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Browser Extensions · head to head

Dark Reader vs Violentmonkey

Dark Reader logo

Dark Reader

Browser Extensions

Dark mode for every website

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Violentmonkey logo

Violentmonkey

Browser Extensions

Open source userscript manager

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Dark Reader cannot modify PDF files displayed in browsers; Violentmonkey smaller script ecosystem compared to Tampermonkey which has larger user base and more available scripts
  • They diverge on capability: Dark Reader covers Dark mode, Violentmonkey covers Userscript support.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Dark Reader and Violentmonkey actually diverge.

Attributes where Dark Reader and Violentmonkey differ
AttributeDark ReaderViolentmonkey
PlatformsChrome, Firefox, Safari, EdgeChrome, Firefox, Edge
Founded20142013

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Unknown), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Browser Extensions).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Dark Reader

  • Dark mode
  • Custom brightness
  • Contrast adjustment
  • Site-specific settings
  • Safari support

Only in Violentmonkey

  • Userscript support
  • Clean interface
  • Cloud sync
  • Script editor
  • Opera support

Both cover

  • Chrome support
  • Firefox support
  • Edge support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Dark Reader

  • Applying dark mode to websites that don't natively support itnot Violentmonkey
  • Reducing eye strain for night-time or extended browsingnot Violentmonkey
  • Per-site brightness, contrast, and sepia customizationnot Violentmonkey
  • Toggling dark mode on/off per domainnot Violentmonkey
  • Accessibility use for light-sensitive usersnot Violentmonkey

Violentmonkey

  • Run open-source userscripts to customize or automate web pagesnot Dark Reader
  • Import scripts compatible with Greasemonkey and Tampermonkey formatsnot Dark Reader
  • Sync scripts and settings across browsers via Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive, or WebDAVnot Dark Reader
  • Batch import/export scripts as zip filesnot Dark Reader

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Dark Reader

  • Cannot modify PDF files displayed in browsers
  • Performance impact on devices with limited resources

Violentmonkey

  • Smaller script ecosystem compared to Tampermonkey which has larger user base and more available scripts
  • Less marketing and visibility results in lower adoption compared to more widely-known alternatives
  • Community maintenance model means slower feature development compared to commercial alternatives

Pricing, plan by plan

Dark Reader

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Dark Reader review.

Violentmonkey

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Violentmonkey review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Dark Reader if

  • You need dark mode.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge.
  • You also want custom brightness.
Dark Reader review

Choose Violentmonkey if

  • You need userscript support.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Chrome, Firefox, Edge.
  • You also want clean interface.
Violentmonkey review

Questions people ask

Is Dark Reader or Violentmonkey better?
Neither clearly leads. Dark Reader starts at Free and Violentmonkey at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Dark Reader or Violentmonkey?
Dark Reader starts at Free and Violentmonkey at Free.
Does Dark Reader or Violentmonkey run on more platforms?
Dark Reader runs on Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge. Violentmonkey runs on Chrome, Firefox, Edge.
Can I use Dark Reader for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Dark Reader best used for?
Dark Reader is most often used for applying dark mode to websites that don't natively support it, reducing eye strain for night-time or extended browsing, per-site brightness, contrast, and sepia customization, toggling dark mode on/off per domain. Of those, applying dark mode to websites that don't natively support it and reducing eye strain for night-time or extended browsing are not what Violentmonkey is typically brought in for.
What can Dark Reader do that Violentmonkey cannot?
Dark Reader covers Dark mode, Custom brightness, Contrast adjustment, Site-specific settings. Violentmonkey covers Userscript support, Clean interface, Cloud sync, Script editor. Both handle Chrome support, Firefox support, Edge support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Dark Reader: Is Dark Reader free to use?

Yes, Dark Reader is completely free with no ads and no tracking. It does not send user data anywhere.

Source
Violentmonkey: Is Violentmonkey open-source?

Yes. Violentmonkey is fully open-source and available on GitHub, making it free to use and community-maintained unlike Tampermonkey which has a larger proprietary ecosystem.

Source
Dark Reader: How can I customize the dark mode in Dark Reader?

Users can configure brightness, contrast, and sepia filter settings to suit their specific needs, and selectively enable or disable Dark Reader for specific websites.

Source
Violentmonkey: What browsers does Violentmonkey support?

Violentmonkey works on browsers with WebExtensions support, including Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and other Chromium-based browsers.

Source
Dark Reader: What browsers does Dark Reader support?

Dark Reader is available for Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge browsers across desktop and mobile platforms.

Source
Violentmonkey: How does Violentmonkey compare to Tampermonkey in performance?

Community benchmarks show Violentmonkey uses about 15 to 30 percent less RAM on Chrome compared to Tampermonkey when managing many open tabs.

Source
Dark Reader: Does Dark Reader work offline?

Yes, Dark Reader runs entirely on your device with no external dependencies. It analyzes web pages locally to generate dark themes.

Source
Violentmonkey: What is the current version of Violentmonkey?

Violentmonkey reached version 2.46.0 as of July 31, 2026, with active ongoing development and regular updates to the open-source project.

Source
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