Free Chrome Extension Tools
Three free utilities for Chrome extension developers. No signup, no rate limits, no upsell. Built because we needed them ourselves.
Manifest V3 Generator
Generate a valid Chrome extension manifest.json in seconds. Pick permissions, content scripts, and pages — copy the result, drop it in your extension.
Permissions Explainer
Pick a Chrome extension permission and see exactly what it allows, the risk level, and less invasive alternatives. Or paste a manifest to audit it.
Extension Idea Generator
Describe a workflow you want to improve. Get 3 tailored Chrome extension ideas you can build in under 10 minutes.
Why these tools exist
We built PlugThis so you don't have to write Chrome extension code by hand. But there are small jobs that don't need a full generator — they just need a useful tool. These three handle the ones we kept reaching for.
The Manifest V3 Generator produces a valid manifest.json from a checklist. Useful when you're starting fresh, modifying an existing extension, or learning what each manifest field does. The output is the same format Chrome expects — drop it into your extension folder and Chrome will recognize it on load.
The Permissions Explainer answers the question "what does this permission actually let an extension do?" Useful for end-users evaluating whether to install an extension, and for developers picking the right permissions to request. You can also paste a full manifest and get a per-permission risk audit.
The Idea Generator takes a problem you have and proposes three Chrome extensions that solve it, each with a ready-to-use build prompt. Useful when you know you'd like an extension but haven't pinned down what it should do yet.
All three are free, work without signing in, and link back to PlugThis when you're ready to build the real thing.
Skip straight to building
PlugThis turns a one-line description into a working Chrome extension in under two minutes.
Open the builder