paint-brush
Want Chrome Extension Ideas? Here Are 9 That You Can Build This Year!by@rickblyth
503 reads
503 reads

Want Chrome Extension Ideas? Here Are 9 That You Can Build This Year!

by Rick BlythMarch 27th, 2023
Read on Terminal Reader
Read this story w/o Javascript
tldt arrow

Too Long; Didn't Read

Chrome Extension ideas can be difficult to come up with, so I've listed a few ideas below that you could use as inspiration when generating your Chrome Extension ideas. I have purposefully selected various niches for these ideas to help get your creative juices flowing.
featured image - Want Chrome Extension Ideas? Here Are 9 That You Can Build This Year!
Rick Blyth HackerNoon profile picture


Coming up with Chrome Extension ideas can be difficult 🙄


So, I've listed a few ideas below that you could use as inspiration when generating your Chrome Extension ideas. I have purposefully selected various niches for these ideas to help get your creative juices flowing.


They're ideas I've had over the years that I know I'm never going to get around to building. Some may exist, some may be technically challenging, and none have been validated, but hey, they're just ideas at this point, so I'd recommend you put your own spin on them rather than building them as outlined here.


Without further ado, here is the list of Chrome Extension ideas that you could build in 2023:


Chrome Extension Idea #1 - WhatsApp Alternative Chrome Extension

Communication & Messaging


The popularity of WhatsApp as a communication platform is undeniable. Its user base is estimated to grow to over two billion people shortly. Thanks to its ability to send text and multimedia messages instantly, it has become one of the most popular messaging apps across different countries and cultures.


WhatsApp also offers end-to-end encryption, ensuring your messages and data will be kept private and secure.


However, many people feel that the web app version of WhatsApp has limited functionality compared to the mobile app version. Many features are either missing or feel clunky in the web browser version.


With this in mind, check out this popular WhatsApp Chrome Extension WA Web Plus for WhatsApp, which has over 1,000,000+ users and over 22k reviews 🤯


Chrome Extension Idea - WhatsApp Chrome Extension Alternative


With pricing plans at $27.99/Month for Pro and $39.99/Month for Expert, it is mind-boggling how much this extension could be making 🤯


Even if just 1 in 100 users of this chrome extension are on a paid plan (let's take the cheapest tier), that'd be around $280,000 a month ... insane numbers for a chrome extension with no associated server costs!


Now, could you do something similar for another messaging app, such as:

  • Signal
  • Telegram
  • Google Messages
  • Wire
  • Viber
  • Messenger
  • Threema

Idea #2 - AirBnB Hosts Chrome Extension

Travel


Airbnb is undoubtedly one of the most popular home-sharing websites in the world. With over 4 million listings in 191 countries, it is one of the largest online marketplaces for travellers and hosts. Airbnb has connected millions of hosts and travellers around the world, creating a global community that is both vibrant and welcoming.


Airbnb's popularity has been growing exponentially, and there is no sign of its growth slowing down any time soon. For hosts who rely on Airbnb to make a living, it can be tough to keep up with the multitude of rental listings and bookings in today's fast-paced world. That's where you could create a Chrome Extension to enhance AirBnB from a host's perspective.


Being an AirBnb host can be a lucrative venture, and if your application offers them greater efficiency or ways to market their property better, then they'll gladly pay a recurring subscription fee.


Airbnb Chrome Extension Idea

Features of this Chrome Extension might include:


  • Screen guests quickly by checking previous reviews left by other hosts.
  • Automatically schedule cleaning requests.
  • Real-time price comparison with similar properties in the area.
  • A calendar feature that shows which dates are available for activities at a glance.
  • AI-rewritten descriptions to make listings more appealing.
  • Automatically price match certain properties for busy periods of the year.
  • Suggest sale periods for historically quiet vacant periods

Chrome Extension Idea #3 - Ebay Sellers’ Chrome Extension

eCommerce


Ebay is one of the world's most popular online marketplaces, with over 184 million active buyers and 25 million sellers. It is the go-to destination for many shoppers around the world who are looking for great deals on everything from clothing and electronics to furniture and antiques.


The sheer number of buyers and sellers involved in eBay, combined with its focus on customer satisfaction and fast, reliable service, make it one of the most popular choices for anyone looking to start or grow their own eCommerce business.


However, it can be challenging to efficiently run an Ebay business and keep track of all your sales and orders, not to mention the tedious and repetitive tasks they must do every day. Could you create a chrome extension that enhances Ebay Seller's experience by allowing them to minimise the tedious and repetitive work they must do?


Idea #3 Ebay Sellers Dashboard


Features of this Chrome Extension could include:

  • Re-using elements from previous listings.
  • Looking up sold/completed listings prices.
  • AI-recommended titles and AI-generated persuasive descriptions.
  • AI recommendations for auction vs buy it now listing.
  • Drag and drop auto-create listings for easy pricing management.
  • Synchronization with accounting software to automate bookkeeping.
  • Integration with alternative sales channels such as Amazon or Shopify to repurpose listings across multiple platforms quickly.


If you like these ideas then you'll want to download my free PDF containing 23 Chrome Extension ideas to inspire you to develop your own Chrome Extensions.


Download 23 Chrome Extension Ideas


Download The Free 23 Chrome Extension Ideas PDF


Chrome Extension Idea #4 - Outlook Chrome Extension

Business & Finance


A Chrome Extension to enhance the Outlook web experience, just like other Chrome Extensions have done already for Gmail and other email providers. Whilst Gmail does have 1.5 billion users, Outlook has over 400 million users, so that’s more than a big enough user base to target!


Outlook Web has become a central hub for many people's day-to-day activities, from managing tasks and calendars to collaborating with co-workers and staying in touch with friends and family. Despite its popularity, some users find that their Outlook experience could be improved by adding features currently available on other email platforms.


Could you look to enhance the users' experience and maybe even replicate the Checker Plus for Gmail Chrome Extension's functionality but for Outlook instead of Gmail?


Outlook Chrome Extension


Features of this Chrome Extension idea could include:


  • Real-time notifications for unread items and new messages.
  • Auto filtering of emails by starred/important folders.
  • Customisable sound alerts for different senders (boss alert tone anyone!)
  • Dictation of emails whilst browsing in other tabs.
  • Outlook Mini-CRM in the browser.
  • Mail merge within the browser.

Chrome Extensions Idea #5 - Runtastic Chrome Extension

Health & Fitness


Over 182 million runners use Runtastic, and there's plenty of potential to improve the user experience by adding better reporting, filtering and combining the data with related external services.


You could potentially build a product around advanced analysis of your running (this is only available in Runtastic Premium currently) and add gamification/streaks to keep runners motivated.


You could draw inspiration from the "Elevate for Strava" Chrome Extension, which has over 100,000+ users (and 1,875 excellent reviews) and offer something similar for the Runtastic community.


Elevate for Strava


Features of this Chrome Extension could include:


  • Access to data for all runs (distance, pace, calories burned, etc) and visualizations of your progress over time.
  • Integration with external services like Fitbit or MyFitnessPal to provide even more detailed insights into your fitness data.
  • Connect with friends who use Runtastic to share training updates and compete with each other via leaderboards.
  • Gamification features help you stay motivated and track your progress over time.


Finally, there are Runtastic communities, such as Facebook and Reddit groups, etc., that you can target to recruit beta testers and for promotional efforts.


Idea #6 - Craigslist Sellers Chrome Extension

eCommerce


Craigslist is an online classifieds platform with over 80 million ads posted every month. It has become a popular choice for millions of people looking to make a living selling products and services, either part-time or full-time. Many of these sellers have been able to create very successful businesses thanks to the flexibility and low cost associated with Craigslist.


However, with this sheer volume of ads, it can be tough for sellers to manage multiple concurrent listings and they must have many tedious and repetitive tasks they have to carry out each day.

Could you build a chrome extension that enhances CraigsList from a seller's perspective?


CraigsList Chrome Extension Idea


Features of this Chrome Extension could include:


  • Quick management of listings, including scheduling, editing, and re-using elements of previous listings.
  • AI-powered recommendations on pricing and timing that take into account factors like competition, demand, and seasonality.
  • Real-time notifications to track customer interest and responses.
  • Automated responses to inquiries (potentially via AI)
  • A slick user interface that makes it easy to manage multiple listings at once.


With an intuitive interface and powerful features, sellers would be able to spend less time managing their ads and more time focusing on what matters - selling their products or services 🛒


Chrome Extensions Idea #7 - Amazon AWS Chrome Extension

Development


Amazon Web Services (AWS) is one of the most popular cloud computing platforms today. It has become a go-to choice for businesses and developers looking to build, manage, and host applications on the cloud. With its scalability, reliability, and cost-effectiveness, it's no wonder that AWS has become so popular with companies worldwide.


According to Amazon, there are over 1 million active AWS users, from startups to large enterprises. Amazon's platform provides customers with access to an ever-expanding range of services that can be used to build powerful applications and websites quickly.


However, it can also be frustrating for some developers due to its complexity, and difficulty in navigating, filtering and managing an enterprise's resources.


Could you create an Amazon AWS Chrome Extension to improve the experience for software developers on the AWS portal?


AWS Chrome Extension


Features of this Chrome Extension could include:


  • Easier navigation and filtering of different services and products, including the most popular ones.
  • Automatic monitoring of your costs and usage to help you optimize where possible.
  • Quickly duplicate AWS resources via the Chrome Extension to save typing in repetitive configuration data repeatedly.
  • Easy access to important metrics like CPU usage, memory utilization and logs, so you can quickly troubleshoot any issues and stay on top of your cloud infrastructure.
  • Easily start and stop your resources in one place.
  • Overlay helpful widgets on resource capacity, usage and billing information, etc.

Chrome Extensions Idea #8 - RingCentral Chrome Extension

CRM


RingCentral is a popular cloud-based CRM/autodialler, with millions of users around the world relying on it for their business needs. It provides a comprehensive suite of tools to help companies manage voice calls, video conferencing, messaging and more.


However, their official chrome extension, which has over 200k users, has received alot of damning reviews from users, with many stating that it is poorly designed and difficult to use.


As a result, there is an opportunity to create a new Chrome Extension for RingCentral that is well-designed, easy to use, and provides the functionality that the users need.


RingCentral Chrome Extension Idea


Features of this Chrome Extension could include:


  • A reliable bridge between numbers on the webpage and the RingCentral dialler app.
  • A modern design with an intuitive user interface that makes it easy to manage calls and messages quickly.
  • Ability to view full contact profiles of your most frequently-called contacts, so you can easily see their latest updates and details.
  • Accessible from any tab or open window on your device, so you can be notified of important new messages and calls, even if you're working on something else.
  • A flexible notification system that allows you to set up alerts for different types of incoming messages or calls, e.g. urgent vs non-urgent notifications, etc.

Chrome Extensions Idea #9 - Fantasy NFL Chrome Extension

Gaming


The past decade has seen a massive rise in the popularity of fantasy sports leagues. From soccer to basketball to American football and beyond, millions of fans worldwide are competing against each other to create their own unique teams. They win bragging rights as champions in their respective leagues with friends and colleagues.


Fantasy NFL is one of the most popular fantasy sports, with millions of fantasy football players; there is a great opportunity for the development of a Chrome extension that offers easy and convenient access to all the latest news, stats, rankings, and expert analysis from across the web for any popular sport.


As another example, check out the popularity of this football-based chrome extension for the British Premier League:


Fantasy FPL Chrome Extension


Features of these fantasy league based Chrome Extensions could include:


  • Assisted drafting functionality, which allows you to easily research players and build your team based on key metrics like scoring potential, player performance data, and more.
  • Quick and easy management of all your teams in one place.
  • An advanced waiver system that lets you bid for top players and stay ahead of the competition.
  • Live in-game alerts so you can make real-time decisions without having to check your team's performance constantly.
  • A customizable dashboard that provides real-time updates on player rankings and stats, so you can optimize your strategy and gain an edge.
  • An engaging social platform where you can connect with fellow fantasy league players and share advice, strategies, and tips for winning games.
  • Schedule team changes for future games, so you can plan ahead and make the most of each week's matchups.
  • A reward system that gives you points, badges, and other incentives for maintaining a winning record over time.


If you liked these Chrome Extension ideas, you'll want to download my free PDF containing 23 Chrome Extension ideas to inspire you to develop your own Chrome Extensions.


Download 23 Chrome Extension Ideas


Download The Free 23 Chrome Extension Ideas PDF



About the Author


Hi, my name is Rick, and I help unfulfilled software developers quit their 9-5 jobs with minimal risk by creating their own cash-flowing Micro SaaS businesses.


I have been on the journey myself, starting as a nobody; finding a niche; establishing credibility; building up multiple Micro SaaS apps to the point that I could quit my (well-paid) Technical Director job and work on my apps full-time.


I then scaled the apps up and eventually sold and exited them for a life-changing amount of money. You can read my full story on my about page.


I am passionate about sharing the knowledge I’ve gained from this journey … welcome to my site 👋


Also Published Here