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User-friendly ad blocker that offers broad coverage across browsers and devices without compromising device speed
The free version provides basic extension-only coverage, while the premium plans boast robust app coverage
App plans include parental controls, browsing security, browser assistant, DNS leak protection, and a VPN
All About Cookies is an independent, advertising-supported website. Some of the offers that appear on this site are from third-party advertisers from which All About Cookies receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear).
All About Cookies does not include all financial or credit offers that might be available to consumers nor do we include all companies or all available products. Information is accurate as of the publishing date and has not been provided or endorsed by the advertiser.
The All About Cookies editorial team strives to provide accurate, in-depth information and reviews to help you, our reader, make online privacy decisions with confidence. Here's what you can expect from us:
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.
| 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 |
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:
To learn more about how we test, read our full ad blocker methodology here.
We last tested AdGuard on October 9, 2024.
User-friendly ad blocker that offers broad coverage across browsers and devices without compromising device speed
The free version provides basic extension-only coverage, while the premium plans boast robust app coverage
App plans include parental controls, browsing security, browser assistant, DNS leak protection, and a VPN
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.
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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.
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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.
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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 $1.25/mo (billed every five years) | Starts at $2.75/mo (billed every five years) |
| 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 |
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.
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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.
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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.
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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| AdBlock Tester | Cover Your Tracks | ||
| AdGuard score | 100/100 | 2/3 | 3/3 |
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.
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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.
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.
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:
It's also available for the following devices:
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.
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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.
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.
 |
 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) | Starts at $3.59/mo (billed every two years) | Starts at $1.99/mo (billed every two years) |
| Free version? | |||
| Adblock Tester score | 100/100 | 91/100 | 98/100 |
| 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 |
AdGuard is a free download, but there are also paid plans offered that cover multiple platforms and devices.
AdGuard is a safe third-party software, designed to block ads and improve your browsing experience. Since it’s open-source software, users can look at the coding to see if there are any security vulnerabilities.
AdGuard is better at blocking pages before they are loaded into the browser, thereby removing the ad elements. That may be due to AdGuard having an extension and stand-alone application. Since AdBlock is only an extension, it may not remove all the ads.
According to its privacy policy, AdGuard doesn't sell your data.
AdGuard blocks all ads, including video ads, floating ads, pop-ups, banners, text ads, and interstitial ads.
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.
| Ad blocker | |
|
|
| Best for | Best for blocking YouTube ads | Best for streaming | Best overall |
| Price | Paid plan costs $1.59/mo (billed annually) | Paid plans start at $1.99/mo (billed every two years) | Starts at $3.59/mo (billed every two years) |
| Blocks YouTube ads | |||
| Learn more | Get Total Adblock | Get Surfshark CleanWeb Ad Blocking | Get NordVPN Threat Protection |
User-friendly ad blocker that offers broad coverage across browsers and devices without compromising device speed
The free version provides basic extension-only coverage, while the premium plans boast robust app coverage
App plans include parental controls, browsing security, browser assistant, DNS leak protection, and a VPN
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