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Browser Extensions · head to head

AdBlock Plus vs Fathom Analytics

AdBlock Plus logo

AdBlock Plus

Browser Extensions

The world's most popular ad blocker

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Fathom Analytics logo

Fathom Analytics

Marketing

Website analytics made simple

From
$14/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only AdBlock Plus has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: AdBlock Plus acceptable Ads allowlist model generates controversy over ad filtering conflicts of interest; Fathom Analytics there is no free tier, only a 7 day trial
  • They diverge on capability: AdBlock Plus covers Ad blocking, Fathom Analytics covers Page view tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which AdBlock Plus and Fathom Analytics actually diverge.

Attributes where AdBlock Plus and Fathom Analytics differ
AttributeAdBlock PlusFathom Analytics
Starting priceFree$14/month
Pricing modelfreesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsChrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera, Safari, Yandex BrowserWeb
CategoryBrowser ExtensionsMarketing
Founded20062014

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in AdBlock Plus

  • Ad blocking
  • Acceptable Ads
  • Custom filters
  • Social media blocking
  • Chrome support
  • Firefox support
  • Edge support
  • Safari support

Only in Fathom Analytics

  • Page view tracking
  • Goal tracking
  • Real-time analytics
  • Referrer tracking
  • Privacy-focused
  • GDPR compliant
  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

AdBlock Plus

  • Ad blocking for display ads, video advertisements including YouTube pre-roll/mid-roll/post-roll, pop-ups, flashing banners, and overlay adsnot Fathom Analytics
  • Performance enhancement by eliminating ad content to accelerate page load times and reduce data and battery consumption on mobile devicesnot Fathom Analytics
  • Security and privacy protection by blocking malware-infected ads (malvertising), preventing tracking by companies monitoring user behavior, and stopping access to malware-distributing sitesnot Fathom Analytics
  • Supports web browsers including Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera, and Safari, as well as iOS Safari and Android devicesnot Fathom Analytics

Fathom Analytics

  • Privacy-focused web analytics without cookie bannersnot AdBlock Plus
  • A lightweight Google Analytics replacementnot AdBlock Plus
  • Tracking many sites from one accountnot AdBlock Plus
  • Long-term historical reporting while subscribednot AdBlock Plus

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

AdBlock Plus

  • Acceptable Ads allowlist model generates controversy over ad filtering conflicts of interest
  • Smaller feature set compared to open-source alternatives like uBlock Origin
  • Less customization and dynamic filtering compared to uBlock Origin
  • Mobile version less comprehensive than desktop extension
  • Chrome version increasingly limited due to Manifest V3 migration

Fathom Analytics

  • There is no free tier, only a 7 day trial
  • Priced on pageviews, from $45 a month at the 500,000 pageview level
  • Custom events count against the pageview allowance rather than being tracked separately
  • Site allowances come in packs, with additional 50-site packs at $10 a month
  • Data is retained forever only while the subscription is active

Pricing, plan by plan

AdBlock Plus

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Ad blocking
    • Acceptable Ads option
    • Custom filters

Fathom Analytics

$14/month
  • Starter$14/month
    • Unlimited page views
    • 1 site
    • Real-time analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose AdBlock Plus if

  • You need ad blocking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera, Safari, Yandex Browser.
  • You also want acceptable ads.
AdBlock Plus review

Choose Fathom Analytics if

  • You need page view tracking.
  • You also want goal tracking.
Fathom Analytics review

Questions people ask

Is AdBlock Plus or Fathom Analytics better?
Neither clearly leads. AdBlock Plus starts at Free and Fathom Analytics at $14/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, AdBlock Plus or Fathom Analytics?
AdBlock Plus has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for AdBlock Plus and $14/month for Fathom Analytics.
Does AdBlock Plus or Fathom Analytics run on more platforms?
AdBlock Plus runs on Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera, Safari, Yandex Browser. Fathom Analytics runs on Web.
Can I use AdBlock Plus for free?
Yes. AdBlock Plus has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Fathom Analytics starts at $14/month.
What is AdBlock Plus best used for?
AdBlock Plus is most often used for ad blocking for display ads, video advertisements including youtube pre-roll/mid-roll/post-roll, pop-ups, flashing banners, and overlay ads, performance enhancement by eliminating ad content to accelerate page load times and reduce data and battery consumption on mobile devices, security and privacy protection by blocking malware-infected ads (malvertising), preventing tracking by companies monitoring user behavior, and stopping access to malware-distributing sites, supports web browsers including chrome, firefox, edge, opera, and safari, as well as ios safari and android devices. Of those, ad blocking for display ads, video advertisements including youtube pre-roll/mid-roll/post-roll, pop-ups, flashing banners, and overlay ads and performance enhancement by eliminating ad content to accelerate page load times and reduce data and battery consumption on mobile devices are not what Fathom Analytics is typically brought in for.
What can AdBlock Plus do that Fathom Analytics cannot?
AdBlock Plus covers Ad blocking, Acceptable Ads, Custom filters, Social media blocking. Fathom Analytics covers Page view tracking, Goal tracking, Real-time analytics, Referrer tracking.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

AdBlock Plus: What does Adblock Plus block?

Adblock Plus blocks banner ads, pre-roll and mid-roll video ads on YouTube, pop-ups, sidebar ads, and most standard display formats. With Acceptable Ads disabled and EasyPrivacy enabled, it achieved a 100/100 score on AdBlock Tester in April 2026.

Source
Fathom Analytics: How much does Fathom Analytics cost?

Fathom's entry-level plan costs $45/month for up to 500,000 pageviews. Higher volume tiers exist (1M, 2M, 10M, 25M+ pageviews) with custom pricing. Yearly billing provides 2 months free.

Source
AdBlock Plus: What browsers does Adblock Plus support?

Adblock Plus is available for Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera, Safari, and Yandex Browser.

Source
Fathom Analytics: Is there a free trial for Fathom Analytics?

Yes, Fathom offers a 7-day free trial. There is no free tier after the trial ends.

Source
AdBlock Plus: Is there a premium version of Adblock Plus?

Yes. Adblock Plus Premium costs $40 annually or $4 per month and allows users to block cookie consent pop-ups, while the free version includes core ad blocking.

Source
Fathom Analytics: What happens if my pageviews exceed my plan limit?

Fathom handles usage overage graciously, only upgrading your plan after two consecutive months over your limit. There are no immediate overage charges.

Source
AdBlock Plus: What is Acceptable Ads?

Acceptable Ads is an opt-in setting that allows advertising Adblock Plus deems unobtrusive to display on websites; it is disabled by default but can be toggled in Settings.

Fathom Analytics: Can I add extra sites to my Fathom plan?

Yes, extra sites cost $10/month per 50-site pack, or $100/year (which includes two months free). All plans include a minimum of 50 included sites.

Source
Fathom Analytics: Can I cancel Fathom without a long contract?

Yes, there are no contracts and cancellation is flexible. Fathom does not lock customers into agreements.

Source
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