I have a confession to make. As someone who lives and breathes SEO and content, my browser has become a graveyard of good intentions. I’ve got a bookmark folder overflowing with “revolutionary” AI tools. One for rewriting sentences, another for summarizing dense articles, one that claims to be the best for social media captions, and of course, the ever-present open tab for ChatGPT itself.
It’s exhausting. The constant tab-switching, the copy-pasting, the mental gymnastics of remembering which tool does what best… it’s a productivity sinkhole. We’re supposed to be living in the future, but my workflow felt stuck in a traffic jam of digital clutter. I was desperate for something to just… simplify. Something that wasn’t another subscription, another login, another company harvesting my data.
And then, almost by accident, I stumbled upon Prompt Selector. And let me tell you, it’s been a minute since a simple browser extension got me this genuinely excited.
Visit Prompt Selector
So, What is Prompt Selector, Really?
Okay, let's cut through the marketing fluff you see everywhere. At its core, Prompt Selector is a lean, mean browser extension that acts as a direct line to OpenAI's models (like the latest GPT-4o) right from any webpage. It’s not trying to be a whole new AI platform. Instead, it’s more like a universal remote for ChatGPT that works on any text you highlight.
The concept is built on a model that I'm seeing more of and am a huge fan of: Bring-Your-Own-API-Key (BYOAK). Instead of paying the developer a monthly fee, you plug in your own OpenAI API key. This means you’re only paying for what you actually use, directly to OpenAI, which for most people is laughably cheap. More on that later.
Highlight some text on an article, a little icon pops up, you click it, and you can instantly get a summary, a grammar check, a translation, or—and this is the best part—run any custom prompt you can dream of.
The Features That Made Me a Believer
I’ve seen dozens of AI wrapper tools. Most are clunky, limited, or just a cash grab. Prompt Selector feels different. It’s thoughtful. It’s built for people who actually use this stuff day-in and day-out.
Finally, an End to AI Tool Sprawl
My browser used to look like a digital hoarder's den. I had a subscription to a popular grammar checker, a free summarizer that was probably selling my soul, and three other tools for specific rewriting tasks. Prompt Selector let me uninstall all of them. It's not just about saving a few bucks; it's about the cognitive load. Now, my workflow is simple: highlight, click, command. Whether I need to fix grammar, simplify a complex paragraph, or turn a product description into a tweet, it's all in the same little pop-up. It's the Swiss Army knife I've been looking for, but one where I get to forge my own blades.
Your Prompts, Your Rules, Your Genius
This is the game-changer for me. While the pre-built prompts for summarizing and translating are great, the 'unlimited custom prompts' feature is where the magic happens. As an SEO, I have very specific needs. I’ve created custom prompts like:
- "Rewrite this paragraph in a more active voice and include the keyword 'organic traffic growth'."
- "Generate three FAQ-style questions and answers based on this selected text."
- "Turn these bullet points into a witty, engaging paragraph for a blog post introduction."
The ability to save and reuse these with a single click, on any text, anywhere on the web? That's not just a feature; that’s a workflow revolution. It turns the entire internet into your personal AI playground.
A Refreshing Stance on Privacy
Let's be real. Most “free” online tools aren't free. You're paying with your data. They track what you write, analyze your behavior, and use it to train their own models or sell insights. It’s the uncomfortable truth of the modern web. Prompt Selector’s promise of 'No data tracking' isn't just a bullet point; it's a statement. Because it uses your own API key, your interactions are between you and OpenAI, governed by their privacy policy. The extension itself is just a pass-through. In an age of constant surveillance, that peace of mind is priceless.
Let's Address the 'Catch': The API Key
Okay, so it's 'free to use', but you need an OpenAI API key, which isn't free. Is this a contradiction? Not really, and I think it's a much more honest model. Some might argue that having to set up an API key is a hurdle. And sure, it takes about five minutes if you’ve never done it before. But the trade-off is immense.
"You're not paying a middleman's markup. You're paying for the raw electricity, so to speak, and for most of us, we're just running a lightbulb, not a stadium."
Think about it. A typical marketing email of 500 words might cost you a fraction of a cent to process through the API. Summarizing a dozen articles a day? You might be looking at a bill of... a dollar or two a month? Maybe? I personally spend more on one cup of coffee than I do on my monthly API usage for tools like this. For the power and convenience it offers, the cost is trivial.
Who Is Prompt Selector Actually For?
Is this the perfect tool for everyone? Probably not. My grandma, who just wants to check her email, doesn't need this.
But if you're a student, writer, marketer, developer, or any kind of knowledge worker who spends hours in a browser, this is a no-brainer. It's for the power users who find the main ChatGPT interface a bit clunky for quick, in-context tasks. It's for the privacy-conscious individual who's tired of being the product. It's for the efficiency nerd (hello, that's me) who wants to shave off every redundant click and keystroke from their day.
If you just want to ask an AI a question once a week, stick to the free web interfaces. But if you want to integrate AI seamlessly into your work, this is the way to go.
Frequently Asked Questions About Prompt Selector
- Is Prompt Selector safe to use with an API key?
- Yes. The extension operates on a 'no data tracking' principle. Your API key is stored locally in your browser, and your requests go directly to OpenAI. The extension's developer doesn't see your data or your prompts.
- How do I get an OpenAI API key?
- You'll need to create an account on the OpenAI Platform (this is separate from a ChatGPT account). From there, you can navigate to the 'API Keys' section and generate a new secret key. You'll also need to set up a payment method, but they usually give you some free credits to start.
- Can I really use the latest GPT models?
- Absolutely. As long as your OpenAI account has access to the latest models (like GPT-4 and GPT-4o), you can select it within the extension's settings. This is a huge advantage over free tools that are often stuck on older, less capable models.
- Is it better than just keeping a ChatGPT tab open?
- For in-context tasks, 100%. The friction of highlighting text, copying it, switching tabs, pasting it, writing the prompt, and then copying the result back is completely eliminated. For long, conversational brainstorming, the main interface might still be your go-to. They serve different purposes.
- Does it work on every single website?
- It works on the vast majority of websites where you can select text. I haven't found a regular article or blog post where it doesn't work. It might struggle with some complex web applications or pages that have non-standard text elements, but for 99% of daily browsing, it's flawless.
My Final Verdict
In a world saturated with AI hype, Prompt Selector is a breath of fresh air. It’s not trying to change the world; it’s trying to fix a real, tangible problem for people who work on the web. It's a simple, elegant solution that respects your privacy, empowers you with customization, and declutters your digital life.
It's one of the few tools I've installed recently that has earned a permanent spot on my browser's toolbar. It doesn’t just work; it improves the way I work. And in this industry, that's the highest praise I can give. Give it a shot; your other AI tools might start to get a little jelous.
