Compare Merlin AI, Voila, and ChatGPT Sidebar: Which Extension is the Best?
| Key Features A summary of the most important features offered by each extension. |
| • Universal Website Integration: Works on any website with context awareness • Gmail Integration: Seamless email drafting and AI-powered instant replies • Expert Prompt Library: Pre-built prompts for various content types • Web Research: Real-time information gathering with reliable sources • Multi-language Support: Works in over 50 languages • Cross-platform Availability: Browser extension, desktop, and mobile apps • Privacy-First Design: GDPR compliant with no data storage on servers |
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| Our Rating Tooltivity's expert review score for each extension, based on hands-on testing and research. | 8.4 | 9.1 Winner in this category | 8.9 |
| Total users Total active users across all major browsers: Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari. | 1,000,000 Winner in this category | 90,811 | 1,000,000 Winner in this category |
| Total ratings Total number of user ratings received across all supported browsers. | 8,799 | 235 | 26,692 Winner in this category |
| Average rating Average user rating across all browsers, calculated from available store ratings. | 4.8 ⭐ | 4.3 ⭐ | 4.9 ⭐ Winner in this category |
| Entry Level Price The minimum price required to start using the extension. "Free" means a free tier is available. | Free | Free | Free |
| Chrome User rating and stats for the extension on Chrome browser. |  4.8 3.24 Average Chrome Web Store rating from the last 100 reviews 1.0M+Users | 4.7 4.73 Average Chrome Web Store rating from the last 100 reviews 80.0K+Users | 4.9 4.81 Average Chrome Web Store rating from the last 100 reviews 1.0M+Users Winner in this category |
| Edge User rating and stats for the extension on Edge browser. | - |  4.1 4.00 Average Microsoft Edge Store rating from the last 100 reviews 7.3K+Users Winner in this category | - |
| Firefox User rating and stats for the extension on Firefox browser. | - |  4.1 3.88 Average Mozilla Firefox Add-ons Store rating from the last 100 reviews 3.5K+Users Winner in this category | - |
| Safari User rating and stats for the extension on Safari browser. | - | - | - |
| Features Tooltivity's expert score for the 'Features' aspect of each extension. | 8.0 Merlin AI offers a variety of features including summarizing, writing, coding, diagramming and more. It supports multiple AI models such as GPT-4, Claude and Gemini and allows users to create custom AI chatbots and knowledge bases. The platform also integrates with the web and files in real time. However, some features, such as PDF summarization, are not as robust as those of specialized tools. It also lacks what we consider to be the important function of direct communication between AI and the current website. In addition, the function of direct communication between AI and the current website, which we consider important, is missing.  | 9.0 Voilà's features are impressively comprehensive and cover many areas, from simple AI chat to advanced content creation tools.  The integration with Gmail works flawlessly and makes email management much more efficient. The ability to respond to emails in a context-sensitive manner sets the tool apart from many of its competitors.  On websites, it is first necessary to highlight the desired text. However, if you want a summary of the website, for example, this is not a problem because you can simply highlight the entire website. A context-based AI chat that has access to the context of the current website would improve this even further.  Overall, the extension offers very powerful features, some of which are not even found in competitors' products. | 9.5 The ChatGPT sidebar offers many useful AI functions that help with a wide range of everyday tasks, but can also help in the business sector.  Users can access real-time data with Web Access, which is a huge advantage over other models. The multi-model group chat function enables users to communicate with several AI models at the same time and thus gain different insights. In addition, the tool supports interaction with images and files, allowing users to analyze images and chat directly with PDFs. These worked flawlessly in the test. Winner in this category |
| Performance Tooltivity's expert score for the 'Performance' aspect of each extension. | 7.5 Merlin is generally fast and responsive, but it can slow down browsers, especially on older hardware. There are occasional bugs and crashes, though the team releases frequent updates and improvements. | 8.7 In our test, Voilà consistently delivered good performance on various websites and in different use cases. The AI responses are usually fast and relevant. The extension has no noticeable impact on browser performance. Some users report occasional delays during peak times, but this is common with AI tools. The tool processes large documents and complex queries without any problems. Winner in this category | 8.0 In testing, the performance of the ChatGPT Sidebar was good. You hardly notice any lag, which ensures a smooth and efficient browsing experience. Only the function of loading marked content directly into the sidebar via a pop-up, asking questions, or summarizing the content had a few problems. Sometimes it was not possible to click on the pop-up after highlighting. |
| Design Tooltivity's expert score for the 'Design' aspect of each extension. | 9.1 The design has a modern look and feel, with handy keyboard shortcuts and sidebar integration that make navigation easier. That said, the user interface can feel cluttered and overwhelming, especially for new users, and there are inconsistencies between the extension, web, and mobile versions.  | 9.3 The user interface is clear and intuitive. The seamless integration with Gmail is particularly well done. Winner in this category | 9.0 The ChatGPT sidebar is designed to be intuitive and user-friendly. Even the basic user should have no problems navigating through all the functions. The interface looks modern and aesthetically pleasing. Several customizable settings allow the tool to be adapted individually, but there could be a few more functions here. |
| Value for Money Tooltivity's expert score for the 'Value for Money' aspect of each extension. | 8.2 The free plan is generous for light users, offering a substantial daily quota and access to a wide range of basic features. The Pro plan is competitively priced, especially when compared to the cost of subscribing to multiple separate AI tools, and unlocks unlimited access to all models and advanced features. However, the absence of a free trial for premium features means users must commit before experiencing the full capabilities of Merlin AI. Additionally, some users report that the query system—where different models and features consume varying amounts of daily queries—can be confusing or feel restrictive, particularly for those trying to understand how far their usage will go on each plan. | 8.9 The free plan offers a good introduction to Voilà's features, but is quite limited. The premium plan for $6 per month offers excellent value for money for anyone who finds that they use the tool regularly after using up their free requests. In our opinion, the advanced features, such as chatting with YouTube videos and generating images, justify the price. For frequent users who also want to use AI for their documents or chat with images, the Ultimate version is worthwhile. At $14, the price is still relatively inexpensive compared to competitors with similar features. Winner in this category | 8.3 The ChatGPT Sidebar offers a free version with basic features and a limited number of queries. |
| Ease of Use Tooltivity's expert score for the 'Ease of Use' aspect of each extension. | 8.5 Getting started with Merlin AI is straightforward—installation is quick, and the onboarding process is simple enough for most users to begin using core features right away. However, the platform’s extensive feature set can be overwhelming at first, leading to a noticeable learning curve as users explore everything it offers. Some users have expressed confusion about how the daily query limits work, how different models are selected or switched, and which features are available on each plan. Occasional bugs and log-in issues can also disrupt the workflow, requiring users to troubleshoot or reach out to support. Overall, while Merlin AI is accessible, mastering its full capabilities may take some time and patience, especially for those new to AI tools. | 9.4 Voilà offers an excellent balance between performance and simplicity. The tutorial system is well-designed and suitable for beginners. The keyboard shortcuts make navigation intuitive once you have learned them. The context-sensitive functions work automatically, so manual configurations are rarely necessary. Creating custom prompts and actions takes some time to learn, but it is worth the effort. Winner in this category | 9.0 The ChatGPT sidebar offers an uncomplicated setup process, with the basics presented in the tutorial immediately after installation. Every user should have no problem using all the functions here, as they are also very clearly presented. Should questions or problems nevertheless need to be resolved, many users have commented in their reviews on how responsive the support team is. |
| Security & Privacy Tooltivity's expert score for the 'Security & Privacy' aspect of each extension. | 9.3 Merlin does not sell user data to third parties and only uses data for core functionality. The privacy policy is transparent, but some users remain concerned about the amount of data collected and the permissions required. | 9.0 Data protection is a high priority for Voilà. The extension complies with the GDPR and transparently lists its data processing methods. The tool does not store conversations on its servers, which is important for companies, among others. The privacy policy is comprehensive and explains data usage clearly and concisely. The option to use your own API keys offers additional control and flexibility for anyone who needs it. The only minor criticism is the use of third-party analytics tools, which is a common practice for such extensions. | 9.7 Security and data protection are a top priority in the ChatGPT Sidebar. No personal data is collected in the extension. The user settings are saved locally so that the data remains private. The tool's transparent data protection guidelines and regular security updates set the extension apart from the competition. Winner in this category |
| Conclusion A summary of our findings and final thoughts for each extension. | Merlin AI is a powerful and versatile tool that can really boost the productivity of a wide range of users. The integration of multiple AI models and functions into a single extension is ideal for this p However, Merlin is not completely perfect. We encountered occasional bugs, inconsistencies in the user interface and some performance issues. Pricing can also be confusing, and some features are locked behind a paywall.. Overall, Merlin AI is a good choice for anyone looking for an all-in-one AI assistant for the browser - especially if you value having multiple AI models and tools in one place. | Voilà impressed us with its seamless integration, especially with Gmail, and its powerful AI features. It is a tool that simply aims to integrate AI into everyday life for every user in order to simplify everyday tasks. The free plan allows you to test it out sufficiently, and if you're convinced, the Pro plan offers excellent value for anyone who values productivity. The tool's ability to respond to emails contextually and directly integrate highlighted text from any website sets it apart from the competition. The only thing that could improve it is the ability to directly integrate the current website without highlighting text. We recommend Voilà for professionals, content creators, and anyone who wants to optimize their AI-powered workflow without sacrificing privacy or functionality. | The ChatGPT Sidebar is the perfect tool to improve productivity by integrating AI into daily browsing. The many features make it a valuable asset for personal and professional use. While it stands out for its functionality and ease of use, the premium price might be too high for regular users. Overall, however, it is a highly recommended tool for anyone who wants to use AI for their daily tasks. |
| Our Recommendation | In our comparison between Merlin AI, Voila, and ChatGPT Sidebar, Voila came out on top, scoring 9.1. Merlin AI and ChatGPT Sidebar are the most widely used, each with a large user base. User reviews for Voila and ChatGPT Sidebar reflect our findings, while we rate Merlin AI lower than users do. Notably, ChatGPT Sidebar has the highest user rating in the Chrome Web Store at 4.89, which supports its strong performance in our review. There are some noticeable differences between these extensions, so it's worth considering your priorities and the details below.
If you want a quick recommendation, Voila is our top pick. But as always, the best choice depends on what matters most to you. | ||
