Compare Decentraleyes and Merlin AI: Which Extension is the Best?

	Decentraleyes	Merlin AI
	Decentraleyes enhances browsing by locally emulating CDN resources, boosting privacy and speed. Our detailed review reveals its features, pros, and cons. Ad Blocker Productivity	Merlin AI is a browser extension and web app that unifies top AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Mistral) for research, summarizing, writing, coding, diagramming, translation, and more—directly in yo AI ChatGPT
Key Features	Local CDN Emulation: Reduces reliance on third-party servers by serving local copies of CDN resources. Privacy Protection: Prevents tracking by major CDN providers. Speed Enhancement: Improves page load times by using local resources. Open Source: Transparent and community-driven development.	Unified AI Models: Access ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Mistral, and more from one account—no need for separate logins. Research & Summarize: Summarize web pages, YouTube videos, PDFs, and documents instantly. Content Creation: Write emails, social media posts, blogs, and outreach messages with AI assistance. Projects: Build custom AI chatbots using your own files, links, or knowledge ba Crafts: Instantly generate code snippets, diagrams, and mindmaps Live Search: Get up-to-date answers by searching the web in real time. Multi-language Support: Translate content into 25+ languages. Keyboard Shortcuts: Quickly summon Merlin with Ctrl/Cmd+M anywhere in your browser.
Our Rating	9.3	8.4
Total users	639,463	1,000,000
Total ratings	3,318	8,802
Average rating	4.8 ⭐	4.8 ⭐
Entry Level Price	Free	Free
Chrome	4.8 236 ratings 100.0K+Users	4.8 8.8K+ ratings 1.0M+Users
Edge	4.8 32 ratings 55.8K+Users	-
Firefox	4.8 1.5K+ ratings 241.8K+Users	-
Safari	-	-
Features	8.5 Nowadays, websites request data through third parties. The local CDN emulation offered by Decentraleyes is a unique and effective feature that blocker competitors currently lack. This means that the same locally stored data is always sent directly to the websites before they can even request relevant private data. The extension is aware that this function is only an additional function and advertises it as being used in addition to regular ad blockers. The extension could be expanded here and offer these additional functions directly so that you have them all in one extension. Another advantage of the extension is that the code is completely open source and can be found on GitLab. This ensures transparency and trust.	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.
Performance	9.3 The extension offers a noticeable improvement in page load times. We did not find any problems in our tests, but according to user reviews, there are occasional compatibility problems with certain websites. However, according to Decentraleyes, these are constantly being fixed by updates.	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.
Design	9.5 The design is intuitive and simple. This also includes the settings menu.	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.
Value for Money	9.5 The extension is completely free to use with optional donations. The price-performance ratio is therefore perfect, as functions that are not offered by other providers are made available here free of charge. Only the lack of further functions in the area of ad blocking results in deductions.	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.
Ease of Use	9.9 The extension is characterized by its user-friendliness. Installation is very simple and you have the option of testing the function immediately on the website. When you open the website https://decentraleyes.org/test/, you are shown whether the function works and an example of what it looks like in the icon when data is blocked. The settings are also very well described so that even beginners should have no problems here. Advanced users can also read the complete documentation or the code on GitLab.	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.
Security & Privacy	9.2 The extension offers strong features in the area of data protection, so it goes without saying that it scores well in this area. The open-source code allows anyone to review the extension in detail. Only the lack of a proper privacy policy detracts from this for beginners, who can do little with the code. There is a privacy policy that states in one sentence that no data is collected. However, this should be a little more detailed.	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.
Conclusion	Decentraleyes is a valuable tool for anyone who wants more privacy and faster browsing. With local CDN emulation, Decentraleyes has features that bring both security and performance benefits. While it currently excels in this one area, you need to be aware that websites also make adjustments and it won't always work 100% of the time, especially without further updates. Overall, Decentraleyes is a recommended choice for privacy-conscious users as an addition to the usual ad blockers.	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.
	Install Decentraleyes	Install Merlin AI
Our Recommendation	In our comparison between Decentraleyes and Merlin AI, Decentraleyes came out on top, scoring 9.3. Merlin AI is the most widely used, with over 1 million users and 9k+ reviews, but Decentraleyes outperformed it in our review. User reviews for Decentraleyes reflect our findings, while we rate Merlin AI lower than users do. Notably, Merlin AI has the highest user rating in the Chrome Web Store at 4.80, which is even higher than our rating of 8.4. There are some noticeable differences between these extensions, so it's worth considering your priorities and the details below. Looking for the richest feature set? Decentraleyes stands out with a rating of 8.5. On the other hand, Merlin AI lags behind in this area with a rating of 8. Need top performance? Decentraleyes stands out with a rating of 9.3. On the other hand, Merlin AI lags behind in this area with a rating of 7.5. Design lovers, take note: Decentraleyes stands out with a rating of 9.5. On the other hand, Merlin AI lags behind in this area with a rating of 9.1. Want to get the most for your money? Decentraleyes stands out with a rating of 9.5. On the other hand, Merlin AI lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.2. If you hate complicated tools, Decentraleyes stands out with a rating of 9.9. On the other hand, Merlin AI lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.5. With privacy and security becoming ever more important, Merlin AI stands out with a rating of 9.3. On the other hand, Decentraleyes lags behind in this area with a rating of 9.2. If you want a quick recommendation, Decentraleyes is our top pick. But as always, the best choice depends on what matters most to you.