Last updated: 22 July 2026
Environment Compare processes comparison data locally in your browser. It does not sell your data or transmit website content, browsing activity, or screenshots to the developer or to third parties.
1. Purpose of the extension
Environment Compare helps users visually compare a testing website with a production website. It opens the URLs selected by the user in two tiled Chrome windows and can synchronize navigation and scrolling, protect the production page from accidental interaction, capture comparison screenshots, identify visual differences, mask dynamic content, and export a local comparison report.
2. Information the extension accesses
To provide its comparison features, the extension may access and process the following information:
- URLs and web history: the testing and production URLs entered by the user and navigation within the active comparison tabs.
- User activity: navigation events, clicks needed for production protection, and scroll position or page landmarks used for scroll synchronization.
- Website content: limited page structure and element attributes used for semantic scroll alignment, plus screenshot pixels captured when the user requests a snapshot.
- Extension settings: saved URL presets, scroll mode, production-protection preference, and active comparison-session details.
This information is used only to provide the extension’s user-facing features.
3. Local processing and data transmission
All comparison processing is performed locally by Chrome on the user’s device. The extension does not include analytics, advertising, tracking pixels, or third-party data services. It does not send configured URLs, page contents, scroll activity, screenshots, masks, or reports to the developer or to any external server.
The websites opened by the user continue to communicate with their own servers as they normally would. Their data practices are governed by their respective privacy policies and are not controlled by Environment Compare.
4. Storage and retention
- Settings and saved presets are stored in Chrome’s local extension storage on the user’s device.
- Visible-area snapshots are stored temporarily for the current browser session.
- The latest full-page snapshot may remain in the extension’s local browser storage until it is replaced, the extension’s data is cleared, or the extension is removed.
- Dynamic-content masks exist only in the open snapshot viewer.
- Exported ZIP reports are saved only when requested by the user and remain under the user’s control in their chosen download location.
5. Chrome permissions
The extension uses the following permissions solely for its single comparison purpose:
- storage saves settings, presets, and comparison-session state locally.
- tabs creates and manages the two comparison tabs and reads their current URLs.
- webNavigation detects navigation in the testing tab so the corresponding production URL can be updated.
- scripting enables scroll synchronization, page labels, production protection, and full-page capture in the two selected environments.
- Optional website access is requested for the two user-entered origins when page-level comparison tools are enabled. Optional access to all URLs is requested only when the user chooses to capture both comparison windows, because Chrome requires it for that action.
6. Sharing and sale of data
Environment Compare does not sell, rent, share, or transfer user data to third parties. Data accessed by the extension is not used for advertising, profiling, credit decisions, or any purpose unrelated to comparing the two websites selected by the user.
7. Data control
Users can delete saved presets from the extension. All locally stored extension data can also be removed by clearing the extension’s site data in Chrome or uninstalling the extension. Exported reports can be deleted like any other local file.
8. Security
The extension minimizes data exposure by processing comparison information locally and requesting page access only when it is needed. No method of software operation is completely risk-free, but the extension is designed not to transmit comparison data outside the browser.
9. Children’s privacy
Environment Compare is a developer and testing utility and is not directed to children under 13. The extension does not knowingly collect personal information from children.
10. Changes to this policy
This policy may be updated if the extension’s functionality or data practices change. The latest version will be published at this page with a revised “Last updated” date.
11. Contact
For privacy questions or requests, contact environmentcompare@gmail.com.