Total Adblock vs. Proton VPN NetShield 2026: Which is Better?
Total Adblock is one of the best ad blockers available, so how does Proton VPN NetShield measure up?
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Last updated Jun 10, 2026
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Best overall
2026 Editors’ Choice
Best Overall Ad Blocker
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Editorial Rating
Get Deal
On Total Adblock's website
Total Adblock
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Top ad blocker that historically scores 100/100 on AdBlock Tester, passing every banner, interstitial, pop-up, and contextual ad test
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Successfully blocked YouTube ads in our testing, one of the trickier platforms for ad blockers to handle consistently
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Works across Chrome, Edge, Safari, and Opera, plus Android and iOS mobile apps
Best VPN bundle
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Editorial Rating
See Price
On Proton VPN NetShield's website
Proton VPN NetShield
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Blocks malicious domains, trackers, and ads
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Open-source code available for public review
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Included with all paid Proton VPN plans at no extra cost
Total Adblock takes the win against Proton VPN NetShield for its affordable pricing, top-notch test results, and user-friendly interface. Plus, Total Adblock Premium includes TotalAV antivirus protection.
Proton VPN NetShield isn't as powerful as a standalone ad blocker, but it's included with Proton VPN, which is one of our top VPN recommendations. So if you're seeking a great VPN with some ad blocking capabilities, then Proton VPN NetShield may be the better choice.
We'll put Total Adblock and Proton VPN NetShield head to head in the following comparison.
In this article
OverviewMethodology
Prices
Features
Test results
Compatibility and customer support
FAQs
TotalAV vs. Proton VPN NetShield: which is better?
Alternatives
Total Adblock vs. Proton VPN NetShield
- Total Adblock: Best overall
- Proton VPN NetShield: Best VPN bundle
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Our Pick
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| Best for | Overall | VPN bundle |
| Price | $1.59/mo | $2.99–$12.99/mo |
| Does it block YouTube ads? | ||
| Compatibility | Chrome, Edge, Opera, Safari | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Mobile compatibility | Android, iOS | Android, iOS |
| Learn more | Get Total Adblock | Get Proton VPN NetShield |
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. We test 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.
Total Adblock pros and cons
Pros
Hands-off, effective ad blocking experience
- Blocks third-party trackers, which helps maintain privacy online
- Premium plan offers TotalAV antivirus protection
Cons
- Pop-ups prompt you to upgrade to the premium version
- Free version doesn’t block ads on the top 15,000 websites
Proton VPN NetShield pros and cons
Pros
- Blocks malicious domains, trackers, and ads
- Consistently blocks contextual ads and trackers in testing
Included with all paid Proton VPN plans at no extra cost
Cons
Can't block YouTube ads due to DNS-based filtering limitations
Weaker ad blocking than browser-based alternatives
Total Adblock vs. Proton VPN NetShield: value
|
Our Pick |
| |
| Price range | $1.59/mo | $2.99–$12.99/mo |
| Best value plan | Annual plan for $1.59/mo | 2-year plan for $2.99/mo |
| Free version available | ||
| Money-back guarantee | Yes — 30 days | Yes — 30 days |
| Learn more | Get Total Adblock | Get Proton VPN NetShield |
Total Adblock offers two options: a free version and a paid subscription. The free version works well for blocking ads, but there is a downside: 15,000 of the most popular websites are excluded from blocking, meaning that websites you frequent may not be eligible for ad blocking.
Still, at $1.59/mo, we believe paying for Total Adblock’s premium plan is well worth the money.
One downside we experienced was irritating pop-ups, which reminded us we were past our free trial, even though we were days away from the expiration. Annoying pop-ups from Total Adblock felt ironic, given that the service is designed to block ads.
Proton VPN NetShield doesn’t offer a free version, but there are a few subscription plans to choose from. The best value comes in a two-year plan for $2.99/mo.
If you're already on a paid Proton VPN plan, NetShield is included at no extra cost, making it a no-brainer addition to your existing setup.
Both products offer a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try them risk-free to see which best suits your needs.
Winner: Total Adblock wins due to its more affordable starting price and availability of a free version. But if you already subscribe to Proton VPN, NetShield adds meaningful privacy protection at no extra cost.
Total Adblock vs. Proton VPN NetShield: features
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Our Pick |
| |
| Whitelisting | ||
| Blacklisting | ||
| Ads blocked counter | ||
| Bypasses paywalls | ||
| Blocks pop-up ads | ||
| Blocks tracking | ||
| Blocks video ads | ||
| Blocks banner ads | ||
| Blocks push ads | ||
| Learn more | Get Total Adblock | Get Proton VPN NetShield |
Total Adblock offers a suite of features we think are necessary for an ad blocker, like:
- Whitelisting
- Ads blocked counter
- Blocking numerous types of ads
- Blocking ads on YouTube
We were impressed by Total Adblock’s “set it and forget it” approach to blocking ads. Once we set everything up, we didn’t have to monitor or babysit at all. We browsed the web without visual ad clutter.
There are also filters on Total Adblock if you actually want to customize your experience. The Premium plan adds toggles to block social media tracking and browser notifications.
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Proton VPN NetShield takes a different approach. Rather than a standalone browser extension, it's built directly into the Proton VPN app.
If you're already a Proton VPN subscriber, you get ad and tracker blocking included at no extra cost. It does have an ads blocked counter, though it shows overall totals rather than a per-page breakdown.
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Where NetShield shines is privacy. It consistently blocks contextual ads and trackers in our testing, and its DNS-based filtering blocks malicious domains before they even load. That makes it a solid privacy layer for anyone already in the Proton ecosystem.
The trade-off is that DNS filtering has limits. It doesn't block YouTube ads, pop-ups, banners, or push ads, and you may occasionally see blank spaces where blocked ad images would have appeared. It also doesn't offer whitelisting or blacklisting.
Winner: This win goes to Total Adblock for featuring an extensive feature list of ad blocking essentials, including whitelisting and blocking all types of ads.
Total Adblock vs. Proton VPN NetShield: test results
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Our Pick
|
|
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| AdBlock Tester score | 100/100 | 77/100 |
| Can You Block It score | 3/3 | 2.5/3 |
| YouTube ads blocked | ||
| Paywalls bypassed | ||
| Learn more | Get Total Adblock | Get Proton VPN NetShield |
Total Adblock blocked pop-ups, banner notifications, trackers, and more, scoring perfect marks on AdBlock Tester and Can You Block It.
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We are also always pleasantly surprised when we test Total Adblock with YouTube. In spite of YouTube's crackdown on ad blockers, Total Adblock has consistently blocked its ads in our testing.
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Proton VPN NetShield scored 77/100 on AdBlock Tester and 2.5/3 on Can You Block It. It consistently passed contextual advertising and analytics tracker tests, but struggled with banner and image-based ads.
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On Can You Block It, it blocked banner ads and the "disable ad blocker" warning, but an interstitial ad still appeared as a blank white box. That means the content was blocked, but the ad placeholder wasn't.
Winner: Total Adblock scores higher across every test. But Proton VPN NetShield holds its own on tracker blocking, which matters if privacy is your priority alongside a VPN.
Total Adblock vs. Proton VPN NetShield: compatibility and customer support
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Our Pick |
| |
| Windows app | ||
| macOS app | ||
| Android app | ||
| iOS app | ||
| Linux app | ||
| Browser extensions | Chrome, Edge, Opera, Safari | |
| 24/7 customer support | ||
| Customer support options | Live chat, email, phone, online guides | Live chat, email, online guides |
| Learn more | Get Total Adblock | Get Proton VPN NetShield |
Total Adblock's interface was intuitive and easy to use. Once we installed the extension on Chrome, we enjoyed a hands-off, ads-free experience.
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We didn’t experience any glitching, and we didn’t see any ads (or places where ads should be) while we were browsing.
The one frustration with Total Adblock is customer support. Online guides are easy to find, but locating the live chat, email, and phone options requires digging through the Terms of Service. For a product this straightforward, the support experience shouldn't be that hard to navigate.
Proton VPN NetShield is essentially a single toggle inside the Proton VPN app. You can choose between blocking malware only, or blocking ads, malware, and trackers. There's no browser extension, which limits flexibility.
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But where Proton VPN NetShield stands out is support. It offers 24/7 live chat, email, a help desk, and detailed online guides, which are all easy to find and straightforward to use.
Winner: Total Adblock for its seamless browser-based experience and broad compatibility. That said, if accessible customer support matters to you, Proton VPN NetShield's easy-to-find live chat gives it a clear edge over Total Adblock's buried support options.
Total Adblock vs. Proton VPN NetShield FAQs
Is Total Adblock the best ad blocker?
There are many factors to consider when choosing an effective ad blocker, and those factors vary from user to user. But we think Total Adblock’s scores speak for themselves. For users looking to block all types of ads, including YouTube ads, it’s one of the best ad blockers on the market.
Why am I paying for Total Adblock?
Total Adblock offers a free version, so why are you paying for its premium plan? Well, Total Adblock’s free plan excludes 15,000 of the most popular websites from ad blocking, so the websites you’re visiting most often may be excluded on Total Adblock’s free plan.
What is NetShield on Proton VPN?
NetShield is an add-on that comes bundled with paid Proton VPN plans. NetShield blocks ads, online trackers, and malware.
Is NetShield good?
NetShield’s ad blocking functionality is a nice addition to Proton VPN, but as a standalone ad blocker, we think there are better services available. In a head-to-head comparison, Total Adblock won hands down.
Total Adblock vs. Proton VPN NetShield: which is better?
Though Proton VPN does offer a suite of other cybersecurity services, Total Adblock comes out on top when focusing specifically on ad blocking capabilities.
| Category |
Our Pick
|
|
| Value | ||
| Features | ||
| Test results | ||
| Compatibility and customer support | ||
| Learn more | Get Total Adblock | Get Proton VPN NetShield |
Total Adblock offers an array of ad blocking features, including tracker blocking, whitelisting, and a per-page ads blocked counter. We were impressed with its perfect test results, successfully blocking 112 ads and trackers on YouTube alone.
We also appreciated its simple interface and effective monitoring as soon as we installed it.
Total Adblock vs. Proton VPN NetShield alternatives
Total Adblock is one of the best ad blockers we've tested based on performance, perks like TotalAV antivirus software, and the low first-year price. But here's how Total Adblock compares to other ad blockers with premium perks like a VPN, password manager, and more:
 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 | 100/100 | 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 |
2026 Editors’ Choice
Best Overall Ad Blocker
Total Adblock
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Top ad blocker that historically scores 100/100 on AdBlock Tester, passing every banner, interstitial, pop-up, and contextual ad test
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Successfully blocked YouTube ads in our testing, one of the trickier platforms for ad blockers to handle consistently
-
Works across Chrome, Edge, Safari, and Opera, plus Android and iOS mobile apps
Author Details
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Courtney Daybell brings 15 years of print journalism experience to her coverage of identity theft, online scams, and parental controls — including bylines at Time Out New York and The Cut. She holds a B.A. in Communications from Brigham Young University, and her editorial discipline shapes how she covers high-stakes topics that readers turn to. She has written more than 55 articles for All About Cookies, focusing on identity theft prevention.
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