Unlocking Enhanced Browser Security: The Best NotScripts Alternatives
NotScripts is a powerful browser extension that offers a high degree of control over JavaScript, iframes, and plugins, significantly enhancing browser security and reducing CPU usage. It's renowned for its default-deny policy, effectively mitigating threats like cross-site scripting (XSS) and drive-by downloads by blocking third-party content before it even runs. While NotScripts pioneered a novel approach to provide this 'NoScript'-like functionality in Google Chrome, leveraging intelligent HTML5 storage caching, users often seek NotScripts alternatives for various reasons, including broader platform support, specific feature sets, or evolving security needs.
Top NotScripts Alternatives
If you're looking to bolster your browser's defenses and maintain fine-grained control over web content, these alternatives offer robust solutions similar to or expanding upon NotScripts' capabilities.
NoScript
NoScript is a seminal and widely respected open-source browser extension that allows active content (JavaScript, Flash, Java, etc.) to run only from sites you explicitly trust. Available for Free, Open Source, Mac, Windows, Linux, BSD, Chrome, SeaMonkey, and Firefox, it's a direct competitor to NotScripts, offering similar protection against XSS and Clickjacking attacks. Its core features include anonymity, and it's a staple for many Firefox users.
uMatrix
uMatrix provides a powerful point-and-click interface to forbid or allow any class of requests made by your browser, making it an excellent NotScripts alternative. It's a Free and Open Source solution for Mac, Windows, Linux, Chrome, Opera, Chromium, and Firefox. It excels at blocking scripts, iframes, ads, and even social media elements like Facebook, functioning as a robust request filter and outbound firewall. Key features include ad blocking, browser extension functionality, and enhanced security & privacy.
Flashblock
Flashblock takes a proactive approach by blocking all Macromedia Flash content from loading, providing a placeholder instead. This Free solution is available for Mac, Windows, Linux, and Firefox. While more specific than NotScripts in its focus, it's a good alternative if your primary concern is Flash-based vulnerabilities and performance issues, offering ad-blocking capabilities specifically for Flash content.
ScriptSafe
ScriptSafe is a simple yet effective open-source extension that brings similar functionality to NotScripts and NoScript to various browsers. It's Free and available for Mac, Windows, Linux, Vivaldi Browser, Chrome, Opera, Chromium, and Firefox. Its main feature is a built-in script blocker, providing essential control over web content for enhanced security.
RequestPolicy
RequestPolicy is an open-source browser extension for Mozilla browsers that significantly enhances privacy and security by giving you control over cross-site requests. Free and available for Mac, Windows, Linux, and Firefox, it's a strong NotScripts alternative for users focused on preventing data leakage and tracking across different domains through its browser extension capabilities.
Kill Evil
Kill Evil is a Free and Open Source Chrome extension for Mac, Windows, and Linux that targets specific annoyances on web pages, disabling or removing them unless whitelisted. While not a direct full-spectrum script blocker like NotScripts, its features include disabling autoplay and working without JavaScript, making it a useful tool for a cleaner browsing experience and addressing particular security concerns.
JS Blocker
JS Blocker is a Free and Open Source Safari extension for Mac users that provides granular control over which scripts, frames, and objects are allowed on any given website. Similar in principle to NotScripts for Chrome or NoScript for Firefox, it's an excellent choice for Safari users looking for robust ad-blocking and script-blocking functionality tailored to their browser.
Better Pop Up Blocker
Better Pop Up Blocker improves upon the default pop-up blocking capabilities of Google Chrome and Apple Safari, specifically targeting pop-up windows opened by JavaScript and other annoyances. This Free extension is available for Mac, Windows, and Linux. While it focuses primarily on pop-ups, its ability to block JavaScript-driven annoyances makes it a relevant alternative for certain aspects of what NotScripts addresses, especially regarding ad blocking and improving the browsing experience, even in Incognito mode.
Each of these NotScripts alternatives offers unique strengths in enhancing browser security and content control. Whether you prioritize broad content blocking, specific threat mitigation, or multi-platform compatibility, exploring these options will help you find the best fit for your browsing habits and security needs.