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Software · head to head

Ghostery vs uBlock Origin

Ghostery logo

Ghostery

Software

Block ads and stop trackers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
uBlock Origin logo

uBlock Origin

Software

Free, open-source ad content blocker

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Ghostery database of trackers requires regular updates to remain current; uBlock Origin cNAME uncloaking of third-party trackers disguised as first-party is only available on Firefox, because the required DNS API does not exist in Chromium
  • They diverge on capability: Ghostery covers Privacy dashboard, uBlock Origin covers Malware domain blocking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Ghostery and uBlock Origin actually diverge.

Attributes where Ghostery and uBlock Origin differ
AttributeGhosteryuBlock Origin
Pricing modelUnknownfree
PlatformsFirefox, Chrome, Edge, Safari, OperaChrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera
Founded20092014

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

  • Privacy dashboard
  • Enhanced anti-tracking
  • Safari support

Only in uBlock Origin

  • Malware domain blocking
  • Custom filter lists

Both cover

  • Tracker blocking
  • Ad blocking
  • Chrome support
  • Firefox support
  • Edge 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 uBlock Origin
  • Preventing tracker profiling by replacing identifying data with random valuesnot uBlock Origin
  • Automatically rejecting non-essential cookie consentnot uBlock Origin
  • Seeing which companies track a given site through WhoTracks.Menot uBlock Origin

uBlock Origin

  • Blocking advertisements and third-party trackers in the browsernot Ghostery
  • Running a default-deny policy on third-party scripts and resourcesnot Ghostery
  • Element picking and cosmetic filtering of unwanted page contentnot 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

uBlock Origin

  • CNAME uncloaking of third-party trackers disguised as first-party is only available on Firefox, because the required DNS API does not exist in Chromium
  • HTML filtering of response bodies requires the webRequest.filterResponseData API, which is only available in Firefox
  • On Chromium-based browsers uBO is not reliably ready at browser launch, so tracker and advertisement payloads can reach already-open tabs before filtering starts
  • Pre-fetch blocking is not reliable on Chromium-based browsers because they give websites precedence over user settings
  • The Chromium build does not use the WebAssembly filtering code paths, because the extra manifest permission would create friction publishing to the Chrome Web Store
  • LZ4 storage compression is Firefox only, and on Chromium in incognito mode IndexedDB resets, so uBO launches with out-of-date filter lists

Pricing, plan by plan

Ghostery

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Ghostery review.

uBlock Origin

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Ad blocking
    • Tracker blocking
    • Custom filter lists

Which should you pick?

Choose Ghostery if

  • You need privacy dashboard.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Firefox, Chrome, Edge, Safari, Opera.
  • You also want enhanced anti-tracking.
Ghostery review

Choose uBlock Origin if

  • You need malware domain blocking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera.
  • You also want custom filter lists.
uBlock Origin review

Questions people ask

Is Ghostery or uBlock Origin better?
Neither clearly leads. Ghostery starts at Free and uBlock Origin at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Ghostery or uBlock Origin?
Ghostery starts at Free and uBlock Origin at Free.
Does Ghostery or uBlock Origin run on more platforms?
Ghostery runs on Firefox, Chrome, Edge, Safari, Opera. uBlock Origin runs on Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera.
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 uBlock Origin is typically brought in for.
What can Ghostery do that uBlock Origin cannot?
Ghostery covers Privacy dashboard, Enhanced anti-tracking, Safari support. uBlock Origin covers Malware domain blocking, Custom filter lists. Both handle Tracker blocking, Ad blocking, Chrome support, Firefox 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
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Related pages

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