Stands Free AdBlocker Review 2024: Is It Truly a Balanced Ad-Blocking Solution?

Delving into the features, performance, and compatibility of Stands Free Adblocker (formerly Fair Adblocker), we assess whether it offers the balanced, user-friendly ad-blocking solution it promises.
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4.8
Editorial Rating
Learn More
On Stands Free AdBlocker's website

Ad Blocker
Stands Free AdBlocker
  • A free, open-source ad blocker that's feature-rich and easy to use
  • User-friendly interface with clean statistics dashboard that shows ads, trackers, adware, and pop-ups blocked
  • Compatible with most major browsers and offers advanced customization features
  • Only offered as an ad-free browser extension

Demand for a reliable ad blocker has increased in recent years as online advertising has become more prevalent. Stands Free AdBlocker is a viable option for those who want to browse the internet without facing annoying ads.

We had a seamless experience with the Stands Free AdBlocker extension, which has a simple and intuitive user interface. In addition to blocking ads and trackers, you can whitelist websites, allow popups depending on the site, allow "fair ads" to support creators, and easily see the different types of ads you've blocked. Plus, Stands offers built-in phishing and malware protection at no extra cost. 

Pros
  • Free ad blocker that's feature-rich and easy to use
  • User-friendly interface with a clear statistics dashboard
  • Solid browsing security means a faster web browsing experience
Cons
  • Only offered as an ad-free browser extension
In this article
Overview
Our experience
Paid plan
Features
Test results
Compatibility
How to use
Alternatives
FAQs
Bottom line: Is Stands Free AdBlocker good?

Stands Free AdBlocker overview

Ads blocked on Forbes 15
AdBlock Tester score 100/100
Cover Your Tracks score 2/3
Can You Block it score 3/3
Does it block YouTube ads? Yes
Whitelisting available Yes
Blacklisting available Yes
Compatibility Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Opera, Edge, Vivaldi, Brave, Android
Price Free (donations accepted)
Learn more Get Stands Free Adblocker

How we test and rate ad blockers

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:

  • Price
  • Test scores
  • Features
  • Browser support
  • Editorial score

To learn more about how we test, read our full ad blocker methodology here.

Our experience

Stands Free AdBlocker (formerly known as Stands Fair Adblocker or Fair Adblocker) was easy to install and set up. Installation was quick and hassle-free, and the browser extension’s icon was conveniently added to the browser toolbar. To get started, we checked out Yahoo Sports. Using this ad blocker significantly reduced the number of banner ads we experienced while browsing the homepage.

Stands Free Adblocker blocks ads on Yahoo Sports homepage
Stands Free Adblocker blocks ads on Yahoo Sports homepage

With the built-in counter, it was easy to observe the number of ads blocked in real-time. The most significant improvement was the browsing speed of ad-heavy websites, which we noticed to be significantly faster than usual due to the ad blocker's optimization. We also experienced very little lag compared to our regular browsing.

It was also easy to adjust the settings. By simply clicking the icon in your browser toolbar and manually turning the pop-up blocker on, you can block pop-ups on the site you’re on or whitelist it to allow ads. By selecting Blocking Settings, you can fine-tune what types of ads you want to be blocked, whether it be basic ads like pop-ups or advanced ads like Facebook ads.

Stands Fair AdBlocker basic and advanced blocking settings.

Stands Free AdBlocker paid plan

Stands AdBlocker doesn’t offer a paid plan — it's a completely free ad blocker! It only asks for voluntary donations to continue free access for all users. The money, whether a one-off, monthly, or yearly donation, will be used to improve the product.

Stands Free Adblocker accepts voluntary donations in lieu of paid subscriptions
Stands Free Adblocker accepts voluntary donations in lieu of paid subscriptions

Main features

Stands Free AdBlocker is packed with various features that are designed to provide you with a seamless browsing experience. It blocks ads of all types so you can have a faster and cleaner web session. These include pop-up ads, banners, autoplay video ads, and more. It has a built-in counter that allows you to observe real-time information on the specific number of ads that have been blocked per page and in total.

Seamless customization

Arguably the best feature of Stands Adblocker is its built-in customization. As a free service, Stands understands the importance of allowing select ads and pop-ups to help support websites that rely on advertising. You can easily toggle on/off which types of standard blocking services you want enabled, including Advertisement, Tracking, Adware, and Popups

But Stands Adblocker goes a step further to offer us advanced customization options that cover Facebook ads, Search ads, Sponsored links, and Web mail ads

Stands Free Adblocker basic and advanced blocking settings

Stands Free Adblocker basic and advanced blocking settings

Whitelisting

The Stands AdBlocker browser extension also offers whitelisting, so you can compile a list of approved websites that will bypass the blocker. In contrast, there’s also a block element (blacklisting) that can ensure specific websites don’t throw ads at you.

Stands Free Adblock allows for whitelisting, blacklisting, and pop-up customization
Stands Free Adblock allows for whitelisting, blacklisting, and pop-up customization

Plus, you can choose to allow pop-ups on select sites, which is especially nice if you want to support websites or content creators that rely on advertising. 

Phishing and malware protection

In addition to ad blocking and tracker blocking, Stands AdBlocker protects you against phishing websites and viruses, such as dangerous forms of online trackers, adware, and malware. It also prevents websites and companies from profiling and selling your information without your permission.

Stands Free Adblocker Blocking statistic overview showing protection against malware
Stands Free Adblocker Blocking statistic overview showing protection against malware

Test results

To test this ad blocker, we used three industry-standard tools: AdBlock Tester, the Electronic Frontier Foundation's (EFF) Cover Your Tracks, and Can You Block It.

AdBlock Tester tests the extension's overall ad-blocking capabilities by creating various scenarios that deploy different types of ads. These mimic real-world advertising techniques like pop-ups, banners, video ads, and more. During our testing, Stands AdBlocker got a perfect AdBlock Tester score.

Stands Free Adblocker AdBlock Tester results
Stands Free Adblocker AdBlock Tester results

The Cover Your Tracks tool focuses on privacy protection by checking how well the ad blocker prevents third-party websites from tracking your online activities. This test looks at online fingerprints such as HTTP headers, IP addresses, and cookies.

The Cover Your Tracks test revealed that Stands AdBlocker effectively blocks tracking ads and invisible trackers. However, our fingerprint is still considered unique, which means we're still identifiable while browsing the web. Even still, most ad blockers aren't able to conceal our fingerprint, so scoring only 2/3 isn't a strike against Stands. 

Stands Free Adblocker Cover Your Tracks results
Stands Free Adblocker Cover Your Tracks results

Can You Block It tests for several different types of ads, including ad blocker warnings, banner ads, and interstitial ads (or annoying ads that pop up while the webpage loads). Because we didn't see any of these common ads, Stands Adblocker passed the test 3/3.

Stands Free AdBlocker scores

AdBlock Tester Cover Your Tracks Can You Block It
Stands Free AdBlocker score 100/100 2/3 3/3

YouTube ads test

Stands Free AdBlocker is effective at blocking YouTube ads. During our testing, it blocked all of YouTube’s ads, including autoplay video ads, and allowed us an uninterrupted viewing experience.

A YouTube from the Stands channel with a preroll video ad and banner ads.

A YouTube from the Stands channel without ads, thanks to the Stands Fair Adblocker.

Remember that by blocking ads on YouTube, you are also preventing your favorite YouTubers from earning money for their hard work. If you enjoy watching their videos regularly, it is best to turn off your ad blocker or whitelist the channel so they can earn the income they need to continue making content for their channels. In addition to helping out your favorite creators, turning off the ad blockers may also improve your YouTube viewing experience by reducing buffering and loading times.

Bypassing paywall test

Most ad blockers, free or paid, typically can't bypass hard paywalls like the ones you'd see on national news sites. Paywalled content means that the user is required to subscribe in order to access the "premium" content. But some of the most powerful ad blockers can bypass soft paywalls like the ones you'd see on local news sites. Unfortunately, Stands Adblocker isn't able to bypass hard or soft paywalls.

What browsers is Stands Adblocker compatible with?

Stands Free AdBlocker was originally supported on only three browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Edge), but you can now download the extension on several browsers, including:

  • Chrome
  • Firefox
  • Edge
  • Safari
  • Opera
  • Vivaldi
  • Brave
  • Android

It's rated close to five stars on all three web stores with overwhelmingly positive user reviews. 

How to use Stands Free Adblocker

A particularly unique feature Stands Free Adblocker offers is the ability to block page elements. Here's how.

Stands Free Adblock offers a Block Element feature
Stands Free Adblock offers a Block Element feature

  1. Open the Stands Adblocker icon on your browser.
  2. Click on the Block Element button. (A prompt to select which elements to block appears in the upper-righthand corner of the screen.)
  3. Move your cursor across the page to highlight the different page elements. Select the element you wish to block. 

Select which page element to block with Stands Free Adblocker
Select which page element to block with Stands Free Adblocker

For this example, we opted to block the busy YouTube sidebar that promotes related content. This way, we can exclusively focus on Babish.

Blocking the YouTube sidebar with Stands Free Adblocker

Blocking the YouTube sidebar with Stands Free Adblocker

Stands Free Adblocker alternatives



Threat Protection

CleanWeb
Best for Best for blocking YouTube ads Best overall Best for blocking streaming ads
Price Starts at $1.59/mo (billed annually) Starts at $3.09/mo (billed every two years) Starts at $2.19/mo (billed biennially)
Free version?
Adblock Tester score 100/100 93/100 96/100
Cover Your Tracks score 2/3 2/3 0.5/3
Can You Block It score3/3 2/3 3/3
Blocks YouTube ads?
Compatibility Windows, Mac, Chrome, Edge, Opera, Amazon Fire, Safari, Android, iOS Threat Protection:
Windows, macOS

Threat Protection Lite:
Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux, Chrome, Edge, Firefox

Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux, Chrome, Edge, Firefox, FireTV
Learn more Get Total Adblock Get NordVPN Threat Protection Get Surfshark CleanWeb

FAQs


+

Is Fair AdBlocker safe?

Yes, Stands Free Adblocker (formerly Fair AdBlocker) is considered safe. The extension is offered by Stands, a reputable company in the ad-blocking industry. It is available directly from major web stores. The ad blocker doesn't collect any personal data to sell to advertisers, aligning with its commitment to protecting user privacy.


+

Does Fair AdBlocker block YouTube ads?

Yes, Stands Free AdBlocker (formerly Fair Adblocker) can effectively block YouTube ads, providing a smoother and ad-free viewing experience. However, keep in mind that YouTube ads provide revenue to content creators, so consider whitelisting the channels you wish to support.


+

Is there a Fair AdBlocker mobile app?

As of this review, there is no standalone app for Stands Free AdBlocker (formerly Fair Adblocker) available for mobile devices. However, you can use Stands AdBlocker on mobile browsers that support browser extensions, such as Firefox for Android.


+

How do I get rid of Fair AdBlocker?

Removing Stands AdBlocker (formerly Fair Adblocker) is as simple as uninstalling any other browser extension. On Chrome, for example, you just need to right-click on the extension icon in the browser toolbar and select Remove from Chrome. Similar options exist for the other compatible browsers, including Safari, Firefox, Opera, Edge, Vivaldi, Brave, and Android.

Bottom line: Is Stands Free AdBlocker good?

Stands Free AdBlocker is a robust and reliable ad-blocking extension that offers an array of features and, from our experience, a reliable performance. Its strengths certainly lie in its customizable setting options, compatibility with major browsers, and its ability to strike a balance between user experience and the option to support websites dependent on ad revenue.

If you’re seeking an ad blocker with more premium bells and whistles, like a built-in VPN service or antivirus protection, check out our list of the best ad blockers we've researched and tested.

4.8
Editorial Rating
Learn More
On Stands Free AdBlocker's website
Ad Blocker
Stands Free AdBlocker
  • A free, open-source ad blocker that's feature-rich and easy to use
  • User-friendly interface with clean statistics dashboard that shows ads, trackers, adware, and pop-ups blocked
  • Compatible with most major browsers and offers advanced customization features
  • Only offered as an ad-free browser extension
Author Details
Ryan Clancy is a freelance writer and blogger. With 5+ years of mechanical engineering experience, he's passionate about all things engineering and tech. He loves bringing engineering (especially mechanical) down to a level that everyone can understand.
Kate is an Editor at All About Cookies. She has 8+ years of digital publishing experience as a content manager, developmental editor, and curriculum writer. She leverages specializations in EdTech and educational publishing to create impactful, well-researched content that aids learners of all ages.