What Do These Extensions Do?
Both UltraWideo and Zoom to Fill remove black bars from videos on ultrawide monitors by adjusting the video to fill your screen. They both support major streaming platforms and offer keyboard shortcuts.
But the feature set, interface quality, and trustworthiness are very different.
Side-by-Side Comparison
Store
| Attribute | UltraWideo | Zoom to Fill |
|---|---|---|
| Active Users | 80,000+ | ~100,000 |
| Average Rating | 4.5 | 3.9 |
| Chrome | ||
| Firefox | ||
| Last Updated (Chrome) | 4 months ago | 9 months ago |
| Pricing | Freemium | Free |
Functionality
| Attribute | UltraWideo | Zoom to Fill |
|---|---|---|
| Fill / Stretch / Custom Modes | ||
| Scale & Pan Controls | Zoom only | |
| Works Everywhere | ||
| Works in Fullscreen | ||
| Works Inline | ||
| Per-Host Settings | Pro | |
| Per-Path Settings | Pro | |
| Letterbox Crop (baked-in black bars) | Pro | |
| Ambient Light Effect | Pro | |
| Video Sharpening (Enhance) | Pro | |
| AI Voice Control | Pro | |
| Mode Manager | Pro | |
| Auto-Hide Trigger | Pro | |
| X/Y Mirror Controls | ||
| Cross-Browser Sync | Pro | |
| Keyboard Shortcuts | ||
| Scroll & Pinch Gestures |
Interface
| Attribute | UltraWideo | Zoom to Fill |
|---|---|---|
| Floating In-Page Panel | ||
| In-Player Button | ||
| Draggable Panel Position | ||
| Clean, Minimal Design | ||
| Dark & Light Mode | ||
| Accent Color Customization | 16 colors | |
| Smooth Animations |
Accessibility
| Attribute | UltraWideo | Zoom to Fill |
|---|---|---|
| Keyboard Navigation | ||
| Screen Reader Support | ||
| Multiple Languages | 40+ languages | 55 languages |
| Instant Language Switching | ||
| Customizable Shortcuts |
The Interface
UltraWideo features a floating in-page panel that you can drag anywhere on screen. It supports dark and light mode, offers 16 accent colors, and is fully accessible. You can switch between 40+ languages instantly without restarting your browser.
Zoom to Fill uses a browser popup with an in-player button that appears on supported streaming sites. The in-player button is convenient for quick toggling, but the overall interface is more basic – no theming and no accessibility features.
Trust & Security
This is worth calling out. Zoom to Fill has received reports of security concerns – users have flagged that the developer's homepage redirected to scam/phishing sites. Some users reported adware behavior with tabs opening to unrelated extensions.
UltraWideo has a clean reputation with no security complaints, minimal permissions, and transparent privacy practices.
Firefox Support
UltraWideo fully supports Firefox with the same features and experience as Chrome.
Zoom to Fill does not support Firefox. There is a legacy listing on the Firefox Add-ons store, but it hasn't been updated since 2022 and is no longer functional.
What's New in 4.0
The latest UltraWideo release adds features Zoom to Fill doesn't have:
- Letterbox detection with a Measure tool that crops baked-in black bars even on protected streams
- AI Voice Control – speak a setting and the extension applies it
- Mode Manager to hide modes you never use
- Auto-hide trigger that fades the floating button during playback
- X/Y Mirror controls – adjust one axis and the other follows
- Adaptive Enhance sharpening that scales with source resolution
What Makes Each One Stand Out
UltraWideo
- Beautiful, accessible interface anyone can use
- Works everywhere – every site, every video
- Full Chrome and Firefox support
- Gesture controls (scroll wheel, trackpad pinch, touchscreen)
- Clean security reputation
- Letterbox detection with Measure tool for protected streams (Pro)
- AI voice control – speak a setting and it applies (Pro)
- Ambient light and adaptive video sharpening (Pro)
- Mode Manager and auto-hide trigger for a tidier panel (Pro)
- Settings sync across browsers (Pro)
- 40+ languages with instant switching – no browser restart needed
Nothing to report
Zoom to Fill
- Completely free
- In-player button on supported sites
- Customizable keyboard shortcuts
- Persistent zoom within tab session
- Security and privacy concerns reported by users
- No Firefox support
- No per-site settings, voice control, or mode manager
- No letterbox detection for baked-in black bars
- No gesture, scroll, or pinch support
- No ambient light or adaptive sharpening
- No settings sync
- No instant language switching
- No accessibility features
- No dark/light mode
Who Should Pick What?
Pick UltraWideo if you value reliability, security, and a polished interface. It works on both Chrome and Firefox, has no security red flags, and the free tier covers all core modes. Pro adds ambient light, per-host settings, and cross-browser sync.
Pick Zoom to Fill if you want a simple, free in-player zoom button and only use Chrome. Be aware of the reported security concerns and the fact that the Firefox version hasn't been updated in years.
The Verdict
UltraWideo is the more trustworthy, feature-rich choice – especially if you care about security and cross-browser support. Try it free and see the difference.