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With the surge of DeepSeek-powered Chrome extensions appearing in the Chrome Web Store, it can be challenging to determine which ones are genuinely worth the excitement. To help you out, I took the time to test five of the most popular DeepSeek Chrome extensions and figured out which one deserves your attention.
It’s important to note that none of these extensions are officially created by DeepSeek; they’re all third-party tools, each offering a distinct set of features and functionalities.
1. DeepSeek AI by deepseekai.works
The first extension I tried is from deepseekai.works, featuring a streamlined sidebar interface. Operating on DeepSeek V3, it does not allow users to select different models, which is a significant drawback when compared to other AI extensions that do offer such options. I prompted it to explain quantum entanglement and to develop a Python function for palindromes, among other requests. While its answers were technically accurate and concise, it fell short in certain areas.
A notable feature is the option for personalization, which enables you to input personal information or guidelines to shape DeepSeek’s responses. For example, you can instruct it to consistently respond in a certain tone or language, akin to how ChatGPT can be customized. However, the execution of this feature feels somewhat limited and not fully polished.
The extension quickly reveals some major weaknesses: it doesn’t save your chat history, meaning conversations are lost once you close the sidebar, and it lacks the capability to analyze or access the content of web pages. This significantly limits its utility for research or summarizing information. Additionally, the interface prompts you to promote the extension on social media to "unlock all AI Assistant features," which feels like an unnecessary obstacle not seen in other extensions. Overall, it operates more like a standalone chatbot than a genuine browser assistant.
Opening the extension does not integrate seamlessly with your browser; instead, it launches a standalone window leading to the full DeepSeek web version. This does offer full functionality, such as uploading files and web searches, but it’s not the true browser extension experience one might expect. While the interface supports dark mode and maintains chat history, it feels more like a fancy shortcut to the website rather than a true browser tool. A significant downside is the frequent server overload messages that disrupt your workflow, especially during peak times, making it frustratingly unreliable for quick information retrieval.
2. DeepSeek Interactive AI
The next extension I tested claims to offer an interactive user experience, but I found several limitations during my use. One of the biggest drawbacks is the five-query limit imposed on free users, which is unusually low compared to competing AI extensions. Similar to the first extension, it also does not have access to web pages.
On the plus side, this version keeps chat history and includes a dark mode. It supports basic image uploads in common formats like .jpg and .png, and boasts impressive language support with 28 options available, broadening accessibility.
Its core features mainly revolve around coding tasks, text explanations, and code analysis. My experience with some prompts revealed well-structured responses, albeit with some design flaws, as text often appeared cramped against the borders, negatively affecting readability. It’s also notable that while the extension encourages upgrades, the lack of transparency regarding included credits in paid plans can leave potential users confused.
Before committing to any paid plan for a Chrome extension, it’s wise to ensure the free version provides adequate features for you to assess if it meets your needs.
3. DeepSeek Assistant
Amid a sea of sidebar-focused AI chatbots, the DeepSeek Assistant stood out. It features a traditional chat sidebar alongside a context-aware minibar that activates when you highlight text on web pages. Unfortunately, it still doesn’t allow direct web page access or the capability to summarize web content accurately; it mainly generates responses based on URL assumptions, which can be generic.
Despite this limitation, when I tested it with coding and writing prompts, the responses were consistently well-organized and informative. The minibar offers some impressive capabilities when highlighting text, including options for translation, summarization, paraphrasing, grammar checks, and explanations, proving to be quite useful.
Additionally, this extension allows users to choose between DeepSeek V3 and R1 models, adding versatility. It integrates with Google Search, providing a widget-like feature that delivers answers directly within search results. However, I did encounter a few issues, including the absence of file attachment support and occasional “API timed out” errors during busy periods.
4. Basic DeepSeek R1 Extension
The final extension in my review is the most simplistic option, claiming to operate on the DeepSeek R1 model. However, it does not offer the option to switch to DeepSeek V3. With a minimalistic design, it features only a basic text input and response area. Like its counterparts, it lacks web browsing capabilities, which limits its usefulness as a browser tool. While it does save conversation history, the lack of file upload and web page access makes it a less practical choice overall.
Interestingly, I noticed that longer responses tend to be cut off mid-sentence, suggesting a limit on word counts which can lead to incomplete answers. This further detracts from its reliability for comprehensive inquiries.
Conclusion: Which DeepSeek Extension is Best?
After thoroughly evaluating all five DeepSeek Chrome extensions, I found that the DeepSeek Assistant by deepseek-assistant.com turned out to be the most beneficial option. Its highlight-activated minibar adds considerable value and enhances productivity while browsing. Although none of these extensions offer perfect web page integration, DeepSeek Assistant comes closest with its contextual tools and Google Search widget integration. I’ve continued using it since completing this review, as it remains a useful tool despite some privacy and censorship concerns surrounding DeepSeek as a platform.
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