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Browser Extensions · head to head

uBlock Origin vs Awesome Screenshot

uBlock Origin logo

uBlock Origin

Browser Extensions

Free, open-source ad content blocker

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Awesome Screenshot logo

Awesome Screenshot

Browser Extensions

Screen capture and image annotation

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • They diverge on capability: uBlock Origin covers Ad blocking, Awesome Screenshot covers Screen capture.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which uBlock Origin and Awesome Screenshot actually diverge.

Attributes where uBlock Origin and Awesome Screenshot differ
AttributeuBlock OriginAwesome Screenshot
Pricing modelfreefreemium
PlatformsChrome, Firefox, Edge, OperaChrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari
Founded20142007

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 uBlock Origin

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

Only in Awesome Screenshot

  • Screen capture
  • Annotation tools
  • Cloud storage
  • Screen recording
  • Safari support

Both cover

  • Chrome support
  • Firefox support
  • Edge 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 Awesome Screenshot
  • Running a default-deny policy on third-party scripts and resourcesnot Awesome Screenshot
  • Element picking and cosmetic filtering of unwanted page contentnot Awesome Screenshot

Awesome Screenshot

No use cases recorded yet. See the Awesome Screenshot 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

Awesome Screenshot

Nothing recorded yet. See the Awesome Screenshot review.

Pricing, plan by plan

uBlock Origin

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

Awesome Screenshot

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Screen capture
    • Basic annotation
    • Cloud storage

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Awesome Screenshot if

  • You need screen capture.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari.
  • You also want annotation tools.
Awesome Screenshot review

Questions people ask

Is uBlock Origin or Awesome Screenshot better?
Neither clearly leads. uBlock Origin starts at Free and Awesome Screenshot at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, uBlock Origin or Awesome Screenshot?
uBlock Origin starts at Free and Awesome Screenshot at Free.
Does uBlock Origin or Awesome Screenshot run on more platforms?
uBlock Origin runs on Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera. Awesome Screenshot runs on Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari.
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 Awesome Screenshot is typically brought in for.
What can uBlock Origin do that Awesome Screenshot cannot?
uBlock Origin covers Ad blocking, Tracker blocking, Malware domain blocking, Custom filter lists. Awesome Screenshot covers Screen capture, Annotation tools, Cloud storage, Screen recording. Both handle Chrome support, Firefox support, Edge support.
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Related pages

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