Best Overall

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On uBlock Origin's website

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• Free and open-source
• Compatible with multiple browsers
• Some features require technical knowledge

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Best for Parental Controls

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On AdGuard Ad Blocker's website

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• Simple interface
• Doesn’t interfere with device speed
• Ad-blocking statistics can be hard to interpret

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Best for Blocking YouTube Ads

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On Ghostery's website

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• Regularly updated list of blocked trackers
• Comprehensive free version
• Not available on Chrome for Android (only Firefox for Android)

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Best for Social Media Trackers

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On AdLock's website

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• No ads on YouTube
• Blocks tracking ads
• Social media blocker requires paid tier

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Best for iOS and macOS

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On 1Blocker's website

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• Works seamlessly on macOS and iOS
• Lots of options, including a firewall
• No smart toggles in iOS Safari

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Ad blockers work by decluttering and making the internet a better place. Whether your goal is to visit a blog without all the ads or to keep yourself safe from malicious scripts and trackers, a good ad blocker should cover you.

We chose five ad blockers below (plus some bonus ways to block ads) based on features, policies, and strength. uBlock Origin is a powerful, open-source tool that covers you while surfing the web, while 1Blocker is built specifically for macOS and iOS.

In addition to ridding you of YouTube ads and having the ability to block pop-ups, ad blockers can keep you safe by blocking malicious scripts hidden in advertisements. Because why have a product that violates your privacy? Let’s take a deeper look at these ad blockers and the features they offer.

The best ad blockers 2023

• uBlock Origin: Best overall
• AdGuard: Best for parental controls
• Ghostery: Best for blocking YouTube ads
• AdLock: Best for blocking social media trackers
• 1Blocker: Best for iOS and macOS

Top 5 ad blockers compared

Ad blocker	Best Overall uBlock Origin	AdGuard	Ghostery	AdLock	1Blocker
Compatibility	Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Opera	Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, Opera, Yandex	Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera (limited efficacy on Safari)	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge	iOS (iPhone and iPad), macOS, Safari
Ads blocked on Forbes homepage	21	20	7	15	18
Blocks YouTube ads
AdBlock Tester results	96/100	97/100	100/100	97/100	100/100
Cover Your Tracks results	2/3	2/3	3/3	1.5/3	2/3
Learn more	Get uBlock Origin	Get AdGuard	Get Ghostery	Get AdLock	Get 1Blocker

uBlock Origin: Best overall

The Best Ad Blocker Overall

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On uBlock Origin's website

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• Free and open-source
• Compatible with multiple browsers
• Some features require technical knowledge

uBlock Origin is an open-source ad blocker, which means that the collective hive mind of the internet is always able to improve the code. While your next question may be, “doesn’t that mean someone can install malware into the code?” Technically, yes, they can. But if or when that happens, it’s noticed almost immediately and corrected by someone else.

What we liked

It’s powerful. uBlock Origin was created with the altruistic idea that people should have a free and powerful ad blocker to keep them from accidentally clicking on malicious coding. uBlock Origin is definitely that.

uBlock Origin also passed two out of the three tests on Cover Your Tracks. Cover Your Tracks is a tool that tests how you’re viewed and tracked online. It detects trackers that follow you around the internet, building a profile on you, and your browser fingerprint, which can be used to identify you. And the test results noted that uBlock effectively blocked tracking ads and invisible trackers.

What we didn’t like

It’s pretty technical. If you’re not familiar with some of the features and how to use them, you may not get the most out of it. Also, there’s no compatibility with Safari.

uBlock Origin pros and cons

Get uBlock Origin | Read Our uBlock Origin Review

AdGuard: Best for parental controls

The Best Ad Blocker for Parental Controls

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On AdGuard Ad Blocker's website

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• Simple interface
• Doesn’t interfere with device speed
• Ad-blocking statistics can be hard to interpret

AdGuard has a user-friendly interface and is easy to download and install. It also gives you options like “blocking adult sites” to help with keeping kids off websites they shouldn’t see. While the free product offers all you could want, the individual and family paid plans give you the option to extend your protection to multiple devices.

What we liked

We were impressed with the effectiveness of a free tool that doesn’t sell your data. Having parental controls is a nice option, especially when you’re trying to keep your kids safe online. There’s also a stealth mode that allows you to browse the internet with more security.

Its uncluttered user interface is easy to navigate. While that might not be the most important factor in an ad blocker, ease of use makes it more likely that you'll actually use it.

What we didn’t like

The ad-blocking stats aren’t easy to interpret. If you’re looking for solid statistics, AdGuard may leave you wanting. And while Stealth Mode can help with getting rid of trackers and cookies, it doesn’t hide your IP address.

AdGuard pros and cons

Get AdGuard | Read Our AdGuard Review

Ghostery: Best for blocking YouTube ads

The Best Ad Blocker for Blocking YouTube Ads

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On Ghostery's website

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• Regularly updated list of blocked trackers
• Comprehensive free version
• Not available on Chrome for Android (only Firefox for Android)

Ghostery is really committed to blocking ads, and it works really well at blocking YouTube ads. In addition, there are a host of features including private browsing and in-depth analytics about the sites you’re visiting.

What we liked

Ghostery is highly rated and award-winning as well as being free. We also love that it automatically declines cookies. You won’t need to worry about reading cookie policies and toggling off unnecessary cookies again when Ghostery is running.

We also like the ability to become a paying contributor and really dig down deep into the analytics side. (Oh, and you can create custom themes as a paid contributor!)

What we didn’t like

While Ghostery shines on Chrome and Firefox, the efficacy and functionality are greatly reduced when installed on Safari. Also, your settings don’t sync across browsers and devices. If you’re an iOS and macOS user with multiple devices, there are better options.

Ghostery pros and cons

Get Ghostery | Read Our Ghostery Review

AdLock: Best for blocking social media trackers

The Best Ad Blocker for Blocking Social Media Trackers

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On AdLock's website

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• No ads on YouTube
• Blocks tracking ads
• Social media blocker requires paid tier

You know those cute little social media buttons you see on blogs and other web pages? Yeah, those are tracking you. Even if you never click one, it’s still building a profile of you and sending it to social media sites. Luckily, AdLock isn’t having it. This ad blocker goes to work on those trackers and shuts them down. No one deserves free reign over your browsing data.

What we liked

AdLock blocks the videos that pop up or follow you down the page when you’re trying to read a blog. It also adjusts the space on a website so you don’t see big blocks of empty space while you’re reading.

We also liked that you can whitelist sites in case you have favorite creators you’d still like to support by viewing their ads.

Blocking social media trackers is our favorite AdLock feature by far. Social media loves to follow you around the internet creating profiles of you. You don’t need that, and AdLock keeps that hassle out of your life.

What we didn’t like

AdLock knows what it’s got and while a lot of features are free, the social media tracking blockers only come with paid tiers.

Also, AdLock only accepts Visa, Mastercard, and PayPal. If you were hoping to rack up some American Express points by paying for your security products, you won’t be able to do that with AdLock. This isn’t a deal breaker, but it would be nice to see more payment options.

AdLock pros and cons

Get AdLock | Read Our AdLock Review

1Blocker: Best for iOS and macOS

The Best Ad Blocker for iOS and macOS

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On 1Blocker's website

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• Works seamlessly on macOS and iOS
• Lots of options, including a firewall
• No smart toggles in iOS Safari

It’s a common misconception that Apple products don’t require additional security features. While these products are more secure than non-Apple products, trackers, ads, spyware, and even malware can find their way into your devices. But 1Blocker was built specifically for iOS and macOS to address these concerns.

What we liked

There are a lot of customization options available on 1Blocker. You decide what types of ads, trackers, widgets, annoyances, and even comments you see when browsing the web.

And yes, you read that right, comments can be blocked on websites where they aren’t the main focus. Because it’s built specifically for Safari, 1Blocker doesn’t get “buggy” the way other products do when you’re browsing.

What we didn’t like

The free tier only allows you to toggle on one protection option, if you want all of them you’ll need to purchase a subscription plan. (A yearly plan is $14.99 or you can get a lifetime subscription for $38.99.)

Also, if you’re using 1Blocker on the iOS version of Safari, there’s no convenient way to toggle the ad blocker off. We had to go into the app and toggle everything off and on as we needed it. Not a deal breaker but still annoying.

1Blocker pros and cons

Get 1Blocker | Read Our 1Blocker Review

5 more ways to block ads

Ad blockers are built to block ads, but there are other ways to achieve an ad-free browsing experience.

From ad-blocking VPNs to antivirus programs to private browsers, there might be an ad blocker built into a product you already use. And if you’re using the product, you can definitely get more out of it by turning on these services to protect your online privacy.

We wanted to look at some of these alternatives below and explore what’s the best route if you’re not interested in adding an ad blocker to your security stack. Maybe you already have one of these and didn’t know about the ad blocker, or maybe you’re shopping for a different product. Either way, these five options are worth a look.

Top 5 ad blocker alternatives compared

	NordVPN Threat Protection	Surfshark Cleanweb	Malwarebytes Browser Guard	Brave Browser	Avast Secure Browser
Price	Starts at $3.99/mo	Starts at $2.39/mo	Free	Free	Free
Compatibility	Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, Chrome, Firefox, Edge	Chrome, Firefox, Edge	Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari	Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android	iOS, Android, PC
Blocks YouTube ads
AdBlock Tester results	100/100	100/100	71/100	78/100	86/100
Cover Your Tracks results	2/3	2/3	2/3	2/3	0/3
Learn more	Get NordVPN	Get Surfshark	Get Browser Guard	Get Brave	Get Secure Browser

Best ad blockers FAQs

Bottom line: The best ad blockers 2023

Using an ad blocker enhances your internet browsing experience. Whether you decide to go with a free option like uBlock Origin or a paid service like 1Blocker, you’ll see a difference from before you began using it.

Ads are not only annoying, they can also be malicious and deposit malware onto your computer or mobile device. We chose these five ad blockers for their strength, security, and promise not to sell your data. (Data selling is always a deal breaker for us.) Whichever you choose, we hope you’ve found a new and enjoyable way to browse the internet.

5 best ad blockers reviewed

	Best for	Compatibility	Learn more
uBlock Origin	Best overall	Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Opera	Get uBlock Origin Read uBlock Origin Review
AdGuard	Best for parental controls	Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, Opera, Yandex	Get AdGuard Read AdGuard Review
Ghostery	Best for blocking YouTube ads	Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera, and Safari	Get Ghostery Read Ghostery Review
AdLock	Best for blocking social media trackers	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Google Chrome, Safari, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge	Get AdLock Read AdLock Review
1Blocker	Best for iOS and macOS	iOS for iPhone and iPad, macOS for Macs, Safari	Get 1Blocker Read 1Blocker Review

How we tested the best ad blockers

We chose these five ad blockers for their strength and usability. From uBlock Origin’s open-source code to 1Blocker's focus on macOS and iOS, each one has strong and unique properties.

When looking at ad blockers, they had to have these features:

• Blocks ads: Banner ads, video ads, pop-up ads, intrusive ads, and in-page ads had to be blocked.
• Blocks trackers: Trackers follow you around the internet, building a profile of you. Blocking them keeps them from logging your data.
• Compatibility: Each ad-blocking extension had to be compatible with several different browsers.
• Ease of use: We looked for ad blockers with either an app that you can set and forget or a browser plugin that allows for quick access.
• Blocks YouTube ads: Too many ads hinder your viewing experience, so our ad blockers had to work with YouTube.
• Doesn’t sell data: A security tool shouldn’t sell your information, so we selected privacy-focused ad blockers.

Why should you block ads?

Granted, ads are annoying. They can make a blog downright unreadable. But the biggest reason for blocking ads is to prevent phishing attempts, malware, spyware, and internet trackers from watching your every move online. Dicey ads can be riddled with infected code just waiting to turn your computer into a botnet soldier of doom.

Using a good ad blocker not only enhances your online experience but also keeps you safe. You can browse and click and wander around the internet without having to worry about stolen data, nosy trackers, or nefarious hackers. It’s secure and useful, and really isn’t that what we all want?

How to choose the best ad blocker

Making sure the ad blocker you choose works for your needs means first understanding your personal priorities. But here are some general rules to follow:

• All ad blockers should block ads, provide you with lag-free video streaming, and be compatible with the browser or operating system you use.
• If affordability is important to you, make sure the free ad blocker you choose doesn’t sell your data.
• If you’re looking for more features, like parental controls, make sure your ad blocker of choice offers them before committing to a subscription.

Whatever you decide on, make sure it’s working for you to keep your personal data safe.

Learn More

On uBlock Origin's website

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• Free and open-source
• Compatible with multiple browsers
• Some features require technical knowledge

Author Details

Mary James

About the Author

Mary lives in Los Angeles and has been writing about tech for over 5 years. When she's not writing for work or fun, you'll find her in a theatre, at the movies, volunteering, or hiking the gorgeous SoCal landscape.