Ask HN: Chrome browser extension or a stand-alone executable?

5 pointsnotastartup2 comments

If you are building a new tool, what would have a better chance of user engagement? Does lowering the resistance (chrome extension available right in your browser) favor over having to download, install and run a software on one's computer (binary file)?

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It really depends on what the tool is going to do. Unless the tool is intimately related to Chrome in some way (tab manager, page screenshotter, or something else that needs to access Chrome in some way), and I'm assuming its not, since stand-alone is an option, I'd question why anything needs to be installed at all, even as a Chrome extension.

I'd much rather visit pdf2gif.io (random example) than use something that needs to be installed, when possible.

The only advantage you would get with a Chrome extension is distribution platform (Web store). Chrome extensions are not in principle 'more dicoverable'.

Now it really depends on what your application does if you are considering donwloading and clicking on an installer a bigger barrier to entry then clicking 'Add to Chrome'.

In general, though Chrome does nothing to push users towards installing extensions from the web store versus downloading a program.

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