Software · head to head
uBlock Origin vs AdBlock Plus
The short version
- Each has a real cost: 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; AdBlock Plus acceptable Ads allowlist model generates controversy over ad filtering conflicts of interest
- They diverge on capability: uBlock Origin covers Tracker blocking, AdBlock Plus covers Acceptable Ads.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which uBlock Origin and AdBlock Plus actually diverge.
| Attribute | uBlock Origin | AdBlock Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera | Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera, Safari, Yandex Browser |
| Founded | 2014 | 2006 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (free), 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 uBlock Origin
- Tracker blocking
- Malware domain blocking
- Custom filter lists
Only in AdBlock Plus
- Acceptable Ads
- Custom filters
- Social media blocking
- Safari support
Both cover
- Ad blocking
- Chrome support
- Firefox support
- Edge support
- Opera support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
uBlock Origin
- Blocking advertisements and third-party trackers in the browsernot AdBlock Plus
- Running a default-deny policy on third-party scripts and resourcesnot AdBlock Plus
- Element picking and cosmetic filtering of unwanted page contentnot AdBlock Plus
AdBlock Plus
No use cases recorded yet. See the AdBlock Plus review.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
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
uBlock Origin
Free- FreeFree
- Ad blocking
- Tracker blocking
- Custom filter lists
AdBlock Plus
Free- FreeFree
- Ad blocking
- Acceptable Ads option
- Custom filters
Which should you pick?
Choose uBlock Origin if
- You need tracker blocking.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera.
- You also want malware domain blocking.
Choose AdBlock Plus if
- You need acceptable ads.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera, Safari, Yandex Browser.
- You also want custom filters.
Questions people ask
- Is uBlock Origin or AdBlock Plus better?
- Neither clearly leads. uBlock Origin 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, uBlock Origin or AdBlock Plus?
- uBlock Origin starts at Free and AdBlock Plus at Free.
- Does uBlock Origin or AdBlock Plus run on more platforms?
- uBlock Origin runs on Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera. AdBlock Plus runs on Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera, Safari, Yandex Browser.
- Can I use uBlock Origin for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is uBlock Origin best used for?
- uBlock Origin is most often used for blocking advertisements and third-party trackers in the browser, running a default-deny policy on third-party scripts and resources, element picking and cosmetic filtering of unwanted page content. Of those, blocking advertisements and third-party trackers in the browser and running a default-deny policy on third-party scripts and resources are not what AdBlock Plus is typically brought in for.
- What can uBlock Origin do that AdBlock Plus cannot?
- uBlock Origin covers Tracker blocking, Malware domain blocking, Custom filter lists. AdBlock Plus covers Acceptable Ads, Custom filters, Social media blocking, Safari support. Both handle Ad blocking, Chrome support, Firefox support, Edge support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
AdBlock 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.
SourceAdBlock Plus: What browsers does Adblock Plus support?
Adblock Plus is available for Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera, Safari, and Yandex Browser.
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.