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AdBlock is another blocker that works well against ads but completely fails to block trackers. It's a shame considering its unique features like the ability to block distractions and cookie consent banners instantly.
AdBlock did ace both the AdBlock Tester and Cover Your Tracks tests, so we do feel confident about its ad-blocking aabilities. You'll also be able to watch videos on YouTube with AdBlock without the nuisances of video ads.
The best ad blockers offer a variety of features and provide broad blocking capabilities, but AdBlock doesn’t hit every mark. We'll go over its performance in our review.
- Premium blocks all ads
- Includes whitelisting for acceptable ads
- Offers broad compatibility
- Doesn’t block trackers
- Doesn’t block YouTube ads
Our experience
Paid plan
Main features
Test results
Compatibility
How to use AdBlock
Top alternatives
FAQs
Bottom line: Is AdBlock good?
AdBlock overview
Ads blocked on Forbes | 61 |
AdBlock Tester score | 100/100 |
Cover Your Tracks score | 0/3 |
Can You Block It score | 3/3 |
Does it block YouTube ads? | No |
Whitelisting available | Yes |
Blacklisting available | Yes |
Compatibility | Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, Android, iOS |
Paid version | Starts at $3.33/mo (billed annually) |
Learn more | Get AdBlock |
How we test and rate ad blockers
Each ad blocker we review goes through a standardized test designed to push the limits of what the software is capable of. This includes vigorous third-party testing using websites like adblock-tester.com, coveryourtracks.eff.org, and canyoublockit.com. We also visit popular websites to test the ad blocker’s day-to-day capabilities, including watching YouTube videos and browsing Forbes.
Once we’ve completed the testing, we calculate our editorial rating by taking into account key features you’d expect from a good product. We score each ad blocker in the following categories and use a weighted average to calculate the final rating out of 5 stars: price, test scores, features, browser support, and editorial score.
To learn more about how we test, read our full ad blocker methodology here.
We last tested AdBlock on May 21, 2025.
Our experience
We tested AdBlock Premium on Google Chrome. Installing AdBlock was easy, and we had it up and running almost instantly.
When testing ad blockers, we navigate to the Forbes homepage to see how well they work considering how riddled with ads the page can be. AdBlock removed an astounding 61 ads during our latest round of testing.
We went to work testing it using our three ad sites, AdBlock Tester, Cover Your Tracks, and Can You Block It. Adblock aced all the ad blocking tests but didn’t hide us from trackers the way we hoped.
We tried to turn on all the Premium filters to see if it would make a difference but the tracking test results remained the same. Plus, AdBlock warned us that all the filters could potentially slow our device down.
The free version of AdBlock is more useful than not having anything installed, but there are better ad blockers out there. If you think you want to try AdBlock, we’d suggest signing up for a free trial of Premium since it offers more features than the free product.
AdBlock paid plan
AdBlock can cost Free or $4.00/mo for its premium plans, but maintains that you can always use it for free. If you find it useful, you can donate to AdBlock since it has a “pay what you can” model.
If you want additional features like distraction control and a cookie consent cutter, you can purchase the Premium version.
AdBlock Free | AdBlock Premium | |
Price | Free | Starting at $4.00/mo |
Backup and sync | ||
Block distractions | ||
Block cookie consent pop-ups | ||
Image swap | ||
VPN | ||
Learn more | View plan | View plan |
Main features
AdBlock is a simplistic ad blocker, but it still offers a variety of features. In the settings, you'll find filter lists and customization options.
The whitelisting capabilities are fairly straightforward. When you click on the extension, you can choose to allow ads on a page or a site.
Premium features
AdBlock offers some unique features with its Premium plan. For one, the Distraction Control feature can prevent video ads from following you down the page, block newsletter pop-ups, and eliminate allow requests.
The Cookie Consent Cutter auto-rejects cookies, which is more useful than you might think. As you browse the web, AdBlock will remove these so you’ll never need to configure the cookie settings on a website again.
There's also Image Swap, which is a silly feature that lets you replace ads with images of more pleasant things like kittens and dogs.
Finally, AdBlock now offers a VPN with its Premium plans too.
AdBlock’s test results
We test ad blockers by running them through three different testing sites. AdBlock Tester includes a lot of code that mimics a variety of ads to see if the ad blocker can block them.
Cover Your Tracks sees how well the ad blocker works at hiding you from trackers and allowing you to browse anonymously online.
Finally, Can You Block It performs a series of tests to see how well ad blockers handle ads like pop-ups when a site first loads and banner ads.
AdBlock scores
AdBlock Tester | Cover Your Tracks | Can You Block It? | |
AdBlock score | 100/100 | 0/3 | 3/3 |
We started by navigating to the AdBlock Tester site and our score was originally 75/100. After we navigated to the settings, we toggled on all possible filters and signed up for an AdBlock Premium free trial. AdBlock Premium passed the test with flying colors.
However, we didn't have the same luck with Cover Your Tracks. It failed to block tracking ads and invisible trackers. Also, it didn't obsure our fingerprint at all.
If you're in need of privacy protection, we'd recommend other ad blockers like Total Adblock.
Finally, AdBlock Premium also received a perfect score with Can You Block It, easily taking down ad blocker detectors, interstitial ads, and banner ads.
If you strictly need an ad blocker, AdBlock is great for the job. It would also work well if you stacked it with privacy protection like Privacy Badger.
YouTube ad test
YouTube seems to be serving more and more ads, which can really ruin your viewing experience. A good ad blocker extension stops these ads from playing when you access YouTube through your browser.
That's why we always test our ad blockers to see if they can block YouTube ads. Fortunately, AdBlock Premium blocked all YouTube ads during our most recent tests.
We watched through an entire Tiny Desk concert and received no pre-roll ads, mid-video ads, or banner ads cluttering the page.
Bypassing paywall test
Paywalls are those annoying little pop-ups that happen when you’re in the middle of reading an article that block you from finishing it without purchasing a subscription. Sometimes an ad blocker can circumvent those for you. We test each ad blocker to see if it can.
Unfortunately, AdBlock wasn’t able to block paywalls from places like The New York Times or The Wall Street Journal. It also wasn’t able to block soft paywalls (the ones that limit you to a certain number of articles in a time frame).
What browsers and software is AdBlock compatible with?
AdBlock offers broad compatibility with several browsers as well as iOS and Android devices. The free version of the ad blocker works on Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, iOS, and Android, while the Premium version only works on desktop versions of Chrome, Firefox, and Edge.
AdBlock Free compatibility:
- Chrome
- Firefox
- Edge
- Safari
- iOS
- Android
AdBlock Premium compatibility:
- Chrome
- Firefox
- Edge
How to use AdBlock
- Download AdBlock from its site.
- Run the installer.
- Enable the extension on your browser.
- Grant AdBlock the permissions it requires.
- Enjoy ad-free internet!
Top alternatives
We know that software is personal, so if AdBlock isn’t for you, we have a roundup of the best ad blockers on the market. Each has various features, like tracker and YouTube ad blocking.
![]() |
![]() Threat Protection |
![]() CleanWeb |
|
Best for | Best for blocking YouTube ads | Best overall | Best for blocking streaming ads |
Price | Starts at $1.59/mo (billed annually, first year only) | Starts at $3.09/mo (billed every two years) | Starts at $2.19/mo (billed every two years) |
Free version? | |||
Adblock Tester score | 100/100 | 96/100 | 96/100 |
Cover Your Tracks score | 2/3 | 2/3 | 0.5/3 |
Can You Block It score | 3/3 | 2/3 | 3/3 |
Blocks YouTube ads? | |||
Compatibility | Windows, Mac, Chrome, Edge, Opera, Amazon Fire, Safari, Android, iOS | Threat Protection Pro: Windows, macOS
Threat Protection: |
Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux, Chrome, Edge, Firefox, FireTV |
Learn more | Get Total Adblock | Get NordVPN Threat Protection | Get Surfshark CleanWeb |
FAQs
Why does AdBlock give you the option not to pay?
AdBlock believes in the right to browse the internet unencumbered, so it doesn’t require payment to use its base product. It also believes that people will purchase its Premium service if they find it worthwhile.
You can try AdBlock’s free option to see if it works for your needs. If you find it worthwhile, we suggest trying the Premium version.
What is AdBlock’s refund policy?
If you purchase the Premium version and then decide it’s not for you, the refund policy is a generous 60 days. AdBlock provides troubleshooting in case you’re still seeing ads, but the company won’t deny you a refund in any case.
Does AdBlock collect your data?
While AdBlock doesn’t collect much data, it does use tracking cookies on its website. It logs some user event data, enough to provide services. There are also instances where AdBlock will collect device data, time stamps, as well as other identifiers.
AdBlock discloses information when legally necessary, but states that it doesn’t sell your data. You can always update your privacy settings if you’re worried about how much information is available about you online.
Bottom line: Is AdBlock good?
AdBlock Free is okay and AdBlock Premium is better, but both products only excel at blocking your standard ads. If you’re looking for a blocker with strong tracker blocking capabilities and a variety of features, there are better options.
While this is a perfectly acceptable program, if you want the best ad blocker, you can find ones that block YouTube ads as well as stop online trackers.
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