AdGuard Review 2024: Is It Good Software for Ad Blocking?

AdGuard efficiently blocks ads without requiring much effort on your end. While opening various browser tabs, we noticed the number of blocked items steadily increased. That’s impressive, but we also had a bit of trouble navigating the interface and its ad blocking abilities appear unsteady.

AdGuard is still a good ad blocker, and we tested it thoroughly to see how it performs with our Macbook Air and PC while using two web browsers. Keep reading to learn how this ad blocker works and discover if AdGuard is the best ad-blocking software for your needs.

AdGuard overview

Ads blocked on Forbes homepage	14
AdBlock Tester score	100/100
Cover Your Tracks score	2/3
Can You Block It score	3/3
Does it block YouTube ads?	Yes
Whitelisting available	Yes
Blacklisting available	Yes
Compatibility	Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, Opera, Yandex, Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Android TV
Paid version	Starts at $2.49/mo (billed annually)
Learn more	Get AdGuard

We last tested AdGuard on October 9, 2024.

Our experience

Downloading and installing the ad blocker was no problem. We installed the AdGuard browser extension on Google Chrome, but there's also an app that blocks ads on apps.

In our testing, all the websites functioned properly, and we didn’t notice any hiccups along the way. We were especially impressed with how it blocked ads while watching YouTube videos, as this is where tons of ads seem to populate. 

Previously, the extension let us know how much data we saved for the day. Now, it only lets us know how many items are being blocked and the total number of items blocked across our usage.

The one feature that can be confusing is the total number under AdGuard’s Ads blocked section. When you click on the Statistics option, you’ll see numbers listed next to Advertising, Other, Trackers, and CDN. There isn't anywhere you can hover over with an explanation of these numbers, though you can adjust the time period. 

We also noticed that its blocked items number refreshed frequently on some sites. On Amazon, we'd see a blocked number of 32 drop to 12 and jump back up again.

However, we do like the phishing and malware protection functions that come with AdGuard. It’s a simple matter of turning the protection on, and you’re good to go.

AdGuard paid plan

AdGuard is available for free or with paid subscriptions. The paid versions allow protection across multiple platforms. The Personal plan covers up to three devices, and the Family option covers up to nine devices. 

There isn’t a lot of information on the website that shows any other differences in the paid vs. free plan. If you only want coverage for one device, we recommend choosing the free option, but the paid plans are also reasonably priced.

	Free	Personal	Family
Price	Free	Starts at $2.49/mo (billed annually)	Starts at $5.49/mo (billed annually)
Max # of covered devices	1	Up to 3	Up to 9
Block ads in browsers
Block ads in apps and games
Blocks trackers
Parental controls
Learn more	View plan	View plan	View plan

Main features

Beyond blocking ads, AdGuard has an impressive array of features. It has filters to protect you from trackers, malware, phishing, social widgets, and more. Plus, you can whitelist sites to support your favorite content creators and bundle the service with its virtual private network. 

Ad and tracker blocker

AdGuard's basic functions are to block ads and trackers. Whenver you visit a webpage, the AdGuard extension or app will get to work and share how many items its blocked on that page.

One of the features that can be a bit confusing is the Statistics section. You get a total number, but it’s not clear what that means. Even after thorough reading from AdGuard’s site, we couldn’t find an example that matched our extension window.

Whitelisting

With allowlist, AdGuard’s whitelist function, you can add specific websites that you don’t want AdGuard to filter. That way, you can support your favorite content creators while blocking ads across the other sites you visit.

Bonus features

The parental security features include the ability to conduct safe searches, implement password protection, and block users from downloading files or installing new apps.

If you want more than just an ad blocker, AdGuard has its own VPN and a cloud-based DNS service. These services can also be bundled at a discounted price. The DNS service is also great for parents because you can schedule screen time for your kids and block undesired content.

AdGuard test results

To test AdGuard, we used AdBlock Tester, Cover Your Tracks, and Can You Block It. These websites are dedicated to testing browser protection and ad blockers. 

AdBlock Tester uses advertiser analytics to test the blocker’s effectiveness against contextual advertising, analytics tools, banner advertising, and error monitoring. \

When we first tested AdGuard with AdBlock Tester on our laptop, it received 88/100. After we toggled on every filter related to content blocking in the settings, the score increased to 100/100. 

While we're glad that AdGuard is an effective ad blocker, it may not be the best option for someone looking to just set and forget their ad blocker from the moment they download it.

Cover Your Tracks illustrates how visible you are to online trackers. It tests for tracking ads, invisible trackers, and whether you have an identifiable digital "fingerprint." 

AdGuard received a 2/3 with Cover Your Tracks on both macOS and Windows, having blocked ads and invisible trackers. Our browser still has a unique fingerprint, but we found that to be a common result among most ad blockers.

Can You Block It tests for ad blocker warnings, banner ads, and interstitial ads (or those pesky ads that pop up while the webpage loads), and AdGuard passed 3/3. How do we know? Because we didn't see any ads during the browser test. 

AdGuard test scores

	AdBlock Tester	Cover Your Tracks	Can You Block It
AdGuard score	100/100	2/3	3/3

YouTube ad test

If you want to block YouTube ads, you’ll love AdGuard. We tested numerous channels and videos and were pleasantly surprised when all the ads we normally see were blocked, including pre-roll ads, ads during the video, and banner ads. 

Using AdGuard also didn’t change our user experience while watching YouTube videos. There were no speed disruptions or slowdowns noted.

We were also relieved to find that AdGuard has persisted against YouTube's recent actions against ad blockers. No need for a YouTube Premium subscription here.

Bypassing paywall test

Most ad blockers, free or premium, can't bypass hard paywalls, and AdGuard is no exception. Paywalled content means that the user is required to subscribe in order to access the "premium" content. 

However, AdGuard is able to bypass soft paywalls, like those you'd typically see in local news sites. So you can probably use the extension to access regional news stories and catch up on local happenings. 

What browsers and software is AdGuard compatible with?

If you’re looking for an ad blocker that’s compatible with almost any browser, you likely find that in AdGuard. The ad blocker also has apps for your computer and smart devices to block ads across browsers, apps and games. 

These are the browsers with AdGuard extensions:

• Google Chrome
• Mozilla Firefox
• Opera
• Yandex
• Microsoft Edge
• Safari

It's also available for the following devices:

• macOS
• Windows
• iOS
• Android
• Android TV

How to use AdGuard

The AdGuard extension is easy to install on macOS or Windows. Simply navigate to the website, select download, and allow the extension to install. Once the fast installation is complete, you can access the extension using the browser icon. For quick access, pin the icon to your toolbar. 

To use the more premium features, you'll need to download the AdGuard app. When downloading the extension, AdGuard prompts you to also download the app for the most comprehensive coverage. You can customize a lot more with the app by navigating to Settings. 

From there, you can access AdGuard's advanced security features — which, comparatively, you won't see in the extension Settings because premium features like parental controls, DNS protection, VPN services, and more are only available with the app.

Top alternatives

AdGuard is a standout in the ad blocker realm, but it's not the only option available. We've gathered a list of some of the best ad blockers that we've tested and can recommend as trustworthy alternatives. Plus, all of these top-rated ad blockers stop YouTube video ads.

FAQs

Bottom line: Is AdGuard good?

AdGuard is a good ad blocker with plenty of features tp protect against ads, tracking, and phishing. We tested the extension on Chrome with no interruptions in speed performance. Another standout feature is viewing YouTube videos with no ads invading while watching our favorite content creators.

AdGuard is best for the user who wants to get rid of online ads and likes to delve into all the functionality of the product interface. There are different options you can set up, like custom filters, an allowlist, and user rules. If you want to add your preferred filtering rules, you can do that with this ad blocker. 

It’s also a good product if you don’t want to pay a lot or anything at all for a solid ad blocker that takes care of annoyances in the background while you are web browsing.

If you’re still looking for the best ad blocker for you, check out the best ad blockers on the market or see how AdGuard compares to Adblock Plus. 

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