View Rendered Source review (2026): is it any good?
Free Chrome extension comparing raw HTML with the rendered page
View Rendered Source report card
Good · out of 4.0 · graded Oct 23, 2026
Best for comparing raw HTML with the rendered page
View Rendered Source shows a page three ways, the raw HTML, the DOM after JavaScript has run, and a line-by-line diff of the two, and can fetch the raw source as Googlebot or a phone. That's one narrow job, in Chrome only, and the last release was version 4.0 in June 2023.
Who View Rendered Source is for
- Fits if you check what a JavaScript-heavy page looks like before and after rendering
- Works for developers testing prerendering or dynamic rendering for Googlebot
Who View Rendered Source is not for
- Watch out: the last release, version 4.0, is from June 2023
- Skip it if you're not on Chrome, as there's no other version
- Too light for audits, since it compares one page's source and checks nothing else
- Not for you if you want a help page, as support is by X message to the developer
Why View Rendered Source gets a 2.8
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- AValue for moneyFree from the Chrome Web Store, with no paid version, account or sign-up mentioned anywhere in its listing.
- AFree plan and trialFree outright: raw, rendered and diff views and the Googlebot and mobile options, with nothing to upgrade to.
- DFeaturesOne narrow function: raw against rendered source with the differences highlighted, as Googlebot or a mobile browser if you like. No tags, links, schema or search data, and no audit.
- BEase of useNo rating on record, but nothing to set up: open a page, click the icon and the three views are there.
- CPlatforms and integrationsChrome only, so computers only, in English, with no website of its own and no integrations. Support is by X message to the developer.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from the developer's Chrome Web Store listing, its only page on 23 October 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
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<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/view-rendered-source#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/view-rendered-source.svg" alt="View Rendered Source: 2.8 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where View Rendered Source stands among SEO browser extensions
View Rendered Source's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 4 of the 34 other SEO browser extensions we grade, and level with 12.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 5 of 34) and worst on features (D, above 0).
View Rendered Source has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 35 SEO browser extensions we grade, cut by the letter each got. View Rendered Source’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 4 of 34, level with 30
- AFree plan and trialAbove 5 of 34, level with 29
- DFeaturesAbove 0 of 34, level with 13
- BEase of useAbove 3 of 34, level with 31
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 34, level with 32
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 34 SEO browser extensions. Further left costs less, and higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Point at a dot to see which tool it is.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Keep View Rendered Source, or make your own?
Keep it
View Rendered Source is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 18 of the 34 other SEO browser extensions grade higher.
What you could not
- A crawler that checks every page of a site.
What this rests on. View Rendered Source’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
What is View Rendered Source?
View Rendered Source is a small, free Chrome extension by Jon Hogg's Peg Leg Ltd that shows a page three ways: the raw HTML the server sent, the DOM after the browser and JavaScript have built it, and a line-by-line diff of the two. It is aimed at developers working with frameworks such as React, Angular and Vue, and at SEOs checking what search engines are served. The raw source can be requested as Googlebot or a mobile browser.
Worth knowing
- The last release, version 4.0, dates from June 2023.
- It is listed for Chrome only, with an English interface and no website of its own; support is by X message to the developer.
- It compares sources for one page at a time and does not crawl or audit a site.
- The listing says the developer will not collect or use your data.
Key features
- Raw source
- The HTML sent from the server before the DOM is built, as the browser's own View Source shows it, lightly formatted.
- Rendered source
- The page after it has been turned into a DOM, including every change JavaScript has made to it.
- Line-by-line difference
- Highlights each line that differs between the raw and rendered versions, showing what JavaScript added or changed.
- Googlebot and mobile requests
- Request the raw source as Googlebot to check dynamic rendering setups, or tick a box to emulate a mobile user agent for adaptive sites.
View Rendered Source pricing
As of Oct 23, 2026, View Rendered Source is free to use.
- Starts at
- Free
- Free plan
- Free to install from the Chrome Web Store; the listing mentions no paid version, account or sign-up.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Raw, rendered and difference views with Googlebot and mobile user-agent options, free from the Chrome Web Store. |
Read from chromewebstore.google.com on Oct 23, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with View Rendered Source before you buy.
View Rendered Source alternatives
- View Rendered Source vs SEO Minion
From $14/mo
Common questions
Does View Rendered Source have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 23, 2026. View Rendered Source is listed for no platform we could confirm.
Does View Rendered Source have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 23, 2026. View Rendered Source is listed for no platform we could confirm.
Is View Rendered Source open source?
View Rendered Source is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 23, 2026.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 23, 2026.