Updated October 20, 2026

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Best Chrome Extensions to Modify HTTP Headers

By the Pick Ads team · Tested on Chrome · Published October 20, 2026 · Updated October 20, 2026

Answer: For headers and redirects with environment profiles, HeaderSwap is a focused option. For mocks, scripts and team workflows beyond headers, Requestly covers more. For a free, open-source editor, try Header Editor Lite or Simple Modify Headers. ModHeader's Chrome Web Store listing is no longer available, so plan a migration if you still use it.

Verdict

Headers, redirects, environment profiles: HeaderSwap.
Mocking, scripts, team collaboration: Requestly.
Free and open source: Header Editor Lite. Simple Modify Headers is also open source but hasn't been updated since 2024.

Disclosure: We make HeaderSwap. Competitor facts come from their Chrome Web Store listings and websites as of 2026-10-20. We did not hands-on test them. No ratings or user counts are used.

Comparison table

	HeaderSwap	Requestly	Header Editor Lite	Simple Modify Headers	ModHeader
Price (USD)	Free; Premium $6.99/mo or $69.90/yr	Free listing with in-app purchases	Free (listing: "100% FREE, no ADs")	Free (open source)	n/a (not listed)
Free limits	10 rules per profile, 2 profiles	Not stated on listing [VERIFY]	None stated	None stated	n/a
Manifest V3	Yes (declarativeNetRequest)	Not stated on listing [VERIFY]	Implied; the full version is described as MV2 [VERIFY]	Not stated; description lists webRequestBlocking [VERIFY]	n/a
Scope	Request and response headers, regex redirects, presets, domain/URL/regex filters, environment labels	Headers, redirects, API mocks, script injection, request blocking and delay	Request and response headers, redirects, cancel requests	Request and response headers, URL filter	Was: headers, redirects
Import/export	Export, share links, ModHeader import	Not compared [VERIFY]	Migration tool from similar extensions	JSON export and import	n/a
Privacy (listing)	Profiles stay local unless Premium sync; anonymous stats can be turned off	Privacy policy linked on listing	Developer discloses no data collection	Developer discloses no data collection	n/a (listing unavailable)
Last updated	Oct 17, 2026, v1.2.0	Sep 30, 2026, v26.9.29	Oct 15, 2026, v5.5.0	Jun 9, 2024, v1.9.0	Listing unavailable (checked Oct 20, 2026)
Best for	Developers switching header sets per environment	Teams needing mocks and interception beyond headers	Free, no-frills header and redirect rules	Simple rule tables with JSON backup	Migrating away

Last verified: 2026-10-20

Choose HeaderSwap if… / choose another if…

Choose HeaderSwap if your job is headers and redirects, and you want Local, Staging and Prod profiles, presets like Allow CORS and Bearer token, and optional auto-expiry and sync (Premium).
Choose Requestly if you need to mock API responses, inject scripts or simulate delays. HeaderSwap does none of these.
Choose Header Editor Lite if you want free and open source with no paid tier.
Choose Simple Modify Headers if a plain rule table with JSON import/export is enough. Check that it installs and runs on your Chrome version, since its last update was in 2024.

Each option: best for and one limitation

HeaderSwap. Best for environment switching. Duplicate a Local profile as Staging and swap tokens. Limitation: Free stops at 2 profiles and 10 rules per profile, and it doesn't mock responses.

Requestly. Best for broad interception: headers, redirects, mocks, scripts, delays, plus team features. Requestly says it is now part of BrowserStack. Limitation: its public pricing page lists API Platform plans, and which plan covers which extension features isn't spelled out (Requestly pricing).

Header Editor Lite. Best for free rules: request and response headers, redirects and request cancel. Limitation: the developer describes a separate, more feature-complete MV2 version, so Lite may lack some features.

Simple Modify Headers. Best for simplicity and portability through JSON export. Limitation: the listing was last updated June 9, 2024, and its description still names MV2-era permissions.

ModHeader. On 2026-10-20 its Chrome Web Store listing showed "This item is not available", so it can't be installed from the store. If you still have it, export your profiles and move them to a tool that's currently listed.

How to choose (by use case)

You need to…	Good fit
Send a bearer token to a local API	HeaderSwap, Header Editor Lite, Simple Modify Headers
Unblock a dev-only CORS error	HeaderSwap (Allow CORS preset), Header Editor Lite
Redirect production assets to localhost with regex	HeaderSwap, Requestly, Header Editor Lite
Mock an API response	Requestly
Share header setups with teammates	Requestly (team features), HeaderSwap (share links; Premium sync)
Pay nothing, ever	Header Editor Lite, Simple Modify Headers

Migration tips

Inventory your rules. Write down each header, value and domain.
Refresh test tokens. When you move tools, re-create short-lived test tokens instead of copying old ones forward.
Run one tool at a time. If two extensions modify the same header, Chrome's priority rules decide which wins (declarativeNetRequest).
Verify in DevTools. Open Network > Headers and confirm the header on a real request.

For a step-by-step switch, see switching from ModHeader. For a deeper two-way comparison, see HeaderSwap vs Requestly.

Update log

2026-10-20: First version. ModHeader listed as removed; competitor versions and dates checked against their Chrome Web Store listings.

Privacy: HeaderSwap profiles stay on your device unless you turn on Premium sync. See the HeaderSwap privacy policy.

FAQ

Do these work with Manifest V3? HeaderSwap uses Chrome's MV3 declarativeNetRequest API. The other listings don't state their manifest version: Header Editor Lite implies MV3, and Simple Modify Headers still names MV2-era permissions. Check chrome://extensions after installing, and confirm the extension still works on your Chrome version.

Can I import profiles? HeaderSwap imports compatible ModHeader exports by pasted JSON or a dropped file. Simple Modify Headers imports and exports its own JSON. Header Editor Lite offers a migration tool from similar extensions. There's no common format, so check rules after any import and re-enter anything that didn't convert.

Which is best for teams? Requestly is built around team collaboration and broader API workflows. HeaderSwap supports share links on Free, with an option to hide tokens, and cloud sync on Premium. Secret header values stay out of sync unless you opt in. Pick by whether your team needs mocks or just shared header sets.

Free options? Header Editor Lite and Simple Modify Headers are free and open source. HeaderSwap has a free plan with 2 profiles and 10 rules per profile. Requestly has a free listing with in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, limit rules to the domains you test.

Switching from ModHeader: import an export and map rules.
HeaderSwap vs Requestly: a two-way comparison.
Modify request headers in Chrome: DevTools first, then an extension.

Add HeaderSwap to Chrome - Free

Sources

Requestly: Intercept & Modify HTTP Requests – Chrome Web Store: https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/requestly-intercept-modif/mdnleldcmiljblolnjhpnblkcekpdkpa
Pricing – Requestly API Platform: https://requestly.com/pricing
Header Editor Lite – Chrome Web Store: https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/header-editor-lite/eningockdidmgiojffjmkdblpjocbhgh
simple-modify-headers – Chrome Web Store: https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/simple-modify-headers/gjgiipmpldkpbdfjkgofildhapegmmic
ModHeader – Chrome Web Store ("This item is not available", checked 2026-10-20): https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/modheader-modify-http-hea/idgpnmonknjnojddfkpgkljpfnnfcklj
HeaderSwap – Chrome Web Store: https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/headerswap-modify-http-request-response-headers/aengfannbfpmlmfikccoojeppfkganig
chrome.declarativeNetRequest – Chrome for Developers: https://developer.chrome.com/docs/extensions/reference/api/declarativeNetRequest