Compare Sider and Weava: Which Extension is the Best?

Sider is an AI browser extension that boosts productivity in reading, writing, and more. Trusted by 6M+ users, it offers features to optimize online activities.
Weava Highlighter was once a popular choice, but now it’s filled with ads and has a poor user experience. Better options like Web Highlights do the job better without the hassle.
Key Features
  • AI Writing Assistant: Generates articles and enhances writing styles quickly.
  • Webpage Reading Assistant: Summarizes content and provides accurate information.
  • AI-Powered PDF Analysis: Summarizes and translates PDF documents.
  • Image Creating & Editing Suite: Generates and edits images with AI.
  • Group AI Chat: Supports multiple AI models for diverse interactions.
  • Smart Web Access: Enhances productivity with quick access to information.
  • Web & PDF Highlighting: Easily highlight text on web pages and PDFs using various colors.
  • Annotations: Add detailed notes to your highlights for better reference and organization.
  • Cloud Syncing: Seamlessly access your highlights and notes across multiple devices.
  • Organize with Folders: Structure your highlights with folders and sub-folders for easy retrieval.
  • Citation Creation: Automatically generate citations for your highlighted text, simplifying your research process.
Our Rating
8.7
7.0
Total users
8,095,228
200,000
Total ratings
111,722
2,728
Average rating
4.9 ⭐
4.1 ⭐
Entry Level PriceFreeFree
Chrome
Chrome Web Store logo
4.9
4.80
104.1K+ ratings
5.0M+Users
Chrome Web Store logo
4.1
3.01
2.7K+ ratings
200.0K+Users
Edge
Microsoft Edge Store logo
4.8
4.33
7.6K+ ratings
3.1M+Users
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Firefox
-
-
Safari
-
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Features
9.5

Sider offers a comprehensive range of functions and is designed to provide a solution for every possible use of AI. From AI writing assistance to PDF analysis, for example, it covers all areas for every blogger.

Creatives also get their money's worth here, whether creating images from text or editing photos, Sider offers these functions in just one tool and integrates the functions of other providers into your one tool.

Tools

The number of integrated AI models, such as GPT-4o, Claude, or Gemini, also stands out. This ensures that users have access to the latest technology.

AI Model

In summary, Sider offers almost all of the current possibilities of AI in one tool.

8.5

Weava offers basic but functional features like web and PDF highlighting, annotations, and folder organization.

The basic functionalities work great but the lack of innovative or advanced functionalities, especially compared to competitors, limits its appeal.

Top 3 Features of Weava Highlighter

1. Highlight Websites and PDFs

Highlighting text with Weava

Similar to our favorite highlighter Web Highlights, you can highlight text on any website or PDF. Choose different colors to customize your highlights and make important information stand out.

2. Organize Research into Folders

Organize in folders

Weava lets you save your highlights and organize them into folders, making it simple to keep your research organized and find what you need fast.

3. Collaborate with Your Team

Share folders with your co-workers

Weava allows you to share folders with your team, making collaboration on research projects easy. Everyone can add and view highlights and notes all in one place.

Performance
9.2

Sider generally performs well in the test with fast response times and reliable functions. The integration of multiple AI models ensures that users receive accurate and relevant information. However, there can be occasional delays, especially when using advanced features or at peak times. Continuous updates and optimizations could further improve performance.

7.0

Weava performs adequately when it comes to basic highlighting and syncing. However, the overall performance is marred by the intrusive ads and occasional bugs that make the experience less smooth than it should be.

Design
8.5

The design of Sider is very user-friendly, and the interface is quite clear, so it's easy to find anything. The sidebar is great because you can access features without leaving the page. However, it might feel cluttered for some people as there are so many options. A sleeker design could improve the user experience.

6.0

The design is where Weava really struggles. The interface is cluttered with ads, making it not only visually unappealing but also frustrating to use.

Here's a screenshot showing one of their ads taking up nearly half the height of their sidebar:

Ads are covering half of the sidebar

The overall design feels outdated and lacks the intuitive flow found in other tools. This poor design significantly hampers the user experience.

Value for Money
7.8

While Sider offers a free version with limited requirements, the premium plans can be expensive for casual users. While the feature set justifies the cost for power users, those who only need basic features may find it expensive. The availability of different pricing tiers offers flexibility, but an intermediate solution with a cheaper option could appeal to a wider audience.

6.8

The free version of Weava offers basic features, and their premium plan at $3.99/month is priced similarly to competitors.

However, given the ads in the free version and the overall user experience, you can find better value in alternatives that provide more features and a cleaner interface for the same or even lower cost.

Ease of Use
9.0

In our tests, Sider was easy to use without having to learn how to use it. The tooltips and instructions help you get started right away. It works well in our tests with popular browsers such as Chrome and Edge, which are quick to install and use. However, if you want to delve into the advanced functions, it can take a while to get to grips with everything. Basic users might be a little overwhelmed here.

6.5

Weava’s basic highlighting functionality is straightforward, but the poor design and mandatory account creation add unnecessary friction. The ads make navigation cumbersome, and while it’s not difficult to learn, using the tool effectively can be a challenge due to these barriers.

Security & Privacy
8.0

Sider stores the data on Amazon's US servers. The data protection guidelines are transparent and users have control over their data. However, usage data is collected for analysis purposes, which not every user will find acceptable. The assurance that data is never passed on and no spam messages are sent is a positive aspect.

7.0

Weava does take steps to protect user data, and their privacy policy is clear about not selling personal information. However, the requirement to create an account and the potential for data collection through ads could be a concern for privacy-conscious users.

Conclusion

Sider is an AI tool that can significantly increase user productivity across multiple platforms. The high number of features, from writing assistance to image editing, makes it a versatile choice for truly anyone. Although it excels in many areas, there is still room for improvement. In particular, the sometimes high prices will put normal users off. Overall, Sider is a valuable tool for anyone who wants to combine almost all the possibilities of AI in one tool and is willing to pay for it.

Weava Highlighter may still be a popular choice, but its current state leaves much to be desired. The overwhelming presence of ads and a clunky design significantly detract from the user experience, making it hard to justify its use when other tools offer a more polished and ad-free environment.

If you’re serious about your productivity, it’s worth exploring alternatives like Web Highlights, which delivers all the benefits of Weava without the downsides.

Our Recommendation

In our comparison between Sider and Weava, Sider came out on top, scoring 8.7.

Sider is the most widely used, with over 8 million users and 112k+ reviews—and it also delivered the strongest performance in our tests. We rate Sider and Weava lower than users do.

Notably, Sider has the highest user rating in the Chrome Web Store at 4.86, which is even higher than our rating of 8.7.

There are big differences between these extensions, so it's important to look at the details below to find the best fit for your needs.


  • Looking for the richest feature set? Sider stands out with a rating of 9.5. On the other hand, Weava lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.5.
  • Need top performance? Sider stands out with a rating of 9.2. On the other hand, Weava lags behind in this area with a rating of 7.
  • Design lovers, take note: Sider stands out with a rating of 8.5. On the other hand, Weava lags behind in this area with a rating of 6.
  • Want to get the most for your money? Sider stands out with a rating of 7.8. On the other hand, Weava lags behind in this area with a rating of 6.8.
  • If you hate complicated tools, Sider stands out with a rating of 9. On the other hand, Weava lags behind in this area with a rating of 6.5.
  • With privacy and security becoming ever more important, Sider stands out with a rating of 8. On the other hand, Weava lags behind in this area with a rating of 7.

If you want a quick recommendation, Sider is our top pick. But as always, the best choice depends on what matters most to you.