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Privacy Badger vs uBlock Origin

Privacy Badger logo

Privacy Badger

Software

Automatically learn to block invisible 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: Privacy Badger it is not an ad blocker; the project states its aim is to prevent non-consensual tracking rather than to block ads; 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: Privacy Badger covers Automatic tracker detection, uBlock Origin covers Ad blocking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Privacy Badger and uBlock Origin actually diverge.

Attributes where Privacy Badger and uBlock Origin differ
AttributePrivacy BadgeruBlock Origin
Founded19902014

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera), 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 Privacy Badger

  • Automatic tracker detection
  • Learning algorithm
  • Do Not Track support
  • No filter lists required

Only in uBlock Origin

  • Ad blocking
  • Tracker blocking
  • Malware domain blocking
  • Custom filter lists

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.

Privacy Badger

No use cases recorded yet. See the Privacy Badger review.

uBlock Origin

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

Where each one falls short

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

Privacy Badger

  • It is not an ad blocker; the project states its aim is to prevent non-consensual tracking rather than to block ads
  • There is no Safari build, and Safari on iOS lacks extension capabilities Privacy Badger needs to work
  • Chrome on Android does not support extensions, so Android users have to switch to Firefox or Edge
  • Protection is aimed at third-party trackers and does not comprehensively cover tracking by the site you are actually visiting

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

Privacy Badger

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Automatic tracker learning
    • Third-party blocking
    • Do Not Track

uBlock Origin

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Privacy Badger if

  • You need automatic tracker detection.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera.
  • You also want learning algorithm.
Privacy Badger review

Choose uBlock Origin if

  • You need ad blocking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera.
  • You also want tracker blocking.
uBlock Origin review

Questions people ask

Is Privacy Badger or uBlock Origin better?
Neither clearly leads. Privacy Badger 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, Privacy Badger or uBlock Origin?
Privacy Badger starts at Free and uBlock Origin at Free.
Does Privacy Badger or uBlock Origin run on more platforms?
Both run on Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Privacy Badger for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What can Privacy Badger do that uBlock Origin cannot?
Privacy Badger covers Automatic tracker detection, Learning algorithm, Do Not Track support, No filter lists required. uBlock Origin covers Ad blocking, Tracker blocking, Malware domain blocking, Custom filter lists. Both handle Chrome support, Firefox support, Edge support, Opera support.
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