Software · head to head
Ghostery vs Violentmonkey
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Ghostery database of trackers requires regular updates to remain current; Violentmonkey smaller script ecosystem compared to Tampermonkey which has larger user base and more available scripts
- They diverge on capability: Ghostery covers Tracker blocking, Violentmonkey covers Userscript support.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Ghostery and Violentmonkey actually diverge.
| Attribute | Ghostery | Violentmonkey |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Firefox, Chrome, Edge, Safari, Opera | Chrome, Firefox, Edge |
| Founded | 2009 | 2013 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Unknown), 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
- Ad blocking
- Privacy dashboard
- Enhanced anti-tracking
- Safari support
Only in Violentmonkey
- Userscript support
- Clean interface
- Cloud sync
- Script editor
Both cover
- 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 Violentmonkey
- Preventing tracker profiling by replacing identifying data with random valuesnot Violentmonkey
- Automatically rejecting non-essential cookie consentnot Violentmonkey
- Seeing which companies track a given site through WhoTracks.Menot Violentmonkey
Violentmonkey
- Run open-source userscripts to customize or automate web pagesnot Ghostery
- Import scripts compatible with Greasemonkey and Tampermonkey formatsnot Ghostery
- Sync scripts and settings across browsers via Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive, or WebDAVnot Ghostery
- Batch import/export scripts as zip filesnot 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
Violentmonkey
- Smaller script ecosystem compared to Tampermonkey which has larger user base and more available scripts
- Less marketing and visibility results in lower adoption compared to more widely-known alternatives
- Community maintenance model means slower feature development compared to commercial alternatives
Pricing, plan by plan
Ghostery
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Ghostery review.
Violentmonkey
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Violentmonkey review.
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.
Choose Violentmonkey if
- You need userscript support.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Chrome, Firefox, Edge.
- You also want clean interface.
Questions people ask
- Is Ghostery or Violentmonkey better?
- Neither clearly leads. Ghostery starts at Free and Violentmonkey at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Ghostery or Violentmonkey?
- Ghostery starts at Free and Violentmonkey at Free.
- Does Ghostery or Violentmonkey run on more platforms?
- Ghostery runs on Firefox, Chrome, Edge, Safari, Opera. Violentmonkey runs on Chrome, Firefox, Edge.
- 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 Violentmonkey is typically brought in for.
- What can Ghostery do that Violentmonkey cannot?
- Ghostery covers Tracker blocking, Ad blocking, Privacy dashboard, Enhanced anti-tracking. Violentmonkey covers Userscript support, Clean interface, Cloud sync, Script editor. Both handle Chrome support, Firefox support, Edge support, Opera 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.
SourceViolentmonkey: Is Violentmonkey open-source?
Yes. Violentmonkey is fully open-source and available on GitHub, making it free to use and community-maintained unlike Tampermonkey which has a larger proprietary ecosystem.
SourceGhostery: What browsers does Ghostery support?
Ghostery is available for Firefox, Chrome, Opera, Edge and Safari as a browser extension.
SourceViolentmonkey: What browsers does Violentmonkey support?
Violentmonkey works on browsers with WebExtensions support, including Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and other Chromium-based browsers.
SourceGhostery: What data does Ghostery collect?
Ghostery collects no personal information, ensuring your privacy remains protected while using the extension.
SourceViolentmonkey: How does Violentmonkey compare to Tampermonkey in performance?
Community benchmarks show Violentmonkey uses about 15 to 30 percent less RAM on Chrome compared to Tampermonkey when managing many open tabs.
SourceViolentmonkey: What is the current version of Violentmonkey?
Violentmonkey reached version 2.46.0 as of July 31, 2026, with active ongoing development and regular updates to the open-source project.
Source