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Browser Extensions · head to head

uBlock Origin vs Violentmonkey

uBlock Origin logo

uBlock Origin

Browser Extensions

Free, open-source ad content blocker

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Violentmonkey logo

Violentmonkey

Browser Extensions

Open source userscript manager

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

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; Violentmonkey smaller script ecosystem compared to Tampermonkey which has larger user base and more available scripts
  • They diverge on capability: uBlock Origin covers Ad blocking, Violentmonkey covers Userscript support.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where uBlock Origin and Violentmonkey differ
AttributeuBlock OriginViolentmonkey
Pricing modelfreeUnknown
PlatformsChrome, Firefox, Edge, OperaChrome, Firefox, Edge
Founded20142013

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

Only in Violentmonkey

  • Userscript support
  • Clean interface
  • Cloud sync
  • Script editor

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.

uBlock Origin

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

Violentmonkey

  • Run open-source userscripts to customize or automate web pagesnot uBlock Origin
  • Import scripts compatible with Greasemonkey and Tampermonkey formatsnot uBlock Origin
  • Sync scripts and settings across browsers via Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive, or WebDAVnot uBlock Origin
  • Batch import/export scripts as zip filesnot uBlock Origin

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

Violentmonkey

  • Smaller script ecosystem compared to Tampermonkey which has larger user base and more available scripts
  • Less marketing and visibility results in lower adoption compared to more widely-known alternatives
  • Community maintenance model means slower feature development compared to commercial alternatives

Pricing, plan by plan

uBlock Origin

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

Violentmonkey

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Violentmonkey review.

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 Violentmonkey if

  • You need userscript support.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Chrome, Firefox, Edge.
  • You also want clean interface.
Violentmonkey review

Questions people ask

Is uBlock Origin or Violentmonkey better?
Neither clearly leads. uBlock Origin starts at Free and Violentmonkey at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, uBlock Origin or Violentmonkey?
uBlock Origin starts at Free and Violentmonkey at Free.
Does uBlock Origin or Violentmonkey run on more platforms?
uBlock Origin runs on Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera. Violentmonkey runs on Chrome, Firefox, Edge.
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 ad and tracker blocking in web browsers, privacy protection while browsing the web, reducing bandwidth usage by blocking ads, users seeking open-source browser extensions. Of those, ad and tracker blocking in web browsers and privacy protection while browsing the web are not what Violentmonkey is typically brought in for.
What can uBlock Origin do that Violentmonkey cannot?
uBlock Origin covers Ad blocking, Tracker blocking, Malware domain blocking, Custom filter lists. Violentmonkey covers Userscript support, Clean interface, Cloud sync, Script editor. Both handle Chrome support, Firefox support, Edge support, Opera support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Violentmonkey: Is Violentmonkey open-source?

Yes. Violentmonkey is fully open-source and available on GitHub, making it free to use and community-maintained unlike Tampermonkey which has a larger proprietary ecosystem.

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
Violentmonkey: What browsers does Violentmonkey support?

Violentmonkey works on browsers with WebExtensions support, including Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and other Chromium-based browsers.

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
Violentmonkey: How does Violentmonkey compare to Tampermonkey in performance?

Community benchmarks show Violentmonkey uses about 15 to 30 percent less RAM on Chrome compared to Tampermonkey when managing many open tabs.

Source
Violentmonkey: What is the current version of Violentmonkey?

Violentmonkey reached version 2.46.0 as of July 31, 2026, with active ongoing development and regular updates to the open-source project.

Source
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