The Best Ad Blockers for 2026 (original) (raw)

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Whether you're looking to stop video ads, pop-ups, trackers, or malware, the top ad blockers we've tested help create a cleaner, faster, and more secure online environment.

Kim Key

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Real ads from legitimate companies are annoying on their own, but some online advertisements can be downright dangerous. For example, you may have encountered malicious scareware ads that resemble antivirus alerts. Other ads impersonate law enforcement and demand hefty fines. You should also want advertisers to know less about you. Ad blockers not only drastically reduce the ads you encounter online, but they also prevent advertisers from tracking your online activities. The best news? All of the ad blockers on this list are free. Read on to find out which extensions we recommend and how to choose the right one.

Our Top Tested Picks

Best Early Prime Day Ad Blocker Deals This Week*

Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks

EDITORS' NOTE

April 13, 2026: With this update, our lineup of recommended ad blockers remains unchanged. The existing picks have been vetted for currency and availability.

(Credit: Adblock Plus/PCMag)

Adblock Plus is a highly recognizable name in the ad-blocking space. The free version of the extension blocked ads and other inline page elements, which is excellent.

Cost: You can use Adblock Plus for free, or you can buy Adblock Plus Premium for 40annuallyor40 annually or 40annuallyor4 per month. A subscription allows you to block cookie consent pop-ups. Cookie consent notification blocking is free with Ghostery.

Platforms: Adblock Plus is available for the following browsers: Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera, Safari, and Yandex Browser.

Key features: The "Acceptable Ads" setting is enabled by default in Adblock Plus. If you don't want to see any ads during your browsing sessions, visit the extension's settings menu and uncheck this option. I like that you can hide distracting elements (like large images or autoplaying videos) on a page using the Block Element tool, which is similar to a setting in uBlock Origin.

Performance: After unchecking the Acceptable Ads setting, Adblock Plus blocked every ad I encountered during the evaluation period on Chrome and Firefox. The extension also successfully blocked pre-roll and mid-roll ads on YouTube, regardless of the browser we used.

Third-party test scores: Adblock Plus' Chrome and Firefox extensions received middling scores from AdBlock Tester and a strong protection rating from EFF's Cover Your Tracks website.

Ad curators: Not all ads are annoying! If you only want to block some ads on a page, you can leave the Acceptable Ads setting enabled in the Settings menu. This option allows advertising that Adblock Plus deems unobtrusive to appear on websites. If you uncheck this setting, as I did, all ads should disappear after a page refresh.

Overall, I liked how easy it was to use Ghostery, a free ad blocker that feeds its data to WhoTracks.Me, which is an open-source database for tracking. The extension blocked ads effectively while browsing, but, in addition to some other limitations, it didn't block YouTube ads on Chrome.

Cost: Ghostery is available for free.

Platforms: Ghostery offers extensions for Android, Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera, and Safari. I tested this extension using Google Chrome.

Key features: The Ghostery browser extension features an attractive, blue-and-purple-accented interface that is easy to navigate. The extension automatically blocks website ads and trackers, and declines cookie consent notices.

Performance: Ghostery had no trouble blocking ads on PCMag's homepage using both the Chrome and Firefox extensions, which is ideal. That said, it doesn't let you block or hide page elements, such as images or auto-playing videos. This isn't a problem for Firefox users, because that extension blocked auto-playing videos, but if you use Chrome, you're out of luck. The Chrome version of Ghostery also did not block ads before and during YouTube videos, or ads on YouTube's homepage, but the Firefox extension blocked them all.

Third-party test scores: Like Malwarebytes Browser Guard, Ghostery received high scores from the AdBlock testing website and EFF's Cover Your Tracks test.

Privacy buffs: If you read privacy policies and terms of service documents whenever you download a new app or browser extension, Ghostery is right up your alley. In fact, you'll need to agree to the extension's privacy settings before Ghostery can block ads for you. As a note, I read Ghostery's privacy policy and didn't notice anything unusual.

Site supporters: It's no secret: All the ads you're seeing on websites pay the bills. With that in mind, if you choose to view ads to support a community platform, content creator, or your favorite consumer tech publication (*cough*), you can pause blocking on a site for one hour, one day, or forever.

(Credit: Privacy Badger/PCMag)

Privacy Badger is a tracker-eliminating extension created by the nonprofit Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF). Tracking your activity across the web is a significant part of an advertiser's job, so it's no surprise that Privacy Badger's tracker-detection filter can also block ads.

Cost: Privacy Badger is completely free.

Platforms: Privacy Badger is available for Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Opera. According to the EFF's FAQ, the team is working on a version for Mac Safari. I tested the Chrome and Firefox extensions.

Key features: The extension is easy to install, and you can customize the level of ad blocking you require for each site, which is helpful. The extension does not have the ability to block individual page elements, like images or auto-playing videos.

Performance:Privacy Badger successfully blocked website ads on Chrome and Firefox. That said, I encountered many YouTube ads during the evaluation period, which isn't ideal. Here's an explanation for that from Privacy Badger's website: "Are you surprised that ads aren’t being blocked on YouTube? Privacy Badger is primarily a privacy tool, not an ad blocker. When you visit YouTube directly, Privacy Badger does not block ads on YouTube because YouTube does not use “third-party” trackers. If you really dislike ads, you can also install a traditional ad blocker."

Third-party test scores:The extension scored the lowest (62/100) on the AdBlock Tester website among all ad-blocking extensions I tested. The most significant issues were failures in the flash banner, GIF, and static image tests. The company's own website gave it a "Strong" rating for privacy, however.

Company trackers: Privacy Badger makes it easy to see which companies are tracking you. You can expand the tracker detection section of the extension window to scroll through the list of trackers and see how often you encounter the same ones during each browsing session.

Extension tinkerers: Privacy Badger lets you adjust the level of blocking on each page by moving the bars to green, yellow, or red for each ad tracker. Green means all ads and cookies are allowed to load on a page. Yellow blocks cookies, and red blocks both ads and cookies.

uBlock Origin offers the most customizable ad-blocking experience on this list. Even the Lite version, which is necessary for Google Chrome users, lets me block annoying page elements and create custom filters with just a few clicks.

Cost: uBlock Origin is free.

Platforms: uBlock Origin doesn't play well with Chrome, which is why there's a Lite version. The full extension is compatible with Edge, Firefox, and Opera, though, and you can install it manually if you are using a different browser. I tested the uBlock Origin Lite Chrome extension, and I used Firefox to try out uBlock Origin.

Key features: uBlock Origin and Lite extensions can hide offending elements, like auto-playing videos or offensive images, with the handy Element Zapper. You can also use pre-made ad-blocking filters or create your own. The full version of uBlock Origin includes the Element Picker, which lets you highlight and inspect page elements. You can enforce cosmetic filters that block annoying page elements, such as giant images, flashing GIFs, or mid-scroll subscription signup screens. There's also a section for changing the extension's color scheme or blocking media elements over a certain size.

Performance: I used the extension to block ads across several websites, including ad-heavy pages such as recipe sites and sports blogs, and it was easy to use. The extensions also blocked all mid- or pre-roll ads on YouTube.

Third-party test scores: During the latest round of testing, uBlock Origin received high marks (96/100) from Adblock Tester and a strong rating from EFF's "Cover Your Tracks" initiative.

Non-profit supporters: uBlock Origin is unique because it's maintained by a single developer, Raymond Hill, who doesn't monetize the service and refuses to accept any donations for the project. Instead, he asks users to donate to groups that maintain blocklists.

Data security observers: On the uBlock Origin wiki, Hill emphasizes that the extension is not a data mining operation, which is a relief. Hill says that because the extension doesn't have a dedicated server, it can't send your browsing data to his servers for nefarious purposes. Also, the project is public, so feel free to check it out on GitHub.

(Credit: PCMag/Malwarebytes)

Best for Blocking YouTube Ads

Malwarebytes Browser Guard

Malwarebytes Browser Guard is an effective ad blocker that also includes phishing and scam protection.

Cost: Free, but some features are only available with a Malwarebytes Standard subscription (starting at $59.99 annually). This includes Content Control, a browser content filter. Premium subscribers can also view detailed historical data showing malware and scam attempts blocked by Browser Guard.

Platforms: The extension is available for Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari. I tested the Chrome and Firefox extensions.

Key features: Malwarebytes Browser Guard doesn't require extensive settings adjustments to get started. That's because ad blocking, credit card skimming detection, malware and phishing protection, and scam blocking are enabled by default.

Performance: You can view blocked items on a page by visiting the extension's dashboard. I was able to block ads on all of the usual testing websites on both Chrome and Firefox. The extensions also passed the YouTube video tests.

Third-party test scores: Malwarebytes Browser Guard received top marks from Adblock Tester and a strong rating from EFF's Cover Your Tracks, which is ideal.

YouTube connoisseurs: I used Malwarebytes Browser Guard while watching YouTube videos, and I didn't encounter any mid- or pre-roll ads, even while watching a "free with ads" movie on the platform.

Creator supporters: If you want to support a content creator, a trusted news site, or your favorite community platform by viewing ads, Browser Guard makes it easy. Just add the URL to an allow list, which disables protections for that website.

Buying Guide: The Best Ad Blockers for 2026

For years, tech behemoth Google threatened to crack down on browser extension activity within its Chrome browser to improve security. Now, the company is making good on its threats and disabling browser extensions that don't comply with Manifest V3, its browser extension framework.

Security experts, such as those at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), argue that Manifest V3 is not a viable solution for addressing real security concerns, including browser extensions that scrape users' browsing histories and sell the data to the highest bidder. For its part, Google states that Manifest V3 isn't designed to stifle adblocker development.

Currently, uBlock Origin is the only ad-blocking browser extension on this list affected by the changes in Chrome. However, some of your other extensions may also be affected. You can re-enable these extensions temporarily by opening Chrome, selecting More > Extensions > Manage Extensions, and then toggling them on.

Though Chrome is a wildly popular browser, it's not the only game in town. Most of the ad blockers on this list are also available for other popular browsers, such as Edge and Firefox. If you're looking for something totally different, try one of these alternative browsers.

I tested the Chrome and Firefox editions of each browser extension on a desktop computer running Windows 11 Pro. For functionality tests, I click around PCMag's homepage and other well-known news and social media websites. I also visit local TV news or recipe websites because that's where you'll encounter lots of ads and other distracting elements, such as auto-playing videos, music, or pop-ups. After that, I watch YouTube videos to see how many pre-roll, mid-roll, and overlay advertisements I encounter while they run.

I evaluate the aesthetic aspects of each extension and give preference to those with attractive and user-friendly layouts. I also appreciate extensions that prioritize accessibility by using simple color schemes or including layout customization options in the Settings menu. I also factor in scores from extension testing websites such as AdBlock Tester and the EFF's browser testing site.

About Our Expert

Kim Key

Kim Key

Senior Writer, Security

Experience

I review privacy tools like hardware security keys, password managers, private messaging apps, and ad-blocking software. I also report on online scams and offer advice to families and individuals about staying safe on the internet. Before joining PCMag, I wrote about tech and video games for CNN, Fanbyte, Mashable, The New York Times, and TechRadar. I also worked at CNN International, where I did field producing and reporting on sports that are popular with worldwide audiences.

In addition to the categories below, I exclusively cover ad blockers, authenticator apps, hardware security keys, and private messaging apps.

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