5 Legit Ways to Block Ads on YouTube [Tested June 2025]

Are you over YouTube ads? Here are a couple of ways to block those commercials no matter the device or web browser you use.
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Despite YouTube's recent attempts to stop ad blockers, plenty still consistently get past those pesky mid-video ads — including Total Adblock and Surfshark CleanWeb.

If you're like us and want a clutter-free YouTube viewing experience, these are a few ways to watch your favorite channels without the interruption of annoying ads. And we've tested each one to make sure they don't set off YouTube's ad blocker alarms. 

Keep reading to discover how to block ads on YouTube once and for all by using the best ad blockers, VPNs, and more.

June 16, 2025 update: YouTube has begun another heightened campaign against ad blockers, with many users reporting seeing the "Ad blockers are not allowed" message. We tested popular ad blockers and found that Total Adblock and Surfshark CleanWeb are both working as normal. We'll update this callout as the situation continues.

In this article
How to block ads on YouTube with an ad blocker
1. Total Adblock
2. Surfshark CleanWeb
3. AdGuard
4. Ghostery
5. 1Blocker
Get rid of ads with a YouTube Premium subscription
Why shouldn’t you block ads on YouTube?
FAQs
Bottom line

Featured YouTube ad blockers

Ad blocker
CleanWeb
Best for Best overall Best all-in-one bundle
Price Free or $1.59/mo $2.19-$20.65/mo
Blocks YouTube ads
Adblock Tester score 100/100 96/100
Learn more Get Total Adblock Get Surfshark CleanWeb

How to block ads on YouTube

An ad blocker is designed to prevent advertisements from appearing on a webpage. It scans a website for advertising material and then stops it from loading. This has numerous benefits, such as blocking malicious ads, increasing data privacy, and speeding up webpage load times.

However, YouTube frequently updates its system to work around ad blockers. This means you may sometimes still deal with ads while an ad blocker figures out how to block them again. Also, YouTube has started displaying notices that warn users against using ad blockers and force them to disable their blocker (or pay for YouTube) to continue viewing.

We've tested the following ad blockers to make sure they can bypass YouTube's anti-ad-blocker efforts.

1. Total Adblock

#1 Adblocker — Even Blocks YouTube Video Ads
4.9
Editorial Rating
Learn More
On Total Adblock's website
Ad Blocker
Total Adblock
Up to 80% off
  • 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

As one of the best all-around ad blockers, Total Adblock successfully got rid of those annoying ads while we streamed YouTube videos. When we searched for the latest Tiny Desk concert with Total Adblock paused, we immediately experienced ads. 

YouTube video ad while Total Adblock is paused
YouTube video ad while Total Adblock is paused

As soon as we enabled Total Adblock, we had access to our ad-free YouTube video. Total Adblock made the ad skip in hyperspeed so that YouTube went right to the beginning of the NPR concert.

Total Adblock skipped the YouTube video ad and went right to our video
Total Adblock skipped the YouTube video ad and went right to our video

One thing we especially like about Total Adblock is that it clearly notes how many ads and trackers it has blocked for you. This is a reassuring way to show you it works. Additionally, the Chrome extension features a simple on-and-off toggle, so you can support your favorite YouTubers by watching a few ads if you choose — no need to uninstall and then reinstall the ad blocker. Additionally, Total Adblock Premium includes the award-winning antivirus software TotalAV, providing a robust layer of protection against malware, computer viruses, and other threats

Learn more in our detailed guide on how to block YouTube ads with Total Adblock.

2. Surfshark CleanWeb

Comprehensive Ad Blocking Online and in Apps + VPN Connection
4.7
Editorial Rating
Learn More
On Surfshark CleanWeb Ad Blocking's website
Ad Blocker
Surfshark CleanWeb Ad Blocking
Save up to 86% + 3 extra months
  • 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 VPN is packed with valuable features, including CleanWeb, which blocks ads, trackers, malware, and annoying cookie pop-up requests. CleanWeb 2.0, which comes with Surfshark's browser extension, can also block ads on YouTube and other streaming services. One of the biggest advantages of Surfshark is that it's affordable and allows for unlimited simultaneous connections.

Without CleanWeb 2.0, the YouTube video we selected started with some ads. Once we hit the Turn on button for CleanWeb and refreshed the webpage, the Vanity Fair episode played uninterrupted.

A YouTube video with the Surfshark CleanWeb extension in the foreground
Surfshark CleanWeb blocks YouTube ads

3. AdGuard

AdGuard doubles up with ad blocking and malware protection. It even erases those pesky YouTube ads for you. Plus, the premium plan includes parental controls and the AdGuard VPN

In the past, AdGuard worked well. However, some users may experience interrupted service or slowdowns due to recent YouTube updates.

A YouTube video with the AdGuard extension in the foreground

While we like AdGuard's simple approach with its Chrome extension, the desktop app was somewhat of a nuisance to set up. We had to allow and configure multiple settings on our MacBook before it would start blocking ads.

4. Ghostery

Ghostery is focused on getting rid of trackers that follow you around the internet, but it also manages to block YouTube ads. With Ghostery, there were no ads before YouTube videos or in the middle of watching them. Also, there were no delays, lags, errors, or other problems that disrupted our viewing experience.

The end page of a YouTube video with the Ghostery ad blocker enabled

Along with a quick toggle for turning the ad blocker on and off, Ghostery also lets you pause the ad blocker, tracker blocker, and cookie pop-up blocker individually. That's a level of control you don't always see.

5. 1Blocker

Built just for Safari, 1Blocker helps you keep ads away while you watch YouTube videos on your Mac, iPhone, or iPad. We started a Tiny Desk concert with 1Blocker off and were bombarded with the usual preroll ads and banner ads. As soon as we enabled 1Blocker, our YouTube stream was seamless with no interruptions.

A Tiny Desk concert with the 1Blocker extension in the foreground.

One thing to note is that, even though 1Blocker offers a free plan that allows you to block ads successfully, you can only toggle one type of blocker at a time unless you upgrade. This may not be a big deal to some, but since other ad blockers simultaneously block ads, trackers, and cookie pop-ups, it means 1Blocker's free plan falls a little short.

Get rid of ads with a YouTube Premium subscription

If you want a guaranteed way to watch YouTube videos with no ads, you should consider investing in a YouTube Premium subscription.

As long as you're signed in, you can watch videos uninterrupted by ads on any device — including mobile, desktop, and enabled TV. YouTube Premium removes video ads before, during, and after the video while also removing banner and search ads.

By paying for a subscription, you can ensure your favorite YouTubers are still getting paid when you watch their videos. They’ll receive some of the earnings from Premium, which means you can financially support content creators without having to watch ads.

Besides no longer seeing ads, YouTube Premium has additional benefits you might find worth the cost. Some of these benefits include:

  • Download videos for offline viewing.
  • Play videos in the background, even when you open other apps, or the phone is locked.
  • Get access to YouTube Music Premium.

There are several different YouTube Premium plans available, depending on your life circumstances.

Family plans let up to five family members in the same household access YouTube Premium. This is a fairly affordable option since it works out to less than $5.00 per person per month for a family of five.

You save money by paying annually if you can afford the upfront cost. The annual rate for an individual plan will give you about two months free compared to paying the monthly price.

If you're a student, you're eligible for a 1-month trial period and a reduced monthly cost. But you'll need to verify your student status annually to qualify for this rate.

Here is a quick look at the current YouTube Premium plans and prices.

YouTube Premium plans and prices

Plan Price
Monthly $13.99/mo
Annual $139.99/yr
Family (up to 5 members) $22.99/mo
Student 1-month free trial, $7.99/mo after

Why shouldn’t you block ads on YouTube?

Ads do more than ensure YouTube has the revenue it needs to keep running its platform. YouTube also shares part of its ad earnings with the content creators on their platform. This encourages YouTubers to continue to create more content and also funds their efforts.

If you frequently watch content creators on YouTube, blocking ads may prevent them from earning money from their videos. Watching ads is a free way to support their work.

One way around this if you can't stand ads is to "join" their channel as a member. For a small fee every month, you get access to member-only perks and videos and can help offset your lost ad revenue. If your favorite creators don't have this enabled, you can check if they have a Patreon or Twitch channel that you can support them on directly instead. Finally, buying merch is one of the best ways to support them.

FAQs

What’s the best ad blocker for YouTube?

The best ad blocker for YouTube depends on the type of device you’re using, but we recommend the following as some of the best: Total Adblock and Surfshark CleanWeb. Other free or low-cost ad blockers include AdGuard, uBlock Origin, and AdLock. 

If you want to watch videos without ads but still support YouTubers, the best option is to purchase a YouTube Premium subscription. If your priority is simply to block ads, consider a VPN or an ad blocker extension designed for your browser and operating system.

Can you block ads on the YouTube app?

Blocking ads on the YouTube app is more difficult than on desktop, since it's harder for one app to impact another. That said, we did test Total Adblock and were able to get it work on mobile by opening the videos in the app.

Do YouTubers get paid if you skip ads?

No, YouTubers don't get paid if you skip ads. If you immediately click skip on an ad, YouTube doesn't count it as a view and won't charge the advertiser for it. Subsequently, the platform can't pay YouTubers a commission for the ad. You'll have to watch the whole ad, or at least 30 seconds of it, for YouTubers to get paid for it.

Bottom line

Blocking YouTube ads is as simple as downloading a browser extension or app. Ad blockers are specifically designed to detect and block advertising, and Total Adblock and Surfshark CleanWeb all successfully cleaned up YouTube ads during our testing. Plus, these heavy-hitters include advanced security features like antivirus protection or a virtual private network service. 

As an alternative to standalone ad blockers, VPNs often include ad blockers and offer data privacy, which makes it harder for advertisers to track you. Overall, a bundled VPN service like Surfshark VPN may offer the best value by blocking ads while simultaneously securing your Wi-Fi connection against hackers and trackers. 

For more ways to avoid those video commercials, check out our recommended best ad blockers for YouTube. But if it's important to you to support your favorite YouTubers without having to watch ads, you may want to purchase a YouTube Premium subscription. Premium lets you watch videos ad-free, and YouTubers still get paid when you watch their videos.

#1 Adblocker — Even Blocks YouTube Video Ads
4.9
Editorial Rating
Learn More
On Total Adblock's website
Ad Blocker
Total Adblock
Up to 80% off
  • 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
Author Details
Sara J. Nguyen is a writer specializing in cybersecurity. She aims to help people protect their data while enjoying technology. She has written about online privacy and tech for over 5 years for several organizations. When she's not writing about the latest cybersecurity trends, you can find her on LinkedIn.