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Software · head to head

Ghostery vs WhatFont

Ghostery logo

Ghostery

Software

Block ads and stop trackers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
WhatFont logo

WhatFont

Software

Identify fonts on web pages

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Ghostery database of trackers requires regular updates to remain current; WhatFont can only detect web-safe fonts and fonts loaded via web font services
  • They diverge on capability: Ghostery covers Tracker blocking, WhatFont covers Font detection.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Ghostery and WhatFont actually diverge.

Attributes where Ghostery and WhatFont differ
AttributeGhosteryWhatFont
PlatformsFirefox, Chrome, Edge, Safari, OperaChrome, Firefox, Arc
Founded20092011

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
  • Opera support

Only in WhatFont

  • Font detection
  • Typography info
  • Service detection
  • Hover inspection

Both cover

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

WhatFont

No use cases recorded yet. See the WhatFont 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

WhatFont

  • Can only detect web-safe fonts and fonts loaded via web font services
  • Does not work on images with embedded text or rasterized typography
  • Limited to inspecting single text elements at a time

Pricing, plan by plan

Ghostery

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Ghostery review.

WhatFont

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Font inspection on any website
    • Font family identification
    • Font size and weight detection

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 WhatFont if

  • You need font detection.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Chrome, Firefox, Arc.
  • You also want typography info.
WhatFont review

Questions people ask

Is Ghostery or WhatFont better?
Neither clearly leads. Ghostery starts at Free and WhatFont at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Ghostery or WhatFont?
Ghostery starts at Free and WhatFont at Free.
Does Ghostery or WhatFont run on more platforms?
Ghostery runs on Firefox, Chrome, Edge, Safari, Opera. WhatFont runs on Chrome, Firefox, Arc.
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 WhatFont is typically brought in for.
What can Ghostery do that WhatFont cannot?
Ghostery covers Tracker blocking, Ad blocking, Privacy dashboard, Enhanced anti-tracking. WhatFont covers Font detection, Typography info, Service detection, Hover inspection. Both handle Chrome support, Firefox support, Edge support, Safari 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
WhatFont: How do I use WhatFont to inspect fonts?

Click the WhatFont icon in your browser toolbar to activate it, then hover over any text on a webpage to see the font name and details in a pop-up. Click the text to reveal additional information like font style, weight, color, and font samples.

Source
Ghostery: What browsers does Ghostery support?

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

Source
WhatFont: What browsers does WhatFont support?

WhatFont works on Google Chrome, Firefox, and Arc browser. It is available as a free extension in each browser's extension store.

Source
Ghostery: What data does Ghostery collect?

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

Source
WhatFont: Is WhatFont free?

Yes. WhatFont is a completely free browser extension with no paid tier or premium features. It is maintained as a free tool for designers and developers.

Source
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