Alternatives to uBlock Origin

A free, open-source content blocker for browsers that blocks ads, trackers and malware domains with a small footprint. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.

Replacements

Listings that take over the same core job as uBlock Origin.

  • AdGuard Browser Extension

    A browser extension that blocks ads, pop-ups and trackers, with cosmetic filtering of page elements.

    FreeOpen sourceBrowser extension

    AdGuard Browser Extension is also free and GPL-3.0 licensed with cosmetic filtering, and is available for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera and Yandex Browser; system-wide filtering needs AdGuard's separate apps.

  • Ghostery

    Ad and tracker blocker that shows what each page was trying to load.

    FreemiumOpen sourceBrowser extension

    Ghostery is open source under MPL-2.0, names each page's trackers and their owners, and blocks consent dialogs, but extra features such as private search need an account or subscription.

  • Privacy Badger

    Learns and blocks trackers by watching their behaviour across sites.

    FreeOpen sourceBrowser extension

    Privacy Badger from the EFF learns trackers by their behaviour across sites instead of using lists, but it is not an ad blocker and leaves non-tracking ads alone.

  • uBlock Origin Lite

    A Manifest V3 content blocker from the uBlock Origin project that filters ads and trackers.

    FreeProprietaryBrowser extension

    uBlock Origin Lite comes from the same project and works under Manifest V3 in Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Safari, but offers fewer filtering options than the full uBlock Origin.

  • Adblock Plus

    An ad-blocking browser extension with customizable filter lists for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera and Safari.

    FreeOpen sourceiOSBrowser extension

    Adblock Plus is an open-source GPL blocker with customizable filter lists, available for all major desktop browsers plus Safari on iOS and Samsung Internet.

  • AdBlock

    A browser extension that blocks ads, pop-ups and third-party trackers, with a paid Premium tier.

    FreemiumProprietaryBrowser extension

    AdBlock is a simpler, closed-source blocker that allows Acceptable Ads by default and puts cookie banner blocking in its paid Premium tier.

  • AdGuard Ad Blocker

    System-wide ad and tracker blocker apps for Windows, macOS, Android and iOS with DNS filtering.

    FreemiumProprietaryWindowsmacOSAndroidiOS

    AdGuard Ad Blocker is a set of freemium apps for Windows, macOS, Android and iOS that filter ads and trackers system-wide, including outside the browser.

Also worth comparing

These listings name uBlock Origin as their own alternative, so the relationship runs both ways.

  • AdNauseam

    A browser extension built on uBlock Origin that blocks ads and quietly clicks them to pollute tracking profiles.

    FreeProprietaryBrowser extension

    uBlock Origin is the open-source GPL-3.0 blocker AdNauseam builds on, without automatic ad clicks, though it left the Chrome Web Store with the Manifest V2 deprecation.

  • Disconnect

    Tracker-blocking privacy software that stops invisible trackers and shows which sites follow you online.

    FreemiumProprietaryBrowser extension

    uBlock Origin blocks ads, trackers and malware domains using EasyList and EasyPrivacy, is open source, and is no longer on the Chrome Web Store after Manifest V2 ended.

  • Malwarebytes Browser Guard

    A free browser extension from Malwarebytes that blocks malicious sites, scams, trackers and unwanted ads.

    FreeProprietaryBrowser extension

    uBlock Origin is open source and blocks ads, trackers and malware domains with extensive filter lists, but it left the Chrome Web Store with the Manifest V2 deprecation.

  • NoScript Security Suite

    Blocks scripts and active content except on sites you trust.

    FreeOpen sourceBrowser extension

    uBlock Origin blocks ads, trackers and malware domains through filter lists, with an advanced per-site dynamic filtering mode, rather than blocking all scripts by default.

Similar software

Related functionality, not a direct replacement.