20 ways to make your Chrome browser so much better

The Web can be overwhelming, but it doesn't have to be.

If you're a Google Chrome user, there are thousands of browser plug-ins called "extensions" that can make it easier to stay on top everything you do online.

Here are some of the best free Chrome extensions you can download.

Keep in mind, these add-ons can access information about you, including your browsing history, location, and data that you copy and paste. Most of these extensions were built by third-party developers, though some were designed by Google.

Each one has at least a four-star rating on the Chrome Web store.

Get organized, stay focused

Pocket keeps track of links you want to visit later. It syncs them across all of your devices, saves your reading position, and downloads files for offline viewing.

Strict Workflow prevents you from wandering away from your work by blocking websites for specific periods of time.

Clearly strips away distracting ads and graphics, allowing you to read websites like a clean Word document. To highlight passages, you must use this with Evernote.

DF YouTube keeps you from going down a YouTube rabbit hole. The extension can hide feeds, suggested videos, comments, disable playlists and hide sidebars.

Kill tabs

Google Dictionary lets you look up words as you read. No more switching back and forth.

The Checker Plus extensions for Gmail, Calendar and Google Drive let you see your messages, events, and files easily from the top of your browser, no matter what you're doing. Use Dropbox for Gmail to seamlessly add files from your Dropbox.

Tab Snooze acts like a personal browsing assistant. Instead of closing tabs, defer them for viewing at a later time.

TooManyTabs stacks your tabs vertically and allows you to sort them based on time or title.

Save money

Say you're on Amazon (AMZN, Tech30) looking at a new speaker system. PriceJump will search the Web for the same item and show you where you can get buy it for less.

Honey suggests a list of coupon codes before you finalize your purchase, and The Camelizer shows you historical price trends on Amazon.

Go stealth, stay safe

AdBlock and AdBlock Plus are the most popular Chrome extensions to block ads and tracking. Disconnect stops third-party sites from tracking you and claims to help load your browser 27% faster. DuckDuckGo, a search engine that doesn't track your information, also has a Chrome extension.

Panic Button helps you hide your tabs from prying eyes. One click and everything disappears. Links can even be stored behind a password if desired.

Web of Trust provides a pop-up reputation report for links based on how others have rated a site. You can also rate websites on factors such as tracking and child safety.