Aura Ad Blocker Review 2025: AI-Powered Web Protection

Aura Ad Blocker is a user-friendly extension bundled with the Aura digital security suite. Despite a lack of customization and compatibility, it outperforms other ad blockers.

If you're looking for an ad blocker that does more than just hide banner ads, Aura Ad Blocker may be the solution for you. As part of its broader digital security suite, Aura’s ad blocker claims to reduce distractions, stop trackers, and help keep your browsing private.

But how well does it really work?

We tested Aura’s ad blocker on a Windows PC to see what it blocks, where it falls short, and how it compares to standalone tools. Here's what we found, and what you need to know before signing up.

Pros
  • Blocks pop-ups and banner ads
  • Includes tracker blocking
  • Bundled with the Aura digital security suite
Cons
  • No ad blocking for mobile devices
  • No customization
  • Blocks autoplay on YouTube, but not the ad from showing/loading
  • Not available on Firefox or Safari
In this article
Aura Ad Blocker overview
Our experience
Aura Ad Blocker paid plan
Main features
Aura Ad Blocker’s test results
What browsers and software is it compatible with?
How to use Aura Ad Blocker
Top alternatives
FAQs
Bottom line: Is Aura Ad Blocker good?

Aura Ad Blocker overview

Ads blocked on Forbes 142
AdBlock Tester score 92/100
Cover Your Tracks score 2/3
Can You Block It score 3/3
Does it block YouTube ads? Yes
Whitelisting available No
Blacklisting available No
Compatibility Chrome, Edge
Paid version $19.99/first yr
Learn more Get Aura Ad Blocker

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 Aura Ad Blocker on July 27, 2025.

4.7
Editorial Rating
Learn More
On Aura Ad Blocker's website
Ad Blocker
Aura Ad Blocker
  • Seamlessly blocks banner ads, pop-ups, trackers, malicious sites, and phishing attempts
  • Base plans include antivirus software, a password manager, a VPN, and Safe Browsing tools

Our experience

Installation was easy and took just a few clicks through the Aura dashboard. The ad block and anti-track extension activated automatically without requiring any browser restarts.

Once enabled, Aura quietly filtered out a variety of ad types, including banner and sidebar ads, as well as autoplay video ads. Navigation on ad-heavy sites like Forbes and The New York Times became much smoother, pages loaded faster, and visual clutter dropped significantly. We didn't encounter any functionality issues on popular websites, although video carousels on some news pages took longer to populate.

Aura Ad Blocker blocked more ads on Forbes than other top ad blockers
Aura Ad Blocker blocked more ads on Forbes than other top ad blockers

We found that while Aura Ad Block blocked YouTube ads from autoplaying, they were still visible on the screen, and we had the option to either wait or click “skip.” 

Aura blocks YouTube ads from playing, but the video ads still appear onscreen
Aura blocks YouTube ads from playing, but the video ads still appear onscreen 

We also appreciated that the extension didn’t break pages the way some more aggressive blockers can.

The biggest drawback we noticed was the lack of user control, and there is no way to whitelist a specific site or toggle advanced filter settings. If you’re looking for customization, Aura may feel a bit too locked down.

Aura Ad Blocker paid plan

Aura Ad Blocker is part of a larger subscription plan that starts at $19.99/first yr (renews at $69.99/yr) for individuals. There’s no standalone pricing for the ad blocker alone.

Aura Ad Blocker
Price $19.99/first yr (renews at $69.99/yr)
Blocks unlimited ads
Blocks trackers
Blocks browser notifications
Aura Password Manager
Aura Antivirus
Aura VPN
Safe Browsing
Identity protection
Credit monitoring
Aura Parental Controls
Data removal Yes, but as an add-on only
24/7 U.S.-based customer support Yes — chat or phone
Details View Plan

Interested in Aura Ad Blocker but need Aura's complete digital privacy and security suite? Discover more about our experience with Aura Identity Theft Protection, a comprehensive service that includes credit monitoring, data removal, antivirus software, and parental controls (available with the Aura Family plan).

Main features

Aura Ad Blocker focuses on simplicity over complexity. It doesn’t offer deep user customization, but it includes the core protections most people expect from a modern ad blocker.

Aura also blocks many common site trackers that monitor browsing behavior and build user profiles. Users can view the number of elements blocked per page via the extension icon, but there’s no in-depth breakdown of what was stopped.

Overall, the feature set prioritizes ease of use over advanced control, making Aura a good fit for beginners, but potentially frustrating for users who want more transparency or fine-tuning.

Ad Blocker & Anti-Track

Aura’s ad blocker is bundled with basic anti-tracking protections. It automatically removes common ad formats (such as pop-ups, banners, and autoplay videos) and prevents many third-party trackers from logging your behavior across websites.

Testing Aura Ad Blocker with ad block off
Testing Aura Ad Blocker with ad block off 

While it doesn’t offer detailed tracker visualization or manual blocklists, it still reduces ad clutter and improves overall privacy without requiring extra setup.

Aura Ad Blocker stops ads and declutters the webpage
Aura Ad Blocker stops ads and declutters the webpage

Password Manager

Aura’s password manager includes unlimited storage for login credentials, autofill capabilities, a built-in strong password generator, and alerts when passwords are found in known data breaches.

Aura Password Manager browser alert
Aura Password Manager browser alert 

Real-Time Antivirus Protection

This feature continuously scans for malware, spyware, ransomware, and other threats, both during downloads and while browsing. It’s designed to run quietly in the background and doesn't require constant user input. While we didn’t test its antivirus capabilities directly in this review, Aura packages this in as a system-wide protection layer beyond ad blocking.

Aura Antivirus is included with Aura Ad Blocker
Aura Antivirus is included with Aura Ad Blocker

Unlimited VPN

Aura includes a built-in VPN with no data caps. It encrypts your web traffic, allowing you to browse anonymously. The VPN activates with one click and connects automatically, offering a kill switch in case the VPN connection is lost, and can even provide split tunneling if needed.

Aura VPN is included with Aura Ad Blocker
Aura VPN is included with Aura Ad Blocker

Aura Ad Blocker’s test results

We tested Aura Ad Blocker using three well-established tools: AdBlock Tester, EFF’s Cover Your Tracks, and Can You Block It? Each one targets a different aspect of ad and tracker behavior.

AdBlock Tester evaluates how well the blocker handles visual ads (such as banners and videos) as well as hidden scripts, including analytics trackers and anti-adblock defenses. Aura did a good job overall, but didn't block all the error monitoring scripts. However, that is not a deal-breaker by any means.

Aura AdBlock Tester results
Aura AdBlock Tester results

Cover Your Tracks focuses more on fingerprinting resistance and cookie blocking, revealing how much of your online identity remains exposed. Even the best ad blockers only score 2/3 for this one, so Aura is aligned with competitors like Total Ad Block.

Aura Cover Your Tracks test results
Aura Cover Your Tracks test results

Meanwhile, Can You Block It? focuses on known ad scripts to determine whether the blocker effectively intercepts them before they can load. Aura Ad Blocker passed by blocking all the annoying ads.

Aura Ad Blocker scores

AdBlock Tester Cover Your Tracks Can You Block It?
Aura Ad Blocker score 92/100 2/3 3/3
Test results as of 07/27/2025.

YouTube ad test

For many people, blocking YouTube ads is the main reason to install an ad blocker. Whether you're trying to avoid long unskippable ads or just want to get to your content faster, a good blocker should help cut through the visual clutter.

Aura Ad Blocker blocks YouTube video ads
Aura Ad Blocker blocks YouTube video ads

Aura did interfere with some ads, but not all of them. In the regular browser window, video ads didn’t autoplay — the ad had a timer that you could wait for, or, on occasion, a skip option popped up earlier than expected.

In Incognito mode, the same video played full ads with no skip button, confirming that Aura had some effect in the active browser. However, the ad was still visible and partially functional. We also saw ads remain in the recommended video sidebar and on the homepage, meaning visual clutter wasn’t totally gone.

The good news is that Aura didn’t break video playback or cause lag, and we never encountered a loading error. The experience remained smooth throughout. Still, Aura may not be the best pick if completely stripping ads from YouTube is your top priority. We’d recommend a top-tested ad blocker like Total Adblock instead.

Bypassing paywall test

Paywalls can be one of the more frustrating parts of modern browsing — especially when you're just trying to read a single article without signing up for a full subscription. We tested whether Aura Ad Blocker could bypass a combination of soft and hard paywalls, even though this isn’t a feature it advertises.

In our tests, Aura didn’t bypass most major paywalls. The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, and The Atlantic were all major websites that still had a paywall with Aura Ad Block active.

We also tried more local news websites and found that The Billings Gazette, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, and The Detroit News all maintained their paywall restrictions with Aura enabled.

The only site that loaded fully without a visible paywall was the Reading Eagle. That said, bypassing paywalls isn’t something most ad blockers handle well — and in Aura’s case, it’s clear that this tool is focused more on security and ad disruption than content unlocking.

What browsers and software is it compatible with?

Aura Ad Blocker is currently available only on Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge. It is not compatible with Firefox, Safari, or mobile browsers like Samsung Internet. If you install the full Aura suite on your phone, you’ll still get antivirus and VPN protection — but not the ad blocker.

How to use Aura Ad Blocker

1. The Aura Ad Block extension is easy to add to both Chrome and Edge. Once your account is set up, navigate to the settings menu (represented by a gray cog) on your dashboard through your browser. On the Devices page, click Install Aura for Chrome.

How to install Aura Ad Blocker
How to install Aura Ad Blocker

2. You will be redirected to the Aura install page in the Chrome Web Store. Click Add to Chrome.

3. The extension will request your permission to install and inform you about the data it will be able to read and modify. Click Add extension.

4. Once installed, you will be presented with the Aura Ad Block floating menu, where you can turn the ad block on or off and view your password for the current site. The full password manager is located in the Vault section of the Aura website.

Aura browser widget for All About Cookies
Aura browser widget for All About Cookies

5. Another suggestion is to “pin” Aura to your taskbar for easy access when you want or need to disable the ad block or check password health on websites.

Top alternatives

Aura Ad Blocker works best as part of Aura’s full security suite, but it lacks the flexibility of more dedicated tools. If ad blocking is your main goal, Total Adblock and Surfshark CleanWeb are stronger picks.

Total Adblock provides robust, browser-based ad blocking with whitelisting, tracker protection, and enhanced page loading speeds. A free version is available, or you can upgrade to include antivirus software as well.

Surfshark CleanWeb comes bundled with Surfshark’s VPN. It blocks ads across browsers, apps, and smart TVs, while also adding privacy tools such as encryption and phishing protection.

Ad blocker
CleanWeb
Best for Best overall Best all-in-one bundle
Lowest starting price Free or $1.59/mo (billed annually) $1.99/mo (billed every two years)
Blocks YouTube ads
Adblock Tester score 100/100 96/100
Learn more Get Total Adblock Get Surfshark CleanWeb

FAQs

Is the Aura app legitimate?

Yes. Aura is a well-known digital security company that offers identity theft protection, antivirus, VPN tools, and an ad blocker.

What are the cons of Aura Ad Blocker?

Aura Ad Blocker is compatible only with Chrome and Edge, lacks customization options, and is bundled with a broader plan, with no option to purchase it separately.

Does Aura block malware?

Yes. Aura includes malware protection through its antivirus features and blocks malicious ad domains through the ad blocker.

Does Aura identity theft protection include an ad blocker?

Yes, all Aura plans, including the identity theft protection plan, come with an ad blocker through the Online & Device Security features.

Bottom line: Is Aura Ad Blocker good?

Aura Ad Blocker is a solid option for users who want a simple-to-use blocker that just works. It effectively stops banner ads, pop-ups, and the dreaded autoplayed YouTube ads, and it also helps improve your privacy by cutting off common trackers.

But it lacks advanced controls, and its narrow browser compatibility may leave some users wanting more.

If you're already considering Aura for its antivirus, VPN, or identity protection tools, the ad blocker is a great bonus to whichever package you choose. However, if ad blocking is your primary concern, you’ll find more control and better browser coverage in dedicated ad blockers, such as Total Adblock or Surfshark CleanWeb.

4.7
Editorial Rating
Learn More
On Aura Ad Blocker's website
Ad Blocker
Aura Ad Blocker
  • Seamlessly blocks banner ads, pop-ups, trackers, malicious sites, and phishing attempts
  • Base plans include antivirus software, a password manager, a VPN, and Safe Browsing tools
Author Details
Ryan Clancy is a writer and blogger. With 5+ years of mechanical engineering experience, he's passionate about all things engineering and tech. He loves bringing tech down to a level that everyone can understand.