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Technology · head to head

Google Chrome vs Violentmonkey

Google Chrome logo

Google Chrome

Technology

Google's browser, built on Chromium, with the largest market share and the strictest limits on what extensions may do.

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: Google Chrome manifest V3 replaced blocking webRequest with declarativeNetRequest, which imposes hard caps on the number of filtering rules an extension can apply, so uBlock Origin does not run on Chrome and its Lite version blocks measurably less; if content blocking matters to your users, this is not a setting you can change.; Violentmonkey smaller script ecosystem compared to Tampermonkey which has larger user base and more available scripts
  • They diverge on capability: Google Chrome covers Chrome Browser Cloud Management, Violentmonkey covers Userscript support.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Google Chrome and Violentmonkey actually diverge.

Attributes where Google Chrome and Violentmonkey differ
AttributeGoogle ChromeViolentmonkey
PlatformsWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, AndroidChrome, Firefox, Edge
CategoryTechnologyBrowser Extensions
Founded20082013

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

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 Google Chrome

  • Chrome Browser Cloud Management
  • Several hundred policies
  • Site isolation
  • Safe Browsing
  • Profiles
  • DevTools
  • Extended Stable channel
  • Chrome Web Store

Only in Violentmonkey

  • Userscript support
  • Clean interface
  • Cloud sync
  • Script editor
  • Chrome support
  • Firefox support
  • Edge support
  • Opera support

What people use each for

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

Google Chrome

  • Enterprise fleets that need centrally managed browser policy and version reporting at no licensing costnot Violentmonkey
  • Web development, where Chrome's DevTools and Lighthouse are the reference tooling and where most users will benot Violentmonkey
  • Running enterprise SaaS applications certified only against Chrome, which is common in HR, finance and healthcare softwarenot Violentmonkey
  • Environments already using Google Workspace, where profile sign-in, sync and context-aware access are already in placenot Violentmonkey

Violentmonkey

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

Where each one falls short

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

Google Chrome

  • Manifest V3 replaced blocking webRequest with declarativeNetRequest, which imposes hard caps on the number of filtering rules an extension can apply, so uBlock Origin does not run on Chrome and its Lite version blocks measurably less; if content blocking matters to your users, this is not a setting you can change.
  • The browser is the entry point to Google's account, search and advertising business, and the defaults, prompts and sign-in flows all pull towards a Google account; running it fully detached is possible but requires policy and ongoing attention as new prompts are added.
  • Site isolation runs a process per site, which is correct security design and expensive in memory; on machines with 8 GB and users who keep dozens of tabs open it produces genuine slowdowns and support tickets that no configuration removes.
  • The four-week release cadence means a new major version roughly every month, and even Extended Stable delivers one every eight weeks, so any environment that formally certifies browser versions is permanently behind or permanently re-certifying.
  • Because it ships features first and holds the majority of the market, a team that tests only in Chrome builds against Chrome-specific behaviour and finds out about Safari and Firefox breakage from users rather than from CI.
  • Google has reversed direction on Privacy Sandbox repeatedly, announcing third-party cookie deprecation, delaying it several times and then abandoning it in 2025 before retiring several of the replacement APIs, so any advertising or measurement plan built on Chrome's stated roadmap has had to be rebuilt more than once.

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

Google Chrome

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Google Chrome review.

Violentmonkey

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Violentmonkey review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Google Chrome if

  • You need chrome browser cloud management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android.
  • You also want several hundred policies.
Google Chrome 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 Google Chrome or Violentmonkey better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Chrome 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, Google Chrome or Violentmonkey?
Google Chrome starts at Free and Violentmonkey at Free.
Does Google Chrome or Violentmonkey run on more platforms?
Google Chrome runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android. Violentmonkey runs on Chrome, Firefox, Edge.
Can I use Google Chrome for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Google Chrome best used for?
Google Chrome is most often used for enterprise fleets that need centrally managed browser policy and version reporting at no licensing cost, web development, where chrome's devtools and lighthouse are the reference tooling and where most users will be, running enterprise saas applications certified only against chrome, which is common in hr, finance and healthcare software, environments already using google workspace, where profile sign-in, sync and context-aware access are already in place. Of those, enterprise fleets that need centrally managed browser policy and version reporting at no licensing cost and web development, where chrome's devtools and lighthouse are the reference tooling and where most users will be are not what Violentmonkey is typically brought in for.
What can Google Chrome do that Violentmonkey cannot?
Google Chrome covers Chrome Browser Cloud Management, Several hundred policies, Site isolation, Safe Browsing. Violentmonkey covers Userscript support, Clean interface, Cloud sync, Script editor.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Google Chrome: Why does uBlock Origin no longer work?

Chrome's Manifest V3 removed the blocking webRequest API that it depends on and replaced it with declarativeNetRequest, which limits how many rules an extension may register. uBlock Origin Lite works within those limits and blocks less. Firefox retains the original API.

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
Google Chrome: Is Chrome the same as Chromium?

No. Chrome is Chromium plus Google's proprietary additions: certain media codecs, Google account sync, Safe Browsing integration and usage reporting. Chromium builds omit those, which is why some sites' video playback and sign-in behaviour differ.

Violentmonkey: What browsers does Violentmonkey support?

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

Source
Google Chrome: What does enterprise management cost?

Nothing. Chrome Browser Cloud Management, the administrative policy templates and Extended Stable are all free. This is unusual and is a genuine reason organisations standardise on it.

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
Google Chrome: How often does it update?

A major version every four weeks on the stable channel, with security updates in between, and every eight weeks on the Extended Stable channel intended for managed fleets.

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
Google Chrome: Is Chrome on iPhone actually Chrome?

No. Apple's platform rules mean it runs on WebKit, so on iOS you get Chrome's interface, sync and account integration on top of Safari's engine, not Blink.

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