Ghostery Review 2026: It's Like Ads Were Never There

Our testing proves that Ghostery can block spooky ads, but is it effective against trackers?

Last updated Apr 8, 2026

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4.6

Editorial Rating

On Ghostery's website

Ad Blocker

Ghostery

User-friendly design provides for seamless browsing
Keeps a regularly updated list of blocked trackers
Potentially overwhelming analytics tools

Overview

Ghostery is a reliable and effective ad blocker that keeps your online privacy safe by malicious ads. It is also easy to install and has an intuitive user interface. But our testing found that Ghostery didn't perform as well when used with the Safari browser.

Ghostery is an effective free ad blocker that continuously improves its capabilities. During our latest round of testing, Ghostery earned high scores on our ad blocking tests and tracker blocking tests.

Ghostery also consistently blocks ads on YouTube, from pop-ups to mid-roll video ads. Learn more about our thoughts on Ghostery and how it compares to the best ad blockers.

Pros

Completely free ad blocker
Features user-friendly interface for seamless browsing
Keeps a regularly updated list of blocked trackers

Cons

Removed blacklisting feature
Potentially overwhelming analytics tools

In this article

Overview
Our experience
Is Ghostery free?
Features
Test results
Compatibility
Customer support
How to use
Alternatives
Bottom line: Is Ghostery good?
FAQs

Overview

Ads and trackers blocked on Forbes	4
Adblock Tester score	99/100
Can You Block It score	3/3
Does it block YouTube ads?	Yes
Whitelisting available	Yes
Blacklisting available	No
Compatibility	iOS, Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera, Safari
Paid version	Starts at $1.99/mo
Learn more	Get Ghostery

How we test and rate ad blockers

Every ad blocker in this guide is hands-on tested by our team using a consistent process. We evaluate each product across six areas:

Test results (34%): We run each ad blocker through AdBlock Tester and Can You Block It, recording scores for each. We also browse ad-heavy sites in real-world conditions, including watching YouTube videos and visiting Forbes, to verify day-to-day performance.
Value (21%): We evaluate each product's cost relative to its blocking performance, factoring in starting price, money-back guarantee length, and the number of devices covered under a single subscription.
Features (18%): We test each ad blocker against a six-point checklist covering its ability to block pop-up ads, trackers, YouTube ads, banner ads, and push ads, as well as whether it includes whitelisting functionality.
Editor's score (15%): We use each product ourselves across supported platforms, evaluating how intuitive the interface is and anything else that affects day-to-day use that isn't captured by our other criteria.
Customer support (7%): We evaluate the support options available, prioritizing human support options like live chat and email.
Compatibility (5%): We review each ad blocker's compatibility across desktop apps, browser extensions, and mobile apps to determine how broad its device and platform coverage is.

We test all ad blockers at least twice a year to ensure our recommendations stay current. Testing has been carried out across Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS so our results reflect real-world performance on the devices most readers actually use.

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

Star rating summary

Ghostery received a high star rating of 4.6, with above 4.5 scores in the experience, value, and test results categories. It was docked points in the features, compatibility, and customer service categories.

In the features category, Ghostery was marked down because it doesn't block push ads. In the compatibility category, Ghostery was marked down because it doesn't offer a desktop app. And in the customer service category, Ghostery was marked down because you can only contact support via email.

Decision factor	Weight	Verdict
Our experience	15%	4.5
Value	21%	5.0
Features	18%	4.0
Test results	34%	5.0
Compatibility	5%	4.0
Customer service	7%	4.0

We last tested Ghostery on Q4 2025.

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5.0

Editorial Rating

On Total Adblock's website

2026 Editors’ Choice

Best Overall Ad Blocker

Ad Blocker

Total Adblock

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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

Our experience

Ghostery is easy to install and largely hands-off. We added the extension from the Chrome Web Store and click Enable Ghostery on the setup page.

Once it's enabled, you can let Ghostery handle things automatically. You can open up the extension on any page to view what kinds of activities are being observed and blocked. The Forbes homepage is typically cluttered with ads, but Ghostery blocked four trackers.

Forbes homepage with Ghostery extension open in the foreground

You can enable or disable ad blocking, anti-tracking, and the never-consent feature directly from the main extension tab. It's also easy to whitelist sites from this tab if you select the pause button at the top. You can pause for one hour, one day, or always.

Verdict: 5/5. Our experience using and testing Ghostery was solid. The ad blocker was easy to install, and it blocked most of the ads from the websites we visited.

Is Ghostery free?

Ghostery is a free ad blocker, though you're also encouraged to become a contributor. Contributors can help Ghostery fund the development of the Ghostery Privacy Suite.

Other free Ghostery features include WhoTracks.Me (for tracker statistics), plus a Private Browser and Search.

Verdict: 5/5. Ghostery is completely free, so its value is hard to beat.

Main features

Ghostery is a great privacy tool for blocking ads, which can improve webpage performance by reducing load times. Its free plan includes the ad and tracker blocker, a never-consent feature, as well as whitelisting.

Let's break down Ghostery's key features.

Verdict: 4/5. Ghostery blocks most ad types and you can whitelist sites you wish to support.

Ad and tracker blocker

Ghostery automatically detects and blocks various types of ads, site analytics trackers, and social media trackers. Its intuitive user interface is easy to navigate, and it has an "ads blocked counter" that displays the number of trackers and ads blocked on each webpage you visit.

Ghostery ads and trackers blocked counter

Ghostery blocks ads and trackers through advanced technologies that analyze and collect data from the top 10,000 websites. This data is continually updated and posted in a database at WhoTracks.Me.

Additionally, the library is community-driven and lets anyone submit trackers they find on websites, making it easier to add any trackers that may have been missed.

Never-consent

Ghostery’s convenient ‘never-consent’ feature can automatically decline those pesky cookie pop-ups, so you don’t have to click anything yourself.

Whitelisting

Ghostery also allows you to whitelist sites you wish to support. You can allow ads and trackers on specific websites by opening the pause options and selecting Always.

Previously, Ghostery allowed you to blacklist websites, meaning ads will always be restricted. But we could no longer find that feature during our most recent testing.

Ghostery's test results

We tested Ghostery using AdBlock Tester and Can You Block It.

AdBlock Tester checks for the presence of ad blocker software on a webpage.
Can You Block It tests if your ad blocker can guard against pervasive ads like ad blocker detection warnings, banner ads, and interstitial ads.

Learn more about how Ghostery performed in each test below.

Verdict: 5/5. Ghostery aced the AdBlock Tester and Can You Block It tests. Plus, it reliably blocks ads on YouTube.

Ghostery scores

	AdBlock Tester	Can You Block It
Ghostery score	99/100	3/3

Test results as of Q4 2025.

Ghostery got a near-perfect score with AdBlock Tester, with only one test being listed as "most likely passed." Considering that Ghostery previously got a 96/100, we were glad to see some improvement.

Ghostery's Adblock Tester test results (99/100).

Ghostery also passed all three Can You Block It's tests. It previously failed to block the interstitial ad, so this was another improvement from Ghostery.

Ghostery extension open on Can You Block It test results page (passed 3/3).

YouTube ad test

Overall, Ghostery was remarkably effective at removing YouTube ads. 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.

End of a YouTube video with Ghostery extension open in the foreground

But you should keep in mind that some ads may still get through. This is because YouTube is always making changes to improve its ad system, so some ads may be tailored to get around ad blockers.

Lastly, it's important to remember that ads help YouTubers and other creators get paid, so if you enjoy watching a certain channel, turning off your ad blocker when you watch their videos can help them earn money.

Bypassing paywall test

Sometimes you find an interesting article while browsing, and as soon as you read the intro, you'll find a paywall. Few ad blockers can bypass paywalls, and Ghostery isn't one of them. We were still prompted to subscribe when clicking through articles from The Washington Post, Bloomberg, and The Atlantic.

Ghostery compatibility

	Compatibility
Google Chrome
Mozilla Firefox
Microsoft Edge
Safari
Other browser support	Opera
Android
iOS
Desktop apps

The Ghostery extension is a powerful and versatile ad blocker that’s compatible with a number of popular web browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, and more. It also has an app for iOS and can be downloaded on Firefox and Edge for Android.

Verdict: 4/5. Ghostery is available as a browser extension and a smartphone app, but it doesn't have any desktop apps.

Ghostery customer support

Support type	Ghostery
Email or live chat
Phone
Online guides or forums

With Ghostery being a completely free service, its limited support options aren't a surprise. You can submit a ticket to Ghostery support or review its FAQs for self-help.

Verdict: 4/5. Ghostery only provides email support, no live chat or phone.

Ghostery user reviews

Apple App Store rating: 4.4/5
Trustpilot rating: 4.2/5

Ghostery is well-regarded on the Apple App Store. iOS reviewers call out that Ghostery helps websites run faster due to its powerful ad blocking abilities.

Ghostery has limited reviews on Trustpilot, but they're largely positive. Reviewers call out that it reliably blocks ads across browsers, even on YouTube.

How to use Ghostery

Ghostery is a completely free ad blocker, so you'll just need to select your preferred browser and download the Ghostery extension. Here's how to use Ghostery once you download the extension:

On the Ghostery welcome page, click Enable Ghostery.
On the setup successful page, you'll receive instructions on how to pin the extension for easy access.
With Ghostery on your toolbar, you can open the extension to pause ad blocking, whitelist pages, and more.

Top alternatives

We love that Ghostery is a free ad blocker dedicated to protecting user privacy. However, it doesn't include extra perks or advanced security features you can get with premium ad blockers, like a virtual private network, complete antivirus protection, and more.

Here are some of our top tested ad blockers if Ghostery isn't the choice for you:

	Total Adblock	Aura Ad Block and Anti-Track	Surfshark CleanWeb
Best for	Best for blocking YouTube ads	Best for identity protection	Best for unlimited devices
Lowest starting price	$1.59/mo	$1.67/mo	$1.99/mo
Adblock Tester score	100/100	92/100	96/100
Can You Block It score	3/3	2.5/3	3/3
Blocks YouTube ads?
Compatibility	Android, iOS, Chrome, Edge, Safari	Chrome, Edge, Safari	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Fire TV
Learn more	Get Total Adblock	Get Aura Ad Blocker	Get Surfshark CleanWeb

Bottom line: Is Ghostery good?

Ghostery is a reliable ad blocker against pop-ups, banner ads, YouTube ads, and more. It can also automatically decline cookies, saving you the effort of doing so manually.

Ghostery appears to have removed its blacklisting feature, so it's not as robust as it used to be. Also, we find its extension analytics to be overwhelming, but this is a minor gripe.

Review our list of the best ad blockers or see how Ghostery compares to alternatives:

Ghostery FAQs

Can Ghostery be trusted?

Yes, Ghostery can be trusted. Its transparent privacy policy indicates how your data is collected and used, and its software and comprehensive tracker library are regularly updated.

Keep in mind that no technology is 100% foolproof against privacy threats.

Does Ghostery actually work?

Yes, Ghostery works by blocking targeted and malicious ads, keeping your browsing activity and data private. In addition, Ghostery can make the webpages you visit load much faster.

What’s better than Ghostery?

Ghostery does a great job blocking ads, but other top-performing ad blockers, like Total Adblock and Surfshark CleanWeb, demonstrate more consistent test results and include advanced online security tools with premium plans.

4.6

Editorial Rating

On Ghostery's website

Ad Blocker

Ghostery

User-friendly design provides for seamless browsing
Keeps a regularly updated list of blocked trackers
Potentially overwhelming analytics tools

Author Details

Mars Groves

About the Author

Mars Groves approaches cybersecurity writing from inside the field. As a Cybersecurity Analyst at WEBGAP, an advisory board member specializing in browser isolation, and Editor-in-Chief of Secjuice, he brings practitioner-level knowledge to his VPN and data security coverage. He is currently interning at NASA JPL in software engineering and has authored more than 85 articles for All About Cookies, including more than 40 VPN reviews and guides.

Steph Trejos

Steph Trejos is a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS), a credential that reflects deep expertise in financial crime, fraud patterns, and cyber threats. As a Senior Product Testing Editor at All About Cookies, she has personally evaluated nearly 200 digital security products and brings that forensic rigor to every review she oversees. Before joining AAC, she produced publications on financial crime and cyber threats at ACAMS.