Advertisements are the only source of revenue for most websites and social media portals that are offering content or applications/software for free.
To understand the importance of adblockers, you need to understand how these free services generate revenues first.
Of all the potential sources, the easiest ones are advertisement and collecting/selling of your data. You must have heard the famous adage ‘data is the new oil’ which it truly is in this digital economy.
When we use free services, we agree to a series of conditions mentioned in license and user agreements that empowers these companies to exploit.
Using advertisements to monetize apps and make money is a proven method. To this end, app owners display commercials or opt for affiliate marketing to generate, often huge amounts, of revenues.
There are primarily 4 different types of display advertisements such as Interstitials, Banner ads, In-app video ads, and Native ads. They use your location, cookies, and storage permissions. These advertisements are beneficial only till the time they show ads of your interest.
While there are no downsides as long as these free software and applications are from trusted vendors, this is hard to track for an average user.
Ad-blockers are, in essence, free pop-up blockers that can also block banner, interstitial, sticky, or auto-playing videos to provide a distraction-free internet surfing experience.
Apart from the security standpoint, these unauthorized advertisements can slow your device performance.
A high frequency of advertisements can be a potential cause that affects the overall suitability of your device.
But there is another question that rises!
Are Ad blockers Safe?
The Ad blockers are perfectly safe as long as they receive frequent updates. A powerful Adblocker will block all the advertisements which can severely impact the revenue of free to use trusted websites. We recommend users to whitelist trusted websites so that they do not run out of business.
Ad blockers work in 2 different ways. They primarily block the signal from the advertiser’s server so that no ads are displayed on your website.
Secondly, these Adblockers block out certain areas of the website originally meant for displaying ads.
Factors to Consider Before Selecting an Ad Blocker
Who doesn’t like free stuff on the internet? The Free web has often been showcased as a basic right which has turned into a hallmark of the 21st century especially in 2021.
While the drawback of free internet aka advertisements can be blocked by using reputed Adblockers, there are certain factors you must consider before installing an Ad blocking application.
Free and without a paywall
If you are not going for a paid service make sure the ad blocker does not have a paywall. It restricts access to many important features making the application ineffective.
User ratings
User reviews and ratings are a perfect way of accessing the features and issues which can help to make well-informed decisions.
Updates
New websites and applications are being frequently developed. To counter advertisements on such platforms, the blocking software needs to be updated with new codes. Make sure the Adblocker is getting updates at least twice a year.
Blocking capability
It makes no sense to have separate plug-ins or installations to counter different website based, app-based and streaming video ads. Use an Ad-blocker that can simultaneously block all the above- mentioned advertisements.
What are Trackers?
Trackers are snippets of codes that share information about you with other companies. It uses the information to target you with advertisements, analyze your behavior over the internet, and connect to social media platforms without your consent.
All these actions ultimately take a toll on browsing, making websites slower, cluttered, and insecure in terms of privacy.
Best Ad Blockers for Chrome
According to Global stats StatCounter, Google Chrome has about 69.87% of market share in web browsers. Chrome has about 60% higher market share as compared to the nearest competitor Firefox. If you wish to download Google Chrome, click here.
We spend a lot of time online for either work, shopping, entertainment, keeping up with friends on social media, or searching for information. We always wish for a quick and easy experience online, rarely the case.
But websites these days are cluttered with advertisements and trackers. The best way ahead is to use customizable Adblockers.
Let’s Have a Look At The Best Adblockers For Google Chrome
1. Ghostery
Ghostery is an especially useful tool for customizing your web browsing experience as per your wishes. It primarily helps in blocking web trackers and analytics tools that are used for tracking user info/behavior. It also works as an effective Adblocker.
It is working towards making websites faster and safer by disrupting thousands of third-party tracking software from accessing your information. Launched in 2009, it has more than 7 million active users.
Ghostery has browser extension not only for Chrome but also supports Firefox, Opera, Edge, and Safari 1.1. Along with the free browser blocking and protection services, it also offers two other plans.
- Ghostery Plus – $4.99 per month. It offers application tracker and ad blocking services apart from the free browser Ad and tracker Blocking services.
- Ghostery Premium – $11.99 per month. It offers all features of Ghostery Plus VPN access.
Features Overview
- Browser tracker Blocking
- Browser Ad Blocking
- Custom Blocking Preference
2. AdGuard
Rated 4.8 out of 5 by Trustpilot, AdGuard offers a number of services, that too, for free. The browser extension version of AdGuard is compatible with a range of reputed web browsers such as Firefox, Safari, Edge, Opera, and Yandex.
The highlight of this Adblocker is its small size, just 113KB which installs within 2 minutes. It blocks all kinds of Ads either banner, interstitial, text, or floating ads. AdGuard also provides an element blocking feature that blocks any unwanted element on the webpage.
It is even capable of handling the Adblock circumvention scripts employed by websites to bar users with Adblockers. Apart from Ad blocking, AdGuard will also protect you from spyware, adware, malicious, and phishing websites along with third-party tracking software.
Read the detailed Adguard Review Here
Subscription
- Free
Features Overview
- Browser tracker Blocking
- Adblock Circumvention handling
- Element Blocking feature
3. Adblock Plus
Adblock Plus is the improvement on the original Ad-blocking software that was released almost 15 years ago in 2005. It is still just as popular as it was during its release. With over 100 million active devices, this app is available in 24 different languages.
It offers comprehensive adblocking services including video pre-roll ads and social networking ads. Adblock Plus is the best free adblocker that is available in open-source making it more reliable than other free blocking software out there.
Blocking the intrusive advertisements helps protect your system from mal-advertising and prevents other companies from tracking your online activity. The latest stable release for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Opera was released on 22nd July 2020.
Subscription
- Free
Features Overview
- Hide HTML5 elements
- Whitelisting
- Site-based ad blocking
4. Adblock for Chrome
AdBlock for Chrome is an ad-blocking extension designed for chrome. It will remove all ads and provide protection from third-party tracking software. Having over 60 million active users, the reason for its popularity can be attributed to the customizable features. It is the best ad blocker for chrome in 2021.
AdBlock is powerful enough to block the websites using circumvented scripts such as Facebook, Google, and YouTube. You also get an AdBlock for Chrome that can be linked with the customizable blocking options for YouTube and Twitch. It will allow you to whitelist selected YouTube channels. Thus, doing away with the manual change of settings.
Although the software itself is safe to use, make sure you download it only from trusted partners or official websites. Any other source can potentially have malware embedded into the software causing more harm than benefit.
Subscription
- Free
Features Overview
- DND software mode
- Acceptable Ads feature
- Regular updates
Best Ad Blockers for Android
Android device users often complain about their device getting slower within a few months with severe battery drain and data usage. The cause behind these problems has been commonly attributed to untrusted free applications and in-game purchase video ads.
Applications make use of third-party tracking software apps to display the best advertisements and generate high revenues. This enables tracking software apps to extract your personal information and create a profile about your web browsing activities for targeted ads.
While such ads might be helpful for you, static and interstitial ads can be a pain while surfing on smartphones. The use of ad blockers can significantly lower such instances. Here are the best Ad blockers for Android in 2021
1. Adblocker Browser
Developed by Rocket Shield Browser Technology Limited, Free Adblocker Browser is an amazing ad blocking browser. It enables fast browsing without facing those irritating advertisements. It can very easily block banner ads, pop-up ads that show fake virus or malware warning.
It can even block video ads, allowing you to enjoy your favorite streaming services without worrying about ads. Protecting your privacy while blocking the third-party tracking software apps enables it to provide performance equivalent to those of chrome ad blockers.
These features save a huge amount of data thus reducing battery usage. The premium feature on this adblocking browser provides you with a floating video player. With reading mode, it enables the browser to hide unnecessary details from the readers.
As an extra layer of security, this browser is secured by pattern lock and 8 different color themes to choose from! It was last updated on 5th March 2021, this app has clocked over 10 million downloads.
Subscription
- Free
Features Overview
- Blocks ads and trackers
- Anti-malware and anti-virus features
- Frugal data usage
2. Unicorn Blocker
Developed and launched by Unicorn Softwares in March 2016, this application is rated 4.1 stars on Google Play. The last stable release was launched in April 2020 and has a compressed size.
It only supports Samsung Internet 4.0 and Yandex Browser and is compatible with Android 4.4 or higher. Unicorn Blocker can block pre-roll video ads, ads that waste data, sexual ads, tracking, forced redirect ads, and pop-up ads.
Priced at a little over $1.99 per year, this app can solve all your advertisement related issues. Unicorn Blocker is among the best ad blockers for Android you can ask for.
Subscription
- Paid
Features Overview
- No registration
- 4x faster
- Saves up to 50% data consumption
3. AdClear Content Blocker
Launched in 2016, this app has come a long way in its domain with over 1 million software downloads. The last release for Android was dated 9th Sep 2020 and is rated as one of the best apps around.
This version works only with Samsung internet and Yandex Browser. The application can be installed and used instantly. Just configure the setting and turn it on, you are good to go! Using a DNS Changer, this app will enable you to block ads in any browser or application, be in social media or games.
This DNS changer feature will provide faster browsing, anonymity, and security on both Wi-fi and Mobile data.
Subscription
- Paid
Features Overview
- DNS based protection
- No in-app purchases
Conclusion
While e-commerce and advertising industries have grown in a steep incline, this in turn has vastly impacted average browsing experience. Users have been searching for clutter-free web surfing, a difficulty with the barrage of cookies, trackers, ad pop-ups, etc. To display only relevant advertisements and block other irrelevant ads is as much on the user as it is on the ad-provider.
Most free Ad Blocking software apps are open-sourced and compatible with a range of OSs and devices. These software apps have become a part and parcel of our digital usage. So, get the best AdBlocker for your computer or mobile device today. The best are listed right here!
