PayloadBench vs JSON Formatter Extension
The original JSON Formatter Chrome extension reached 2M+ users before being sold, closed-sourced, and turned into adware. PayloadBench keeps the code open and the JSON processing local.
| Feature | PayloadBench | JSON Formatter Extension (post-sale) |
|---|---|---|
| Processing verification | Yes. Open DevTools -> Network. | Compromised by injected scripts. |
| Tracking | No pasted-content tracking. | Injected third-party tracking and ad scripts. |
| Data collection | No pasted-content analytics. | User data monetization concerns after ownership change. |
| User base at incident | Newer tool. | 2M+ users affected by adware injection. |
| Verifiable privacy | Yes. Open DevTools -> Network. | Compromised by injected scripts. |
| Web tools | Formatter, Viewer, Parser, Diff, JWT, JSONPath, Schema. | Extension-focused viewer. |
| Ads | None. | Adware behavior reported. |
| Price | Currently free; regular Pro is $5/month. | Free but monetized through ads/tracking. |
Why ownership changes matter
Browser extensions can change owners, permissions, and bundled scripts. PayloadBench makes the web tool and extension source available for audit, avoids ads, and gives developers a simple Network tab verification workflow.
How to verify any JSON tool
- Open the tool in your browser.
- Open DevTools and switch to the Network tab.
- Paste JSON and run the formatter, viewer, diff, decoder, or parser.
- If a new request contains your data, the tool uploaded it. PayloadBench does not upload pasted JSON while processing it.
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