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With the explosion of DeepSeek-powered Chrome extensions flooding the Chrome Web Store, it’s hard to tell which one actually lives up to the hype. So, I tested five of the most popular DeepSeek Chrome extensions to identify which one you should use.
None of the following extensions are officially developed by DeepSeek. They’re all third-party extensions, so features and capabilities differ wildly.
1.DeepSeek AIby deepseekai.works
The first extension I tested is by deepseekai.works, and it has a clean, minimal sidebar interface. It runs on DeepSeek V3 and does not offer the option to select different models, a significant limitation compared to other AI extensions I’ve used that offer model selection options.
I asked it to explain quantum entanglement and write a Python palindrome function. I also gave some other prompts; the responses were technically accurate and concise.
One feature that caught my attention is the personalization option, which lets you add personal information or instructions to guide DeepSeek’s responses. For example, you can instruct it to always reply in a specific language or writing style, similar to how you cangive ChatGPT specific personality traits. However, the implementation feels somewhat basic and underdeveloped.
The most glaring limitations became apparent quickly: there’s no chat history preservation (meaning your conversations disappear when you close the sidebar), and more importantly, it can’t access or analyze web page content. This makes it less useful for research or content summarization tasks.
The interface also prompts you to share the extension on social media to “unlock all AI Assistant features,” which feels like an unnecessary barrier that other extensions don’t impose. Overall, it functions more like a standalone chatbot than a true browser assistant.
2.DeepSeek AIby deepseek.ai
This extension doesn’t function as an integrated browser extension. Instead, clicking the icon opens a separate window of theDeepSeek web version.
It has some advantages, as you get access to all the functionality of the fullDeepSeek AI chatboton your PC pinned to the taskbar. It runs DeepSeek V3; you can upload attachments and search the web. The responses to prompts are as you would expect from DeepSeek.
Just like the DeepSeek web version, it has dark mode support. It also has a chat history, so you can pick up where you left off. However, this isn’t really a true browser extension in the conventional sense. What you’re essentially getting is a glorified bookmark to the DeepSeek website, not a browser extension. While the functionality is comprehensive, the lack of proper browser integration makes it feel like a missed opportunity.
The biggest drawback I faced was inherited directly from the DeepSeek web platform itself: the frequent “the server is busy, please try again later” messages interrupt your workflow. This happens during peak usage times, making it frustratingly unreliable when you need quick answers.
I Tried Running DeepSeek Locally on My Laptop: Here’s How It Went
It’s surprisingly simple to install DeepSeek on a laptop, and it means you no longer need an internet connection to use an AI chatbot.
3.DeepSeek R1by fadelmalnab
This DeepSeek Chrome extension promises an interactive UI. However, several limitations became evident as I used it. The most restrictive issue is the mere five query balance it offers free users—a shockingly low limit compared to other AI extensions.
Like the first DeepSeek extension, this iteration also lacks web page access. On a positive note, it does preserve chat history and includes a dark mode.
The extension supports only basic image uploads in basic formats (.jpg, .jpeg, .png). However, it has impressive language support, with 28 different options available, making it accessible to a global audience.
The core functionality focuses primarily on coding tasks, concept explanations, text improvements, and code analysis. I received well-structured responses when I tested it with some prompts, as shown below.
Before committing to a paid plan for any Chrome extension, verify the free tier gives you enough functionality to evaluate if it meets your needs.
4.DeepSeek Assistantby deepseek-assistant.com
Manyfree AI chatbotswith Chrome extensions focus solely on the sidebar interface. However, DeepSeek Assistant stood out because it has a traditional sidebar for chat and a context-aware minibar that appears when you highlight text on web pages.
Despite its better functionality, this extension still can’t access or summarize web pages directly from its side panel. When I asked it to analyze a web page, it responded with a generic guess about what the article might contain based only on the URL—it provided a templated response rather than an actual analysis.
I gave it prompts related to coding, writing, and summarization. Its responses were consistently well-structured and more detailed.
However, the highlight-activated minibar is impressive. When you select text on any web page, it shows several options: translate, summarize, paraphrase, expand, check grammar, explain, and go to chat. Except for the translation option, these contextual tools worked well and proved genuinely helpful.
This extension also allows for model selection between DeepSeek V3 and R1, which provides some flexibility. It integrates with Google Search and displays a widget similar to Google Gemini to provide answers directly in search results.
However, I came across some limitations: the extension doesn’t accept file attachments, and I occasionally received “API timed out” errors during busy periods.
5.DeepSeek AIby SupaEasy
This final extension, in my test lineup, is perhaps the most basic of all the options. It claims to run on the DeepSeek R1 model, but you can’t switch to DeepSeek V3.
The interface is minimalist and offers little more than a text input box and response area. Like most of its counterparts in this comparison, it completely lacks web page browsing capabilities, so it can’t access or analyze the content you’re viewing in your browser. But it gave the shortest and most quick responses to my prompts.
The extension does maintain conversation history, allowing you to reference previous exchanges. However, the absence of file attachment support and web page integration limits its practical applications as a browser tool.
It’s difficult to recommend this implementation when other options offer more comprehensive features. The extension functions more as a basic DeepSeek API wrapper than a full-featured browser assistant.
The issue I encountered was the extension’s tendency to cut off long responses mid-sentence. It appears to have a word limit, sometimes resulting in incomplete explanations. This makes the extension feel unreliable for anything beyond the most basic queries.
What’s the Best DeepSeek Chrome Extension?
After thoroughly testing all five DeepSeek Chrome extensions, I found DeepSeek Assistant by deepseek-assistant.com the most useful. Its highlight-activated minibar is a helpful tool that integrates with everyday browsing. It provides functionality that improves productivity.
While none of these extensions offer perfect web page integration, DeepSeek Assistant by deepseek-assistant.com comes closest with its contextual tools and search widget integration, and I’ve continued using it since writing this article. It’s also a great reason tokeep using DeepSeek despite its privacyand censorship issues.
