Ghostery and Adblocker Ultimate - A Comparison

What is Adblocker Ultimate?

AdBlocker Ultimate positions itself as a straightforward, no-nonsense ad blocker. Its core mission is simple: to block all types of ads across the web without exception. This includes banner ads, video ads (like those on YouTube), pop-ups, text ads, and more.

A key differentiator for AdBlocker Ultimate is its strict policy against "acceptable ads" or any form of whitelisting agreements with advertisers. Many ad blockers participate in programs where certain non-intrusive ads are allowed through by default to support websites.

AdBlocker Ultimate rejects this model entirely, aiming for a completely ad-free experience based on the principle that users should have total control over what content they see. It operates primarily by maintaining and updating filter lists that identify and block known ad-serving domains and scripts.

In addition to their free browser extension, Adblocker Ultimate also offers a paid plan for its Windows application that blocks ads and trackers in many Windows-based applications.

Adblocker Ultimate stands out in ad blockers reviews with its high user satisfaction, as highlighted by its 4.7 out of 5 rating on Trustpilot's Adblocker Ultimate review.

Tooltivity's Adblocker Ultimate review highlights its user-friendly interface and strong ad-blocking, giving it an impressive score of 8.9 out of 10.

All About Cookies notes that the tool is excellent for blocking ads in its Adblocker Ultimate review, but that you may run into issues on Android and iOS.

What platforms does AdBlocker Ultimate work on?

AdBlocker Ultimate offers wide compatibility. You can typically find it for major browsers, including:

• Google Chrome
• Mozilla Firefox
• Microsoft Edge
• Opera
• Safari (often with slightly different feature sets due to Apple's extension policies)

AdBlocker Ultimate mainly works on desktop browsers. You might find mobile versions of ad blockers for Android or iOS, but they often work differently than desktop extensions. Mobile operating systems limit what ad blockers can do, so results may vary.

How does AdBlocker Ultimate compare to Ghostery?

This is where the nuances become important. While both tools block ads, their scope and feature sets diverge.

Many ad blockers reviews highlight effectiveness, but this comparison also delves into user interface, control, and the types of filter lists used.

Core Focus

AdBlocker Ultimate is focused on blocking advertisements. Its primary goal is to eliminate visual clutter.

Adblocker Ultimate consistently receives top marks in ad blockers reviews for its ability to block ads across multiple platforms, including YouTube and social media.

Ghostery blocks ads but also blocks swaths of hidden trackers. It spots these sneaky scripts that companies use to watch what you do online — whether for ads, analytics, or other tracking — and blocks them from following you online.

User Interface and Control

Ad blockers reviews often evaluate how well the blockers stop ads, how easy their interfaces are to use, and how much control they give users. You should consider how effectively the blocker removes ads and what features protect privacy, such as tracker blocking, when searching for the best free ad blocker.

AdBlocker Ultimate offers a minimal, primarily showing the number of ads blocked.

Ghostery provides a more detailed dashboard, giving you detailed insight into observed and  blocked tracking activities. It is a safe ad blocker that protects your online pursuits from snooping advertisers.

Clicking the Ghostery icon reveals a list of all trackers and ads detected on the current page, allowing users to see them grouped by category (Advertising, Analytics, Social Media, etc.). You can choose to block or trust specific trackers or categories in the settings.

Click Ghostery's clipboard icon to generate a Privacy Report and see tracker trends on the websites you visit.

AdBlocker Ultimate is generally less transparent about what specifically it's blocking beyond just "ads."

Remember that when choosing a safe ad blocker, look at their privacy policies. Understand how the extension handles your data.

Beyond Blocking

Ghostery goes beyond only using one or two filter lists to block ads and trackers. It offers unique technology to tackle trackers and handle annoying cookie consent notices on websites.

Ghostery also stops Google from snooping on which search result links you click. The extension also lets you add filters for block ads in non-English speaking regions. (Enable a regional list only when you need it.)

Pros & Cons of AdBlocker Ultimate

Pros

• Effective Ad Blocking: Does exactly what it promises — blocks a wide variety of ads effectively.
• Simplicity: Easy to install and use; requires minimal configuration.
• Browser Support: Available for most popular desktop browsers.

Cons

• Basic Protection: Only uses EasyList, EasyPrivacy, and Online Malicious URL Blocklist filters, which is only slightly more than Adblock Plus does by default.
• Mobile Issues: Some users report that the experience is less than ideal on mobile browsers.
• Limited Tracker Focus: While blocking ad servers might incidentally block some trackers, its primary focus isn't on comprehensive privacy.
• Potential Resource Use: Felt sluggish compared to alternatives.

Pros & Cons of Ghostery

Pros

• Broader Protection: Uses more than just EasyList and EasyPrivacy to block ads, trackers, and annoyances.
• Excellent Tracker Blocking: Industry-leading identification and blocking of a vast array of web trackers.
• Transparency and Insight: Provides detailed information about detected trackers, their purpose, and the companies behind them via WhoTracks.Me.
• Effective Ad Blocking: Also blocks ads effectively, often using similar filter lists plus its own intelligence.
• Privacy Focus: Designed with user privacy as a core principle, going beyond simple ad removal.
• Granular Control: Allows users to selectively block or allow specific trackers or tracking categories.

Cons

• Slightly More Complex: Some people may find Ghostery's detailed way of analyzing trackers too complex for their needs.
• Broader Protection by Default: Ghostery goes the extra mile with its adblock and cookie pop-up coverage, and this approach sometimes stops web pages from working correctly.

Adblocker Test Results

While we advise against relying solely on adblock testers when deciding on the best free ad blocker, we did note performance differences during practical testing on news websites.

Adblocker Ultimate felt slower than Ghostery or uBlock Origin Lite. We tested them on Firefox and Chrome, clearing the browsing history before each test.

Because of its dedicated technology and extensive database, Ghostery consistently identifies and blocks a wider variety of trackers and annoyances compared to blockers focused mostly on ads.

This translates not only to better privacy but can also lead to faster page load times, as fewer third-party scripts are executing in the background.

While AdBlocker Ultimate improves speed by removing ads, Ghostery often provides a better experience by blocking resource-hungry web requests and anti-adblock notices.

Instead of using a dedicated adblock tester, we compared perceived speed and resource usage between the two extensions during regular browsing.

Summary

AdBlocker Ultimate offers a simple way to eliminate many visible ads. However, Ghostery provides a more comprehensive solution. Ghostery also gives you insights into what's loading on the sites you visit and protects you from online surveillance. While AdBlocker Ultimate is adequate, Ghostery goes further - delivering stronger protection, smarter tracking prevention, and a lighter footprint on your device.

As always, get in touch with our team if you have any questions.