A curated list of useful tools that run in the browser: no install, fast access, and often privacy-friendly.
This list focuses on tools that are useful directly from a web browser:
- Browser-local tools - process files or data on your device when possible.
- Web utilities - practical tools that solve a task without installation.
- Open web apps - editors, converters, generators, playgrounds, and diagnostics.
- Tool directories - curated places to discover more browser-based tools.
This repository is maintained as a practical discovery list, not a paid directory. Submissions should be genuinely useful, specific, and easy to access.
| Mark | Meaning |
|---|---|
local-first |
Core work can happen locally in the browser |
open-source |
Source code is publicly available |
privacy-first |
Strong privacy posture or no-upload workflow |
pwa |
Installable or usable like an app |
directory |
Helps discover other tools |
- Image and Media Tools
- Developer Utilities
- Design and Creative Tools
- Writing and Documentation
- Data, Security, and Diagnostics
- Tool Directories and Discovery
- Selection Criteria
- Contributing
- 24Picture - Browser-local image toolkit with converters, compressors, editors, GIF tools, batch conversion, and PWA support.
local-firstprivacy-firstpwa - Squoosh - Image compression and format conversion from the browser, originally by GoogleChromeLabs.
local-firstopen-source - SVGOMG - Web UI for SVGO, useful for optimizing SVG files before shipping them.
local-firstopen-source - Photopea - Advanced browser-based image editor with PSD, vector, and raster workflows.
- Excalidraw - Virtual whiteboard for sketch-style diagrams and collaboration.
open-source - tldraw - Whiteboard and drawing app built for the web.
open-source - Kapwing - Collection of browser-based media editing tools for creators.
- EzGIF - Long-running web toolkit for GIF editing, conversion, resizing, cropping, and optimization.
- CyberChef - The cyber Swiss Army knife for encoding, decoding, encryption, compression, and data transforms.
local-firstopen-source - StackBlitz - Browser-based development environment for web apps.
- CodePen - Frontend playground for HTML, CSS, and JavaScript experiments.
- JSFiddle - Lightweight online editor for testing JavaScript, CSS, and HTML snippets.
- Regex101 - Regular expression tester with explanations, examples, and flavor support.
- Bundlephobia - Analyze npm package size impact before installing a dependency.
- Can I use - Browser support tables for modern web platform features.
- Mermaid Live Editor - Create and preview Mermaid diagrams directly in the browser.
open-source - Crontab Guru - Human-readable editor and explainer for cron schedules.
- JSON Editor Online - View, format, compare, and edit JSON documents in the browser.
- Figma - Collaborative interface design platform that runs in the browser.
- Penpot - Open-source design and prototyping platform for teams.
open-source - Canva - Browser-based design tool for presentations, social graphics, and marketing assets.
- Coolors - Color palette generator for designers and creators.
- CSS Gradient - Visual CSS gradient generator with copy-ready output.
- Haikei - Generate SVG backgrounds, blobs, waves, and other visual assets.
- Iconify - Search thousands of icon sets from one browser interface.
open-source - Heroicons - Beautiful hand-crafted SVG icons by the Tailwind CSS team.
open-source
- Hemingway Editor - Browser-based writing clarity checker.
- Dillinger - Online Markdown editor with preview and export options.
open-source - StackEdit - Browser-based Markdown editor with sync options.
open-source - Carbon - Create and export beautiful code screenshots.
- Shields.io - Generate badges for GitHub READMEs, docs, and project pages.
open-source
- PageSpeed Insights - Analyze web performance and Core Web Vitals.
- Lighthouse - Web quality audits for performance, accessibility, SEO, and best practices.
open-source - SSL Labs SSL Test - Deep TLS/SSL configuration analysis for public websites.
- Security Headers - Check HTTP security headers for a website.
- DNS Checker - Global DNS propagation and lookup utility.
- Webhook.site - Inspect incoming webhooks, HTTP requests, and callbacks.
- ToolKnit - Curated directory for practical online tools across categories.
directory - AlternativeTo - Community-driven software and web app alternatives directory.
directory - Product Hunt - Launch and discovery platform for new software products.
directory - There is an AI for That - Large discovery directory for AI tools.
directory - Tiny Startups - Discovery list for small products, indie tools, and micro-SaaS projects.
directory
A tool is more likely to be accepted if it is:
- Directly usable from a browser without installing desktop software.
- Useful for a clear task: convert, edit, generate, analyze, write, inspect, or debug.
- Stable enough for real users, with a working HTTPS URL.
- Transparent about privacy, pricing, and limitations.
- Not purely promotional, affiliate-only, or a thin landing page.
A tool may be rejected if it is:
- A gambling, adult, crypto spam, or low-value lead-gen page.
- Mostly a signup wall without demonstrating clear utility.
- A clone with no meaningful difference from existing entries.
- Submitted repeatedly across unrelated categories.
This list is maintained by the maker of 24Picture and ToolKnit. Those projects are included because they match the criteria above, and they are intentionally kept to relevant categories only.
The goal is to build a useful public resource. Third-party tools are welcome and encouraged.
Please read CONTRIBUTING.md before submitting a tool.
Suggested entry format:
- [Tool Name](https://example.com/) - One clear sentence explaining what it does. `tag-one` `tag-two`Keep descriptions factual, short, and non-hype.
This curated list and documentation are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International.
If this list helped you discover a useful browser-based tool, consider starring the repository.