Best ad blocker extensions

uBlock Origin is the most capable content blocker you can install, and the one the others get measured against. It is free and open source, written by Raymond Hill, and blocks ads, trackers and malicious domains using the EasyList family of filter lists plus its own. Its GitHub page says no donations are sought, and suggests supporting the people who maintain the filter lists instead.

Its strength is control. You can write your own rules, block by domain or request type per site, and switch off scripts or remote fonts for a single page. Hill says it works best on Firefox, which still allows APIs that Chromium does not, such as filtering response bodies and uncloaking CNAME-disguised trackers.

The catch is Chrome. uBlock Origin is a Manifest V2 extension, and Google removed all remaining Manifest V2 extensions from the Chrome Web Store on 31 August 2026. Chrome 139 and later do not run them, and Microsoft expects to finish switching them off in Edge by the end of 2026. If you use Firefox, install it and stop shopping. Brave offers it as a self-hosted option. Everywhere else, use uBlock Origin Lite, the reduced version Hill publishes for Chrome.

uBlock Origin Lite, or uBOL, is the best answer for anyone who lost uBlock Origin. It comes from the same author, Raymond Hill, and uses the same default lists, but it is a separate extension built for Manifest V3, not an update. It relies on the declarativeNetRequest API, so the browser applies the blocking rules itself and no background process stays running while you browse.

The default ruleset matches uBlock Origin's: the built-in uBlock lists, EasyList, EasyPrivacy and Peter Lowe's ad and tracking server list. You can switch on more rulesets from the options page. The rules are compiled into the extension package, so, according to its FAQ, uBOL never makes network requests to remote servers. It is also the one extension here that covers Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari.

The trade-off is stated plainly in its FAQ. Many filters cannot be converted to Manifest V3 rules, so it is less effective on sites that actively resist ad blockers. Dynamic filtering and some per-site switches are not possible, and generic cosmetic filtering stays off until you raise the blocking mode to Complete. If you are on Chrome, Edge or Safari and want a free, open source blocker, install this.

AdGuard AdBlocker is a strong Chrome option that still lets you tune things with custom filters and user rules. It comes from Adguard Software Ltd, a company that also sells apps for Windows, Mac and Android. The extension is free, needs no registration, and its source code is on GitHub under GPL-3.0.

The README says AdGuard does not collect any information about you and does not take part in any Acceptable Ads program. It says its only income is selling premium versions of its software. On Chrome, the Manifest V3 build became the main version in September 2024, and the Manifest V2 listing was removed on 31 August 2026. If you installed the MV2 one, you must install the current listing by hand and re-add custom rules and third-party filters.

AdGuard is open about the limits. Chrome caps how many rules and rule groups can be active, some rules cannot be converted, and urgent filter fixes must ship inside the extension. The company says there are edge cases where the old extension could do more, and notes that Firefox still supports Manifest V2. If you want more tools than uBlock Origin Lite and accept Manifest V3 limits, it is a sound pick.

Wipr 2 is the easy choice for Apple users. You pay once, turn it on in Safari settings and forget it. It is a Safari content blocker by an independent developer, Kaylee Calderolla, sold on the App Store for $4.99 and running on iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Vision.

Its description says it blocks ads, trackers, pop-ups, cookie warnings and other clutter, and that the blocklist updates automatically twice a week. There is nothing to configure, and the listing mentions no rule editor. It needs iOS 17, iPadOS 17 or macOS 14 or later, and the App Store rates it 4.7 out of 5 from about 1,400 ratings.

The price of that simplicity is trust and control. The code is not published, so you are relying on the developer. The privacy label says no data is collected, though Apple notes such labels are self-reported. The business model is plain: $4.99 up front, optional tips, and an in-app add-on called Filtr that extends blocking to other apps at the network level. For a free, open source Safari blocker, choose uBlock Origin Lite.

Ghostery is a friendly all-rounder that works on more browsers than anything else here. It blocks ads and trackers, hides cookie pop-ups and lists the trackers on each page and who runs them. It comes from Ghostery GmbH, the code is on GitHub under GPL-3.0, and the site says all features are free with no subscription, with optional contributions.

It is listed on Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera and the App Store for Safari, and needs almost no setup. The Chrome Web Store accepts only Manifest V3 extensions after the August 2026 purge, and Ghostery updated its Chrome listing in October. We rank it fifth because we found less independent evidence on its blocking than for the uBlock family.

Know what it reports before you install. Its privacy policy says the extension sends a small daily installation ping, including browser, operating system, language and country. It can send extra opt-in telemetry, and users who accept the policy also report anonymised tracker data to its WhoTracks.Me project. Ghostery says no personal data is collected, but this is more reporting than uBlock Origin Lite. For the most aggressive blocking, choose a uBlock Origin variant.

1Blocker is the Safari blocker for people who want more control than Wipr 2 offers. It comes from 1Blocker LLC, an independent developer that says it has made the app since 2015. It runs on iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Vision, blocks ads, trackers and annoyances such as cookie notices, and you set it up by switching categories on.

It is free to download, with an allow list that syncs through iCloud, but the free tier lets you enable only one category. Premium is sold as a monthly, yearly or lifetime purchase and adds custom rules, cookie blocking and custom lists. Custom rules can block a URL by regular expression or hide an element with CSS.

The company says it has no Acceptable Ads program and that its only income is direct sales of the app. Its App Store privacy label lists only purchase and user ID data, none linked to you, and the listing says the app has no access to webpages. A recent update added a separate scripts extension that you must allow for all websites to get the full effect, so read that prompt. It is closed source, and the listing admits Safari's limits mean not all ads can be blocked.