The Best Ad Blockers for iPhone 2024

Are you searching for an ad blocker for your iPhone? We’ve determined that 1Blocker, Total Adblock, Surfshark CleanWeb, and more are the best for the job.
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Best for iOS

4.2
Editorial Rating
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On 1Blocker's website

1Blocker
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Best free option

4.3
Editorial Rating
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On Total Adblock's website

Total Adblock
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Best for multiple devices

4.8
Editorial Rating
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On Surfshark CleanWeb Ad Blocking's website

Surfshark CleanWeb Ad Blocking
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Best for Privacy

4.8
Editorial Rating
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On NordVPN Threat Protection's website

NordVPN Threat Protection
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Best for Premium Users

4.3
Editorial Rating
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On AdLock's website

AdLock
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We’ve determined the best ad blockers for iPhone are 1Blocker as best overall, Total Adblock for YouTube ads, Surfshark CleanWeb for multiple devices, NordVPN Threat Protection for privacy, and AdLock for premium users. 

Read on to learn more about why we picked these ad-blocking extensions and apps to keep your iPhone free of annoying ads. 

In this article
The best ad blockers for iPhone 2024
1Blocker: Best for for iOS
Total Adblock: Best for YouTube ads
Surfshark CleanWeb: Best for multiple devices
NordVPN Threat Protection: Best for privacy
AdLock: Best for premium users
Honorable mentions
How we tested the best ad blockers for iPhone
Best ad blockers for iPhone FAQs
Bottom line: The best ad blockers for iPhone

The best ad blockers for iPhone

Ad blockers can improve your browsing experience by reducing malware and phishing attempts, increasing webpage load speeds, saving your battery life, and removing trackers for privacy. The best ad blockers for iPhone can do all of that and provide a user-friendly iPhone experience:

Top 5 ad blockers for iPhone compared

Ad blocker
iOS app
Compatibility iOS, macOS, SafariiOS, Android, Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Linux, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, FireTV iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, LinuxiOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge
Learn more Read 1Blocker Review 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

1Blocker: Best for iOS

4.2
Editorial Rating
Learn More
On 1Blocker's website
1Blocker
  • Works seamlessly on macOS and iOS
  • Lots of options, including a firewall
  • No smart toggles in iOS Safari

While 1Blocker touts itself as the ad blocker built for Safari, it also blocks ads on your iOS device. With 1Blocker’s free version, you can select if you want to block one of the following categories: ads, web trackers, annoyances, widgets, comments, and adult sites. You can easily switch between the categories in the app.

1Blocker's list of general filters to use for ad blocking on Safari.

1Blocker is one of the only free apps that block apps on your iPhone as well as Safari. You can get a two-week free trial of 1Blocker to try out the premium features. 1Blocker offers a lifetime premium membership for $38.99, a yearly subscription for $14.99/yr (billed annually), or a monthly rate of $2.99/mo.

What we liked

If you’re a heavy Apple user, 1Blocker is a great solution. It’s built for Safari and works well for blocking ads on Macs, iPads and iPhones. 1Blocker is also easy to use. You can toggle blockers on and off inside the app.

With a premium membership, you can use 1Blocker on unlimited Apple devices that are part of the same Apple account. You can purchase a yearly, monthly, or lifetime premium membership. The premium membership allows you to turn on multiple filters at once, block trackers in apps, and also allows for advanced customization to create your own filters.

While 1Blocker says it’s created for Safari, it does block ads and other unwanted content in apps on your iPhone too.

1Blocker also offers a firewall feature that allows you to block more trackers that are running in the background of your apps. Firewalls can increase your privacy on your phone.

What we didn’t like

It’s difficult to get details about the ad blocker on 1Blocker’s website. You can’t find information about premium pricing or other features without downloading the app or finding answers through the help center.

While it’s great that 1Blocker has a free plan, you do have limited functionality, and you can enable only one filter at a time when blocking web trackers. You’ll need a premium account to block more than one type of content at a time.

1Blocker pros and cons

Pros
  • Blocks different types of trackers
  • Premium upgrade for additional features
  • Firewall available
Cons
  • Only available with Apple products
  • Difficult to find information or help from 1Blocker’s website

Read Our 1Blocker Review

Total Adblock: Best for YouTube ads

Best Basic Adblocker — Including YouTube Video Ads
4.3
Editorial Rating
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On Total Adblock's website
Ad Blocker
Total Adblock
Special deal: Save 75% off
  • Instantly blocks distracting ads on millions of websites, including YouTube video ads
  • Blocks third-party trackers to protect your privacy and information
  • Improves page load times and enables faster browsing
  • Free version excludes top 15,000 websites

From the makers of TotalAV antivirus, Total Adblock offers an effective ad blocker for iOS. It received top-notch ad blocking scores during our  testing and it can block YouTube ads if you view them within the Total Adblock app. 

What we liked

Total Adblock is easy to install on your iPhone, and the app makes it simple to turn ad blockers on and off. With the free plan, you can customize filters for ad blocking, privacy, social widgets, annoyances, security, and other miscellaneous factors. You can also create an Acceptable Ads list in case there are any content creators whose ads you want to support.

It may seem difficult to block in-app ads on YouTube, but Total Adblock has a workaround for that. All you need to do is open the video you wish to watch, select Share, then find Total Adblock on the list of sharing options. Your YouTube video will then open in the Total Adblock app, away from video ad interruptions. 

If you opt for Total Adblock Premium, there'll be no limits to the types of ads you can block and filters you can customize. You'll also get some bonus features like TotalAV antivirus protection and PC Tune-Up.

What we didn’t like

You may need to upgrade to Total Adblock Premium to get the best iOS product. The free version doesn't block ads on Safari and it excludes the top 15,000 websites as listed on Alexa.com.

Total Adblock pros and cons

Pros
  • Easy to use
  • Blocks ads on YouTube
  • Premium plan comes with TotalAV
Cons
  • Doesn't block ads in Safari
  • Free version excludes top 15,000 websites

Get Total Adblock | Read Our Total Adblock Review

Surfshark CleanWeb: Best for multiple devices

Comprehensive Ad Blocking Online and in Apps + VPN Connection
4.8
Editorial Rating
Learn More
On Surfshark CleanWeb Ad Blocking's website
Ad Blocker
Surfshark CleanWeb Ad Blocking
85% off + 2 months free
  • 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
  • Does not completely hide your digital fingerprint

Surfshark is one of the newer VPNs on the market, but it's proven to be a standout for many reasons, including its extensive features. One of those features is Surfshark CleanWeb, which blocks ads, trackers, and malware. 

Surfshark provides great value for money, combining a VPN and ad blocker (among other features) along with an allowance for unlimited simultaneous connections. 

What we liked

We like that Surfshark CleanWeb doesn't appear to be a feature that's an afterthought. It received a perfect ad-blocking score as we were testing and it proved effective at blocking trackers. You can even use CleanWeb without having your VPN connected. 

We were also impressed by CleanWeb's ability to block video ads. This includes not just YouTube but ads on streaming services as well.

Surfshark offers some of the most bang for your buck with its subscriptions. The starting price of $2.29/mo for a two-year plan comes with a secure VPN, ad blocker, cookie pop-up blocker, personal detail generator, and a masked email generator. Plus, all Surfshark plans cover unlimited devices simultaneously, 

What we didn't like

Unfortunately, CleanWeb 2.0 is only part of Surfshark's browser extension. CleanWeb also doesn't have any compatibility with Safari, so you'll have to rely on the Surfshark iOS app for blocking ads.  

Also, even though you can use CleanWeb without a VPN connection, it's not available as a standalone ad blocker. So if you already have a VPN subscription or are just looking for a free ad blocker, it may not be the best option. 

Surfshark CleanWeb pros and cons

Pros
  • Blocks ads, trackers, and malware
  • Can be used without a VPN connection
  • Allows for unlimited simultaneous connections
Cons
  • CleanWeb 2.0 isn't available for iOS or Safari
  • No standalone product available

Get Surfshark CleanWeb | Read Our Surfshark CleanWeb Review

NordVPN Threat Protection: Best for privacy

Enjoy Privacy and Security Even When Not Connected to a VPN
4.8
Editorial Rating
Learn More
On NordVPN Threat Protection's website
Ad Blocker
NordVPN Threat Protection
Save up to 69% + 3 months free
  • 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
  • Lacks a dedicated firewall

NordVPN is widely regarded as one of the best VPNs. On top of encrypting your internet traffic, Nord also comes with NordVPN Threat Protection, which is a built-in ad blocker. With the ability to block trackers and change your IP address, NordVPN is a great choice if you're looking for the utmost privacy on your iPhone. 

What we liked

NordVPN Threat Protection is more than just an ad blocker. Based on our testing, it can also detect and block malware and phishing attempts from threatening your iPhone thanks to its real-time protection.

Threat Protection also blocks web trackers and tracking URLs so you can stay anonymous online. The dashboard lists off the number of attempts blocked so you can rest assured that Threat Protection is working. It even blocked YouTube ads on our desktop as we were testing. 

By opting for a VPN to block your iPhone ads, you can enhance your online privacy. NordVPN has a strict no-logs policy that's been independently audited and it's based in Panama, which is outside of the Eyes alliances. It passed our DNS and WebRTC leak protection tests, ensuring your data remains safe. And it comes with plenty of specialty server options, including mult-ihop, Onion over VPN, and obfuscated servers.

What we didn’t like

NordVPN Threat Protection can't be purchased alone, you'll need to sign up for NordVPN to access this feature. If you're looking to purchase NordVPN, it can cost anywhere from $3.99–$15.99/mo depending on how long you plan to commit to a subscription and which tier you wish to purchase. This might be pricey for some, especially if you're just looking for a free way to block those pesky ads.

NordVPN Threat Protection pros and cons

Pros
  • Blocks ads and trackers
  • Scans for and blocks malware
  • VPN creates enhanced online privacy
Cons
  • No standalone product available
  • NordVPN plans can be pricey 

Get NordVPN Threat Protection | Read Our NordVPN Threat Protection Review

AdLock: Best for premium users

4.3
Editorial Rating
Learn More
On AdLock's website
AdLock
  • No ads on YouTube
  • Blocks tracking ads
  • Social media blocker requires paid tier

If you’re serious about getting rid of ads and unwanted content, AdLock provides a great premium subscription. With the premium subscription, you’ll be able to block ads in the browser and on iPhone apps. AdLock is also available on several different platforms, so you can use it on any device you have — however, AdLock allows you to use the product on only five devices.

What we liked

The AdLock app is intuitive and simple to navigate, which we found useful. With the free service, you can toggle Safari ad blocking on and off. It’s also easy to add websites to the allowed list inside AdLock. This way, you can make sure that your favorite content creators are still receiving support and ad revenue.

With AdLock, you can also eliminate video ads on the YouTube app. To do so, start a video inside the YouTube app. Then select the share button and share the video with AdLock. This will open the video inside the AdLock app, which blocks YouTube ads.

The AdLock extension being used on an Enes Yilmazer YouTube video page.

What we didn’t like

Unfortunately, you can block ads only inside Safari with AdLock’s free plan. To block ads on YouTube, social media apps, or other web browsers, you’ll need a premium subscription.

AdLock is also the most expensive ad-blocking option that we evaluated. For the best deal, you’ll need to pay for five years upfront and sign up on the website. We noticed some discrepancies between pricing when looking at the website and when wanting to upgrade to the app. If you upgrade through the app, your best pricing will be $29.99/yr, which you can subscribe to through Apple’s App Store.

AdLock pros and cons

Pros
  • Easy-to-use app
  • Allows for whitelisting
  • Blocks YouTube mobile ads with premium plan
Cons
  • Can block only Safari ads with the free plan
  • Premium plan allows for only five devices

Get AdLock | Read Our AdLock Review

Honorable mentions

There are a variety of ad blockers available on the market, and one of these other options may better fit your needs. Here are a few other ad blockers that we evaluated:

  • AdGuard: If you're looking for a content blocker to use across your devices, AdGuard is a solid option. It offers desktop apps for Windows and Safari, mobile apps for iOS and Android, and countless browser extensions, even for Opera and Yandex.

    Read Our AdGuard Review

  • AdBlock Plus: AdBlock Plus is a great solution if you’re looking for a simplified ad blocker for your iPhone. With AdBlock Plus, you can quickly turn ad blocking on and off, and you can easily add websites to an allow list. However, that’s about all the functionality it gives you, and it works only on Safari.

    Read Our AdBlock Plus Review

  • Wipr: Wipr is another ad blocker that you may want to consider. However, the Wipr app has a $1.99 one-time fee to download. It was difficult to find information on Wipr’s overall functionality, but the Wipr app has a 4.5-star rating on Apple’s App Store and is highly regarded as a top app for productivity.

    Read Our Wipr Review

How we tested the best ad blockers for iPhone

To test each of these ad blockers, we first researched if they were compatible with Safari and iPhones. Once we determined the compatibility, we downloaded each ad blocker and went through the setup process. Once we installed and set up the ad blocker, we’d test its effectiveness in Safari, on YouTube, and in other apps on our iPhone, such as social media or games.

Best ad blockers for iPhone FAQs


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Does Apple allow ad blockers?

Yes, Apple does allow ad blockers. There are several options available in Apple’s App Store, including our top four: 1Blocker, Total Adblock, NordVPN Threat Protection, and AdLock.

Apple also provides some built-in capabilities for blocking pop-up ads in Safari. From the Settings app, you would just need to tap Safari and then toggle the switch on for Block Pop-ups.


+

Do ad blockers work on iPhones?

Yes, ad blockers do work on iPhones. There are several apps available that you can download to block ads in Safari and on other apps on your iPhone.


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What is a good free ad blocker for iPhone?

1Blocker is a great free ad blocker for iPhone. 1Blocker is designed specifically for Safari, so if you’re using a different browser, you’ll want an ad blocker with more browser compatibility.


+

How do I install an ad blocker on iPhone?

To install an ad blocker on an iPhone, you’ll first want to download the ad blocker app that you’d like to use. After downloading the app, you’ll have to give the ad blocker access to Safari through your phone’s settings. The ad blocker you select will walk you through this.

First, head to settings on your iPhone, navigate to Safari, and then select extensions inside of the Safari tab. Toggle the ad blocker on, and it’ll start blocking ads on your iPhone.

Bottom line: The best ad blockers for iPhone

There are several different ad blockers available for iPhone users, and while they all are effective in blocking ads in Safari, there are a few that stand out for additional features. From our testing, if you’re looking for an ad blocker that works with Apple devices, 1Blocker was the standout. Not only does it work with Safari, but it also blocks ads and other content on other apps throughout your phone.

1Blocker, Total AdBlock, and AdLock all offer free ad-blocking plans that work adequately for basic ad blocking. However, each of these gets even better with a premium subscription. If you’re serious about removing ads, trackers, and other unwanted content, the premium subscriptions make the ad blockers more effective. NordVPN Threat Protection and Surfshark CleanWeb both come with a VPN subscription if you're seeking a comprehensive solution.

5 best ad blockers for iPhone 2024

Best for Learn more
Best for iOS Read 1Blocker Review
Best for YouTube ads Get Total Adblock

Read Total Adblock Review

Best for multiple devices Get Surfshark CleanWeb

Read Surfshark CleanWeb Review

Best for privacy Get NordVPN Threat Protection

Read NordVPN Threat Protection Review

Best for premium users Get AdLock

Read AdLock Review


4.2
Editorial Rating
Learn More
On 1Blocker's website
1Blocker
  • Works seamlessly on macOS and iOS
  • Lots of options, including a firewall
  • No smart toggles in iOS Safari
Author Details
Andrew Strom Adams is a freelance writer focused on online privacy and digital security. He writes on various topics to help individuals protect themselves on the internet. Andrew has worked in legal marketing, technology, and startups. He has more than 12 years of experience in marketing and communications. He holds an M.B.A. from Westminster College and a B.A. in journalism from Oklahoma Baptist University. When he’s not writing, he’s playing with his two kids or watching reality TV.