Total Adblock Review 2024: A Set-It-and-Forget-It Ad Blocker

Tired of unwanted ads? This review provides in-depth details on how Total Adblock works, what features it includes, how it holds up during tests, and whether its paid version is worth the money.
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4.9
Editorial Rating
Learn More
On Total Adblock's website

Ad Blocker
Total Adblock
Special deal: Save 80% 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

Total Adblock is an effective, easy-to-use ad blocker that helps you browse the internet anonymously, protect your digital privacy, and enjoy ad-free web surfing.

The software is easy to set up and provides hands-off ad-blocking without disrupting your web surfing. It received top results during our testing, and its free version comes with a decent amount of ad-blocking and tracker-blocking features. Its paid version offers all the ad-blocking you could want, in addition to award-winning antivirus protection with TotalAV.

In our comprehensive Total Adblock review, we explore why Total Adblock is one of the best ad blockers, including how it works, what it offers, and whether the premium plan is worth the cost.

Pros
  • Includes a free version for Android and iOS devices
  • Browser extension and mobile app are easy to install and set up
  • Hands-off ad-blocking experience
  • Options to manage websites and ad preferences
  • Premium plan includes TotalAV antivirus protection
Cons
  • Free version excludes top 15,000 websites
  • Annoying pop-ups prompt you to upgrade to premium
  • Reviewers note issues canceling payments
In this article
Overview
Our experience
Paid plan
Features
Test results
How to use
Compatibility
Alternatives
FAQs
Bottom line: Is Total Adblock good?

Total Adblock overview

Ads blocked on Forbes homepage 49
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 No
Compatibility Windows, macOS, Chrome, Edge, Opera, Android, iOS
Paid version Starts at $1.59/mo (billed annually)
Learn more Get Total Adblock

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.

Best Basic Adblocker — Including YouTube Video Ads
4.9
Editorial Rating
Learn More
On Total Adblock's website
Ad Blocker
Total Adblock
Special deal: Save 80% 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

Our experience

The Total Adblock app is easy to use and easy to install. All you have to do is follow the prompts explaining exactly how to install the extension on Chrome and get started, then you should automatically enjoy an ads-free experience. If you want to take advantage of the mobile version, Total Adblock provides a QR code to scan so you can start blocking ads on your mobile devices.

Total Adblock tutorial

Once it's installed, you can click on the extension at any time to view what the software is blocking.

Forbes homepage with Total Adblock extension open

We didn't experience any glitching websites while using Total Adblock, and no ads made their way through the blocker. It began working immediately, and we didn’t have to do anything after installing the extension. It’s quite a hands-off experience.

However, if you want a more hands-on approach to your ad blocking, Total Adblock allows you to manage your trusted websites and ad preferences manually.

One major downside of the free version, besides not having unlimited adblocking, is you receive Total Adblock pop-up banners on the bottom of websites letting you know that you've reached your ad limit or your trial has expired (long before the seven-day trial was up).

Total Adblock Expired Pop-Up

Not only did Total Adblock not disclose these pop-up ads, but it feels ironic that a service designed to block pop-up ads repeatedly showed us a pop-up ad. Luckily, you can disable notifications in the app.

We did find instances of reviews on Trustpilot and Reddit where users had a hard time canceling their subscriptions. This included not finding anywhere on the app to cancel and inconsistencies with Total Adblock customer service.

Total Adblock paid plan

Total Adblock offers a paid plan option starting at $1.59/mo (billed annually) for first-time users. After your first year, it jumps to $99.00/yr. We recommend the paid version for a few reasons:

  • Total Adblock’s free version excludes the top 15,000 websites as listed on Alexa.com, so your ad-blocking is limited. The premium version blocks unlimited ads from everywhere.
  • The premium version comes with TotalAV’s antivirus protection, which we've listed as the best overall antivirus program.
  • TotalAV includes WebShield, which provides real-time phishing and malware protection.
  • The premium version also removes unwanted browser notifications.
Free Adblock Premium
Price Free $1.59/mo (billed annually) ($99.00/yr after)
Blocks unlimited ads
Block trackers
Whitelisting
Block browser notifications
Antivirus protection
Details View Plan View Plan

Total Adblock offers a money-back guarantee that lasts for 30 days for annual subscriptions and 14 days for monthly.

Main features

Total Adblock comes with an array of features on top of simply blocking ads. Here are some of the extra features you can expect.

Blocking trackers

On top of the ads that you're sick of seeing plastered all over every webpage, Total Adblock will also block trackers that websites set up to keep tabs on you. You can also toggle on blocking social networking tracking. 

These trackers are usually for advertising or analytical purposes, but a lot of people are not comfortable with what feels like spyware. Total Adblock will help you remain anonymous online.

Total Adblock extension open on customize settings

Whitelisting ability

If you want to enable ads or pop-ups on certain websites, you can easily set up whitelists right in the app or extension by clicking on the settings cog then selecting Allow List. From there, you can add the tab you're viewing to the Allow List. 

Total Adblock extension open on allowlist settings

This is useful if certain trusted websites have important pop-ups that keep accidentally getting blocked by Total Adblock. It can also make a huge difference for content creators and websites that rely on ad revenue for their business, such as your favorite YouTuber or blogger.

Ad blocker counter

Additionally, information in the drop-down browser extension lets you know how many ads and trackers you have blocked — among other data points.

Total Adblock extension open on ads blocked counter

Total Adblock's test results

We tested Total Adblock using AdBlock Tester, EFF's Cover Your Tracks, and Can You Block It tools. AdBlock Tester tests for the following types of ads:

  • Contextual advertising: Targeted advertising is the most common form of advertising and tracking.
  • Analytic tools: Web analytics services (e.g., Google Analytics) monitor user activity and collect data.
  • Banner advertising: Banner ads are often used on large websites that sell ad space.
  • Error monitoring: Error tracking (also error tracing) is used to track errors on websites.

Total Adblock received 100/100, indicating that it’s a powerful tool against all types of ads.

Total Adblock's AdBlock Tester results.

Cover Your Tracks tests for ads with trackers. Total AdBlock successfully blocked tracking ads and invisible ads. However, our results also showed that our browser has a unique fingerprint, meaning that it's easier to profile you online.

Total Adblock's Cover Your Tracks results.

Finally, Can You Block It tests if your adblocker can block "Disable adblocker" warnings, banner ads, and interstitial ads. Total AdBlock aced the test by blocking all three types, and actually was able to pass the eXtreme Test as well.

Total adblock's Can You Block It results.

Total Adblock scores

AdBlock Tester Cover Your Tracks Can You Block It
Total Adblock score 100/100 2/3 3/3
Test results as of 10/08/2024.

YouTube ad test

We put Total Adblock to the test by playing videos that run long with ad timestamps. Total Adblock was successful in blocking all ads for the entire duration of these videos. Videos played in an instant without stutters or lag. 

In total, Total Adblock stopped 97 trackers on YouTube. It felt good to watch videos of Vanity Fair's lie detector tests without getting cut off by an ad.

A YouTube video with the Total Adblock extension in the foreground

With YouTube's latest attempts to bring down ad blockers, we've been relieved to see Total Adblock consistently thwart its ads, from ads in-video to banners on the page.  

If you're watching videos from your favorite YouTubers, it's better not to use Adblock. YouTubers rely on ads during their videos to generate revenue. If you wish to keep supporting them so their channel can grow, we suggest turning Total Adblock off.

Bypassing paywall test

Total Adblock can't bypass paywalls currently. Thankfully they don't advertise that they do, so this isn't a failure as much as it's just a missing feature. With paywalls getting more and more difficult to bypass, this doesn't come as much of a surprise.

That said, some adblockers, such as uBlock Origin, were able to bypass "soft" paywalls that you usually find on smaller sites, like local news blogs. Unfortunately, Total Adblock wasn't able to complete this task.

Total Adblock Unable to bypass paywall
The subscriber-only paywall still displays despite Total Adblock being enabled.

How to use Total Adblock

Total Adblock is largely a set-it-and-forget-it software. All you need to do is install the extension or app for your preferred device, and it'll immediately begin blocking ads.

If you're a free user, you'll be enrolled in a seven-day free trial period to block unlimited ads on every website. If you want to continue this feature, you'll need to upgrade to premium. To do so, simply follow this link and enter your payment information.

You're able to enable and disable Total Adblock with a push of a button. Simply open the extension or app and hit the green on button.

Total Adblock extension open on home tab

If you want to automatically allow ads to be shown on specific websites, you can follow these steps:

  1. Open your Total Adblock extension or app. If you're using the browser extension, you may need to expand your full list of extensions to see Total Adblock.
  2. Navigate to the settings by clicking on the cog icon.
  3. Click on Allow List.
  4. Sekect Add Current Tab to allow ads and pop-ups.

Total Adblock compatibility

Total Adblock is compatible with the following browsers and devices:

  • Google Chrome
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Opera
  • iOS (iPhone and iPad)
  • Android (must be downloaded outside of the Google Play Store)

Please note: There was previously an add-on for Mozilla FireFox and Safara, but the Total Adblock listings appear to have been removed from these sites.

Top alternatives

Though Total Adblock is a top option when you want to get away from pesky ads, there are other Total Adblock alternatives that may better fit your budget or online security needs. 


Threat Protection

CleanWeb
Best for Best overall Best for blocking streaming ads Best for blocking social media trackers
Price Starts at $1.59/mo (billed annually) Starts at $3.09/mo (billed every two years) Starts at $3.50/mo
Free version?
Adblock Tester score 91/100 96/100 92/100
Cover Your Tracks score 2/30.5/32.5/3
Can You Block It score 2/3 3/3 2/3
Blocks YouTube ads?
Compatibility Threat Protection:
Windows, macOS

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

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

Total Adblock FAQs


+

Is Total Adblock trustworthy?

Yes, Total Adblock is real software with a perfect ad-blocking score and it's from the makers of TotalAV, an award-winning antivirus program.


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How much does Total Adblock really cost?

As a first-time user, you can opt for the free version or benefit from a discount and pay $1.59/mo (billed annually) for the premium plan. After that, you will pay $99.00/yr. Keep in mind that the high yearly cost accounts for the inclusion of the top-rated antivirus protection TotalAV


+

How do I stop Total Adblock payments?

Navigate to My Services when logged in to your Total Adblock account and hit Manage to cancel your Total Adblock payment. 


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Which is better, Total Adblock or Adblock Plus?

Total Adblock, and here's why. Adblock Plus advertises many of the same features as Total Adblock, with the addition of disabling social media buttons so social networks can’t create profiles about you based on the websites you visit. Total Adblock doesn't mention those individual blockers, but it offers more with its free version than Adblock Plus.

Comparatively, Adblock Plus offers more flexible pricing for its premium version, which includes a monthly subscription (rather than Total Adblock’s yearly plan). Adblock Plus specifically notes that its free version only blocks ads and pop-ups and stops trackers, whereas its yearly paid version also blocks site notifications, stops floating videos, hides newsletter pop-ups, and more. But Total Adblock's premium plan includes real-time phishing and malware protection with WebShield, a feature of the included antivirus software TotalAV. In short, Total Adblock is a more comprehensive ad blocking solution.

Bottom line: Is Total Adblock good?

Total Adblock is one of the best ad blockers, especially for those who want a “set it and forget it” experience while browsing anonymously. With a 100/100 score from AdBlock Tester, you can’t get much better.

Even if you don’t opt for the paid version, the Total Adblock free download offers a solid amount of protection from trackers and a smoother web-surfing experience. So you can block unwanted ads seamlessly. The downside to using the free version is that it excludes the top 15,000 websites listed on Alexa.com.

The premium plan provides access to renowned antivirus protection TotalAV, which — coupled with Total Adblock — is worth the money if you're willing to pay. One downside to Total Adblock is that some reviewers noted difficulty canceling their subscriptions, plus you'll have to disable notifications to avoid a fake pop-up about your free plan expiring.

But based on our testing, anyone looking for a simple yet powerful way to get rid of annoying ads needs to look no further than Total Adblock. See how Total Adblock compares to other top ad blockers

Best Basic Adblocker — Including YouTube Video Ads
4.9
Editorial Rating
Learn More
On Total Adblock's website
Ad Blocker
Total Adblock
Special deal: Save 80% 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
Author Details
Juliana Kenny is a seasoned writer with over 14 years of experience writing for cybersecurity topics. Holding a B.A. in both English and French, her work explores the convergence of security and technology. She specializes in endpoint security, cloud security, and networking technologies like secure access service edge (SASE).
Sameer M. Narain is a freelance writer with a foundation in systems, software, and hardware. With over 10 years of experience in testing various antivirus programs, data encryption programs, VPNs, and drive defragmentation software, he is adept at synthesizing information for the everyday reader and tech enthusiast. He has a special interest in staying secure for big team-related projects where confidentiality is king, therefore his writing often attempts to solve the bigger picture with easily accessible programs.