a count notifying you of the number of tracking elements found. You can then decide which of those trackers to allow by flipping the switch beside each one and also add a site to your whitelist easily.10 Simple Firefox Extensions to Protect Your Privacy 10 Simple Firefox Extensions to Protect Your PrivacySometimes we just want to protect our privacy from simple tracking, cookies, or Web requests. These 10 extensions for Firefox are just that – simple tools that can help with keeping your privacy private.READ MORE
Privacy Badger
For blocking invisible trackers and spying advertisements, Privacy Badger has you covered. With simple settings like whitelisted sites, a badge icon for trackers, and an easy slider to adjust blocking and cookies on particular websites.
Shopping Enhancers
Finding the best price is way easier in your browser than it is at the mall, but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t be even easier. Here are the best Firefox tools for the job.
Invisible Hand
It’s automated price comparison! Browse any online store, and this addon will let you know if anything you’re looking at can be found for less somewhere else. This will save you money.3 Useful Firefox Add-ons To Help Save You Money 3 Useful Firefox Add-ons To Help Save You MoneyREAD MORE
Shoptimate
Shoptimate is a convenient tool for comparison shopping because it works automatically while you are viewing a product. You will then see the lowest price and where to obtain it pop right up. There is also a button to view additional prices and locations and you can click to go directly to another store on the list.
Amazon Add To Wish List
Another sweet shopping tool is called Honey. With this add-on, you can obtain discount codes and have them applied at checkout time. As you shop, Honey will search for coupons and sales automatically and the toolbar icon will light up when something is found. Then just review the deals, make your pick, and you are on your way.5 Useful, Money-Saving Online Shopping Tips You Should Know 5 Useful, Money-Saving Online Shopping Tips You Should KnowHere are several tips and tricks to help you hold onto more of your hard-earned cash.READ MORE
Social Networking Tools
Social networks are great for keeping in touch with friends and finding great content. Here are a few tools that make your favorite networks just a bit better.
StumbleUpon
The magic internet button that takes you to a random website. Still awesome after all these years.StumbleUpon For Firefox - It's Still Awesome StumbleUpon For Firefox - It's Still AwesomeWhere do you get your fix of fun, interesting sites to look at? These days, it's probably Reddit, Twitter or Facebook. But do you remember the time when the best site to find new interesting...READ MORE
Reddit Enhancement Suite
Add keyboard shortcuts, embedded media and so much more to Reddit. If you browse the site often, this is a must-have. It’s necessary if you want to use Reddit like a boss.Use Reddit Like A Boss With This Combo Package Use Reddit Like A Boss With This Combo PackageToday, we're going to take a look at a couple of browser extensions that will enhance your Reddit experience. One of them is an old fogey, so you might of already heard of it by...READ MORE
Buffer
Tweeting too much can overwhelm your followers. With Buffer, you can schedule to share whatever you’re reading right now sometime later – important if you want to optimize viewership.
AddThis
The AddThis extension has hundreds of sharing options from popular social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to less familiar options like Amen Me!, Fashiolista, and Links Gutter. You can also print easily or send via email.
ShareThis
Share This is another addon that allows you to share to many locations. It does not currently have hundreds, but it does have the most popular sites. Facebook, Twitter, Buffer, LinkedIn, and Pinterest are among the options and email sharing can be done using Gmail, Yahoo! Mail, or Outlook.
Hootsuite Hootlet
If you are a Hootsuite fan for sharing to Twitter, Facebook, or even Google Plus, then the Hootsuite Hootlet addon is a great tool. The sharing window automatically pops in the name of the website or article and a shortened URL. You can then select your account, add a new one, and schedule the post. You can also edit the post to include another link, an attachment, or a location.6 Great Social Sharing Extensions for Firefox 6 Great Social Sharing Extensions for FirefoxPeople love to share articles online, but some of us like to have more options than are presented to us by the site. In fact, this is a common problem.READ MORE
Tab Management
If you regularly can’t see the favicons because of how many tabs you have open, there’s help for you. Here are some addons that can keep things under control.
Tab Utilities
If there’s anything – anything at all – you wish you could change about the way tabs behave in Firefox, check this addon first.Control How Links Open & Tabs Behave With Tab Utilities [Firefox] Control How Links Open & Tabs Behave With Tab Utilities [Firefox]Tab Utilities is a Firefox add-on that helps you to control the behavior of different links from different locations to the smallest detail. You can determine how tabs will open or close, where links from...READ MORE
Duplicate Tab Closer
If you open the same website in two different tabs, this addon will automatically close one of them, helping you organize your tabs.Organize Firefox With These Superb Tab Management Tools Organize Firefox With These Superb Tab Management ToolsMultiple tabs are a common reality to modern web browsing. It doesn't take long at all before you have a good number of tabs open, and that's natural. However, despite the great convenience that tabs...READ MORE
Tab Mix Plus
Control and customize your tab options with Tabs Mix Plus. This extension lets you manage opening, closing, and merging tabs. You can also adjust mouse gestures and clicking, context menus, and the opening of new pages. In addition, you can check out the session manager within the tool.
Tile Tabs
Browse multiple sites, at once, in a single window. This addon lets you get more out of your wide screen.Tile Tabs for Firefox: Letting You Use The Full Potential Of Your Wide Screen Tile Tabs for Firefox: Letting You Use The Full Potential Of Your Wide ScreenThere's a reason the new Chromebook Pixel, an expensive high-end machine, uses a 3:4 aspect ratio rather than widescreen 16:9. It's because the Web is vertical. Webpages scroll up and down, but most of us...READ MORE
Tab Grenade
If you work with a lot of tabs open at one time, then Tab Grenade is awesome. This tool can help you get where you need to go without clicking each tab. With the click of a button, closes all tabs for you and places their links in one spot. You can then open one or all of them back up, remove the group, or close just one at a time.
ColorfulTabs
ColorfulTabs is a favorite for tab organization because it allows you to color-code your tabs to see what you need at a glance. You can set up presets so that specific domains always open in the same color or choose a specific color for the tab you are currently using. You can use highlight or blink effects and convert tabs into a compact view.25 Firefox Addons That Will Make You More Productive 25 Firefox Addons That Will Make You More ProductiveFor those who use Firefox, we have suggestions and add-ons that can assist you in successfully satisfying your productivity resolution.READ MORE
Original Version: Written by Justin Pot
Last updated: September 29, 2016
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