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Browser Extensions · head to head

Stay vs uBlock Origin

Stay logo

Stay

Browser Extensions

Safari userscript manager that runs Tampermonkey scripts

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
uBlock Origin logo

uBlock Origin

Browser Extensions

Free, open-source ad content blocker

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Stay apple only. No Chrome, Firefox or Edge build, so it cannot serve a cross-browser workflow.; 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: Stay covers Tampermonkey and Violentmonkey compatibility, uBlock Origin covers Ad blocking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 15 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Stay and uBlock Origin differ
AttributeStayuBlock Origin
Pricing modelone-timefree
PlatformsSafari, iOS, macOSChrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera
FoundedUnknown2014

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Browser Extensions).

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 Stay

  • Tampermonkey and Violentmonkey compatibility
  • Userscript management
  • Cross-device bookmark sync
  • Download manager
  • Dark mode
  • One-time purchase across platforms

Only in uBlock Origin

  • Ad blocking
  • Tracker blocking
  • Malware domain blocking
  • Custom filter lists
  • Chrome support
  • Firefox support
  • Edge support
  • Opera support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Stay

  • Running Tampermonkey scripts on Safarinot uBlock Origin
  • Running userscripts on iPhone and iPadnot uBlock Origin
  • Syncing bookmarks across Apple and non-Apple devicesnot uBlock Origin
  • Managing downloads into categorised folders on iOSnot uBlock Origin
  • Forcing dark mode on sites that do not offer itnot uBlock Origin

uBlock Origin

  • Ad and tracker blocking in web browsersnot Stay
  • Privacy protection while browsing the webnot Stay
  • Reducing bandwidth usage by blocking adsnot Stay
  • Users seeking open-source browser extensionsnot Stay

Where each one falls short

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

Stay

  • Apple only. No Chrome, Firefox or Edge build, so it cannot serve a cross-browser workflow.
  • The free tier is deliberately limited, so the practical product is the paid one.
  • Compatibility with Tampermonkey and Violentmonkey scripts is a translation layer rather than the real thing, and a script relying on an unusual GM function may not behave identically.
  • It bundles bookmark sync, downloads and dark mode alongside the script manager, which is more surface area than some people want from an extension with access to every page.
  • A much smaller project than the established managers, so fewer scripts are tested against it.

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

Stay

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Limited functionality
  • Lifetime$5/one-time
    • All features
    • iPhone, iPad and Mac
    • Lifetime updates

uBlock Origin

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Stay if

  • You need tampermonkey and violentmonkey compatibility.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Safari, iOS, macOS.
  • You also want userscript management.
Stay 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 Stay or uBlock Origin better?
Neither clearly leads. Stay 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, Stay or uBlock Origin?
Stay starts at Free and uBlock Origin at Free.
Does Stay or uBlock Origin run on more platforms?
Stay runs on Safari, iOS, macOS. uBlock Origin runs on Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera.
Can I use Stay for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Stay best used for?
Stay is most often used for running tampermonkey scripts on safari, running userscripts on iphone and ipad, syncing bookmarks across apple and non-apple devices, managing downloads into categorised folders on ios. Of those, running tampermonkey scripts on safari and running userscripts on iphone and ipad are not what uBlock Origin is typically brought in for.
What can Stay do that uBlock Origin cannot?
Stay covers Tampermonkey and Violentmonkey compatibility, Userscript management, Cross-device bookmark sync, Download manager. uBlock Origin covers Ad blocking, Tracker blocking, Malware domain blocking, Custom filter lists.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Stay: Can Stay run Tampermonkey scripts?

Yes. It supports its own native scripts and also scripts written for Tampermonkey and Violentmonkey, which is the main reason to choose it on Safari.

Source
uBlock Origin: How much does uBlock Origin cost?

uBlock Origin is completely free and open-source software with no licensing fees, subscriptions, or commercial restrictions.

Source
Stay: How much does Stay cost?

A one-time payment, reported at around $5, covering iPhone, iPad and Mac with lifetime updates and no subscription. A free version with limited functionality is available.

Source
uBlock Origin: Is uBlock Origin open source?

Yes, uBlock Origin is distributed under the GPL-3.0 License with source code publicly available on GitHub. The project encourages community review and contribution.

Source
Stay: Does Stay work on iPhone?

Yes. It supports Safari across iPhone, iPad and Mac, and the single purchase covers all three.

Source
uBlock Origin: Does uBlock Origin accept donations?

No, uBlock Origin explicitly does not accept donations. The project instead encourages users to support the developers maintaining the filter lists that power the extension.

Source
Stay: What can userscripts do in Safari through Stay?

The vendor's examples are automatic pagination, immersive translation, redirect blocking and aggregated search. Anything a userscript can do on another browser is broadly in scope, subject to Safari's own restrictions.

Source
Stay: Is Stay open source?

The project publishes source on GitHub, and the app is distributed through the App Store as a paid product with a limited free tier.

Source
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