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Software · head to head

Ghostery vs AdBlock Plus

Ghostery logo

Ghostery

Software

Block ads and stop trackers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
AdBlock Plus logo

AdBlock Plus

Software

The world's most popular ad blocker

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Ghostery database of trackers requires regular updates to remain current; AdBlock Plus acceptable Ads allowlist model generates controversy over ad filtering conflicts of interest
  • They diverge on capability: Ghostery covers Tracker blocking, AdBlock Plus covers Acceptable Ads.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Ghostery and AdBlock Plus actually diverge.

Attributes where Ghostery and AdBlock Plus differ
AttributeGhosteryAdBlock Plus
Pricing modelUnknownfree
PlatformsFirefox, Chrome, Edge, Safari, OperaChrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera, Safari, Yandex Browser
Founded20092006

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Ghostery

  • Tracker blocking
  • Privacy dashboard
  • Enhanced anti-tracking

Only in AdBlock Plus

  • Acceptable Ads
  • Custom filters
  • Social media blocking

Both cover

  • Ad blocking
  • Chrome support
  • Firefox support
  • Edge support
  • Safari support
  • Opera support

What people use each for

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

Ghostery

  • Blocking ads and sponsored content before they loadnot AdBlock Plus
  • Preventing tracker profiling by replacing identifying data with random valuesnot AdBlock Plus
  • Automatically rejecting non-essential cookie consentnot AdBlock Plus
  • Seeing which companies track a given site through WhoTracks.Menot AdBlock Plus

AdBlock Plus

No use cases recorded yet. See the AdBlock Plus review.

Where each one falls short

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

Ghostery

  • Database of trackers requires regular updates to remain current
  • Some sites break functionality when trackers are aggressively blocked

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

Pricing, plan by plan

Ghostery

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Ghostery review.

AdBlock Plus

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Ghostery if

  • You need tracker blocking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Firefox, Chrome, Edge, Safari, Opera.
  • You also want privacy dashboard.
Ghostery review

Choose AdBlock Plus if

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

Questions people ask

Is Ghostery or AdBlock Plus better?
Neither clearly leads. Ghostery starts at Free and AdBlock Plus at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Ghostery or AdBlock Plus?
Ghostery starts at Free and AdBlock Plus at Free.
Does Ghostery or AdBlock Plus run on more platforms?
Ghostery runs on Firefox, Chrome, Edge, Safari, Opera. AdBlock Plus runs on Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera, Safari, Yandex Browser.
Can I use Ghostery for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Ghostery best used for?
Ghostery is most often used for blocking ads and sponsored content before they load, preventing tracker profiling by replacing identifying data with random values, automatically rejecting non-essential cookie consent, seeing which companies track a given site through whotracks.me. Of those, blocking ads and sponsored content before they load and preventing tracker profiling by replacing identifying data with random values are not what AdBlock Plus is typically brought in for.
What can Ghostery do that AdBlock Plus cannot?
Ghostery covers Tracker blocking, Privacy dashboard, Enhanced anti-tracking. AdBlock Plus covers Acceptable Ads, Custom filters, Social media blocking. Both handle Ad blocking, Chrome support, Firefox support, Edge support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Ghostery: Is Ghostery completely free?

Yes. Ghostery is a free ad blocking browser extension that you can install without paying a subscription. All of Ghostery's features are completely free to use, including ad blocking, tracker blocking, and cookie consent banner handling.

Source
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
Ghostery: What browsers does Ghostery support?

Ghostery is available for Firefox, Chrome, Opera, Edge and Safari as a browser extension.

Source
AdBlock Plus: What browsers does Adblock Plus support?

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

Source
Ghostery: What data does Ghostery collect?

Ghostery collects no personal information, ensuring your privacy remains protected while using the extension.

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
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.

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