Ghostery vs Adblock Plus

Ghostery9.2Visit Adblock Plus8.5Visit

Higher score Ghostery #2 in Ad Blockers 9.2/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 3 features Visit Ghostery

vs

Adblock Plus #7 in Ad Blockers 8.5/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 3 features Visit Adblock Plus

• Ghostery fits best

  Free privacy-focused blocking across platforms

• Adblock Plus fits best

  Established free blocker with optional extras

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Side by side

Feature	Ghostery 9.2/10 Visit ↗	Adblock Plus 8.5/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.2	8.5
Ranking	#2 in Ad Blockers	#7 in Ad Blockers
Best for	Free privacy-focused blocking across platforms	Established free blocker with optional extras
Pricing model	Free	Free plan + paid
Starting price	Free plan	$40/yr
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Cloud, Mobile, Browser extension	Cloud, Mobile, Browser extension
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Chrome extension	iOS, Android, Chrome extension
Support	Email, Community, Docs	Email, Tickets, Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business, Enterprise	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Ghostery 3/3 · Adblock Plus 3/3
Custom filter lists	✓	✓
Element picker	✓	✓
Cookie popup blocking	✓	✓
Specs
Device coverage	Desktop-and-mobile	Desktop-and-mobile
Device limit	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Browser support	Major-browsers	Major-browsers
Our review
Pros	Blocks ads, trackers, pop-ups, video ads, and cookie consent banners Offers tracker reports, custom filters, element picking, and per-site controls Available across desktop and mobile platforms as an open-source extension	Blocks ads, trackers, pop-ups, pop-unders, and malware domains Supports custom filter lists, manual element blocking, and allowlisting Premium adds cookie-popup and distraction controls
Cons	No paid plans or tiered features are offered Mobile availability is limited to Safari, Firefox, and Edge Advanced filtering features may require manual configuration	Cookie-consent pop-up blocking requires Premium Additional distraction controls are not included in the Free plan Platform coverage centers on Chrome extension, iOS, and Android
Our verdict	Ghostery Tracker & Ad Blocker is a free, open-source browser extension for people who want to reduce ads, tracking activity, pop-ups, and cookie consent interruptions. It supports Chrome, Safari, Opera, Firefox, Edge, and Brave on desktop,… Read the review →	Adblock Plus is a browser extension and mobile ad-blocking product for people who want to reduce display, video, pop-up, and pop-under advertisements, third-party tracking requests, malicious domains, and other web distractions. Its Free… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Ghostery — where it wins

  • Blocks ads, trackers, pop-ups, video ads, and cookie consent banners
  • Offers tracker reports, custom filters, element picking, and per-site controls
  • Available across desktop and mobile platforms as an open-source extension

  Where it doesn't

  • No paid plans or tiered features are offered
  • Mobile availability is limited to Safari, Firefox, and Edge
  • Advanced filtering features may require manual configuration

• Adblock Plus — where it wins

  • Blocks ads, trackers, pop-ups, pop-unders, and malware domains
  • Supports custom filter lists, manual element blocking, and allowlisting
  • Premium adds cookie-popup and distraction controls

  Where it doesn't

  • Cookie-consent pop-up blocking requires Premium
  • Additional distraction controls are not included in the Free plan
  • Platform coverage centers on Chrome extension, iOS, and Android

• Ghostery9.2/10 · Free plan

  A free, open-source blocker with broad platform coverage and detailed privacy controls.

  Visit GhosteryFull verdict →
• Adblock Plus8.5/10 · Free plan

  A capable free blocker with custom filters, manual controls, and optional distraction blocking.

  Visit Adblock PlusFull verdict →