Tracepaper
A PerfectPixel alternative with unlimited free layers
Tracepaper lays your design over the live page like PerfectPixel does, without the 2-layer cap on the free plan, and adds measuring, guides, a color picker and a font finder in the same toolbar.
We make Tracepaper, so weigh this page with that in mind. What we say about PerfectPixel comes from its own store listing, website and public store reviews, checked in October 2026. Products change: check their current page too. Spotted something out of date? Email support@decisionscalc.com and we'll fix it.
Tracepaper vs PerfectPixel at a glance
| Tracepaper | PerfectPixel | |
|---|---|---|
| Design overlay on the live page | Yes | Yes |
| Overlay layers on the free plan | Unlimited | 2 per site (more needs Pro) |
| Difference / blend mode to spot mismatches | Yes, free | Yes |
| Nudge with arrow keys, opacity, lock | Yes | Yes |
| Measure sizes and distances between elements | Yes, free | No |
| Rulers and snapping guides | Yes, free | No |
| Color picker with magnifier | Yes, free | No |
| See the font actually rendered | Yes, free | No |
| Ads | None | Shown in the extension panel on the free plan (per its listing) |
| Paid plan | Optional Pro (CSS inspector): $4.99/mo, $39/yr or $79 once | Pro, about $25/year (per reviewers) |
| Browsers | Chrome, Edge | Chrome, Firefox |
Where PerfectPixel is the better choice
- It's on Firefox; Tracepaper isn't yet.
- It has a long track record (about 300,000 Chrome users) and many tutorials written about it.
- If you only ever use one or two layers and don't mind the ads, the free plan does the overlay job well.
What PerfectPixel users said in their store reviews
Recent 1–2 star reviews, quoted as written. Source: PerfectPixel reviews on the Chrome Web Store.
“You can only add 2 layers now. There wasn't this limit until recently.”2★, May 19, 2026
“Now they've capped the free amount of layers to 2, then you have to pay $25/yr.”1★, Apr 30, 2026
“Was brilliant but has completely nerfed it with only 2 layers per site in the latest version unless you pay for a Pro subscription.”3★, Apr 27, 2026
Switching takes a minute
- Install Tracepaper (Chrome or Edge) and pin it.
- Open the page you're building and press O.
- Drop or paste your design export (PNG/JPG). Add as many layers as you like; they're remembered per page.
- Switch on Difference mode in the overlay panel to make every mismatch glow. Press ? for all shortcuts.
Questions
- Is Tracepaper really free?
- Yes. Overlay, measure, guides, color picker and fonts are free with no limits and no ads. Pro adds a CSS inspector.
- Does it work on localhost and file:// pages?
- Yes, on any page you open in Chrome or Edge, including localhost. It only runs when you click it.
- Does it collect data?
- No tracking and no analytics. It doesn't read or send page content anywhere.