ad block safari free

Free ad blocker for Safari

Download Adblock Plus for Safari and experience a cleaner and faster web:

• Block annoying ads and pop-ups
• Stop viruses and malware hidden in ads
• Acceptable Ads are allowed by default to support websites ( learn more ) [ 1 ]

By clicking the button below, you agree to our Terms of Use .

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Faster, more enjoyable browsing.

We’ve designed the Safari ad blocker to be fast and ultra-light on your Mac’s resources.

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Websites need money to stay free. Support them by allowing Acceptable Ads (on by default).

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• Participants cannot pay to avoid the criteria . Every ad must comply.
• For transparency, we add all Acceptable Ads to our forum so that our community of users can provide feedback.
• We listen to our users. If an Acceptable Ads proposal is flagged by our community for a legitimate reason, we will remove it from the whitelist.
• We are able to keep our open source product free by charging large entities a fee for whitelisting services. For the other roughly 90 percent of our partners, these services are offered free of charge.

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AdGuard for Safari

• Block ads in Safari AdGuard app has filters optimized specifically for Safari, which ensures the best filtering quality. Between AdGuard's own filters and other popular lists, you have more than 50 filters to choose from.
• Saves your traffic More ads blocked means fewer ads loaded. Fewer ads loaded means more traffic saved. Simple math by AdGuard! Download the apk file, install the app and spend your traffic on things you like instead of wasting it on voracious ads.
• Block anything on the page Manually block any element you don't like right from Safari with the help of the built-in action extension. It provides easy access to even more options like allowlisting a page or reporting a missed advertisement.
• Cares about your privacy Protecting your personal data is our top priority. With AdGuard, you and your sensitive data will be safe from any online tracker and analytics system that may attempt to steal your data while surfing the web.

Latest news

Adguard v2.14 for mac: enhanced ech support and improved dns-over-https requests filtering, adguard not affected in new youtube crackdown on third-party ad-blocking apps, adguard v7.17 for windows: on-the-fly doh connection filtering, adguard v4.5.3 for ios: improved filtering and dns protection.

Mirza Rizwan Zero Ads on Safari. YouTube via Safari feels like YT Premium 🙂

suddenlyPONY Only works in Safari. I don’t want to use Safari.

Dima (dmitriy) The best app for Safari

@lplalitpathak at all well for safari

reyesfernando Only works perfectly with Safari

Cnaaaaa30 It’s working on Safari well.

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Failed to send review, why do i need adguard for safari, how do i install adguard for safari, what if i have questions do you have a support service, adguard for safari or adguard for mac.

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How to adblock Safari and Chrome on a Mac

Annoyed by online adverts and want to get rid of them? You’ve come to the right place. In this article we explain how to easily block adverts, popups, trackers and more on your Mac, using a variety of free and paid-for tools in the Safari and Chrome web browsers.

We have a separate guide if you specifically wish to block autoplay videos on Mac . And another for those who wish to block ads on iPhone or iPad .

Before we proceed, please bear in mind that the site whose adverts you’re blocking probably relies on revenue from advertising. That may not worry you, and we know that some of the online advertising out there really does cross a line in terms of intrusiveness. Just don’t complain if a site you love suddenly closes, or starts to charge visitors, because people refused to view its adverts.

Adblock in Safari

We’ll start with how to block adverts using Apple’s web browser, Safari. IN this article we have details of some third-party ad blockers that work with Safari but you don’t actually have to install a third party ad blocker to not see adverts in Safari – you can just set up Safari to block ads for you, here’s how:

Block ads in Safari using Reader mode

Strictly speaking, if you want to block adverts in Safari on the Mac you’ll need to install third-party ad-blocking software – and we’ll talk about that in a moment. But a far simpler approach is to use Safari’s built-in Reader mode, which is practically as good.

Reader isn’t quite an ad blocker, because it blocks a bunch of other visual distractions too: sidebars, mastheads, comments, social elements, videos. (It’s the same principle as the ‘Read later’ services we discuss at the end of this article.) You just get the text and the pictures, which can be a far calmer experience than some of the more visually ‘busy’ sites.

As a general rule, you can activate Reader mode at any time, although it’s not really possible on Home pages of sites that feature multiple stories and links.

There are a few different ways to enable the Reader mode. Here’s how to enable Reader mode in Safari: 

• Go to the menu bar at the top of the screen and select View > Show Reader
• Hit Shift-Command-R.
• Click the Reader button (the one with three and a half horizontal lines) next to the URL bar.

This will then strip the page down to its bare bones, leaving only the content behind.

From Safari 11 onwards it’s been possible to be more sophisticated and tell the browser to always open article pages from particular domains in Reader mode – or even to use Reader by default all the time.

Here’s how to set reader mode up for certain websites:

When you’re on a site you want to give this treatment, go to Safari > Settings for This Website (or you can right-click the URL box and choose Settings for This Website).

You can also remove domains from, and add them to, the Reader list in Safari’s Preferences page. Click on Safari > Preferences.

Click on the Websites pane.

Select Reader in the left-hand column.

You’ll see a list of all the websites currently open and any you have configured to use Reader. Select the website you want to default to Reader mode and click the menu to the right of it and select On (or Off if you don’t want it to use Reader mode).

How to use Reader mode all the time on Safari

You can actually set Reader mode to be the default option on any website that supports it! Here’s how:

• As above go to Safari > Preferences and choose Reader.
• At the bottom of this page you’ll see the option: ‘When visiting other websites’. Set this to On and Reader will be activated by default on all compatible web pages.

Note that if you have a website that is already defaulting to Off then you won’t see it in Reader mode.

How to block popup adverts in Safari

If popup ads are driving you mad then you can quickly put a stop to them. Since Safari 11 it’s been possible to block pop-up windows via Safari Preferences.

In Safari 12 and 13 here’s what you need to do:

• Go to Preferences.
• Select the Websites tab.
• Click on the Pop-up Windows option in the left-hand column.
• Now you can either make a rule for the website you’re currently visiting by clicking on the drop down menu to the right of its name, or go to the bottom of the window and click on the drop-down menu next to ‘When visiting other websites’.
• Then select either Block and Notify, Block, or Allow.

Best ad blocker for Safari

Reader mode is a great solution, but if you want to block the adverts but leave the rest of the visual elements intact, you need to install a third-party ad blocker. There are lots of them out there, plenty of which are free, but tread carefully.

Our top recommendation is be the donation-ware Safari extension AdBlock, which deals with graphical ads, text ads and even ads in YouTube videos.

AdBlock also lets you whitelist pages on sites whose adverts you do want to see, to support them or because the ads may be useful. To whitelist the whole site you’ll need to upgrade to the AdBlock Gold level that costs £4.99/$4.99.

You can download AdBlock here .

If you’re looking for something a little more advanced, we recommend AdGuard . It comes in two forms: a free-to-use Safari extension and a £29/$30 app with a 14-day free trial. While the Safari extension is decent and acts in a similar way to AdBlock, the desktop app provides advanced features across macOS, not dependent on a particular browser.

As well as blocking ads and pop-ups from websites, you’re able to block tracking from most online sources and even be warned of malicious websites that you might stumble across online. It provides granular control over your ad blocking settings, allowing you to whitelist sites and self-promoting ads, and is incredibly simple to use.

You can download AdGuard here .

Best ad tracker blockers

Another pest online: trackers that follow your movements around the web to serve up ads. This is why you’ll be looking at a product on one site, then an ad for it magically appears when you visit another site.

To stop this intrusive (and frankly creepy) behaviour follow these steps:

Open up Safari and go to Preferences > Privacy and enable the ‘Prevent cross-site tracking’ option.

Block ads in Chrome on the Mac

Google’s Chrome browser is a popular alternative for Mac users, and even though Google is a full paid-up member of the advertising fan club, it allows plenty of scope for ad-blocking.

How to block Popups in Chrome

Let’s start by disabling popups, something which can be done from Chrome’s own settings – no need to install any extensions.

• In Chrome select Chrome > Preferences.
• Scroll down and click Advanced.
• Below the heading ‘Privacy and security’, click the option Content settings.

Best Chrome ad blockers on the Mac

As with Safari, Chrome won’t actually block adverts for you – and there isn’t an easily accessed equivalent of Reader mode. (Google has publicly discussed something similar called Distill Mode, but there’s no straightforward way for Mac users to turn this on without recourse to extensions.)

Many well known ad blockers are browser-agnostic, fortunately. The two suggested above – AdBlock and AdGuard – are both able to deal with adverts in Chrome.

‘Read later’ services

If you decide you don’t want to install an ad blocker, an alternative solution is to use a read-later service. These are simple systems that let you easily save an article in a form that strips out the adverts; you can then read if later (or right away, for that matter) without being troubled by all the visual tomfoolery.

Our favourite such service is Pocket . Sign up to the service and you’ll be able to create a ‘Read later’ button as a bookmark in Safari, Chrome or whichever other browser you like.

Open an article, click the button and it’ll save to your account. You can then read the ad-free version online (from any machine) or, best of all in our experience, offline using the iPhone app .

Author: David Price , Editor

David has loved the iPhone since covering the original 2007 launch; later his obsession expanded to include iPad and Apple Watch. He offers advice to owners (and prospective owners) of these devices.

Recent stories by David Price:

• WWDC 2024: Everything you need to know
• How to tell if someone’s iPhone is on Do Not Disturb
• How to type a hashtag (#) on Mac

Ghostery Tracker & Ad Blocker for Safari

Sets you up for a private, transparent, and fast internet..

100+ million downloads across platforms

10+ years fighting for your privacy

Always open source

We’ve been mentioned in the press

GHOSTERY TRACKER & AD BLOCKER

Puts you back in the driver’s seat.

Ghostery stops trackers, ads, and popups in Safari and keeps your personal data private and off the data brokers’ wallets. Your personal data is your business!

Privacy Protection

Our Safari Ad Blocker & tracking counteragent takes things to the next level. Every ad, popup and tracker carry your personal information across the web. This data can be used to harm you anytime. By using Ghostery you protect your privacy.

Transparency

Behind every website visit or search you make, trackers are recording and transmitting every step you take. Ghostery's tracker blocker extension neutralizes these trackers while also working as a high-level Ad Blocker for Safari, giving you more peace of mind. Over the Tracker Panel, Ghostery displays the trackers that were identified and neutralized.

Speed & Focus

The more resources load on a website, the slower it gets. By decluttering the web, Ghostery's Safari Adblocker extension speeds up pages and avoids draining your internet bandwidth and battery.

Community Powered

Ghostery tracking protection is powered by many. Once a new tracker is detected by one of our users, everyone’s privacy improves. Our code is open source, everyone can investigate it. Browse the internet safer with Ghostery's Tracker & Ad Blocker for Safari that can be used on mobile & desktop!

GHOSTERY FEATURES

Engineered for privacy protection.

Ghostery stops trackers on Safari - blocks ads, cookies and popups - clicks you out of consent dialogues at each website visit.

Tracker Panel

Ghostery x-rays the web to display every tracker lurking behind the websites you visit.

To secure your privacy all trackers are neutralized. Your personal data are detached and replaced by random values, leaving data collectors in the dark about your identity.

Privacy Building Blocks

Anti-tracking.

AI-driven technology neutralizing trackers’ ability to collect your personal data. Replacing it by random values it puts data brokers in the dark about your identity and sends a personal message of tracking being unacceptable.

Ad-Blocking

Removes all advertising and promotional content from the websites you visit, leaving you with a clutter-free, focused view on information. The less resources load on a page, the faster it gets.

Never-Consent

Clicks you out of all consent dialogues in favor of never tracking. This unequaled feature adds convenience to each website visit and acts like your globally active privacy advocate towards content providers.

Over 100+ million Ghostery downloads for privacy protection

Join the ghostery user community and protect your personal data online, faq: tracker & ad blocker for safari, how do i stop safari from tracking me.

By using Ghostery, you can easily stop Safari from tracking you. We use AI-driven technology to stop trackers getting ahold of your personal information, ensuring you can safely browse the web using Safari. 

Does Safari Really Prevent Tracking?

Over the past few years, Apple has really strengthened Intelligent Tracking Prevention on Safari. Safari prevents trackers from accessing cookies and collecting certain types of data, but Safari does not block trackers. If you use Ghostery as well as using Safari as your browser, you will receive a high level of protection.

How Do I Stop Websites From Tracking Me?

You can utilise your privacy settings on Safari, by going onto Safari, choosing Preferences, and selecting Privacy. Then select “Prevent Cross-Site Tracking”. Additionally, add an extra level of protection by using the Ghostery Browser Extension for Safari.

What Does It Mean If Trackers are Profiling You?

Unless you are using anti-tracker software, everyone is being tracked online. Profiling is when your data and information is collected by tech giants such as Facebook and Google or even government agencies. They then use your personal information to create a general profile of your behavior and identity. 

How Do I Stop Trackers From Profiling Me?

There are many ways to stop trackers from profiling you. One of the best ways is to use Ghostery’s free browser extension which will block both ads and trackers. You should also consider using a VPN and a private search engine to stop trackers from profiling you too.

Can Websites Track You On Safari?

You must ask Safari to stop websites from tracking you, but even with this option turned on, Safari will send the website in question a request to stop tracking you, and it’s then up to the website whether they honor this request. At Ghostery, our anti-tracker technology is more robust. 

How Do I Stop Web Trackers?

While you can disable trackers via the privacy settings on Safari, Ghostery tracker blocker really ensures that trackers can’t get hold of your personal details. 

What is the Best Free Ad Blocker for Safari?

Ghostery is a free browser extension that will block ads for you, while keeping your information and data safe and secure as you browse the net. 

Are Safari Ad Blockers Safe?

Ghostery’s Safari Ad Blockers will protect your privacy from trackers and from ads that may steal your personal information. It’s always better to be safe than sorry with an ad blocker.

What is the Safest Ad Blocker?

Ghostery is one of the safest ad blockers, alongside AdBlock, Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome’s ad blockers. Our ad blocker is safe and free and can be easily downloaded as a browser extension for Safari. 

How Do I Block Ads On Apple?

You can block ads on Apple by simply selecting preferences in the Safari menu, and in the websites tab selecting pop-up windows. If there are any websites in the list, highlight them all and click remove. However, if you want to ensure that you don’t have any ads popping up as you search online, we would recommend downloading Ghostery as an extra level of security. 

How Do I Block YouTube Ads on Safari?

You can customize our tracker and ad-blocker however you want, and our ad-blocking removes all advertising and promotional content from the websites you visit. Therefore, once you’ve enabled Ghostery, you’ll be able to block YouTube ads on Safari.

Does Mac have a Built-in Ad Blocker?

Mac does not have a built in ad blocker, and if you want to completely block third party ads, you’ll have to download a browser extension such as Ghostery.

Still have questions?

If there is anything you miss in Ghostery or have any questions, please drop a line to [email protected] . We’re happy to talk to you anytime.

Join 100+ Million Ghostery downloads

Protect your privacy with the web’s most advanced ad and tracker blocker!

• VPN & Privacy
• Ad-blocker for Safari

Best ad-blockers for Safari

Whether it’s an autoplay video covering the button you’re about to click, or a banner ad obscuring the content you’re trying to read – everyone hates adverts. Happily, the best ad-blocker for Safari will stop adverts and other annoyances from ever bothering you again.

Sophisticated ad-blockers remove a whole host of stubborn adverts, as well as trackers and fingerprinting scripts. They’ll also help prevent you from connecting to malicious websites and will neutralize threatening adware code.

Choosing from one of the multitude of ad-blockers available for Safari on the App Store can be daunting, which is why we’ve done the work for you. If you’re in a rush, our findings are summarized below:

• Total Adblock : Our first choice for a Safari ad-blocker. Strong ad-blocking ability and can prevent social media trackers and access to malicious websites.
• AdLock : Best budget option for a Safari ad-blocker. Able to stop ads on video and audio streaming sites. Blocks all ads by default.
• AdGuard : Open-source ad-blocker able to stop all types of ads as well as trackers, malware and phishing websites.
• 1Blocker : Simple to use and great for quickly creating custom rules. Stops trackers, cookies and fingerprinting scripts as well as ads.
• Wipr : Easy installation and great at blocking ads, trackers, and cryptocurrency miners. Can also prevent EU cookie and GDPR notices.

We used the criteria below to help us narrow down the Safari ad-blocker options. If you’re interested, we have a comprehensive section on our testing process later in this article.

• Comprehensive and reliable ad-blocking
• Good value for money
• No acceptable ads
• Plenty of customization
• Security features

Here’s a list of the best ad-blockers for safari:

1. Total Adblock

Total Adblock is a powerful ad-blocker that removes banners, video ads and pop-ups by default from Safari – but only on iPhone and iPad. Mac users will need to use a different browser if they wish to employ Total Adblock.

The software can be configured to block websites known to distribute malware, and can also remove cookie and privacy warnings on trusted websites – thus speeding up page loading times. Alternatively, adding websites to a whitelist enables them to automatically display without any filters.

Using Total Adblock’s custom filters allows you to block any elements on a web page that you’d prefer not to see. A social media tracking blocking filter stops “like” and “share” buttons from appearing on websites.

The basic Total Adblock app is free, but will not block ads on the top 15,000 websites ranked on Alexa – thus making it fairly useless. You will also get access to TotalAV virus protection and PC Tune-Up software.

• Robust ad-blocking with subscription
• Stops ads on streaming sites
• Enables element blocking
• Subscription includes TotalAV antivirus
• Prevents social media tracking
• Annual subscription required for usable app

BEST AD-BLOCKER: Total Adblock is our top  ad-blocker for Safari. It offers rigorous blocking of ads and malware, and the subscription includes TotalAV antivirus.

AdLock for Safari is a free extension that blocks pop-ups, autoplay videos, and banner ads; while also protecting you against trackers, bugs, analytical systems, and scammers.

The UI is immediately approachable, making it easy to get started. Toggle switches help you set preferences, and there’s a whitelist where you can add any sites that you’d rather see unfiltered. There are no acceptable ads, so you don’t need to dig around trying to turn them off. You also don’t need to worry about your data being sold to third parties.

There’s scope for more comprehensive tinkering via the ad filters – AdLock recommends using a maximum of five for peak performance. These filters are mostly drawn from EasyList, which is the most popular option for ad-blockers. You can create custom rules and AdLock also allows the removal of any element from a page, including non-ad-related callback forms and online chat boxes.

AdLock is great for streaming sites. It can remove all pre-rolls, mid-rolls, post-rolls, and otherwise unskippable video commercials. You just need to engage a special one-click script or use the AdLock player. AdLock also stops social media widgets following you from site to site.

• Rigorous blocking
• Good for streaming sites
• Protects privacy
• Extension is free
• Extension not as powerful as app

BEST BUDGET-FRIENDLY OPTION: AdLock’s free Safari browser  extension is a reliable ad-blocker that stops ads in streaming sites.

AdGuard for Safari is a free browser extension that stops all ads, trackers and widgets. You can create custom filtering rules and manually remove any web page element. The software helps with security by issuing warnings if you unintentionally visit malicious or phishing websites.

The AdGuard home screen allows you to set up the basics: notification preferences, update intervals, and which content blockers you’d like to use. Content blockers are thematic clusters of filters. For example, the AdGuard Security Blocker contains filters that stop browser-based cryptominers, domains known to spread malware and spyware, and sites associated with fraudsters.

Alternatively, you can add filters of your choosing in the custom area, or create custom rules that apply specific filtering criteria. For example, you might want a particular element removed when visiting such-and-such website. AdGuard provides instructions on how to master rule syntax.

AdGuard doesn’t collect any user data or allow “acceptable ads”. The software is open-source, with the repository on GitHub available via the AdGuard “About” page.

• Intercepts malicious website connections
• Allows custom rule creation
• Stops social media widgets
• Doesn’t block as much as its app

CUSTOMIZATION OPTIONS: AdGuard is a powerful, open-source ad-blocker that encourages the creation of custom filters and rules.

4. 1Blocker

1Blocker uses filters to tell Safari what to stop in advance. It’s effective at removing a range of ads, trackers and fingerprinting scripts. Setup is simple and the app automatically receives cloud updates to the built-in filters.

There is plenty of scope for customization. For example, you can create rules for a defined URL or hide a particular element with a CSS selector. You can also block cookies, or allow ads for a particular site while still blocking trackers and social buttons.

1Blocker doesn’t have access to the pages you visit and doesn’t track you in any way. There are no “acceptable ads,” as funding for the app comes from subscriptions. These cost either $2.99 a month, or $14.99 for a year. There is a free version of the app, but it’s limited in what it can do. For example, you can only block either trackers or ads – not both.

1Blocker is compatible with iPhones running iOS 14.2 or later, iPads running iPadOS 14.2 or later, iPod Touches running iOS 14.2 or later, and Macbooks running macOS 10.15 or later. Any preferences and custom rules are kept in sync across all devices via iCloud.

• Easy to use
• Blocks fingerprinting scripts
• Easy to create custom rules
• Doesn’t block all types of ads
• Best features require subscription

GREAT FOR BEGINNERS: 1Blocker is simple  to set up, with a straightforward interface that makes creating custom rules easy.

Wipr is a relatively simple ad-blocker that can nevertheless block a wide range of trackers and ads, as well as cryptocurrency miners and EU cookie notices. Its blocklist is automatically updated twice a week, ensuring not much gets past it.

If you want to block ads from the likes of YouTube and other streaming sites , you can enable Wipr Extra. This requires full website access, so consider any privacy implications in leaving it turned on long-term.

Wipr is able to block ads in apps that display websites using the Safari View Controller. Note that it is not able to help with blocking scam, phishing or other malicious sites.

If purchased in the App Store, you’ll be able to install Wipr on all the iPhone and iPads with the same Apple ID. If purchased on a Mac, you’ll be able to install it on all the Macs with the same Apple ID. Wipr costs $1.99 in each store, so you’ll have to pay $3.98 if you wish to use it on both an iPhone and a Mac, for example.

The app is compatible with iPhones running iOS 12.0 or later, iPads running iPadOS 12.0 or later, and Macs running macOS 10.15 or later.

• Straightforward ad-blocker
• Doesn’t protect against malicious code
• One purchase won’t cover all devices
• No custom rules

EASY SETUP: Wipr is a straightforward  ad-blocker that keeps itself updated and blocks a decent number of ads and trackers.

Can I use a free ad-blocker for Safari?

You can, and there are many decent free ad-blockers available. However, as with most products that seem free, there’s often a hidden cost. Some ad-blockers make money by allowing some ads through – what are sometimes called “acceptable ads.” Other, less scrupulous, apps may even sell your data to third parties.

More commonly, ad-blocking developers create a free version of the subscription-only service – typically a browser extension. This has less features than the paid-for version, but allows people to become familiar with the service and pay out when they find that they can’t live without a particular feature.

How to install a Safari ad-blocker:

If you want to use a Safari browser extension ad-blocker, follow these instructions:

• Launch the Settings app.
• Scroll down and tap Safari .
• Under General , tap Content Blockers .
• Activate your chosen content blocker by toggling the switch next to it to the green ON position.

If you’ve downloaded an ad-blocker app for Safari, follow these instructions to enable it:

• Click on Safari in the top left-hand corner.
• Select Safari Extensions from the drop-down menu.
• Wait for the App Store to automatically open on the extensions page.
• Search for the ad-blocker you’d like to add.
• Click Get underneath the ad-blocker extension.
• Sign in with your Apple ID if required and start downloading.
• Click install to get the app up and running.
• Open the extension and follow the instructions.
• Click on Safari in the top right corner once more.
• Select Preferences from the drop-down menu.
• Tick the checkbox next to the ad-blocker you downloaded.

Methodology: Finding the best Safari ad-blocker

Most Safari ad-blocking extensions are capable of preventing certain cookies, images, pop-ups and other unwanted content from being downloaded. So what makes one better than the other? The best Safari ad-blockers will perform notably well when tested against the criteria below:

• Comprehensive blocking: We expect ad-blockers to be able to block most types of advert that appears on a web page. This includes pop-ups , banners, and interstitial ads. We also require the removal of autoplay video and audio, as well as the option to stop chat boxes and pre-roll ads.
• Good value: An expensive ad-blocker doesn’t necessarily mean it’s worth your money. We only include ad-blockers that can justify what they charge. This normally means they provide superior blocking ability with other privacy and security features.
• No acceptable ads: We know that developers need to make money, but allowing ads on an ad-blocker doesn’t seem like the right way to do it. For this reason, we don’t recommend ad-blockers that allow paid advertising to be displayed.
• Plenty of customization: Ruthless blocking seems great… until it isn’t. Being able to whitelist sites is a good starting point. However, a good ad-blocker allows you to create custom rules for everything from ads to trackers, cookies and notices. We also like to be able to customize blocking on an element-by-element basis.
• Security features: It’s not just ads we want to see blocked, it’s trackers, fingerprinting script and any malicious code whatsoever. Ad-blockers that intercept connections to untrusted sites score points too.
• Compatibility: Safari is available on all Apple devices, including Mac, iPad, and iPhone. Although all of the ad-blockers we looked at worked with Safari, they didn’t all work great across all devices. The mobile Safari app is different to the macOS Safari app, and so we only recommend ad-blockers that have been specifically designed to work across all Apple devices.

FAQs: Best ad-blocker for Safari

Does apple allow ad-blockers.

Apple began allowing ad-blockers on the iPhone and iPad versions of Safari in 2015. Devices running iOS 9 were – for the first time – permitted to add content blocking extensions to Safari. 

Prior to this, the only way to block adverts was to “jailbreak” the devices, which involved replacing – or modifying – key components of the operating system with custom applications. Where subsequent security measures weren’t instigated, this resulted in their becoming easier for attackers to infiltrate. 

Apple allowing ad-blocking Safari extensions negated the need to do this. At the same time, it ensured that the company could still make money from allowing advertising in apps.

Are ad-blockers legal?

Yes, though there were a slew of court cases when Apple first began allowing ad-blockers. These were brought by media companies that were heavily reliant on advertising money. None of them were successful, and the use of ad-blockers has been steadily increasing since – much to the chagrin of the ad industry. 

The problem is that ads are becoming ever more invasive. Many actively prevent us from enjoying a particular website’s content until we’ve interacted with the advert. Meanwhile, ad-blockers are getting more powerful and easier to install. 

Of course, the people who run that website might say that ad-blockers are morally questionable. After all, advertising revenue effectively pays for the website. There is ultimately no easy solution. Some sites try using a paywall to stay ad-free, while others incorporate adverts into their content. A short-term solution involves site owners asking users to whitelist their sites if they like them.  

How do ad-blockers work?

Ad-blockers detect scripts designed to make your browser load content from the servers of ad networks. By blocking these scripts, the adverts aren’t requested or displayed. Ad-blockers can also block scripts that monitor your online behavior or contain malicious code. Ad-blockers are able to detect scripts by comparing them with huge lists of offending domains – often created by the online community. 

Without these additional advertising requests playing out, pages tend to require less bandwidth and are quicker to download. Indeed, research suggests that the execution of third-party scripts can account for more than half of a page’s loading time.

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This information can be used to target ads and monitor your internet usage.

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We recommend using NordVPN - #1 of 72 VPNs in our tests. It offers outstanding privacy features and is currently available at a discounted rate.

uBlock Origin - Free, open-source ad content blocker.

Easy on cpu and memory..

Github (gorhill/uBlock)

uBlock Origin is not just an “ad blocker“, it's a wide-spectrum content blocker with CPU and memory efficiency as a primary feature.

Open-source ad blocker

The uBlock Origin is a free and open-source, cross-platform browser extension for content filtering—primarily aimed at neutralizing privacy invasion in an efficient, user-friendly method.

CPU and memory efficiency

Globally, uBlock Origin could save consumers more than $1.8 billion/year( study ). Open source ad blockers are a potentially effective technology for energy conservation.

Various browsers support

uBlock Origin’s extension is available for several of the most widely used browsers, including: Chrome, Chromium, MS Edge, Opera, Firefox and all Safari releases prior to 13.

About uBlock Origin

In 2014 uBlock Origin’s founder, original author and lead developer, Raymond Hill, created the original uBlock extension, with its development initiated by forking the codebase of HTTP Switchboard with a separate blocking extension, uMatrix, which had been previously designed for advanced users. The initial uBlock was developed by Raymond Hill in order to enable community-maintained block lists while simultaneously adding additional features and upgrading the code quality to proper release standards. First released in June 2014 as an exclusive Chrome and Opera extension, in late 2015 the initial uBlock extension expanded to other browsers under its current name – uBlock Origin. (occasionally represented globally as – uBlock₀).

Following this 2015 introduction, a collaborative comsource and Sourcepoint industry research survey reported an 833% growth rate over a 10-month period ending in August 2016, the most rapid growth among any industry software publicly listed at that time. This report attributed this enormous surge to collective user demand for “pure” blockers with the capacity to operate outside the “acceptable advertising” program used by AdBlock, and other industry extensions.

Quickly gaining traction throughout the entire ad-blocking industry, the uBlock Origin Firefox version collected over 5 million active users, with its Chrome extension subsequently compiling over 10 million active users. Developer Nik Rolls then officially released uBlock Origin for the Microsoft Edge browser in December 2016.

In January 2017, uBlock Origin was added to the repositories for Debian 9 , and Ubuntu (16.04), and the uBlock Origin extension was awarded the prestigious IoT honor of “Pick of the Month” by Mozilla.

As of 2024, uBlock Origin continues to be maintained and actively developed by founder and lead developer Raymond Hill.

The uBlock Origin extension remains an industry leading, open-source, cross-platform browser extension with software developed specifically for multiple platform use, and as of 2024, uBlock Origin’s extension is available for several of the most widely used browsers, including: Chrome, Chromium, Edge, Opera, Firefox and all Safari releases prior to 13.

The uBlock Origin project still specifically refuses donations at this time, and instead advises all of its clients, users and supporters to donate to block list maintainers.

14 Best Free Ad Blockers for Mac in 2024 [Safari Ad blockers]

This article lists some of the best free ad blockers for Mac to assist you to enjoy uninterrupted internet surfing at all times. 

While you are using any browser and surfing the internet, amongst the most annoying things that you have to face is the repeated appearance of ads. These ads not only interrupt your work but also are a huge mood killer. The tons of ads on websites make it impossible to surf smoothly.

However, this problem can be easily skipped with the help of ad blockers for Mac. Just like their name, these applications allow you to block all the ads that may appear on your Mac and provide an amazing and uninterrupted surfing experience. Using these tools, you can easily override the websites and remove or hide ads from your Mac screen.

What is an Ad Blocker?

Ad-Blocker is an app that will alter or remove ads on the web pages you visit. When you make a click on a site, the web page loads numerous scripts just to display the content. Some of these scripts are associated with adverts on the web page. Ad-blocker apps analyze these loaded scripts, compare them to a list of known advertising scripts, and block the suspicious ads.

How to Choose the best ad blocker for macOS

There’s a variety of Ad-Blockers available, but not all of them are safe to use. So, here are the following attributes that you can consider when choosing the best Ad-Blocker for macOS.

• Browser and platform compatibility.
• Good ad tracking and blocking capabilities.
• Supports Whitelisting.
• Features to protect your online activity as well as your device.

So, let’s proceed to the best ad blocker for Mac tools below.

Top 14 Best Free Ad Blockers for Mac

Now, it’s time to go through the list of the top ad blockers for Mac in 2024. All of these have different features to offer and hence you should go through all the tools before downloading any one or more of these. Use the tool(s) that satisfy your needs at most.

1. Wipr- Adblock Safari Mac

Wipr is the first name on this list of the best ad blockers for Mac. With the help of this tool, you can easily block the ads as well as improve the loading speed of the browser and battery of your Mac. Hence, this tool is at the top of this list. Additionally, the app is an expert in making the browser run faster without reading your personal information.

With the help of this free ad blocker for Mac, you can get rid of ads permanently without having any problems. Additionally, the smart build of this tool allows the tool to get data about ads and block the same in the future as well.

Download Wipr for Mac

Also Read: Best Mac Cleaner Apps

2. Adblock Plus for Safari ABP- Best AdBlock Safari

Second, comes Adblock Plus for Safari ABP is among the top ad blockers for Mac. This is a great tool that provides you to remove all kinds of video and infographic ads with a single click. If you are using the Safari browser to surf the internet, then this tool is the best one for you. This tool is the most downloaded solution and hence can be relied on very easily.

The tool is very safe and keeps your privacy very secure from outsiders. Here is the best part about the tool. When you use Adblock Plus for Safari ABP, you don’t have to worry about excessive battery usage as it uses very low power to work. This tool comes in quite handy when you are playing a game using the best Nintendo DS emulator for Mac .

Download Adblock Plus for Safari ABP for Mac

3. AdLock- Best AdBlock Safari Mac Chrome

If you are a professional or use Mac to surf the internet regularly, then you should try AdLock. This is among the best ad blockers for Mac. With the help of a single click, you can protect your Mac from all kinds of ads. Additionally, the tool also provides other information on your device like traffic.

amongst the best features of the tool is its amazing interface with attractive bits and top-notch display properties. You can get this best free ad blocker for Mac to get data about how many ads have been received and blocked over the period.

Download AdLock for Mac

4. AdBlock- Free Ad Blocker for Mac

If you are looking for amongst the best ad blockers for Mac, especially for Chrome, then you can use AdBlock. Just like the name of the tool, it works quite perfectly to hide and block all the ads from your Chrome browser. The tool will remove the ads while surfing the internet, but that’s not the only thing it does. The tool will also remove all the ads from social media websites like Facebook and streaming platforms like Youtube.

Adblock Mac Chrome is the single most and the greatest solution that provides you to sync settings and account ad preferences online. This way, even if you change the device, you can still get the customized settings at once.

Download AdBlock for Mac Chrome

5. AdBlock One: Tube Ad Blocker- Best AdBlock Safari Mac

The next best ad blocker for Mac is AdBlock One. This is a great solution for all of you who are looking for some efficient ad-blocking features. The tool is very customizable and provides you to modify the interface preferences according to your requirements with ease.

With a single click, you can set up this best ad blocker for Mac on your device. After this faster webpage loading, optimal safety while surfing, etc. are some of the best features that you get with the tool.

Download AdBlock One: Tube Ad Blocker for Mac

Also Read: Best Free Auto Clicker For Mac

6. AdGuard by Adguard Software Limited- Best Ad Blocker for Mac

We are ending this list with AdGuard by Adguard Software Limited. This is one of the most amazing best free ad blockers for Mac. This is a cross-platform tool that allows you to control the ads of different websites and on different browsers.

Using this tool, you can also remove other annoying website components apart from the ads. Apart from browsers, you can also download this tool for operating systems like Windows, macOS, and other devices.

Download AdGuard by Adguard Software Limited for Mac

7. NordVPN CyberSec- Best Adblock Mac Chrome/Safari

If you are willing to pay something to get amazing ad-blocking features, then NordVPN CyberSec is the best alternative for you. The tool is an amazing addition to this list of the top best ad blockers for Mac in 2024. The goodwill Nord along with an easy-to-use interface is what makes this tool so reliable at ad-blocking.

NordVPN CyberSec is not a standalone tool but a part of the NorVPN tool. With the help of this among the best VPN tools , you can also avail the benefits of effective ad-blocking. The tool also jumps off the hackers and meddlers for additional security.

Download NordVPN for Mac

8. Poper Blocker (Chrome)- Adblock Mac Chrome

If you are unsatisfied with the AdBlock tool provided above for Chrome, then you can also consider Poper Blocker (Chrome). This tool is among the best ad blockers for Mac with a simple user interface but great and reliable ad-blocking features.

The app can easily remove pop-ups and overlays of any kind from your Chrome browser with a single activation. However, this best ad blocker for Mac is available for Chrome only, so you may go ahead to get one for other platforms.

Download Poper Blocker for Mac Chrome

9. MacKeeper- Best Ad Blocker for Mac

Just like NordVPN , MacKeeper is not one of the standalone ad blockers for Mac. You can download this uninstaller and performance booster for Mac and avail the benefits of the ad-blocker. Mackeeper is among the most trusted and popular tools that you will find on various Macs.

The tool also provides you to get rid of excessive and unnecessary data from your device and improve its performance. Although MacKeeper can work as a free ad blocker for Mac, you may need to get the paid version for more features.

Download MacKeeper for Mac

10. uBlock Origin- Adblock Mac Chrome

If you want amongst the best ad blockers for Mac Firefox or Chrome, then you can use uBlock Origin. This is an amazing tool that offers some of the most reliable ad-blocking features. The tool is not only free but also available as an open-source tool. This means that you can edit the coding of the app to use it as you may.

You can get the source code of this free ad blocker for Mac from GitHub. The extension also provides information about the performance of the CPU and its memory efficiency.

Download uBlock Origin for Adblock Mac Chrome

11. Ad Block by Magic Lasso- Best Ad Blocker for Mac

Ad Block by Magic Lasso is the next name on this list of the best ad blockers for Mac. A great alternative to blocking ads on Mac, Ad Block provides you to get the smoothest and most interruptions-free experience on your device while surfing. Additionally, you can also steam freely once you get your hands on the tool.

Although this free ad blocker for Mac is last on the list, is not at all the worst of the above products. It’s just that the features offered by Ad Block by Magic Lasso are quite different from that of others.

Download Ad Block by Magic Lasso for Mac

Also Read: Best Startup Manager Apps for Mac

12. Clario – Adblocker Mac

Another best Ad blocker for Mac in 2024 is Clario. It works equally well with both Google Chrome and Safari. The Ad blocker prevents users from ads, phishing attacks, or any fraud links. To maintain privacy it offers VPN and stops malware attack automatically.

Therefore, Clario’s feature is not just restricted to Ad blocking it also offers anonymous browsing. It also offers 24*7 customer support to resolve all your concerns. And all these features do not affect ensure that your browsing experience is improved.

Download Clario for Mac

13. Total AdBlock – Best Adblocker for Mac

Total AdBlock is one of the excellent ad-blocking solutions for Safari on iOS devices. Although this ad-Safari blocker’s extension is unfortunately not currently accessible for Mac devices, it effectively gets rid of all kinds of annoying ads on iPhones and iPads. But don’t worry! If you’re a Mac user, you can still use this ad-blocker with all the other popular browsers, including Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Firefox, and Opera.

Total Adblock also takes proper care of your online privacy by blocking trackers and third-party cookies. So you can surf on Safari (and other browsers) without worrying that some advertisers and third-party companies might snoop on your activities or collect your data. Additionally, thanks to its unique features like YouTube ad-blocker, your entire online experience is improved and becomes faster and much safer.

If you want to enhance your whole browsing experience, then consider relying on the premium version, which lets you block unlimited ads. In addition to this, you will also get anti-virus and anti-malware protection for free, and a complete 30-day money-back guarantee.

Download Total AdBlock for Mac

14. 1Blocker – Amazing AdBlocker for macOS

1Blocker is the next best Free Ad Blockers for Mac that you can consider if you are seeking for one of the finest ad blockers for Mac, particularly for Chrome and Safari. When it comes to providing you with the ability to synchronize your settings and account preferences for advertisements online, 1Blocker Mac Chrome is the single most and the ideal option. In this manner, even if you switch devices, you will still be able to get the previously configured settings all at once.

When it comes to concealing and blocking all advertisements from your Chrome browser, the program performs very well, just as its name suggests. In addition to removing advertisements while you are browsing the internet, the program has a number of other features as well.

Additionally, the technology will eliminate all advertisements from social networking websites such as Facebook and streaming platforms such as YouTube among other websites.

Download 1Blocker for Mac

Top Best Ad Blockers for Mac in 2024: Listed

So, we hope now that you are familiar with the best ad blocker for Mac tools of all time, you can surf the internet without any obstructions. You can download and use any of the tools provided for the best experience. However, if any doubts or questions related to the guide are troubling you, then you can write the same in the comments below. We will help you with every possible solution.

Don’t forget to subscribe to the newsletter and show some love to this guide on the best ad blockers for Mac by sharing it online. We appreciate your effort.

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How to Block Ads in Safari on the iPhone

There are some built-in tools, but you'll likely need a content blocker plug-in

• Ithaca College

In This Article

Jump to a Section

• Block Ads on iPhone
• Install Content Blocking Apps
• Choose an Ad-Blocking Plug-In
• Block Pop-Ups

Why You Should Block Ads

• Why You Shouldn't Block Ads

What to Know

• Download and set up an ad blocker app. Then, on iPhone: Settings > Safari > Content Blockers ( on ).
• Suggested ad blockers: 1Blocker, Crystal Adblock, Norton Ad Blocker, Purify.
• Natively block Safari pop-ups on iPhone: Settings > Safari > Block Pop-ups ( on ).

This article explains how to use content blockers to block ads in Safari on iPhones with iOS 9 or higher.

Your phone must have iOS 9 or higher to use content blockers. Update the iPhone OS to ensure it has the most up-to-date version with current security patches.

How to Block Ads on iPhone With Safari

Using an ad blocker for your iPhone means your browser won't download ads. This usually means faster page loads, a longer-lasting battery, and less wireless data usage. If you don't want to see pop-up ads, there is a way to block these ads. Here's how to do so using the Safari web browser for iPhone.

Content blockers are apps that add new features that your default web browser doesn't have. These are like third-party keyboards —separate apps that work inside other apps that support them. This means that to block ads, you need to install at least one of these apps.

Most iPhone content blockers work the same way. When you go to a website, the app checks a list of ad services and servers. If it finds these on the site you're visiting, the app blocks the website from loading those ads on the page. Some apps take a comprehensive approach by blocking the ads and tracking the cookies used by advertisers based on those cookies' URLs .

How to Install Content Blocking Apps

To block ads with Safari content blocker apps, install the app, and then enable it from the iPhone Settings app.

Go to the App Store and download a content-blocking app to your iPhone. The example here is Norton Ad Blocker, but all ad-blocking apps work similarly. See the list below for other suggested apps.

Open the ad blocker app and follow the instructions to set it up. Every app is different, but each offers instructions to turn on the ad-blocking abilities.

On the iPhone home screen, open the Settings app.

Select Safari > Content Blockers .

Move the toggle switch next to the ad-blocker app you installed to On (green).

Choose an Ad-Blocking Plug-In for Safari

There is a sizable market for ad-blocking Safari plug-ins. The following options can get you started:

• 1Blocker : Free, with in-app purchases. In addition to more than 50,000 built-in blocker rules, this app supports custom rules to block sites and cookies and to hide other elements.
• Crystal Adblock : At $0.99, the developer claims that this ad blocker loads pages four times faster and uses 50 percent less data. This app also lets you opt to view ads on some sites to support those sites.
• Norton Ad Blocker : This free ad-blocking app from the company behind the popular and long-running antivirus software also lets you add exceptions.
• Purify : Grab this content blocker for $1.99 to block ads and tracking software. It includes a list (typically called a whitelist) to allow you to see ads on some sites if you like. According to the developer, after blocking Safari ads with this app, you can expect a fourfold increase in page load speeds and your web browsing data usage to be cut in half.

How to Block Pop-Ups on the iPhone Using Built-In Tools

Ad-blocking apps can block all kinds of ads and trackers used by advertisers. If you only want to block intrusive pop-ups, you don't need to download an app because pop-up blocking is a built-in feature in Safari. Here's what you need to do:

On the iPhone home screen, select Settings > Safari .

Toggle the Block Pop-ups switch to On (green), if it isn't already.

You can enable the Safari pop-up blocker on your computer, too.

The main benefit of blocking ads is that you don't see advertising. However, there are other key benefits to using these anti-advertisement apps:

• Websites load faster : Ads are extra elements on the page that have to load, and ads often stream video or play animations. It takes time for the page to fully download and often causes other things like non-ad images and videos to take longer to display.
• You'll be more secure : Many ads are vectors for malware. Infected ads hit a network, even a legitimate one, to disrupt your device.
• You use less data : When you no longer see ads, you won't use your monthly data allowances to load ads. Some ad-blocking apps claim to save you lots of data. While their numbers may be inflated, you'll reduce your data usage to some degree because ad images and videos don't download to your phone.
• A longer-lasting battery : Downloading ads, just like downloading anything in Safari, requires energy. One way to have a longer-lasting battery is to stop downloading so much data, which is what happens when you use an ad blocker.

Why You Shouldn't Block Ads

One downside you might encounter when you block ads on your iPhone is that some websites don't load properly. Some sites detect whether their ads load, and if ads don't load, you can't use the site until you unblock their ads.

Almost every site on the internet makes the majority of its money by showing advertising to its readers. If the ads are blocked, the site doesn't get paid. The money made from advertising pays writers and editors, funds server and bandwidth costs, buys equipment, pays for photography and travel, and more. Without that income, it's possible that a site you visit every day could go out of business. Consider supporting your favorite sites by whitelisting them, so ads on those sites still display.

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The best ad blockers in 2024

Say goodbye to irritating online advertising with the best ad blockers

Best in-browser ad blockers

Best ad-blocking apps, best ad-blocking mobile apps, other privacy-focused extensions and apps.

The best ad blockers are crucial to survive on the modern internet. It often feels like it's impossible to go anywhere online without being harassed by pop-ups, tracker cookies, malvertising and all sort of digital nasties that seem hell-bent on ruining your browsing. The worse part is that these things still plague you if your browsing is above-board — putting you at risk.

Thankfully there's no shortage of apps and browser extensions that can block ads and keep you safer when you're online. Blocking ads and all the other irrelevant stuff that you may encounter. Combined with the best antivirus software and the best VPNs , a good ad-blocker gives you a perfect arsenal of tools to offer as much protection as possible. Even the FBI recommends using an ad-blocker for protection.

The only thing you need to figure out is which ad-blocker is right for you. There are so many to choose from, and whether you are willing to live with the downsides. Most free sites rely on advertising revenue to survive, including Tom's Guide. But if you're happy with the trade-off, we've got a thorough list of the best ad blockers and privacy tools — with options for every browser and platform.

The best ad blockers you can get today

1. adblock plus (chrome, edge, firefox, opera, safari, android, ios).

AdBlock Plus (ABP) is among the most popular ad blockers, with extensions available for Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Edge and Opera. ABP features a quick setup, loading preset filter lists that allow users to quickly block most ads, as well as the option to filter malware and social media buttons. 

Savvy users can chose additional block lists as well as set custom filters or whitelist their favorite sites to keep their ad revenue in the black. AdBlock Plus allows what it calls "non-intrusive advertising" through filters; that may irk some users, though this feature can be disabled in settings. 

On Android, the AdBlock Browser provides a Firefox-based browser that blocks incoming advertising, while on iOS, the AdBlock Plus app integrates with the content blocker system to seamlessly block advertising on Safari with minimal setup.

Download AdBlock Plus: Firefox , Chrome , Safari , Opera , Edge

2. AdBlock (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)

AdBlock (no relation to AdBlock Plus) is the other best ad-blocking browser extension of note, available for users of Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Safari. AdBlock uses a series of filter lists to automatically block ad content coming from known ad servers and providers. Users can stick with the default block lists, subscribe to additional ones, or even create their own, as well as whitelist their favorite websites. 

As one of the most downloaded Chrome and Safari extensions, AdBlock has the trust of many users worldwide.

Download AdBlock: Chrome , Firefox , Safari , Edge

3. uBlock Origin (Chrome, Firefox)

Ublock Origin is a browser-based ad blocker that focuses on simple, efficient blocking with a low resource overhead. The extension comes loaded with a number of filter lists for known advertising and malware sources, with extra filter lists available and the option to read and create your own custom filters from hosts files.

Download Ublock Origin: Chrome , Firefox

4. Poper Blocker (Chrome)

Rather than be an all-in one blocking solution, Poper Blocker (aka Pop Up Blocker For Chrome), is designed to complement other adblockers. 

In this case, Poper Blocker focuses on blocking pop-ups, pop-unders, overlays, timed and scroll pop-ups, and other varieties that might slip past other ad-blocking extensions. Small notifications tell you when pop-ups are blocked. You also can view your blocking stats, but otherwise, you can generally just keep Poper Blocker running in the background with minimal impact alongside other adblocker extensions.

Download Poper Blocker: Chrome

5. Stands Fair AdBlocker (Chrome)

For a fast and light ad-blocking plugin, Chrome users can turn to Stands Fair AdBlocker. The extension does precisely what it promises, blocking ads and pop-ups from cluttering up your browser view while also preventing any tracking from going on. 

Stand's Fair AdBlocker gives you control over the type of ads you can block, specifying everything from autoplay video ads, YouTube ads, expanding ads and more. It can even block Facebook ads if you want.

The "Fair" part of AdBlocker comes into play by giving you the ability to allow certain types of ads or even whitelist ad-supported websites you don't want to shortchange of badly needed revenue. This is one ad blocker that doesn't take a scorched earth approach to its stated purpose.

Download Stands Fair AdBlocker: Chrome

6. Ghostery (Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Safari, Edge)

Like the other extensions on our list of the best ad blockers, Ghostery can remove ads from webpages, so you can focus on content and browse more efficiently. But the real value in Ghostery lies in its privacy protection features. You can use Ghostery to view trackers, which lets you see who's trying to collect data on you. With Ghostery, you can also stop that tracking from taking place. If you really want to safeguard your privacy, you can turn to Ghostery's Enhanced Anti Tracking to anonymize your data.

Ghostery's a free download that offers basic web protection. More advanced protection starts at $4.99 a month and the $11.99 monthly tier comes with a built-in VPN. There are also versions of Ghostery that work with Android and iOS devices.

Download Ghostery: Chrome , Firefox , Opera , Safari , Edge

7. Adblocker for YouTube (Chrome, Firefox)

YouTube has gotten more aggressive with ads, so the makers of ad-blocking extensions have followed suit. Adblocker for YouTube is a Chrome extension that promises to automatically block YouTube ads, whether we're talking about the pre-roll ad appearing before your video or any text and banner ads that appear on the video itself.

If you prefer Firefox to Chrome, there's also an AdBlocker for YouTube extension that works on that browser. Same name, different developer apparently, but the functionality of stripping out video and display ads remains. This version works on Android devices too.

Download Adblocker for YouTube: Chrome , Firefox

1. AdGuard (Windows, Mac, Android, iOS)

Uses looking for a more robust experience can try out the subscription-based AdGuard, which provides desktop and mobile options to reduce the ads you see when surfing online. 

AdGuard on Windows and Mac covers popular browsers, with highly configurable options for ads, content, and tracker blocking, as well as a parental controls module for restricting adult content. AdGuard for Android is a no-root ad-blocker that blocks advertising on apps and games, though you’ll have to install it from AdGuard’s site instead of through Google Play. AdGuard for iOS works with Safari to effectively filter ads on the default browser.

Download AdGuard: Windows , Mac , Android , iOS

2. AdLock ($33 per year)

AdLock avoids the browser-based route, instead opting to run as a separate program to be able to block not only browser-based ads, but also advertising in other programs like Skype or games. 

The app runs in the background, using filters to block ads, popups, and autoplaying videos, speeding up loading times and applying Safe Browsing features to automatically block sites that are known to be unsafe. 

For obvious reasons, the mobile version is unavailable on the Google Play Store, so you'll need to sideload the app if you want to get AdLock into your Android device. iOS users can download AdLock directly from Apple's App Store.

Download AdLock: Windows , Chrome ,  Android , Mac , iOS

3. Wipr (macOS, iOS; $1.99)

If you’re a Safari fan, Wipr may be the best ad blocker for both your Mac and iPhone. The app is available for both iOS and macOS — costing $1.99 from either Apple App Store — and it promises to work with Safari as well as apps that use Safari for displaying web pages.

You’ll find a full array of features with Wipr, which not only blocks apps and trackers, but cryptocurrency miners, EU cookie and GDPR notices and anything else that gets in your way of surfing the web. Its blocklist gets updated twice a week, and there’s little configuration; the idea is that you load Wipr and forget that it’s there while it does its job in the background.

With Wipr, pages should load faster in Safari, which will be particularly welcome if you’re surfing from an iPhone, where ads and trackers can bog down your browser’s speed.

Download Wipr: macOS , iOS

1. 1Blocker (iOS)

1Blocker was one of the first really good ad blockers on iOS when Apple opened up that functionality on iPhones and iPads; the apps has since been optimized for Safari. 

The app is designed to make browsing faster and more secure by blocking ads, popups, trackers and other online cruft. Rather than blocking content of a downloaded page, 1Blocker works with Safari's content blocker API to tell the browser what to block in advance, saving time and resources. 

1Blocker features more than 115,000 blocker rules, custom regional adblocking settings, and easy-to-use custom rules settings. The app is a free download, with premium features available as in-app purchases.

Download 1Blocker: iOS

2. Firefox Focus (Android, iOS)

Firefox Focus is another addition to Mozilla's family of browsers. This one's a privacy-oriented version of Firefox that bakes in ad-blocking and anti-tracking into a light and functional package. Firefox Focus blocks ads and speeds up browsing, while also working in privacy-friendly features like automatic history and cookie clearing. 

Users can selectively block ads, analytics, content and social trackers with easy toggles, turn on a "stealth" mode, and set a default search engine.

Our look at the best Android browsers has more on the various flavors of Firefox.

Download Firefox Focus: Android , iOS

3. AdClear (Android, iOS)

AdClear — or AdClear Plus if you're searching for the iOS version — offers the kind of mobile ad blocking in browsers that similar apps provide. But AdClear takes it one step farther by also blocking ads in apps. 

AdClear achieves this through a DNS changer feature that routes traffic through a VPN. AdClear doesn't catch everything in all apps, and in our experience, some apps ran a little slower. But this free download can put a stop to ads interrupting what you're trying to do whether in an app or a browser.

Download AdClear: Android , iOS

1. Decentraleyes (Chrome, Firefox)

Some times, blocking ads can also prevent websites fromn pulling needed resoruces and libraries from third-party sources, breaking web pages in the process. Decentraleyes tries to stop that from happening by acting as a local content delivery network emulator to serve up the files that websites need. By doing so, this extension can stop websites from sending out requests to the likes of Google Hosted Libraries.

Think of Decentraleyes as a complement to ad blockers. In fact, the extension specifically says it can work with uBlock Origin and AdBlock Plus, both of which we recommend up above.

Download Decentraleyes: Chrome , Firefox

2. Opera (Desktop, Android, iOS)

The Opera browser bakes in ad-blocking features into the browser without the need for an extra add-on, while also offering privacy-friendly tools such as an unlimited, built-in VPN service, incognito mode, fraud and malware warnings for suspicious links and pages, and more. In addition, you can further customize Opera's capabilities with a wide array of extensions. 

Mobile users need not fret, as the Android version comes with just about everything the desktop version has but built for touch-screen interfaces. On iOS, the mobile version of Opera is listed in Apple's App Store as Opera Touch. (Incidentally, we've got a guide on how you can use Opera to block ads on the iPhone .)

Download Opera: Mac or Windows , Android , iOS

3. Privacy Badger (Chrome, Firefox, Opera)

The Electronic Frontier Foundation's Privacy Badger browser extension was born from the EFF's concerns about the business models of some privacy tools and ad blockers. 

Privacy Badger functions similarly to extensions like AdBlock Plus (on which it was based), observing the various tracking tools that advertisers and other third parties might use to track your online activities and selectively blocking them from executing. Built-in learning algorithms adapt to the sites you visit and take any new tracking tools discovered into account. 

While not explicitly an ad blocker, Privacy Badger does also block some advertising, depending on how aggressively the ads track you across websites.

Download Privacy Badger: Chrome , Firefox , Opera

4. Tor Browser (Desktop, Android)

The Tor network helps anonymize your internet activity by bouncing the data you send and receive through a distributed anonymous network of routers to foil a common online surveillance technique called traffic analysis, which can reveal the sites you visit or who you're communicating with. 

The Tor Browser is an all-in-one package that includes everything you need to surf the net through the Tor network in an easy-to-install portable package. The package includes a modified version of Firefox with privacy aids such as NoScript baked in, and an automatic setup aid that makes it easy to connect to and create new Tor circuits. 

On the desktop, you can grab a version of Tor Browser for Windows, macOS or Linux. There's also a version of Tor Browser for Android, which replaces the previous OrBot + OrFox combination recommended for browsing Tor on Android.

Download Tor Browser: Desktop , Android

5. Onion Browser (iOS)

iOS users aren’t left out when it comes to browsing the Tor anonymizer network, with the Onion Browser among the more popular options on Apple’s mobile OS. 

Previously a premium app, Onion Browser has since moved to a donation model, opening up access to everyone who wants to download the app, without compromising security or features. The usual caveats apply: Browsing through Tor will slow down the web experience, and some features, like video streams and video files won’t work in order to preserve anonymity.

Download Onion Browser: iOS

How to choose the best ad blocker for you

Many of the best ad blockers are available for free, either as extensions or as standalone apps, though a few, like AdLock, charge a fee. Determine if the free services provide enough ad-blocking to meet your needs or whether a paid app delivers more for your money. You should also figure out if a browser extension will take care of your ad-blocking needs or whether you should consider switching browsers to one with more built-in privacy features.

You can narrow down your choice in ad blockers by deciding specifically what you're looking to accomplish with such an app or extension. Do you just want to stop annoying pop-up ads from appearing or do you want the full range of services, including privacy features and an end to ad-tracking? Grab the ad blocker that ticks off all the boxes on your wishlist.

Some ad blockers, such as AdBlock Plus include filters and the ability to let in non-obtrusive advertising. Others, like AdBlocker Ultimate, take a more aggressive approach. Find out which one best suits your needs and comfort level.

As we noted at the outset, there's also an ethical component to ad blockers. Do you feel comfortable keeping ad revenue out of the hands of sites you enjoy and use for free? As good as the best ad blockers are, that's still a trade-off you need to consider when deciding whether to install one as a browser extension or as a standalone app. 

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• kep55 I'm waiting for an ad blocker that will spoof the websites into thinking there is no ad blocker in place. More and more sites are incorporating code that disables the site entirely or many of the features if an adblocker is in use. Reply

kep55 said: I'm waiting for an ad blocker that will spoof the websites into thinking there is no ad blocker in place. More and more sites are incorporating code that disables the site entirely or many of the features if an adblocker is in use.

• View All 2 Comments

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AdBlock: The Best Free Ad Blocker

AdBlock’s Blog

The internet is chock full of unwanted and intrusive advertising. And it’s understandable that internet users are looking for a solution so they can enjoy a cleaner, simpler internet experience. That’s where ad blockers come in! We know there are many different ad blocking extensions available on the web, so what makes AdBlock the best free ad blocker ? AdBlock improves your browsing experience by giving you the ability to block ads and trackers, customize web pages, and support a balanced web.

AdBlock Blocks Intrusive Ads and More

As far as pop-ups and other intrusive ads go, AdBlock has you covered. It blocks those annoyances the moment you install the extension. But did you know that AdBlock does more than block pop-ups ?

Ad trackers are used around the web to collect your personal information. This includes data like age, location, browsing history, search history, online purchase history, and more. The data is collected in order to show you the most relevant ads to your interests, making it more likely that you’ll make a purchase. Ad tracking can come in handy (who hasn’t bought something they didn’t even know they needed thanks to an online ad?), but for those who prefer not to be tracked, there’s AdBlock.

With AdBlock, you can block trackers using the Easy Privacy filter list. This filter list blocks the trackers advertisers use to know what sites you visit. (Using this filter list may cause issues on sites that rely on third-party trackers, like many banking sites do. You can typically work around that by adding those sites to your allowlist . Keep in mind that allowlisting a site will unblock ads on the site as well.)

AdBlock can also reduce your chances of running into malicious ads as you browse. Malicious ads are those infected with malware — software that sneaks onto your computer in order to steal data and/or damage your device. There are many different types of malware , including viruses and spyware. Some ads contain malware, infecting your device if you click on them.

While AdBlock doesn’t specifically block malware, it does reduce the number of ads that appear in your browser. This makes it less likely you’ll click on an infected one.

AdBlock Customizes Web Pages

AdBlock puts you in even more control over your browsing experience with our manual hiding tool. This tool allows you to block parts of web pages you’d rather not see, even if it’s not an ad. For instance, maybe you’re not interested in “Who to follow” on X (formerly Twitter). Or perhaps the recommended stories on a news site are distracting for you. AdBlock’s manual hiding tool is just the thing to hide what you don’t want to see.

When you see something you want to hide on a page, follow these steps:

• Open the AdBlock Menu by clicking on the red stop sign in the upper right of your browser’s toolbar. (If you haven’t pinned AdBlock to your browser , open your browser’s extension list to find it.)

2. On the AdBlock menu, click Hide something on this page.

3. Click on the item you want to hide, and use the slider to make sure that you hide everything you want. As you move the slider, it blocks more of the page.

4. If the item is successfully blocked, click Looks good.

5. Click Confirm to confirm and save.

The next time you visit the page, AdBlock will remember what you’ve hidden. That means you can block an item once, and every time you visit that page, it will stay hidden.

AdBlock Supports a Balanced Web

We all know that publishers and content creators rely on ad revenue. In some cases, ad revenue is the difference between whether these creators can survive and continue making content. We believe that the internet is a delicate ecosystem that thrives on a healthy balance between users, publishers, and advertisers. That’s why AdBlock allows you to support your favorite content creators while blocking ads everywhere else on the web. All you have to do is add a site to your allowlist.

To add a site to your allowlist:

2. Click on the gear icon in the upper right corner.

3. On the left sidebar, click Customize.

4. Under Stop blocking ads , click the red arrow to open the text box.

5. In the text box, type the web address of the site you want to unblock ads on.

6. Click OK!

If you no longer want a site on your allowlist, you can always remove it. AdBlock will then resume blocking ads on that site whenever you visit.

AdBlock is the best free ad blocker because it puts you in control of your browsing experience. With AdBlock, you can block pop-ups and other intrusive ads, block trackers, avoid malware, customize web pages, and support content creators you love. Interested in giving AdBlock a try? Head to getadblock.com to get started and feel welcome to reach out to our support team if you have any questions. Just shoot them an email to [email protected] .

Keep up with the goings on at AdBlock and across the web. Sign up for our monthly newsletter!

Written by AdBlock

AdBlock is the #1 extension for Chrome, and is also on Safari, Edge, Firefox & mobile. Block ads and more! Get help any time at https://help.getadblock.com .

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AdBlock for Safari 4+

Block ads. browse better‪.‬, adblock inc..

• 4.5 • 2.1K Ratings
• Offers In-App Purchases

Screenshots

Description.

AdBlock has been downloaded more than 350 million times and is used by more than 65 million people worldwide. Now, AdBlock has created a powerful ad blocker that’s available as a Mac app. AdBlock for Safari is a powerful and simple-to-use ad blocker. It stops annoying pop-ups, removes autoplay video ads, and blocks obnoxious audio ads. It also gives you control over which ads you see and what websites you support. You can tell AdBlock to stop working on certain websites, allow ads on sites you want to support, and get easy access to a comprehensive library of customer support information to help you get the most out of your AdBlock app. It’s easy to install and free to use. Give it a try! KEY FEATURES Block ads on the websites you visit, including Facebook, YouTube, and millions of others sites. This protects you from annoying and intrusive ads that distract you from the stories you are trying to read Speed up your browsing by filtering out unwanted content with Apple’s powerful Content Blocking API. Enjoy a modern and easy to use interface with dark mode. Access AdBlock VPN straight from the AdBlock for Safari app when you use both products. CONTROL OVER HOW AND WHERE YOU SEE ADS One-click Pause allows you to stop AdBlock if a website prompts you to turn off your ad blocker. Create custom allow lists to allow ads on specific sites of your choice, giving you more control over your browsing experience. This previously paid-for feature is now free! Allow non-intrusive ads like Google search ads that aren’t annoying and help you find the items you’re looking for. Get access to a library of hundreds of knowledge base articles that help you understand how ad blocking works, how to get the most out of AdBlock, and provides answers to commonly asked questions. Email AdBlock’s help desk to get quick answers to problems you are facing. We value your feedback and look forward to making the AdBlock Mac app the best ad blocker in Apple’s app store. If you have any questions or feedback, please reach out to our team at [email protected] or leave us a review here in the app store.

Version 2.1.5

• Bug fixes & improvements

Ratings and Reviews

2.1K Ratings

Adblock works very well! you can allow the ads you want to see and hear, and stop the annoying ones you do not want!!

Good ad blocking but don't push the VPN service so hard

It does what it says it does well. But it creates a 1/2 screen sized pop up every day spruiking the VPN service it offers. You can't block ads only to have a monopoly on pop-ups. Come on folks, a few times would be ok but you can't beat my eyeballs into submission.

works really well it seems, i dont notice it which is a good sign I think

seems to work well, does what it says on the box

App Privacy

The developer, Adblock Inc. , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer's privacy policy .

Data Linked to You

The following data may be collected and linked to your identity:

• Identifiers

Data Not Linked to You

The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:

• Contact Info

Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

Information

English, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Swedish, Traditional Chinese

• AdBlock Gold $7.99
• AdBlock VPN Monthly $6.99
• AdBlock VPN Yearly $59.99
• AdBlock VPN Monthly $5.99
• AdBlock VPN Monthly $9.99
• AdBlock VPN Yearly $79.99
• Developer Website
• App Support
• Privacy Policy

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How do I turn off Safari OSX Ad Blocker?

Some sites are asking me to turn off AdBlocker for them to work - eg. UKTV ( uktvplay.co.uk ). Can someone here advise me on how to do this?

MacBook Air

macOS Sonoma 14.4.1

Safari 17.4.1

Posted on Apr 17, 2024 5:50 AM

Loading page content

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Apr 17, 2024 6:56 AM in response to James_Richards

If you installed an Ad Blocker in Safari as an extension, then in Safari Settings : Extensions, visit that particular extension and see if it has a provision to add sites that are not ad-blocked. If it doesn't, which would be unusual, then you may need to disable that Ad blocker when visiting certain sites — unless in small print on their pop-up announcing they have detected you are using an Ad Blocker, that they allow you to continue using the site anyway.

Apr 17, 2024 8:46 AM in response to James_Richards

While on that website go to the Safari menu and website settings command. From there, you can enable content blockers per website.

Apr 17, 2024 10:07 AM in response to Barney-15E

Thanks Barney-15E - that worked!

YouTube’s ad blocker crackdown now includes third-party apps

Users watching youtube videos through an ad blocking app could encounter performance issues or an error message..

By Emma Roth , a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more. Previously, she was a writer and editor at MUO.

Share this story

YouTube is bringing its ad blocker fight to mobile. In an update on Monday , YouTube writes that users accessing videos through a third-party ad blocking app may encounter buffering issues or see an error message that reads, “The following content is not available on this app.”

Last year, YouTube “ launched a global effort ” to encourage users to allow ads while watching videos or upgrade to YouTube Premium. It also began disabling videos for users with an ad blocking extension enabled.

But now, YouTube says its policies don’t allow “third-party apps to turn off ads because that prevents the creator from being rewarded for viewership.” The block targets third-party apps that use YouTube’s API to get videos interruption-free. AdGuard says it’s not affected by the change since its app doesn’t use YouTube’s API.

“We only allow third-party apps to use our API when they follow our  API Services Terms of Service ,” YouTube says. “When we find an app that violates these terms, we will take appropriate action to protect our platform, creators, and viewers.”

To get around this, YouTube once again suggests signing up for the ad-free YouTube Premium. This likely won’t come as pleasant news to all the users who watch YouTube through ad blocking apps, but it doesn’t look like YouTube is backing down in its battle against ad blockers anytime soon.

Update Tuesday April 16th, 10:09AM ET: Added an update from AdGuard.

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