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Browser Extensions · head to head

JSON Viewer vs Userscripts

JSON Viewer logo

JSON Viewer

Browser Extensions

View JSON documents in the browser

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Userscripts logo

Userscripts

Browser Extensions

Open-source userscript manager for Safari on Mac and iOS

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: JSON Viewer the project is MIT licensed open source code hosted on GitHub with no vendor and no paid tier; Userscripts safari cannot let extensions bypass a site's Content Security Policy, so strict sites produce "Refused to execute a script" errors that the @inject-into workaround does not always fix.
  • They diverge on capability: JSON Viewer covers JSON formatting, Userscripts covers Built-in script editor.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 15 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which JSON Viewer and Userscripts actually diverge.

Attributes where JSON Viewer and Userscripts differ
AttributeJSON ViewerUserscripts
Pricing modelfreeopen-source
PlatformsChrome, Firefox, EdgeSafari, macOS, iOS
Founded2015Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), 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 JSON Viewer

  • JSON formatting
  • Syntax highlighting
  • Tree view
  • Search functionality
  • Chrome support
  • Firefox support
  • Edge support

Only in Userscripts

  • Built-in script editor
  • Standard metadata support
  • GM API
  • Remote script updating
  • iCloud sync
  • Per-page popup

What people use each for

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

JSON Viewer

No use cases recorded yet. See the JSON Viewer review.

Userscripts

  • Running userscripts on Safari without paying for Tampermonkeynot JSON Viewer
  • Running userscripts on an iPhone or iPadnot JSON Viewer
  • Writing scripts on a Mac and syncing them to iOSnot JSON Viewer
  • Blocking or restyling site elements Safari content blockers cannot reachnot JSON Viewer
  • Keeping a script library under an open-source licencenot JSON Viewer

Where each one falls short

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

JSON Viewer

  • The project is MIT licensed open source code hosted on GitHub with no vendor and no paid tier

Userscripts

  • Safari cannot let extensions bypass a site's Content Security Policy, so strict sites produce "Refused to execute a script" errors that the @inject-into workaround does not always fix.
  • Apple only. There is no Chrome, Firefox or Edge build, so it cannot be a cross-browser answer.
  • iCloud sync is documented as having delays, which is awkward when editing the same script on two devices.
  • Requires macOS 12 and Safari 14.1, or iOS 15.1, so older Apple hardware is excluded.
  • GPL v3 means a commercial licence is required for non-open-source use, which matters if you are embedding rather than just using it.

Pricing, plan by plan

JSON Viewer

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Syntax highlighting
    • Collapsible tree
    • Search

Userscripts

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full functionality
    • GPL v3 licensed
    • macOS, iOS and iPadOS

Which should you pick?

Choose JSON Viewer if

  • You need json formatting.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Chrome, Firefox, Edge.
  • You also want syntax highlighting.
JSON Viewer review

Choose Userscripts if

  • You need built-in script editor.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Safari, macOS, iOS.
  • You also want standard metadata support.
Userscripts review

Questions people ask

Is JSON Viewer or Userscripts better?
Neither clearly leads. JSON Viewer starts at Free and Userscripts at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, JSON Viewer or Userscripts?
JSON Viewer starts at Free and Userscripts at Free.
Does JSON Viewer or Userscripts run on more platforms?
JSON Viewer runs on Chrome, Firefox, Edge. Userscripts runs on Safari, macOS, iOS.
Can I use JSON Viewer for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What can JSON Viewer do that Userscripts cannot?
JSON Viewer covers JSON formatting, Syntax highlighting, Tree view, Search functionality. Userscripts covers Built-in script editor, Standard metadata support, GM API, Remote script updating.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Userscripts: Is Userscripts for Safari free?

Yes, free on the App Store and licensed under GPL v3. A commercial licence is required for use in something that is not itself open source.

Source
Userscripts: Does it work on iPhone?

Yes, on iOS and iPadOS 15.1 or later, which makes it one of the few ways to run userscripts on an iPhone.

Source
Userscripts: Why do I get "Refused to execute a script" errors?

Safari does not let extensions bypass a site's Content Security Policy the way other browsers do. The documented workaround is changing the script's @inject-into setting, though it does not resolve every case.

Source
Userscripts: Do my scripts sync between Mac and iPhone?

Yes, over iCloud, though the project notes the sync can be delayed rather than immediate.

Source
Userscripts: What are the system requirements?

macOS 12 or later with Safari 14.1 or later, or iOS and iPadOS 15.1 or later.

Source
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