No Coin for Firefox is an open-source browser extension designed to block unauthorized cryptocurrency miners, such as Coinhive, from hijacking your computer’s resources. Created by developer keraf on GitHub, it acts as a lightweight defense mechanism to stop websites from running background scripts that cause high CPU utilization, battery drain, and hardware overheating.
However, the extension is largely a legacy tool today because Mozilla Firefox now has native cryptomining protection built directly into the browser, making dedicated single-purpose extensions like No Coin mostly obsolete. Key Features & How It Works
Blacklist Filtering: The extension works by monitoring active network requests and blocking specific JavaScript URLs listed in its database (blacklist.txt).
Toggle Interface: It provides a simple toolbar icon that changes color based on its status. Clicking the icon allows you to pause or unpause the blocking rules if a site requires a script for validation (like a proof-of-work captcha).
Intended Resource Savings: Unlike ad blockers that target visual layouts and trackers, No Coin focuses strictly on saving your CPU cycles and device battery from being exploited silently. Performance & User Sentiment
Community reviews from platforms like Reddit and the Firefox Add-ons store reveal mixed feedback:
👍 The Positives: Users appreciate its targeted approach. It lets people block performance-draining crypto scripts while still allowing regular, non-tracking ads if they want to support websites without sacrifice.
👎 The Negatives: Some users noted technical bugs, such as the toggle switch failing to unblock scripts properly without disabling the entire extension from Firefox settings. Others reported that self-hosted or newer mining scripts easily bypassed its static blacklist. The Modern Alternative: Do You Still Need It?
No, you generally do not need to install No Coin today. Browser security and content blocking have evolved significantly since the extension’s peak:
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