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Browser Extensions · head to head

Violentmonkey vs Web Developer

Violentmonkey logo

Violentmonkey

Browser Extensions

Open source userscript manager

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Web Developer logo

Web Developer

Browser Extensions

Web developer toolbar for browsers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Violentmonkey smaller script ecosystem compared to Tampermonkey which has larger user base and more available scripts; Web Developer the Web Developer browser extension is licensed GPL-3.0 per its GitHub repository (github.com/chrispederick/web-developer), which states 'All files are distributed for free under the terms of the GNU General Public License,' confirming it has no vendor pricing model to compare.
  • They diverge on capability: Violentmonkey covers Userscript support, Web Developer covers CSS inspection.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Violentmonkey and Web Developer actually diverge.

Attributes where Violentmonkey and Web Developer differ
AttributeViolentmonkeyWeb Developer
Pricing modelUnknownfree
PlatformsChrome, Firefox, EdgeChrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera
Founded20132003

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 Violentmonkey

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

Only in Web Developer

  • CSS inspection
  • Form debugging
  • Image analysis
  • Element outlining

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.

Violentmonkey

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

Web Developer

No use cases recorded yet. See the Web Developer review.

Where each one falls short

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

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

Web Developer

  • The Web Developer browser extension is licensed GPL-3.0 per its GitHub repository (github.com/chrispederick/web-developer), which states 'All files are distributed for free under the terms of the GNU General Public License,' confirming it has no vendor pricing model to compare.

Pricing, plan by plan

Violentmonkey

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Violentmonkey review.

Web Developer

Free
  • FreeFree
    • CSS tools
    • Form tools
    • Image tools

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Web Developer if

  • You need css inspection.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera.
  • You also want form debugging.
Web Developer review

Questions people ask

Is Violentmonkey or Web Developer better?
Neither clearly leads. Violentmonkey starts at Free and Web Developer at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Violentmonkey or Web Developer?
Violentmonkey starts at Free and Web Developer at Free.
Does Violentmonkey or Web Developer run on more platforms?
Violentmonkey runs on Chrome, Firefox, Edge. Web Developer runs on Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera.
Can I use Violentmonkey for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Violentmonkey best used for?
Violentmonkey is most often used for run open-source userscripts to customize or automate web pages, import scripts compatible with greasemonkey and tampermonkey formats, sync scripts and settings across browsers via dropbox, onedrive, google drive, or webdav, batch import/export scripts as zip files. Of those, run open-source userscripts to customize or automate web pages and import scripts compatible with greasemonkey and tampermonkey formats are not what Web Developer is typically brought in for.
What can Violentmonkey do that Web Developer cannot?
Violentmonkey covers Userscript support, Clean interface, Cloud sync, Script editor. Web Developer covers CSS inspection, Form debugging, Image analysis, Element outlining. Both handle Chrome support, Firefox support, Edge support, Opera support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Violentmonkey: What browsers does Violentmonkey support?

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

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
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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