Super Video Speed Controller vs Video Controls Plus

Super Video Speed Controller is a focused speed-control extension that does one thing well: adjust HTML5 playback rate from a popup with preset and percentage-based options. It is a strong choice for users who want minimal surface area and zero learning curve — install, click, change speed, done. Video Controls Plus covers the same core speed behaviour and extends it with persistent overlay widgets, keyboard shortcuts, A-B looping, and per-site speed memory. The trade-off is footprint: Video Controls Plus is a much larger extension because it ships dozens of features Super Video Speed Controller deliberately omits.

Use cases

When Video Controls Plus is the better fit

You want speed control AND looping, screenshots, filters, audio boost, or notes; you want the speed widget to follow you across YouTube, Netflix, Udemy, and arbitrary HTML5 sites with the same UI; or you want keyboard shortcuts that work without re-opening any popup.

When Super Video Speed Controller is the better fit

You want exactly speed control and nothing else; you prefer the minimum-permissions, minimum-storage profile of a single-purpose extension; or you are on a slower machine where a smaller extension is preferable.

Side-by-side trial week

Install Video Controls Plus alongside Super Video Speed Controller and use the per-site disable list to assign each extension to a different domain — for example, YouTube on Video Controls Plus, niche site on Super Video Speed Controller. After seven days, audit which extension you reached for in your real workflow and uninstall the loser.

Migrating saved presets and shortcuts

Browser policy isolates extension storage, so saved speeds, filter presets, and bindings do not move automatically. The migration steps below cover the typical path; expect five to ten minutes of one-time setup, then identical day-to-day use.

How it works

  1. Step 1. Install Video Controls Plus from the Chrome Web Store.
  2. Step 2. Open the options page → Playback Speed and set your preferred default (the same default you used in Super Video Speed Controller).
  3. Step 3. Bind the same hotkeys you used previously under Keyboard Shortcuts (every key is rebindable).
  4. Step 4. Disable the floating overlay widget if you preferred Super Video Speed Controller’s popup-only feel.
  5. Step 5. Pin Video Controls Plus to your toolbar so the popup stays one click away.

Examples

  • A current Super Video Speed Controller user trying Video Controls Plus. Install in under a minute, reapply 3-5 settings, run both extensions for a week. Most users either commit to Video Controls Plus by day three or confirm Super Video Speed Controller is the right fit for their narrower workflow.
  • A new user choosing between Super Video Speed Controller and Video Controls Plus. Read this comparison, install whichever wins on the features that matter to you, and skip the trial week. Both extensions handle their core jobs reliably; the choice is about scope, not quality.

Frequently asked questions

Is the speed range the same?

Both extensions can drive HTML5 playback up to 16x. Browsers do not officially guarantee playback above 4x and stability above 16x is unrealistic for any tool — Video Controls Plus surfaces the speed range as 0.1x to 16x and does not promise more.

Will it slow my browser down compared to Super Video Speed Controller?

Marginally — Video Controls Plus is a larger extension. In practice the per-tab cost is sub-millisecond on modern hardware. If you notice slowdown, the options page lets you disable individual feature modules to shrink the footprint.

Does Video Controls Plus remember my speed per video?

Yes, per-video and per-site speed memory is on by default. You can disable it in options if you preferred Super Video Speed Controller’s "always start at 1x" behaviour.

Can I keep using just the popup, like Super Video Speed Controller?

Yes — turn off the floating overlay in options and the popup becomes the only UI surface. The keyboard shortcuts continue to work in the background.

What about keyboard shortcuts on YouTube?

YouTube intercepts certain key combinations natively. Video Controls Plus offers a "force shortcuts" option that takes priority on the YouTube player — Super Video Speed Controller does not.

Tips

  • Run both Super Video Speed Controller and Video Controls Plus side-by-side for one week before uninstalling either — overlap is the easiest way to spot which features you actually use.
  • Use each extension's per-site disable list to avoid double-handled keyboard shortcuts during the trial period.
  • Re-bind keyboard shortcuts in Video Controls Plus to match your Super Video Speed Controller muscle memory; every key in VCP is rebindable from the options page.
  • If you stay on Super Video Speed Controller after the trial, file the missing-feature request you found via /feature-requests so a future Video Controls Plus release can close the gap.

Limitations

  • Video Controls Plus is a larger extension than Super Video Speed Controller when Super Video Speed Controller is single-purpose. The trade-off is footprint vs. feature breadth — pick the side that matches your machine and habits.
  • Browser-extension storage is sandboxed per extension, so settings do not transfer automatically between Super Video Speed Controller and Video Controls Plus. Reapply preferences once after install.
  • Super Video Speed Controller may handle a specific edge case (a particular preset, a UI affordance you have built muscle memory around) that Video Controls Plus does not replicate exactly. The decision guide above lists the real reasons to stay with Super Video Speed Controller.

Last updated 2026-05-06 by Ahsan Mahmood, maintainer.