Getting Started
Install and go. Works out of the box, no setup required.
1 Install the extension
Firefox
Install directly from the Firefox Add-ons store:
Chrome
Install directly from the Chrome Web Store:
Tip: Pin the extension to your toolbar by clicking the puzzle icon next to the address bar, then the pin icon next to Tolerance.
2 Start browsing
That's it. Tolerance works immediately on Reddit, Twitter/X, YouTube, and Instagram. No configuration needed.
Note: The free tier has usage limits to keep costs sustainable. For most users, this is plenty. Power users who want unlimited scoring can add their own API key (see below).
Optional: Use your own API key
For unlimited usage, you can bring your own API key. Tolerance works with any OpenAI-compatible endpoint.
Using OpenRouter (recommended)
- Go to openrouter.ai and create an account
- Navigate to Keys in the dashboard
- Click Create Key
- Give it a name like "Tolerance" and create it
- Copy the key (starts with
sk-or-) - Add credits: Go to Credits and add $5 to start
Using other providers
You can also use OpenAI, Groq, Together, or any OpenAI-compatible API. Just enter your API key and endpoint URL in the dashboard settings.
Configure Tolerance
- Click the Tolerance icon in your toolbar
- Click Open Dashboard
- Paste your API key in the API Key field
- (Optional) Change the API endpoint if using a provider other than OpenRouter
How much does it cost?
About $1-2 per month with typical usage. Each post costs a fraction of a cent to score, and Tolerance caches results so it doesn't re-score content you've already seen.
3 How to use it
Tolerance works automatically. Here's what to expect:
Score badges
Each post shows a small badge with its manipulation score (0-100). Higher scores mean the content is trying harder to grab your attention through psychological tactics.
Progressive blurring
The longer you browse, the more content gets blurred. This happens gradually:
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 0-15 min | Normal browsing, no blur |
| 15-45 min | High-manipulation content blurred |
| 45-75 min | More aggressive blurring |
| 75+ min | Almost everything blurred |
The timer resets at midnight.
Revealing blurred content
Hover over blurred content for 3 seconds to reveal it. This adds friction without blocking; if you actually want to see something, you can.
Quality Mode
Toggle Quality Mode in the popup for instant full blur. Only low-manipulation content (score under 20) remains visible. Good for when you want to browse but not get sucked in.
4 Tips for best results
Tolerance works best with old Reddit. New Reddit's infinite scroll makes re-ordering harder. Maybe try Old Reddit Redirect.
Go to YouTube Settings → Playback → uncheck "Video previews". This prevents autoplay from bypassing the blur.
When prompted, tell Tolerance if yesterday felt "too restricted", "balanced", or "too easy". This calibrates the thresholds to your preferences.
The point isn't to white-knuckle through a blurry feed. When it's boring, close the tab. That's the system working. If it's too much, go into advanced settings and adjust the thresholds. There's no shame here. Don't force it. The point is not to feel restricted, but to feel free.
Troubleshooting
Scores aren't appearing
- Try refreshing the page
- You may have hit the free tier limit; try again later or add your own API key
- If using your own key, check that it's saved in the dashboard and has credits
Everything is blurred immediately
- Check if Quality Mode is enabled (toggle it off in the popup)
- You may have been browsing for a while; check your time in the popup
Extension not working on a site
- Currently supported: old.reddit.com, twitter.com/x.com, youtube.com, instagram.com
- New Reddit (www.reddit.com) has limited support
- Make sure the extension is enabled in
chrome://extensions
Need more help?
Check the GitHub Issues or email [email protected].