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Browser Extensions · head to head

AdBlock Plus vs Userscripts

AdBlock Plus logo

AdBlock Plus

Browser Extensions

The world's most popular ad blocker

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Userscripts logo

Userscripts

Browser Extensions

Open-source userscript manager for Safari on Mac and iOS

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: AdBlock Plus acceptable Ads allowlist model generates controversy over ad filtering conflicts of interest; Userscripts safari cannot let extensions bypass a site's Content Security Policy, so strict sites produce "Refused to execute a script" errors that the @inject-into workaround does not always fix.
  • They diverge on capability: AdBlock Plus covers Ad blocking, Userscripts covers Built-in script editor.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 15 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which AdBlock Plus and Userscripts actually diverge.

Attributes where AdBlock Plus and Userscripts differ
AttributeAdBlock PlusUserscripts
Pricing modelfreeopen-source
PlatformsChrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera, Safari, Yandex BrowserSafari, macOS, iOS
Founded2006Unknown

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 AdBlock Plus

  • Ad blocking
  • Acceptable Ads
  • Custom filters
  • Social media blocking
  • Chrome support
  • Firefox support
  • Edge support
  • Safari support

Only in Userscripts

  • Built-in script editor
  • Standard metadata support
  • GM API
  • Remote script updating
  • iCloud sync
  • Per-page popup

What people use each for

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

AdBlock Plus

  • Ad blocking for display ads, video advertisements including YouTube pre-roll/mid-roll/post-roll, pop-ups, flashing banners, and overlay adsnot Userscripts
  • Performance enhancement by eliminating ad content to accelerate page load times and reduce data and battery consumption on mobile devicesnot Userscripts
  • Security and privacy protection by blocking malware-infected ads (malvertising), preventing tracking by companies monitoring user behavior, and stopping access to malware-distributing sitesnot Userscripts
  • Supports web browsers including Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera, and Safari, as well as iOS Safari and Android devicesnot Userscripts

Userscripts

  • Running userscripts on Safari without paying for Tampermonkeynot AdBlock Plus
  • Running userscripts on an iPhone or iPadnot AdBlock Plus
  • Writing scripts on a Mac and syncing them to iOSnot AdBlock Plus
  • Blocking or restyling site elements Safari content blockers cannot reachnot AdBlock Plus
  • Keeping a script library under an open-source licencenot AdBlock Plus

Where each one falls short

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

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

Userscripts

  • Safari cannot let extensions bypass a site's Content Security Policy, so strict sites produce "Refused to execute a script" errors that the @inject-into workaround does not always fix.
  • Apple only. There is no Chrome, Firefox or Edge build, so it cannot be a cross-browser answer.
  • iCloud sync is documented as having delays, which is awkward when editing the same script on two devices.
  • Requires macOS 12 and Safari 14.1, or iOS 15.1, so older Apple hardware is excluded.
  • GPL v3 means a commercial licence is required for non-open-source use, which matters if you are embedding rather than just using it.

Pricing, plan by plan

AdBlock Plus

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Ad blocking
    • Acceptable Ads option
    • Custom filters

Userscripts

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full functionality
    • GPL v3 licensed
    • macOS, iOS and iPadOS

Which should you pick?

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.
AdBlock Plus review

Choose Userscripts if

  • You need built-in script editor.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Safari, macOS, iOS.
  • You also want standard metadata support.
Userscripts review

Questions people ask

Is AdBlock Plus or Userscripts better?
Neither clearly leads. AdBlock Plus starts at Free and Userscripts at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, AdBlock Plus or Userscripts?
AdBlock Plus starts at Free and Userscripts at Free.
Does AdBlock Plus or Userscripts run on more platforms?
AdBlock Plus runs on Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera, Safari, Yandex Browser. Userscripts runs on Safari, macOS, iOS.
Can I use AdBlock Plus for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is AdBlock Plus best used for?
AdBlock Plus is most often used for ad blocking for display ads, video advertisements including youtube pre-roll/mid-roll/post-roll, pop-ups, flashing banners, and overlay ads, performance enhancement by eliminating ad content to accelerate page load times and reduce data and battery consumption on mobile devices, security and privacy protection by blocking malware-infected ads (malvertising), preventing tracking by companies monitoring user behavior, and stopping access to malware-distributing sites, supports web browsers including chrome, firefox, edge, opera, and safari, as well as ios safari and android devices. Of those, ad blocking for display ads, video advertisements including youtube pre-roll/mid-roll/post-roll, pop-ups, flashing banners, and overlay ads and performance enhancement by eliminating ad content to accelerate page load times and reduce data and battery consumption on mobile devices are not what Userscripts is typically brought in for.
What can AdBlock Plus do that Userscripts cannot?
AdBlock Plus covers Ad blocking, Acceptable Ads, Custom filters, Social media blocking. Userscripts covers Built-in script editor, Standard metadata support, GM API, Remote script updating.

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.

Source
Userscripts: Is Userscripts for Safari free?

Yes, free on the App Store and licensed under GPL v3. A commercial licence is required for use in something that is not itself open source.

Source
AdBlock Plus: What browsers does Adblock Plus support?

Adblock Plus is available for Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera, Safari, and Yandex Browser.

Source
Userscripts: Does it work on iPhone?

Yes, on iOS and iPadOS 15.1 or later, which makes it one of the few ways to run userscripts on an iPhone.

Source
AdBlock 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.

Source
Userscripts: Why do I get "Refused to execute a script" errors?

Safari does not let extensions bypass a site's Content Security Policy the way other browsers do. The documented workaround is changing the script's @inject-into setting, though it does not resolve every case.

Source
AdBlock 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.

Userscripts: Do my scripts sync between Mac and iPhone?

Yes, over iCloud, though the project notes the sync can be delayed rather than immediate.

Source
Userscripts: What are the system requirements?

macOS 12 or later with Safari 14.1 or later, or iOS and iPadOS 15.1 or later.

Source
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