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Browser Extensions · head to head

Stylus vs Tampermonkey

Stylus logo

Stylus

Browser Extensions

Restyle the web with custom CSS

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Tampermonkey logo

Tampermonkey

Browser Extensions

The most popular userscript manager

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Stylus crashes and instability when applying certain styles; Tampermonkey only source code up to version 2.9 is GPLv3; all newer versions are distributed under a proprietary license despite the extension itself being free to use
  • They diverge on capability: Stylus covers Custom CSS injection, Tampermonkey covers Userscript management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Stylus and Tampermonkey actually diverge.

Attributes where Stylus and Tampermonkey differ
AttributeStylusTampermonkey
Pricing modelfreeopen-source
PlatformsChrome, Firefox, Edge, OperaWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, Android
Founded20172010

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 Stylus

  • Custom CSS injection
  • Style management
  • userstyles.world integration
  • Built-in editor

Only in Tampermonkey

  • Userscript management
  • Script editor
  • Auto-update
  • Cloud sync
  • Safari support

Both cover

  • Chrome support
  • Firefox support
  • Edge support
  • Opera support

What people use each for

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

Stylus

  • Customizing website appearance with community-created CSS themesnot Tampermonkey
  • Writing personal style overrides for specific websitesnot Tampermonkey
  • Managing multiple styles across different websites automaticallynot Tampermonkey
  • Searching and installing user-styles for current websitesnot Tampermonkey
  • Migrating style collections from Stylish extensionnot Tampermonkey

Tampermonkey

  • Auto-run custom JavaScript to add features to specific websitesnot Stylus
  • Block ads, remove clutter, or reformat page layout via community/personal userscriptsnot Stylus
  • Run scripts sourced from Greasy Fork or similar userscript repositoriesnot Stylus
  • Automate repetitive web tasks such as form-filling or redirect skipping via installed scriptsnot Stylus

Where each one falls short

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

Stylus

  • Crashes and instability when applying certain styles
  • No visual element selector tool for identifying page elements to style
  • Security risk if downloading and applying untrusted user-created styles

Tampermonkey

  • Only source code up to version 2.9 is GPLv3; all newer versions are distributed under a proprietary license despite the extension itself being free to use
  • Under Manifest V3, GM_webRequest is not (yet) supported
  • Under Manifest V3, GM_xmlhttpRequest fires only one progress event instead of streaming progress, requiring a responseType: 'stream' workaround
  • Since v5.3.2, Chrome/Edge (MV3) requires the user to manually enable Developer Mode, or from Chrome 138+ a per-extension 'Allow User Scripts' toggle, before any userscript will run

Pricing, plan by plan

Stylus

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Custom CSS
    • Style library
    • Style editor

Tampermonkey

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Tampermonkey review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Stylus if

  • You need custom css injection.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera.
  • You also want style management.
Stylus review

Choose Tampermonkey if

  • You need userscript management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, Android.
  • You also want script editor.
Tampermonkey review

Questions people ask

Is Stylus or Tampermonkey better?
Neither clearly leads. Stylus starts at Free and Tampermonkey at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Stylus or Tampermonkey?
Stylus starts at Free and Tampermonkey at Free.
Does Stylus or Tampermonkey run on more platforms?
Stylus runs on Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera. Tampermonkey runs on Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, Android.
Can I use Stylus for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Stylus best used for?
Stylus is most often used for customizing website appearance with community-created css themes, writing personal style overrides for specific websites, managing multiple styles across different websites automatically, searching and installing user-styles for current websites. Of those, customizing website appearance with community-created css themes and writing personal style overrides for specific websites are not what Tampermonkey is typically brought in for.
What can Stylus do that Tampermonkey cannot?
Stylus covers Custom CSS injection, Style management, userstyles.world integration, Built-in editor. Tampermonkey covers Userscript management, Script editor, Auto-update, Cloud sync. Both handle Chrome support, Firefox support, Edge support, Opera support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Stylus: Is Stylus free?

Yes. Stylus is completely free and open-source, available for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Opera browsers.

Source
Tampermonkey: How much does Tampermonkey cost?

Tampermonkey is completely free for all versions and across all supported browsers including Chrome, Edge, Safari, Opera, and Firefox.

Source
Stylus: Can I use Stylus to change the browser UI?

No. Due to WebExtensions security restrictions, Stylus can only customize website pages, not the browser interface itself.

Source
Tampermonkey: Is Tampermonkey available on all browsers?

Yes, Tampermonkey is available on Chrome 120 and later, Microsoft Edge, Safari, Opera Next, and Firefox with no cost.

Source
Stylus: What CSS pre-processors does Stylus support?

Stylus supports CSS, LESS, and Stylus syntax with built-in linting using Stylelint and CSSLint-mod with customizable rules.

Source
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