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Head-to-head · Ad Blocking Software

Ghostery vs Pi-hole

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 2 checks side by side
Higher score Ghostery #2 in Ad Blocking Software 9.2/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 4 features Visit Ghostery
Pi-hole #5 in Ad Blocking Software 8.7/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 4 features Visit Pi-hole

Ghostery leads on 0 checks, Pi-hole on 0, and 2 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 2 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreGhostery · 9.2/10
  • Free planboth
  • Most featuresGhostery · 1 of 4

Ghostery scores higher on our rubric for ad blocking software: 9.2 against 8.7 out of 10; our editors rank them #2 and #5.

Ghostery is the better fit for free, feature-rich cross-platform blocking. Pi-hole is the better fit for network-wide self-hosted blocking.

  • Ghostery fits best

    Free, feature-rich cross-platform blocking

  • Pi-hole fits best

    Network-wide self-hosted blocking

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Ghostery 9.2/10 Visit ↗ Pi-hole 8.7/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.2 8.7
Ranking #2 in Ad Blocking Software #5 in Ad Blocking Software
Best for Free, feature-rich cross-platform blocking Network-wide self-hosted blocking
Pricing model Free Free
Starting price Free plan Free plan
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud, Mobile, Browser extension Self-hosted, Cloud
Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Chrome extension Web, Linux
Support Email, Community, Docs Community, Docs
Built for Solo, Small business, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market
Features Ghostery 1/4 · Pi-hole 0/4
App blocking Not checked yet Not checked yet
Tracker blocking Not checked yet Not checked yet
Custom filters Not checked yet Not checked yet
Element picker ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Specs
Platform coverage Not checked yet Not checked yet
Device limit Not checked yet Not checked yet
Filter-list control Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Blocks ads, trackers, pop-ups and cookie-consent requests
  • Works across desktop and mobile platforms, including major browsers
  • Offers custom filters, element picking, reports and portable settings
  • Blocks ads and content across a network through DNS filtering
  • Supports regex rules, subscribed lists, allowlists and denylists
  • Adds query logs, long-term statistics, DHCP and group policies
Cons
  • Protection is centered on browser-level blocking
  • Advanced controls may require more configuration
  • There are no paid product tiers for buyers seeking tiered plans
  • Requires self-hosting on supported Linux systems or Docker
  • Administration requires DNS configuration and technical setup
  • Paid SaaS plans and device limits are not part of its model
Our verdict

Ghostery is a free, open-source browser extension for people and organizations that want browser-level protection from ads, trackers, pop-ups and tracking cookies. It serves individual users, privacy-conscious teams and organizations…

Read the review →

Pi-hole is free, open-source DNS filtering software for administrators who want to block unwanted domains across an entire network. It runs on supported Linux distributions, hardware such as Raspberry Pi devices, or Docker, with…

Read the review →
  1. GhosteryAd Blocking Software 9.2Free plan
  2. Pi-holeAd Blocking Software 8.7Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Ghostery — where it wins

    • Blocks ads, trackers, pop-ups and cookie-consent requests
    • Works across desktop and mobile platforms, including major browsers
    • Offers custom filters, element picking, reports and portable settings

    Where it doesn't

    • Protection is centered on browser-level blocking
    • Advanced controls may require more configuration
    • There are no paid product tiers for buyers seeking tiered plans

  • Pi-hole — where it wins

    • Blocks ads and content across a network through DNS filtering
    • Supports regex rules, subscribed lists, allowlists and denylists
    • Adds query logs, long-term statistics, DHCP and group policies

    Where it doesn't

    • Requires self-hosting on supported Linux systems or Docker
    • Administration requires DNS configuration and technical setup
    • Paid SaaS plans and device limits are not part of its model

More comparisons

All ad blocking software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update