uBlock Origin vs. Ghostery 2025: Which is the Best Free Ad Blocker?

uBlock Origin is completely free and works effectively at blocking all types of ads and trackers. However, it can get pretty technical to customize, which may not make it suitable for the average user.

Ghostery is extremely user friendly — you can set it and forget it. Ghostery is also free, but it's not quite as effective as uBlock Origin. It does, however, come with additional privacy features to keep your browsing hidden from data collectors.

Let’s dive into the details and see if either of these top ad blockers is right for you.

Best Premium Ad Blockers for Any Browser or Device

uBlock Origin vs. Ghostery compared

Ad Blocker	Our Pick
Best for	Advanced tech users	Ease of use
Price	Free	Free
Ads blocked on Forbes	14	16
Does it block YouTube ads?
Compatibility	Edge, Firefox, Opera	iOS, Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera, Safari
Mobile compatibility	Only as an add-on for Firefox on Android
Learn more	Get uBlock Origin Read uBlock Origin Review	Get Ghostery Read Ghostery Review

uBlock Origin pros and cons

Ghostery pros and cons

uBlock Origin vs. Ghostery: prices

uBlock Origin and Ghostery are completely free to use, and neither of them requires you to upgrade to a paid plan to access premium features. Once installed, you can use either forever without paying.

uBlock Origin won't even accept donations. If you want to support the ad blocker, it asks that you donate to block list maintainers. Not accepting donations means the developer can continue their work without outside influence. However, it does take away the opportunity to add valuable features, such as customer support.

On the other hand, Ghostery is willing to accept donations. It makes it easy to donate on a monthly or annual basis. As a contributor, you receive some perks, including advanced tracker analytics, custom color themes, and more. None of these are necessarily essential features, but they can enhance your ad-blocking experience.

uBlock Origin vs Ghostery: features

Feature		Our Pick
Whitelisting
Blacklisting
Ads blocked counter
Bypasses paywalls
Block pop-up ads
Block tracking
Block video ads
Block banner ads
Block push ads
Learn more	Get uBlock Origin   Read uBlock Origin Review	Get Ghostery   Read Ghostery Review

Let's start with what uBlock Origin and Ghostery have in common. They both use open-source code, which makes it fully transparent and accessible. Both ad blockers can stop ads, tracking, and other intrusive ad types from appearing on your browser.

However, uBlock Origin can bypass soft paywalls, so you can read a limited number of articles for free before restricting content. Our testing shows that uBlock Origin can let users read more articles.

Another notable difference between uBlock Origin and Ghostery is the premium features. uBlock Origin only focuses on filtering ads. Meanwhile, some people may prefer Ghostery for more comprehensive privacy tools. Ghostery offers additional features, including a private browser and a search engine.

Ghostery also has WhoTracks.Me, which can give you reports on who is collecting your data. This information can help you make more personalized decisions on who you want to block from tracking you.

uBlock Origin vs Ghostery: test results

Feature	Our Pick
Adblock Tester score	96/100	99/100
Cover Your Tracks score	2/3	0.5/3
Can You Block It score	3/3	3/3
YouTube ads blocked
Paywalls bypassed
Learn more	Get uBlock Origin   Read uBlock Origin Review	Get Ghostery   Read Ghostery Review

We conducted five tests to see if uBlock Origin and Ghostery can effectively block ads and trackers. Each test evaluated different aspects, like blocking video ads on YouTube, to see if trackers can follow you.

The most noticeable difference between uBlock Origin and Ghostery is that the latter mostly failed the Cover Your Tracks score. The test determines if trackers can specifically identify you. Even though Ghostery boasts anti-tracking features, it didn't pass the test. 

Meanwhile, uBlock Origin received a better score of 2/3.

When it comes to essential ad blocking, uBlock Origin received 96/100. However, Ghostery has a respectable 99/100 score, which is marginally more efficient than uBlock Origin.

As a bonus, both free ad blockers can bypass YouTube ads.

uBlock Origin vs Ghostery: compatibility and customer support

		Our Pick
Windows
macOS
Android	Only as an add-on for Firefox on Android	Only as an add-on for Firefox on Android
iOS
Linux
Browser extensions	Edge, Firefox, Opera	iOS, Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera, Safari
24/7 customer support
Customer support options	Online guides, forums	Email, online guides
Learn more	Get uBlock Origin   Read uBlock Origin Review	Get Ghostery   Read Ghostery Review

Ghostery is far superior in working for all major browsers, especially since uBlock Origin has been disabled on Chrome and is no longer compatible with Safari. (You have to go with uBlock Origin Lite if you want to use the free ad blocker on Safari.) Plus, when it comes to apps, uBlock Origin only offers browser extensions. Ghostery offers a standalone app for its private browser, available for both Android and iOS.

One of the biggest issues with uBlock Origin is the lack of customer support. If you need help setting up filters, you'll need to have technical knowledge to understand the guides. If you don't, then it’ll be challenging to use.

Ghostery is far more user-friendly and accessible to the average person. While customer support is limited, you can still reach out for help via an online form.

uBlock Origin vs. Ghostery FAQs

uBlock Origin vs. Ghostery: which is better?

When it comes to blocking ads and trackers, uBlock Origin is the clear winner. It passed all our tests, and it has a no-frills approach to providing an ad-free browsing experience. uBlock Origin is completely free and compatible with most major browsers.

The biggest downside to uBlock Origin is that it is no longer compatible with Google Chrome or Safari. We've tested dozens of ad blockers and think the best offer protection across devices.