The 5 Best Reader Mode Chrome Extensions for Concentrated Reading

Reader mode extensions are strong productivity tools that turn busy webpages into a simple, distraction-free reading experience. They do this by removing clutter from the website.

Using a single click, they eliminate distracting items such as popups, advertisements, sidebars, and other aspects that make websites difficult to read. An example of this may be seen in the picture below, which has a conventional Wikipedia page on the left and a reduced version of the page in reader mode on the right:

On the left, the original Wikipedia page, and on the right, the same in Reader Mode.

The finest Reader Mode addons that are currently available for Chrome have been evaluated by me. I'll start with my favorites:

The Top Reader Mode Chrome Add-ons

1. Reader Mode + Notes & Annotations

The Reader Mode Chrome Extension was developed by Web Highlights and provides all of the features that you would anticipate from a fantastic reader mode utility, including the following:

• Beautiful and contemporary design

• Options for customization in abundance:

  • Eye-friendly color modes (light, dark, sepia, high contrast)

  • Adjustable font size, line height, and reading width

It’s based on Mozilla’s open-source Readability engine and works on practically any website, converting busy pages into a clean, distraction-free reading experience.

However, what differentiates it from other similar things is the fact that it goes above and beyond the norm:

• You may highlight text in numerous colors.

• Add notes and tags.

• Export to Markdown, Notion, Obsidian, and more.

• Syncs between devices (with account)

• Saves a duplicate of website (keep reading articles, even if they are erased)

This Reader Mode plugin helps you a lot in organizing your ideas while you read—here is a little tour:

Quick Tour Reader Mode: Highlight text in several colors.

And the greatest part? Everything is kept locally on your computer – no sign-up required.

If you do make an account, you’ll also have access to a central web app where you can browse your saved articles from any device—even your phone.

Reader Mode may be used for free - install it here.

2. Reader View

Reader View is the most popular Reader Mode add-on for Chrome, with more than 300,000 users.

Same like Web Highlights' Reader Mode, it is also founded on Mozilla’s open-source Readability engine and does exactly what you expect: it eliminates clutter from web pages and converts them into a clear, focused reading experience.

Reader View comes with a ton of customization options:

• Change font size, font family, and line height.

• Adjust background and text color.

• Switch between single- and multi-column layouts.

• Resize photos and modify the width.

There’s also a built-in “design mode” that allows you to eliminate undesirable components from the page before printing or saving.

Besides the fundamentals, Reader View comes with a variety of added features:

• Highlight text and add sticky notes.

• Use the sophisticated text-to-speech tool to read articles out loud.

• Save articles as HTML, print them, or email them immediately.

• Supports mathematical formulae (MathJax) and Bionic Reading

While I must remark that it provides a plethora of important functionality, the style seems a little archaic. The UI could certainly need a revamp. Also, I would want to at least have the option for cloud sync so I can view my highlights and notes from any device—something that’s absent here.

Still, if you're searching for a free and privacy-focused reader mode extension with a good feature set, this one is worth checking out.

3. Just Read

Just Read is one of the lightest reader mode plugins for Chrome. It eliminates all distractions from the site and provides you a clear, focused view for reading, without tracking or additional permissions.

While the free version does a terrific job already, Just Read also offers a Pro upgrade with a few additional extras:

• Cloud synchronization of styles and domain-specific settings

• Keyboard shortcuts with auto-run mode

• The option to share a clean, hosted version of the content with others

The Pro plan is a one-time purchase, not a subscription—which I personally enjoy.

If you’re only searching for a clean, speedy reader without additional features, only Read is ideal. But keep in mind: there’s no built-in highlighting, tagging, or notes—so if you're looking for a more full solution with built-in annotation and cross-device access, the Web Highlights Reader Mode is a much better match.

Still, for a no-nonsense reading experience, this one’s a wonderful pick.

4.Clearly Reader

Clearly Reader is one of the most graphically polished reader mode extensions out there.

It turns content into a clean, attractive style and is packed with capabilities that go beyond the fundamentals. It’s particularly fantastic if you respect design and want something that feels current and fluid straight out of the box.

Here is what this add-on brings:

• Clean and lovely reading experience

• Supports highlighting and adding notes

• Dark, bright, and sepia themes

• Export to Markdown and save as PDF.

• Built-in text-to-speech

• Syncs between devices (with account)

You can also alter spacing, font, and text size—and it works extremely well across most websites.

While Clearly Reader is feature-rich, many of its advanced capabilities—including exporting, syncing, and even highlighting—need a monthly membership. There’s a brief free trial, but after that, the free version gets quite restricted.

If you’re willing to pay, it’s a good choice.

But if you're searching for a free tool that allows highlighting, tagging, and taking notes without having a membership or even without establishing an account, the Web Highlights Reader Mode gives a lot more out of the box.

5. Chrome reader mode

I didn’t anticipate much from this one because it’s not particularly well-known and has only a few thousand members. But after testing it, I have to say: it truly performs a fairly great job.

It quickly eliminates all the clutter (ads, popups, borders) and offers you an extremely clear reading view. Several people even likened it to a Kindle-like experience, and I know where they’re coming from. It simply works. There’s support for bright, dark, and sepia tones—and it feels incredibly lightweight.

Here is what these extensions come with:

• Clean layout that removes advertisements and distractions

• Light, dark, and Kindle-like modes

• Works nicely with translation plugins

• No sign-up, 100% free

• Minimal, quick, and simple to use

There are a few things that irritate me, however. You can’t copy text when in reading mode—which seems strange. Also, there’s no option to store the article or sync between devices. Some people have remarked it would be useful to export as a web page.

If you simply want to read in quiet, it’s excellent. But if you’re like me and want to highlight, take notes, and review your views later—Web Highlights Reader Mode obviously gives greater freedom.

What is the Best Reader Mode Chrome Extension?

In the end, finding the best Reader Mode add-on truly comes down to personal opinion. All of the ones I listed do an excellent job at converting chaotic webpages into clear, distraction-free reading perspectives.

If you only want to read, try a couple and choose the design you like most. For example, Reader Mode plus Notes & Annotations has a more contemporary design, whereas Reader View provides a more old-school layout with tons of personalization choices.

However, if you're looking for a more capable tool that allows you to highlight text, that's when the true differences start to appear. The Web Highlights Reader Mode easily stands out. It enables you to highlight in gorgeous colors, style your text, take notes, and add tags to organize your ideas.

On top of that, you can effortlessly export your study—whether to your chosen tool, a PDF, or even as an HTML file.