The blurring runs itself
ZeroBlur ends where the manual blur ends. Blurr.ing keeps going: 34 keyword presets (emails, card numbers, API keys, crypto wallets) redact sensitive text the moment it appears, on every page that matches.
Comparison · Blurr.ing vs ZeroBlur
Blurr.ing as a ZeroBlur alternative
ZeroBlur is the best-known free blur extension, and for one-off manual blurring it is genuinely good. The honest comparison is about scope and momentum: what happens after the manual blur, and how much the tool has moved lately.
Updated August 2026
Quick answer
ZeroBlur is completely free and blurs elements or drawn areas by hand; its store listing last shipped an update in September 2024. Blurr.ing matches the free manual blurring (draw a box, click an element, or select text, unlimited, no account) and adds what ZeroBlur does not have: keyword redaction with 34 presets, Tab Privacy for your tab strip, blurs restored before the page first paints, and rule sync across computers. Manual blurs are free in both; automation is what Blurr.ing's paid tier buys, at $5 a month, $29 a year, or $39 once.
What is ZeroBlur?
ZeroBlur is a free Chrome extension by Massimo Chieruzzi, published under divbyzero.com, that blurs sensitive data before Zoom calls, webinars and recordings. You click an element or drag an area, and blurs can persist for a page or a whole site. Its site says it is 100% free with no sign-up and always will be, with cross-device sync listed as a possible future addition.
As of August 28, 2026, its Chrome Web Store listing showed 20,000 users, a 4.5 star rating from 47 ratings, and version 1.2.1, last updated September 23, 2024.
Source: divbyzero.com/tools/blur-extension and its Chrome Web Store listing.
Feature by feature
Blurr.ing and ZeroBlur, side by side
| Feature | Blurr.ing | ZeroBlur |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free + optional Premium: $5/mo, $29/yr, $39 once | 100% free |
| Manual blurs | Box, element, and text selection, unlimited | Element and drawn area |
| Keyword redaction | 34 presets + custom rules (Premium) | Not available |
| Saved blurs on revisit | Premium | Free, per page or site |
| Applied before first paint | Yes | Not advertised |
| Tab Privacy | Yes, 17 disguise styles | Not available |
| Cross-device sync | Rules sync when signed in | No (listed as planned) |
| Keyboard shortcuts | Yes | None documented |
| Browsers | Chrome, Edge, Brave, Arc | Chrome, Edge, Firefox |
| Blurs processed locally | Yes | Yes |
| Last shipped update | Active development (2026) | September 23, 2024 |
Comparison compiled August 28, 2026 from each product's public website and Chrome Web Store listing. ZeroBlur features and pricing may change; check their site for the latest. A check marks the side a row genuinely favors, whichever side that is.
The case for Blurr.ing
Where Blurr.ing earns the switch
No flash on reload
Blurr.ing re-applies saved blurs before the page first paints, so refreshing a dashboard mid-call never flashes the real numbers. Tools that blur after load reveal everything for a split second.
Your tab strip is covered too
Tab Privacy masks the titles and favicons of your other tabs during a window share. ZeroBlur blurs inside the page only; the tab strip stays readable.
When ZeroBlur might be the better fit
- You want a tool that is free forever, with no paid tier at all, and manual blurring is all you need.
- You need Firefox: ZeroBlur ships a Firefox add-on, Blurr.ing runs on Chromium browsers only.
- You prefer a widely installed tool: ZeroBlur has roughly twenty times the install base as of August 2026.
- Free per-site blur persistence matters to you and you would rather not pay for restore.
Both tools can be installed side by side, so trying the two against your own pages is a five-minute experiment rather than a commitment.
More comparisons
FAQ
Blurr.ing vs ZeroBlur, answered
If ZeroBlur is free, why would I pay for anything?
You might not need to. Manual blurring is free in both tools: ZeroBlur is free outright, and Blurr.ing gives you unlimited draw-a-box, click-an-element and select-text blurs with no account. What Blurr.ing charges for is automation: keyword rules that redact every email or API key on sight, blurs that come back before the page first paints, Tab Privacy for your tab strip, and rules that sync between computers. If you only ever blur one thing by hand, either free tier serves you.
Is ZeroBlur still maintained?
Its Chrome Web Store listing showed version 1.2.1, last updated September 23, 2024, when we checked on August 28, 2026, which is close to two years without a shipped update. The extension still works, and its author describes it as a free side project. Whether that matters depends on how much you rely on updates keeping pace with Chrome and with the sites you blur.
What does ZeroBlur not do?
Based on its own site: there is no automatic detection or keyword redaction (every blur is manual), no cross-device sync (the author lists it as a possible future addition), no tab title masking, and no text-selection blur; you click elements or drag areas. It does persist blurs per page or per site for free, which is genuinely useful.
Can I run ZeroBlur and Blurr.ing side by side?
Yes. They are separate extensions and do not conflict, so the practical way to choose is to install both, blur the pages you actually present, and keep the one that fits. Five minutes settles it.