Unless you’re mine one A friend from grade school who still has a Hotmail account, you probably use Gmail. And it’s not hard to understand why. It’s visually pleasing, easy to use, and won’t make your friends question your life choices.

And yet there’s a lot that Gmail can’t do—at least not out of the box.

Gmail add-ons and extensions extend the functionality of your inbox, making it really easy to get things done. I tested a bunch of internet favorites to see how they stack up. Here, I’ll walk you through my picks for the seven best Gmail add-ons and extensions to help you increase your productivity.

Note: I focused on Gmail add-ons and extensions that improve individual productivity and offer free plans. If you already use an app that has a Gmail add-on or extension, it might be worth a try.

Table of Contents:

Gmail addons vs Gmail extensions

Gmail add-ons and Gmail extensions are similar in that they extend the capabilities of Gmail. But they differ in how they’re installed: add-ons are installed directly into your Google Workplace app, while extensions are added to your browser.

Note: Before you allow any apps to access your account, be “politely rude”. If something feels “off” about the app, listen to your gut. Don’t be forced to install it just because you’re afraid of looking tacky or low-tech.

Best Gmail Add-ons and Extensions

Best Gmail Addons for Project Management

Want to quickly send email content to your project management app? Try these Gmail add-ons.

Trello for Gmail

Trello for Gmail lets you easily convert an email into a Trello task without ever leaving your inbox.

With the Trello add-on extended in the Gmail side panel, open an email, and its contents will automatically appear in the corresponding card fields. For example, the email subject line will be used as the default card name, and the email body will be included in the card description. Edit the card details as needed, and then click add.

This task will immediately appear in your designated Trello board.

Zapier’s Trello integration lets you turn emails into Trello cards. But it goes beyond that. You can integrate Trello with thousands of other apps so you can do things like automatically create Trello tasks from calendar events and Slack messages. Learn more about how to automate Trello, or get started with one of these pre-made templates.

Asana for Gmail

Asana for Gmail allows you to turn emails into Asana tasks in the same way that Trello for Gmail does—it just requires one extra step.

Along with the Asana add-on in the side panel, you might want to switch to a task. click Create a new task. Unlike Trello, Asana doesn’t automatically pull the contents of your email into the task description so you’ll need to update it manually. Then click Create work.

What sets it apart from others is that it has more functionality than just creating task cards. You can browse your Asana tasks, post comments, and complete mark tasks all from Gmail.

And when you connect Asana to Zapier, you can automate the email-to-task process. You can even get a roundup of new asana exercises delivered to your inbox on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. Learn more about how to automate asanas, or get started with one of these pre-made templates.

The best Gmail add-on for scheduling virtual meetings

Gmail has trouble copying and pasting meeting details from your video conferencing software. But with these Gmail addons, you can schedule a meeting with anyone you’re emailing, and share meeting details with a simple button.

Zoom for Gmail

There are two Zoom add-ons for Gmail: Zoom for Gmail and Zoom for Google Workspace. If you have a free Gmail account (not Google Workspace), use Zoom for Gmail. I have Zoom for Google Workspace so if you go with Zoom for Gmail my screen looks a little different than yours. But both addons work very well in the same way.

Open an email conversation with the person you want to meet, and then open the Zoom add-on in the side panel. Edit the meeting details as needed, and then click Schedule meeting.

Zoom will automatically send a meeting invitation with meeting details to your email recipients. This will also add the meeting to your Google Calendar.

You can also start a meeting directly from the Zoom add-on, but it won’t share the invitation link with your email recipients. Instead, you need to manually send the meeting after it starts. But with Zapier’s Zoom integration, you can automate the entire process. Learn more about how to automate zoom, or get started with one of these pre-made templates.

The best Gmail add-on to help you track email

Mail Tracker for Gmail

If you’ve ever found your inbox wondering if it’s been ghosted or if the recipient hasn’t received your message yet, Mail Tracker can clear things up. This add-on lets you know when and how many times your email has been opened.

On the free plan, recipients can tell that a mail tracker has been added to your messages. To remove this notification, you’ll need to upgrade to a paid plan ($2.99/user/month, billed annually).

The best Gmail extension to help you spend less time in your inbox

When Inbox is ready for Gmail (Chrome, Firefox, Edge)

Focus apps are great for blocking distractions while browsing the internet. But when Inbox is ready, it’s specifically designed to help you spend less time in your Gmail inbox. How long can you spend in your inbox when you’re blocked from checking your emails?

The feature I appreciate the most is that it automatically hides my inbox every time I open it. That way, I’m not immediately overwhelmed by the volume of emails I need to review. To display your inbox, press I (and press again to hide it).

The best Gmail extension to manage multiple Gmail accounts

Checker Plus for Gmail (chrome)

With Checker Plus for Gmail, you can manage multiple Gmail accounts at the same time – even while you browse other sites.

After installing the extension, click the checker plus icon in your browser’s extension bar, and you’ll see all your inboxes in one window. From here, you can do almost anything else you can in Gmail: read, delete, archive documents, mark messages as spam, and compose a new message.

By default, unread emails displayed at the top of the checker plus icon in the browser extension bar are red. If you, like me, are a little off-kilter with this color, you can change it.

1. Click on Options icon, which looks like three dots arranged vertically (⋮), at the top of the extension window.

2. Select Options.

3. On the Checker Plus for Gmail page, click Button.

4. ahead Unread mail count colorchoose your favorite color.

The best Gmail extension to turn your emails into a Kanban board

Configure for Gmail (chrome)

If you use your Gmail inbox as a to-do list, but you need a more comprehensive view of what you’re working on, organize. It turns your inbox into a Kanban board. It’s a project management style that helps you visualize what’s on your plate. You have to click on the settings icon in the Gmail side panel.

Want to go back to the regular view of your inbox? Click the icon again.

You can also use Zapier to organize for Gmail, along with thousands of other apps, so you can automatically do things like create tasks on a sequential board using data from Google Sheets and vice versa.

Automate Gmail with Zapier

While these Gmail add-ons and extensions are great for getting the most out of your inbox, they require a lot of manual effort. Since your inbox probably isn’t where you want to spend most of your day, use Zapier to integrate Gmail with the rest of your tech stack. This way, you can automate your entire email workflow. For example, you can automatically save email attachments to your go-to cloud storage app or send personalized auto-responses to new leads.

Learn more about how to automate Gmail, or get started with one of these pre-built templates.

Gmail Add-ons and Extensions: FAQ

If you have questions about installing and managing Gmail add-ons and extensions, I’ve got the answers.

How to Install Gmail Add-ons

There are a few ways to install Gmail Addons. Here is the most direct way.

1. go Google Workspace Marketplace.

2. Click on Works with drop down, and select Gmail to narrow down your options.

3. Find the Gmail add-on you want to install, and then click it Install.

   

4. Follow the instructions to install the add-on.

5. Once the add-on is installed, be done.

Once Gmail add-ons are installed in the web version, they will also be accessible in the Gmail app for iOS and Android devices. In your Gmail mobile app, all installed add-ons will appear below the open email.

How to remove Gmail add-ons

There are two ways to remove a Gmail add-on. Here’s the fastest way to do it.

1. In the Gmail side panel, click Get add-ons icon, which looks like a plus sign (+)

2. i Search for apps In the Market bar, enter the name of the add-on you want to remove.

3. Click on the desired app in your search results.

4. click Install.

How to install and manage Gmail extensions

How to install and manage Gmail extensions will vary depending on your browser and device. Here are instructions on how to do this for common browsers:

Related reading:

This article was originally published in November 2017 by Melanie Pinola and also features contributions from Justin Pott. The most recent update was in January 2026.