Browser Extensions · head to head
Stylus vs AdBlock Plus
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Stylus crashes and instability when applying certain styles; AdBlock Plus acceptable Ads allowlist model generates controversy over ad filtering conflicts of interest
- They diverge on capability: Stylus covers Custom CSS injection, AdBlock Plus covers Ad blocking.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Stylus and AdBlock Plus actually diverge.
| Attribute | Stylus | AdBlock Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera | Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera, Safari, Yandex Browser |
| Founded | 2017 | 2006 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (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 Stylus
- Custom CSS injection
- Style management
- userstyles.world integration
- Built-in editor
Only in AdBlock Plus
- Ad blocking
- Acceptable Ads
- Custom filters
- Social media blocking
- Safari support
Both cover
- Chrome support
- Firefox support
- Edge support
- Opera support
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Stylus
- Crashes and instability when applying certain styles
- No visual element selector tool for identifying page elements to style
- Security risk if downloading and applying untrusted user-created styles
AdBlock Plus
- Acceptable Ads allowlist model generates controversy over ad filtering conflicts of interest
- Smaller feature set compared to open-source alternatives like uBlock Origin
- Less customization and dynamic filtering compared to uBlock Origin
- Mobile version less comprehensive than desktop extension
- Chrome version increasingly limited due to Manifest V3 migration
Pricing, plan by plan
Stylus
Free- FreeFree
- Custom CSS
- Style library
- Style editor
AdBlock Plus
Free- FreeFree
- Ad blocking
- Acceptable Ads option
- Custom filters
Which should you pick?
Choose Stylus if
- You need custom css injection.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera.
- You also want style management.
Choose AdBlock Plus if
- You need ad blocking.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera, Safari, Yandex Browser.
- You also want acceptable ads.
Questions people ask
- Is Stylus or AdBlock Plus better?
- Neither clearly leads. Stylus starts at Free and AdBlock Plus at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Stylus or AdBlock Plus?
- Stylus starts at Free and AdBlock Plus at Free.
- Does Stylus or AdBlock Plus run on more platforms?
- Stylus runs on Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera. AdBlock Plus runs on Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera, Safari, Yandex Browser.
- Can I use Stylus for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What can Stylus do that AdBlock Plus cannot?
- Stylus covers Custom CSS injection, Style management, userstyles.world integration, Built-in editor. AdBlock Plus covers Ad blocking, Acceptable Ads, Custom filters, Social media blocking. Both handle Chrome support, Firefox support, Edge support, Opera support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Stylus: Is Stylus free?
Yes. Stylus is completely free and open-source, available for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Opera browsers.
SourceAdBlock Plus: What does Adblock Plus block?
Adblock Plus blocks banner ads, pre-roll and mid-roll video ads on YouTube, pop-ups, sidebar ads, and most standard display formats. With Acceptable Ads disabled and EasyPrivacy enabled, it achieved a 100/100 score on AdBlock Tester in April 2026.
SourceStylus: Can I use Stylus to change the browser UI?
No. Due to WebExtensions security restrictions, Stylus can only customize website pages, not the browser interface itself.
SourceAdBlock Plus: What browsers does Adblock Plus support?
Adblock Plus is available for Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera, Safari, and Yandex Browser.
SourceStylus: What CSS pre-processors does Stylus support?
Stylus supports CSS, LESS, and Stylus syntax with built-in linting using Stylelint and CSSLint-mod with customizable rules.
SourceAdBlock Plus: Is there a premium version of Adblock Plus?
Yes. Adblock Plus Premium costs $40 annually or $4 per month and allows users to block cookie consent pop-ups, while the free version includes core ad blocking.
SourceAdBlock Plus: What is Acceptable Ads?
Acceptable Ads is an opt-in setting that allows advertising Adblock Plus deems unobtrusive to display on websites; it is disabled by default but can be toggled in Settings.