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Warren S. Allen
Warren S. Allen

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Best Browser Split Screen Extensions for 2026: A Practical Guide

Introduction

Browser split screen lets you view multiple web pages at the same time, so you can compare, reference, copy and paste without constant tab switching.

People use split screen in a browser for three main reasons:

  1. Compare and decide: pricing pages, product docs, research papers, reviews
  2. Work while referencing: write in one pane, read sources in another
  3. Monitor and operate: dashboards, chat, tickets, analytics, trading, alerts

Who benefits most:

  1. Product managers, founders, and marketers doing competitive research
  2. Engineers reading docs while coding
  3. Analysts and investors tracking multiple sources
  4. Students reading and taking notes side by side
  5. Anyone on a single monitor who wants less tab switching

In 2026, the best split screen tool is the one that matches your workflow style. There are two big approaches:

  1. Native split view inside Chrome, clean and reliable, but limited to 2 panes
  2. Extensions that either create multiple browser windows, or create multiple panes inside one tab

Chrome Split View

Official reference: Google Chrome Help: Use split view for multitasking

Chrome Split View is Chrome's built in split view feature. It lets you display 2 websites within a single Chrome window. One side is active, the other side is inactive, and most toolbar actions apply to the active side only.

Demo of Chrome Split View

Features

  1. Two pane split inside one Chrome window
  2. Open a tab in split view via tab right click
  3. Open a link in split view via link right click
  4. Drag and drop a tab or link to the left or right edge to create split view
  5. Manage split view, close left or right, reverse position, separate split view
  6. Keyboard shortcut support (macOS: ⌘ + Option + n, Windows and Linux: Shift + Alt + n)

Pros

  1. No extension needed, very low setup cost
  2. Reliable, because it is built in
  3. Works with almost all sites, including sites that block embedding
  4. Great as a fallback when extensions fail

Cons

  1. Only 2 panes
  2. Many actions apply to the active side only, which can feel limiting for heavy multitasking
  3. Limited layout control compared with power user extensions

Comment

Chrome Split View is the baseline in 2026, and you can treat it as the default for simple two pane tasks and as the fallback for strict sites. If your daily workflow needs more than two panes, repeatable layouts, or a true research workspace, you will outgrow it quickly.

Dualless

Official: Dualless on Chrome Web Store

Stats: Last Updated 2023-12-29, Users 1M, Rating 3.95/5.0

Dualless is a classic split screen extension for people without a second monitor. It splits by creating separate browser windows with preset ratios.

Demo of Dualless

Features

  1. One click split with preset ratios
  2. Creates two windows sized to your screen
  3. Merge windows back

Pros

  1. Very easy to start, minimal learning
  2. Fine for simple two window workflows on one monitor
  3. Large user base, widely known

Cons

  1. Creates separate windows, which can quickly lead to window clutter
  2. Preset ratios are limited, and do not feel flexible for real work
  3. Users frequently report crashes or instability
  4. Users frequently report side effects like losing tab groups or pinned tabs
  5. Window pairing and merging can feel unpredictable
  6. Extra browser UI in each window wastes screen space

Comment

If your goal is two pages side by side, Chrome Split View is simpler and cleaner. Dualless only makes sense if you specifically want two separate windows and you accept the clutter tradeoff.

Tab Resize

Official: Tab Resize on Chrome Web Store

Stats: Last Updated 2024-06-11, Users 1M, Rating 4.31/5.0

Tab Resize is a popular split screen tool that resizes the current tab and tabs to the right into layouts across separate windows. It is strong for multi monitor setups, shortcuts, and quick preset layouts.

Demo of Tab Resize

Features

  1. Multiple layout presets
  2. Multi monitor support features
  3. Shortcut keys
  4. Undo last resize
  5. Can resize only highlighted tabs

Pros

  1. Fast and productive for people already comfortable managing multiple windows
  2. Support multiple monitors.
  3. Works well with sites that block embedding because each pane is a real window

Cons

  1. Not a true multi pane workspace inside one tab
  2. Still creates window clutter, especially if you repeat this many times per day
  3. Many users dislike that it opens new windows instead of splitting inside one window
  4. Does work in fullscreen mode.
  5. Users report bugs such as hotkeys failing or the popup lagging

Comment

Tab Resize is best when you intentionally want window tiling, especially across multiple monitors. If you want a single tab workspace that stays organized, it is the wrong tool.

PageVS

Official: PageVS on Chrome Web Store

Stats: Last Updated 2025-12-19, Users 669, Rating 4.67/5.0

PageVS is a new and modern split screen extension that turns one tab into a multi pane workspace. Instead of spawning many windows, it keeps everything inside a single tab and lets you freely arrange panes.

Demo of PageVS

Features

  1. Up to 36 resizable panes in one tab
  2. Split modes: vertical, horizontal, auto
  3. Freeform drag and resize, not locked to a grid
  4. Scroll sync to keep pages aligned
  5. Cross pane highlight to compare text across panes
  6. Layout bookmarks and one click restore
  7. Light mode, dark mode, experimental reader mode

Pros

  1. Best overall for heavy research workflows, because it avoids window clutter
  2. Most flexible layout control among common options
  3. Layout bookmarking enables repeatable workflows, for example daily dashboards, competitor tracking, multi doc reading
  4. Strong early reviews for single screen productivity, for example: "best Chrome extension… single screen setup… significantly boosting my productivity."

Cons

  1. A small number of sites may not work well in an in tab multi pane model, especially sites that block embedding or require special security policies, Gmail is a common example
  2. If you only ever need two panes with zero customization, Chrome Split View is simpler

Comment

PageVS is my personal favorite for doing research, comparisons, writing, and monitoring on a single screen. Use Chrome Split View only as a backup for the small number of sites that don't work well inside panes.

Split Screen for Google Chrome

Official: Split Screen for Google Chrome on Chrome Web Store

Stats: Last Updated 2023-10-17, Users 300K, Rating 3.75/5.0

Split Screen for Google Chrome focuses on splitting and resizing browser windows into sections, often marketed for meetings and presentations. It is primarily a window management tool.

Demo of Split Screen for Google Chrome

Features

  1. Two click window split and resize
  2. Ratio adjustments
  3. Multi monitor related features

Pros

  1. Simple for quick meeting layouts and basic window arrangement
  2. Easy to understand, minimal setup

Cons

  1. Not an in tab multi pane workspace
  2. Reviews often mention weak multi monitor behavior and that it feels redundant versus OS window management
  3. Less flexible than power tools for research workflows

Comment

For two pages, Chrome Split View usually replaces it. For serious research workflows, PageVS replaces it. This is a niche tool if you mainly want a simple window arran

Split Screen on Mac

Official: Split Screen on Mac on Chrome Web Store

Stats: Last Updated 2025-04-05, Users 6K, Rating 3.93/5.0

Split Screen on Mac provides preset layouts and utilities for moving and resizing windows. It aims to reduce manual window resizing effort.

Demo of Split Screen on Mac

Features

  1. Preset vertical, horizontal, quadrant layouts
  2. Two click operations and shortcuts

Pros

  1. Better guided layouts than older window split tools
  2. Simple for window based workflows

Cons

  1. Still window based, so heavy use can still create clutter
  2. Often requires extra steps, like creating or preparing windows before applying a layout

Comment

If you prefer window based splitting and want preset snapping, it can help. For most users, Chrome Split View is enough for two panes, and PageVS is better when you need more than two panes.

Tile Tabs WE

Official: Tile Tabs WE on Chrome Web Store

Stats: Last Updated 2023-03-18, Users 80K, Rating 3.62/5.0

Tile Tabs WE is a powerful tiling tool that can arrange tabs into tiled sub windows, with many customization options and saved layouts.

Demo of Tile Tabs WE

Features

  1. Tile many tabs into a layout
  2. High customization, keyboard shortcuts, context menus
  3. Saved layouts and UI hiding options
  4. Often used for monitoring workflows

Pros

  1. Very customizable, good for advanced users who want tiling and saved layouts
  2. Useful for multi screen monitoring workflows

Cons

  1. Learning curve is higher than most alternatives
  2. Still window based, so heavy use can still create clutter
  3. Instability and broken features are recurring complaints for some users
  4. Older update history can be a maintenance risk if you want active development

Comment

Tile Tabs WE is for advanced tiling fans who can tolerate complexity and occasional rough edges. If you want a modern, reliable, single tab workspace with flexible layouts and less clutter, PageVS is the stronger default.

Verdict

If you want the best split screen experience in 2026, pick based on your workflow:

  1. Best overall: PageVS on Chrome Web Store Best for research, writing, analysis, and anyone who wants a true multi pane workspace inside one tab.
  2. Best built in fallback: Chrome Split View official help Best when you only need two panes, or when a site does not work well inside an in tab pane model.
  3. Best for window tiling power users: Tab Resize on Chrome Web Store Best if you already manage many windows and want quick presets and shortcuts.

For most people on a single monitor, PageVS gives the biggest productivity boost because it removes window clutter while adding real layout control.

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