8 Best uBlock Origin Alternatives That Work

uBlock Origin is a free and open source browser extension created and maintained by Raymond Hill. It uses community-maintained filter lists to block unwanted requests and hide clutter on web pages. It covers ads, trackers, and malicious domains while keeping CPU and memory use low.

• The project does not accept donations and instead encourages users to support filter list maintainers, so there is no upgrade tier.
• Firefox remains the natural home for the full version, while current Chrome users should use uBlock Origin Lite.
• Choose it if you want free control.
• Skip it if you need blocking inside desktop apps or across a whole home network.

Visit uBlock Origin →

AdGuard has two layers. The browser extension is free and works in Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari. The system-wide apps for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS filter traffic across browsers and apps, and those apps need a licence.

• A Personal licence covers 3 devices at $2.49 per month billed annually, which is $29.88 per year, and a Family licence covers 9 devices at $5.49 per m
• The licence page also lists a 30-day money-back guarantee and automatic renewal.
• The system-wide scope is the main reason to choose AdGuard, because it can block ads in apps and games as well as in web pages.
• The trade-off is the install path on Android, where the full app comes as a direct download from adguard.com.

Visit AdGuard →

AdBlock Plus is a free browser extension from eyeo GmbH, and its core ad blocking remains free in Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari. Premium costs $4 per month or $40 per year, and the official update page lists those exact figures. Premium adds blocking for cookie consent pop-ups, floating videos, newsletter pop-ups, and site notifications.

• It does not change the core ad blocking engine, so the upgrade is about fewer distractions rather than stronger blocking.
• That split matters when you compare it with uBlock Origin.
• If you want the closest free replacement with the least setup, AdBlock Plus is a clear fit.
• If you want deep filter control or blocking outside the browser, uBlock Origin or AdGuard will suit you better.

Visit AdBlock Plus →

AdBlock is a separate extension from AdBlock Plus, even though the names are close, and its core blocking is free. The official Premium page lists Premium Yearly at $40 per year and Premium Monthly at $4 per month. Premium adds blocking for cookie banners, pop-ups, auto-play videos, and trackers, and it now includes a VPN.

• That bundle is the main difference from AdBlock Plus Premium.
• The free version remains usable on its own, so you do not need Premium to block ads.
• Premium is for readers who also want cookie banner handling and a basic VPN in the same extension.
• AdBlock works in the browser only, so it does not block ads inside desktop apps or across a whole network.

Visit AdBlock →

Ghostery is a free and open source browser extension that combines ad blocking, tracker protection, and cookie consent handling. The official Ghostery site states that all features are completely free to use, including ad blocking, tracker blocking, cookie consent handling, and tracker insights, with no subscription required. Optional contributions help support development, but every core feature remains available at no cost.

• Two features set it apart.
• Never-Consent automatically rejects tracking cookies, so you see fewer cookie pop-ups.
• WhoTracks.Me shows which companies try to follow you on every page.
• Ghostery works on Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera, Safari, and Brave on desktop, and it blocks YouTube pre-roll and mid-roll ads.

Visit Ghostery →

Privacy Badger is a free browser extension from the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and it works in a different way from list-based blockers. Instead of following a human-curated list of domains, it watches how third-party domains behave. If the same source seems to track you across different websites, Privacy Badger blocks that source.

• The EFF site explains that a domain is blocked after Privacy Badger observes it tracking on three separate sites.
• That method has a clear limit, and the EFF states it directly: Privacy Badger is primarily a privacy tool, not an ad blocker, so it does not block ads
• If you dislike ads in general, pair it with a traditional ad blocker such as uBlock Origin or Ghostery.
• Choose it if you want behaviour-based tracker blocking from a nonprofit.

Visit Privacy Badger →

NextDNS is a cloud DNS filtering service, not a browser extension. You point your devices or your router at NextDNS, and it filters ads, trackers, and malware domains before they load. The official pricing page lists a free tier at $0 per month with 300,000 queries per month, unlimited devices, and access to all features.

• Pro costs $1.99 per month or $19.90 per year for unlimited queries.
• The free tier limit changes the choice for a busy household.
• When you pass 300,000 queries in a month, NextDNS keeps answering DNS queries like a classic non-blocking DNS service, so filtering stops without an e
• Pro removes that limit and adds email support.

Visit NextDNS →

AdLock offers a free browser extension and a Premium app for Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and Android TV. The official FAQ lists Premium at $9.95 a month, $39.50 a year, or $12.99 a year when you pay for five years at once, which is $64.95 billed every 5 years. Every plan covers 5 devices and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

• The pricing shape is the point to check before you buy.
• The monthly price is $9.95, the yearly price works out to $3.29 per month, and the five-year price works out to $1.08 per month.
• Premium adds a spyware filter and a social media filter, plus blocking inside apps, while the free extension covers the browser only.
• Choose AdLock if you want app blocking on 5 devices at a low annual price.

Visit AdLock →