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Best for Set-and-Forget
Best for Gamers
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Best for Online Security
Total Adblock, Surfshark CleanWeb, NordVPN Threat Protection, AdLock, and uBlock Origin are some of the best apps we’ve found for eliminating Twitch ads and getting a clean stream. While there are a few other notable mentions, the features and customization available in these five services make them ideal for Twitch streamers. What’s better is that they all provide the option to toggle ad blocking off to allow support for your favorite creators.
We'll review each ad blocker's benefits and drawbacks so you can watch Twitch streams without annoying ads.
Twitch.tv was launched in 2007 as a streaming platform for gamers as a branch of Justin.tv. While it might seem wild to think of watching live streams of others playing video games, it’s no wilder than sitting in your friend’s basement after school, waiting for your turn on the SEGA.
Recently, however, Twitch fans have complained extensively that the ads are making the experience almost impossible. Being able to tip streamers who gave us content we enjoyed rather than being forced to watch a bazillion ads made the experience that much more enjoyable.
We recommend the following ad blockers to improve your Twitch experience:
| Ad blocker | Best Overall  |
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| Star rating | |||||
| Price | Paid plan costs $1.59/mo (billed annually) | Starts at $2.19/mo (billed every two years) | Starts at $3.39/mo (billed every two years) | $1.05-$3.50/mo | Free |
| AdBlock Tester score | 100/100 | 96/100 | 96/100 | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Can You Block It score | 3/3 | 3/3 | 2/3 | 2/3 | 2/3 |
| Compatibility | Chrome, Edge, Opera, Amazon Fire, Safari, Android, iOS | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, FireTV, Chrome, Firefox, Edge | Threat Protection: Windows, macOS Threat Protection Lite: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Chrome, Firefox, Edge |
Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Chrome, Firefox, Safari | Firefox, Edge, Safari (prior to 13), Opera |
| Learn more | Get Total Adblock Read Total Adblock Review |
Get Surfshark CleanWeb Read Surfshark CleanWeb Review |
Get NordVPN Threat Protection Read NordVPN Threat Protection Review |
Get AdLock Read AdLock Review |
Get uBlock Origin Read uBlock Origin Review |
While we have an extensive list of technology that we know of, use, and test, we went to Reddit to find the complaints Twitch users and gamer communities were finding with their streaming experience. After pouring through multiple posts and hundreds of comments, we pulled out the most-mentioned methods for blocking ads and tested them for you.
Testing was done on macOS with an M2 chip running the latest version of Ventura. The browsers we used to test were Safari, Brave, and Chrome. We frequently used Hasan Piker’s page to test, as he is the kind of Twitch streamer who employs the most ads. We found this information in a chart from Twitch.[1]
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Instantly blocks distracting ads on millions of websites, including Facebook and YouTube ads
Blocks third-party trackers to protect your privacy and information
Improves page load times and enables faster browsing
Total Adblock is a simple, effective, and easy-to-use browser extension that works on a variety of browsers. It comes with very few bells and whistles, which means once you set your few options, you can forget about it. This may or may not be a problem, depending on what you’re looking for in an ad blocker.
Usability: We were impressed by how easy it is to use Total Adblock from the start. As soon as our extension was installed, Total Adblock got right to work at decluttering our browsing. Total Adblock also makes sure to walk you through a couple of steps so you know how to manage your search history and access custom filters, but this only took less than five minutes to complete.
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Good free extension: While there is a paid version of Total Adblock, the free version works great at blocking ads. During our testing, it received a 100/100 score from Adblock Tester, which tests for an ad blocker's ability to block banner ads, contextual ads, analytics tools, and more.
Premium includes antivirus software: If you choose to pay and upgrade to the premium version, you’ll receive additional features like TotalAV antivirus protection and PC Tune-Up to enhance your computer's performance (a must for gamers).
Limited free version: Total Adblock free may be too limiting depending on your needs. The free version excludes the top 15,000 websites based on Alexa.com, which is a shame if you were hoping for a completely ad-free experience.
Annoying upgrade prompts: It can also be really persistent about getting you to upgrade to premium. Total Adblock has been reported to show you pop-ups for its premium plan, which is ironic considering it's an ad blocker.
Get Total Adblock | Read Our Total Adblock Review
Blocks ads, banners, and pop-ups on your browser and apps, including smart TVs
Enjoy boosted browsing speeds and save money on mobile data with its effective ad-blocking capabilities
Added benefit of a VPN to encrypt your data, hide your IP address, avoid phishing scams, and minimize malware risks
Surfshark One is like Mary Poppins’ bag — there’s always something new to discover. The bundled cybersecurity suite includes Surfshark CleanWeb and the Surfshark VPN in the Starter plan, among other security tools. You can also upgrade to get Surfshark Antivirus. Having a fast VPN and real-time antivirus protection is clutch for gamers who like to record their plays or watch other professional gamers.
Awesome VPN: Surfshark VPN stands out because you can use it on unlimited devices, including smart TVs. The rotating IP feature is particularly useful when surfing the web. It randomly changes your IP address automatically, so you can stay safe no matter where you are or how long you’re online. Plus, some settings automatically choose the fastest connection for you.
Usability: The CleanWeb feature is easy to toggle off and on, and blocks ads for you even if you aren’t connected to a specific country server like Poland. (Poland is our recommended server for reducing Twitch ads.)
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Performance: CleanWeb blocked all ads on Twitch and even allowed us to choose our own protocol if we wanted. It also scored 96/100 on AdBlock Tester.
No à la carte ad blocker: Surfshark is actually one of the most affordable security bundles on the market, but not if you just want a standalone ad blocker.
Eyes Alliance: Another consideration of Surfshark is where it's headquartered. The Netherlands is a 14 Eyes country, which means your data may be subject to the laws and regulations of that country and others.
Get Surfshark CleanWeb | Read Surfshark CleanWeb Review
Stops intrusive ads before they can even load, improving browsing experience and speed
Identifies malware-ridden files and protects against visiting malicious websites
Encrypts your data and blocks third-party trackers for increased security and privacy
Like Surfshark, NordVPN Threat Protection comes bundled with a top-rated virtual private network service, NordVPN. Threat Protection is its built-in malware and ad blocker. With NordVPN, switching to a Polish server and enjoying streaming Twitch ad-free was super easy.
Awesome VPN: NordVPN is an extremely easy-to-use VPN service that blocks ads easily. All you have to do is hit the shield icon on the left side of your NordVPN app and toggle on Threat Protection. You don't even need an active VPN connection to use this feature. Threat Protection can be used on Windows and macOS without a VPN connection, and Threat Protection Lite works while you're connected to a VPN.
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Online security: Threat Protection also provides additional safety for malicious scripting and ads. Parents can enjoy that feature knowing their kids won’t be able to click a link in the comments section of a stream and accidentally download malware. Plus, NordVPN Threat Protection scored 96/100 on AdBlock Tester, proving it's effective against contextual ads, banner ads, and analytics tools.
No à la carte ad blocker: NordVPN Threat Protection is part of NordVPN, so you can't buy the feature separately. Nord also doesn't offer a free tier, so you’ll always have to pay for the service. There are other free services in this review, but they also don’t have the same features as NordVPN.
Split tunneling isn't ideal for beginners: While connecting to a server in a no-ads country like Poland isn’t necessarily difficult, it’s still a very specific method for blocking ads. This also means we’ll either have to split tunnel our usage or stay off regional content for other countries while streaming on Twitch.
Split tunneling is when you route some of your internet traffic through a VPN and the rest either through another VPN connection or unprotected. If we’re watching Netflix in the U.K. and trying to access Twitch through a Polish server, this could be an example of regional content accessed through split tunneling. Most people won’t necessarily need to do this, but it’s still a drawback worth mentioning.
Using Polish servers is a very specific method for blocking Twitch ads
Get NordVPN Threat Protection | Read NordVPN Threat Protection Review
Offers a free extension that's compatible with major browsers and a premium plan with Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS compatibility
Effective blocker against follow-along videos, banner ads, YouTube ads, and more
Doesn't share or sell your data with third parties
AdLock is an effective ad blocker, even on its free plan. It received a strong test score of 100/100 with AdBlock Tester, which checks ad blockers against several different types of ads.
AdLock also comes with a social media filter, with rules that protect your browsing from social media trackers. That way, you can visit Twitch, Instagram, Twitter, and more with a shield of privacy.
Good free extension: We were wowed by how well AdLock's free browser extension works. During our testing, we visited recipe blogs and found that AdLock blocked their follow-along videos and banner ads, removing a bunch of clutter.
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Twitch tutorials: As for Twitch, AdLock provides detailed walkthroughs on how to block Twitch ads on multiple operating systems. AdLock also seamlessly blocked YouTube ads, so you can rest assured that you can stream videos online without the annoyance of ads.
Have to pay for social media blocker: Unfortunately, AdLock's social media blocker is only available with the paid tier. It can be an inexpensive ad blocker, depending on how long your subscription is, it's just something to consider if you were looking for a free ad blocker.
Free version doesn't stop all trackers: When we tested AdLock's free extension, it only partially protected against invisible trackers and didn't help generalize our footprint. This might not be enough for total privacy enthusiasts.
Get AdLock | Read AdLock Review
One of the best totally free ad blockers available
Highly customizable, open-source ad blocker that's compatible with multiple browsers
Can block advertising and analytics tools, including banner ads, video ads, and trackers, and can even bypass soft paywalls
uBlock Origin is a terrifically effective free ad blocker. As an open-source, cross-platform browser extension, it should be available to most people. We were also excited that it’s free to use and continually maintained by founder and lead developer Raymond Hill.
Accessible interface: uBlock Origin has a clean interface and easy design. The web browser extension allows for quick toggling between blocking and not blocking ads. The service itself blocked all ads on Twitch and even gave some diagnostics about what was blocked.
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Advanced customization: There are also many options for customizations and controls. One of the best is the pop-up blocker feature. This means you won’t need to worry about streaming ads or pop-ups while using the uBlock Origin extension. All of these features together make it a reliable ad blocker. uBlock Origin also scored 100/100 on AdBlock Tester.
Requires tech know-how: The additional uBlock Origin features found on Github, like filter lists and rules, require more technical knowledge.
Limited Safari support: Additionally, we weren’t thrilled that support only works on certain versions of Safari. The Safari issue has an easy workaround, but to be able to truly customize the plugin, you may need to do additional reading. This might not be a concern if you’re looking for basic ad blocking.
Sites like Twitch are in a constant battle with ad blockers. While services like uBlock Origin, Brave, and Total AdBlock are dedicated to keeping you ad-free, sites like Twitch are dedicated to stopping them. This back-and-forth can be exhausting.
VPNs, on the other hand, can access servers in a variety of countries. Depending on the advertisement laws, ads may naturally get blocked in those regions. Poland is a country with specific laws for ads on social media sites. Twitch doesn’t offer ads in Poland, so it can avoid navigating the social media laws. NordVPN, Surfshark, and CyberGhost are all great choices for a VPN to use, as they have servers in Poland and other countries that don’t show Twitch ads.
Other countries where Twitch ads aren’t shown:
When it comes to extreme privacy and blocking features, Brave is here for you. We love the customization levels, like the toggle to “aggressively block trackers & ads” that appear right in the dashboard. We’re also impressed by the cookie consent blocker. It’s clear Brave’s goal is to make the internet safer and easier for you to use.
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Brave is dedicated to its fight to block advertisements. There are options to lightly or aggressively block ads, as well as the ability to block fingerprinting, cookies, and scripts. They’ve also recently released a feature that auto-declines cookies for you, so you won’t have to worry about customizing those when you land on a webpage.
Brave is pretty user-friendly for such an advanced tool, but that doesn’t mean it’s 100% decipherable, either. Some of the customization aspects may become a bit too technical for the average user. Plus, when all protections are turned on, there’s a chance a site won’t load correctly. Brave warns you about this and helps you toggle what you need to run the site, but that means reducing some privacy settings.
Scouring sites like Reddit can take forever, so we did it for you. If you’re looking to block all ads while also having the ability to support a creator, you’ll want to try a VPN. We strongly recommend NordVPN or Surfshark VPN with your location set to Poland. This gave us the best results with a completely ad-free experience.
If you aren’t thrilled about having to use a paid service to block ads, you can choose a free browser extension like Total Adblock or uBlock Origin.
Whether your Twitch ad blocker is free or premium, look for the following features:
Yes, most ad blockers will block at least some ads on Twitch. VPNs are more effective than most ad blockers. For the best ad blocking experience, you can use a VPN and ad blocker combo like Surfshark CleanWeb or NordVPN Threat Protection. If you just want a standalone tool, Total Adblock and AdLock are both solid browser extensions for ad blocking.
Twitch does not have a policy banning ad blockers, so if they are legal in the country where you are watching, then you should be okay. If you are going to block Twitch ads, consider leaving your favorite streamers a tip or turning ads back on for their streams.
Yes, blocking ads will reduce the revenue earned by creators on Twitch. If you plan on blocking ads, consider leaving streamers a tip so they can continue to afford to create the content you like.
The Twitch purple screen error appears when the site detects you’re using an ad blocker. To avoid it, use a VPN set to Poland. Poland has laws about tagging in ads, and many sites disable ads for Poland to avoid mistagging an ad.
Some free VPNs might work blocking Twitch, but your best bet is to download the Brave browser instead. Private web browsers like Brave are committed to privacy, won’t sell your information, and are completely free.
The best paid ad blocker for Twitch is Total Adblock based on performance, price, and perks (like the award-winning antivirus program TotalAV).
Surfshark CleanWeb and NordVPN Threat Protection are also solid ad blockers that offer premium VPN services.
Whether you decide to use freemium ad blockers like Total Adblock or AdLock or an all-encompassing VPN like Surfshark or NordVPN, you’ll have plenty of options to get through a Twitch stream without constant interruptions. You’ll also have the ability to reward creators you find valuable. These tools give you back the power.
If you're on the fence, consider how our top recs compare:
| Best for | Compatibility | Learn more | |
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Set-and-forget | Chrome, Edge, Opera, Amazon Fire, Safari, Android, iOS | Get Total Adblock |
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Gamers | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, FireTV, Chrome, Firefox, Edge | Get Surfshark CleanWeb |
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Online security | Threat Protection: Windows, macOS Threat Protection Lite: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Chrome, Firefox, Edge |
Get NordVPN Threat Protection |
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Social media ads | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Chrome, Firefox, Safari | Get AdLock |
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Anyone on a budget | Firefox, Edge, Safari (prior to 13), Opera | Get uBlock Origin |
Instantly blocks distracting ads on millions of websites, including Facebook and YouTube ads
Blocks third-party trackers to protect your privacy and information
Improves page load times and enables faster browsing
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