Best Google Chrome Ad-block extensions
In a world where online advertisements are a necessary evil, ad-blockers that keep websites free to access are becoming more and more popular. Unfortunately, many website business models abuse this, with intrusive pop-up ads, trackers within cookies, and scammers running riot.
Luckily, by using an ad-blocker, Chrome users can avoid annoying ads and stop nosy advertising companies tracking what they do online!
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The best ad-blocker extensions for Chrome: a quick rundown
Right off the bat, these are the best Google Chrome ad-block extensions on the market.
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The best ad-blocker extensions for Chrome, in-depth analysis
Our experts have reviewed almost every Google chrome ad-block extension out there and, in our opinion, these six services are the best currently on offer. All the options listed below (except AdLock and CleanWeb) have free tiers and will provide an excellent defense against intrusive ads and website tracking.
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Why do I need an ad-blocker?
Every website provides a different experience, but most have one thing in common: they are all trying to build a personal profile of your interests by tracking your data or doing their best to coerce clicks on advertisements. These ads are sometimes intrusive and can be taxing to your system when trying to load them. Other times, they are deceptive and are used to distribute data-stealing malware. Some websites even use crypto-jacking code to mine cryptocurrency in the background, at the expense of your hardware and electricity.
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How will an ad-blocker protect your browsing?
The ad-blockers on this list are designed with privacy and security in mind, helping to preserve your anonymity online and keep you safe from both malicious or just downright annoying code and adverts. A wide selection of filter lists helps to identify trackers, block advertisements, and blacklist hundreds of thousands of known online scams. It’s important to choose your ad-blocker carefully, as their accessibility has prompted many copycats and scammers to fill app stores with fakes that look almost identical to the real things.
If our list doesn’t do the trick for you, looking at reviews and seeing just how many people have installed an extension can help settle your suspicions. If, however, you want to take another quick look at our rundown of the best Google Chrome Ad-block extensions, here it is.
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Alternatives to extensions
Browser extensions are a great place to start with ad-blocking, security, and privacy, but they are limited in their abilities. You need to download an extension for every browser you have, and they only work within that specific browser. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it means any other apps you use outside of the browser will still serve you with adverts.
Instead, you could take a look at the alternative ways of ad-blocking when surfing the web, such as stand-alone applications, VPNs with extra features, or router-loaded ad blockers.
Are all ad blockers effective?
Not all ad blockers are equally effective. How well an ad blocker works depends on various factors, including the type of ad block technology used, the type of ads that need to be blocked, and the level of customization that the ad blocker provides.
Some ad blockers are designed as browser extensions and work to block ads when you surf the web in that browser. Other ad blockers are standalone apps that can block ads within all the different browsers or applications you use.
Other ad blocks may be installed at the network level, to filter out adds before they get to your device. VPNs, for example, used DNS based filtering rules to block ads and trackers at the server level.
The important thing to remember is that some ad blockers may be more effective at blocking certain types of ads – while others work to block a broader range of ads on a large number of websites and services.
Some ad blockers even have the ability to detect and block new types of ads, and can effectively spot new advertising techniques that attempt to circumvent ad blockers.
Unfortunately, in addition to being better or worse at blocking ads, ad blockers differ in the number of false positives they produced. These ad blockers may inadvertently block parts of a website that you do want access to by accident.
The best way to get a smooth online experience is often to use various ad blocker type extensions and services together. For example, you could use an ad block like Adbock Plus alongside uBlock Origin and Privacy Badger to help reduce tracking and ads, while also improving page load times.
The ad blockers recommended in this guide each have their own benefits. So you should check to see which one is most suitable for your specific needs. Remember that not all ad blockers work to block ads on services like YouTube and Twitch, so if this is your requirement, you may need to do some additional research.
