Softwr

Browser Extensions · head to head

Ghostery vs IVPN

Ghostery logo

Ghostery

Browser Extensions

Block ads and stop trackers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
I

IVPN

Cybersecurity

Privacy-focused VPN with anonymous account numbers instead of email signup

From
$6/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Ghostery has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Ghostery database of trackers requires regular updates to remain current; IVPN has no free tier, unlike several consumer VPN competitors with limited free plans.
  • They diverge on capability: Ghostery covers Tracker blocking, IVPN covers Anonymous account numbers.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Ghostery and IVPN actually diverge.

Attributes where Ghostery and IVPN differ
AttributeGhosteryIVPN
Starting priceFree$6/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsFirefox, Chrome, Edge, Safari, Operawindows, mac, linux, ios, android
CategoryBrowser ExtensionsCybersecurity
Founded2009Unknown

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 Ghostery

  • Tracker blocking
  • Ad blocking
  • Privacy dashboard
  • Enhanced anti-tracking
  • Chrome support
  • Firefox support
  • Edge support
  • Safari support

Only in IVPN

  • Anonymous account numbers
  • Multi-hop connections
  • Independent audits
  • WireGuard and OpenVPN support
  • AntiTracker

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 IVPN
  • Preventing tracker profiling by replacing identifying data with random valuesnot IVPN
  • Automatically rejecting non-essential cookie consentnot IVPN
  • Seeing which companies track a given site through WhoTracks.Menot IVPN

IVPN

  • Signing up for a VPN without providing an email addressnot Ghostery
  • Verifying a VPN's no-logs claims via independent auditsnot Ghostery
  • Layering multi-hop routing for higher-anonymity browsingnot Ghostery
  • Blocking trackers and ads via built-in AntiTrackernot Ghostery

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

IVPN

  • Has no free tier, unlike several consumer VPN competitors with limited free plans.
  • Standard plan's two-connection limit is lower than many rivals offering five or more devices.
  • Smaller server network than large mainstream VPN providers, which can limit streaming unblocking.
  • Pricing is higher than budget VPN competitors for comparable simultaneous-connection counts.

Pricing, plan by plan

Ghostery

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Ghostery review.

IVPN

$6/month
  • Standard$6/month
    • 2 simultaneous connections
    • $60/year billed annually
    • WireGuard and OpenVPN support
  • Pro$10/month
    • 7 simultaneous connections
    • Multi-hop connections
    • $100/year billed annually

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 ad blocking.
Ghostery review

Choose IVPN if

  • You need anonymous account numbers.
  • You work on windows, mac, linux, ios, android.
  • You also want multi-hop connections.
IVPN review

Questions people ask

Is Ghostery or IVPN better?
Neither clearly leads. Ghostery starts at Free and IVPN at $6/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Ghostery or IVPN?
Ghostery has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Ghostery and $6/month for IVPN.
Does Ghostery or IVPN run on more platforms?
Ghostery runs on Firefox, Chrome, Edge, Safari, Opera. IVPN runs on windows, mac, linux, ios, android.
Can I use Ghostery for free?
Yes. Ghostery has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. IVPN starts at $6/month.
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 IVPN is typically brought in for.
What can Ghostery do that IVPN cannot?
Ghostery covers Tracker blocking, Ad blocking, Privacy dashboard, Enhanced anti-tracking. IVPN covers Anonymous account numbers, Multi-hop connections, Independent audits, WireGuard and OpenVPN 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
Ghostery: What browsers does Ghostery support?

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

Source
Ghostery: What data does Ghostery collect?

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

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Ghostery

More on IVPN

Keep looking

Other head to heads