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:
Best for iOS
/images/2023/03/03/1blocker.png)
Can disrupt the appearance/functionality of sites, emails, and apps
After testing all the most popular ad blockers on the market, we found that 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.
Ad blockers improve your browsing experience by reducing malware and phishing attempts, increasing webpage load speeds, saving your battery life, reducing spam, and removing trackers for privacy. The best ad blockers for iPhone can do all of that and provide a user-friendly iPhone experience:
| Ad blocker | 
|
|
|
|
|
| Star rating | |||||
| iOS app | |||||
| Price | Free–$2.99/mo | Free or $1.59/mo | $1.99-$20.65/mo | $3.59–$17.99/mo | Free-$3.50/mo |
| Adblock Tester score | 100/100 | 100/100 | 98/100 | 91/100 | 97/100 |
| Does it work on YouTube? | |||||
| Compatibility | iOS, macOS, Safari | iOS, Android, Chrome, Safari, Edge, Opera | iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, FireTV | iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux. Chrome, Firefox, Edge | iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Chrome, Safari, Firefox |
| Learn more | Get 1Blocker | Get Total Adblock | Get Surfshark CleanWeb | Get NordVPN Threat Protection | Get AdLock |
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.
Works seamlessly on macOS, iOS, and Safari
Offers lots of features, including regional filters, a firewall, custom filters, and more
Free version also proved to be highly effective
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 whether to block ads, web trackers, annoyances, widgets, comments, or adult sites. It's easy to switch between the categories in the app.
1Blocker is one of the only apps that works on your iPhone software as well as Safari. You can get a two-week free trial of 1Blocker to try out the premium features or use the limited free version. 1Blocker offers a lifetime premium membership for $38.99, a yearly subscription for $1.25/mo (billed annually), or a monthly rate of $2.99/mo.
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.
/images/2023/03/29/1blocker-review_01.jpg)
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 was created for other unwanted content in apps on your iPhone Safari, it also blocks ads.
1Blocker also offers a firewall feature that allows you to block more trackers running in the background of your apps. Firewalls can increase your phone's privacy.
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, it does have limited functionality. You can enable only one filter at a time when blocking web trackers, and you’ll need a premium account to block more than one type of content at a time.
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
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.
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, and 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.
/images/2024/10/11/total_adblock_free_blocks_youtube_ads.png)
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 unlock bonus features like TotalAV antivirus protection and PC Tune-Up.
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 listed on Alexa.com.
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 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.
We like that Surfshark CleanWeb doesn't appear to be a feature that's an afterthought. It received a perfect ad-blocking score during our testing and 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.
/images/2024/10/10/surfshark_cleanweb_review_1024_refresh_13.png)
Surfshark offers some of the most bang for your buck with its subscriptions. The starting price of $1.99/mo (billed every two years) 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,
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, although 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.
Read Our 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
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.
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 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.
/images/2024/10/07/nordvpn_threat_protection_review_1024_refresh_13.png)
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. It comes with plenty of specialty server options, including multi-hop, Onion over VPN, and obfuscated servers.
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 $2.99–$17.99/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.
Read Our 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
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.
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.
/images/2023/03/06/adlock-review_07.png)
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.
Unfortunately, AdLock's free plan allows you to block ads only inside Safari. You’ll need a premium subscription to block ads on YouTube, social media apps, or other web browsers.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
There are several different ad blockers available for iPhone users, and while they all effectively block ads in Safari, a few stand out for their 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.
| Star rating | Best for | Learn more | |
|
| Best for iOS | Get 1Blocker | |
|
| Best for YouTube ads | Get Total Adblock | |
|
| Best for multiple devices | Get Surfshark CleanWeb | |
|
| Best for privacy | Get NordVPN Threat Protection | |
|
|
Best for premium users | Get AdLock |
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
/images/2022/09/02/adobestock_317300863_editorial_use_only.jpeg)
/images/2023/03/01/total-adblock-review.png)
/images/2024/11/08/best_ghostery_alternatives.png)
/images/2024/11/06/best_adblock_plus_alternatives.png)
/images/2024/10/30/totalav-price.png)
/images/2024/10/29/1blocker_alternatives.png)
/images/2024/10/11/best-ublock-origin-alternatives.png)
/images/2024/07/29/block_paramount_plus_ads_featured_image.jpg)
/authors/andrew-adams-allaboutcookies-author.jpg){kind=small}
/authors/steph-trejos-allaboutcookies-editor.jpg){kind=small}
/images/2023/03/01/logo-total-adblock.png){kind=logo}
/images/2023/05/18/surfshark_pos_240px.png)
/images/2022/05/26/logo-nordvpn.png){kind=logo}
/images/2023/03/03/adlock.png)
/authors/andrew-adams-allaboutcookies-author.jpg)