Did you know that a whopping 40% of US adults use an ad blocker to block ads and pop-ups? The use of ad blocker apps and extensions is on the rise, and internet users seek privacy and a better user experience. If you’re looking for an amazing adblocker solution, uBlock Origin and Adblock Plus are the two apps to try. But who’s the winner of the uBlock vs Adblock battle?
Here’s a detailed comparison between uBlock Origin and Adblock Plus to help you make the right choice.
Table of Contents
What Is uBlock Origin?
uBlock Origin is an efficient ad blocker that helps you block all the annoying ads while browsing without eating up a lot of your memory and CPU. Moreover, the team behind uBlock Origin states that it’s not just an adblocker but a “wide-spectrum content blocker.”
All in all, it enables you to block a wide range of malicious ads, pop-ups, and types of content. It comes with built-in lists, like uBlock Origin filter lists, EasyList (ads), EasyPrivacy (tracking), and more.
Moreover, uBlock offers a lot of customization features. For instance, you can create local and global rules as per your preferences. The solution is free and open-source.
What Is Adblock Plus?
Adblock Plus is another free ad blocker that enables you to block pop-ups, banner ads, YouTube ads, and malware. With over 500 million installs, Adblock Plus is one of the most popular ad blockers in the world.
There are many reasons to use Adblock Plus. For starters, it’s easy to use. You can just add it to your browser with a single click, and you’re all set to block dozens of annoying content types. From video and banner ads to pop-ups to tracking, Adblock Plus lets you block everything.
What’s more, Adblock Plus supports the Acceptable Ads initiative by default, which allows ads on the website while ensuring user satisfaction. You can disable this feature anytime you want to block ads completely.
UBlock vs Adblock Detailed Comparison
By looking at the two programs on a surface level, they seem quite similar. However, there are some nuanced differences every user must know before installing them on their browser.
Here’s a detailed comparison between uBlock Origin and Adblock Plus.
Features Overview
For starters, let’s look at the features of uBlock Origin and Adblock Plus, as it will give you a quick overview of what the two solutions offer.
Let’s start with the features of uBlock Origin.
- uBlock Origin filter lists
- EasyPrivacy (tracking)
- EasyList (ads)
- Online malicious URL blocklist
- Peter Lowe’s ad server list
- Dan Pollock’s hosts’ file
- MVPS hosts
- Fanboy’s enhanced tracking list
- Spam 404
Additionally, the program is free and open-source with the GPLv3 public license.
In contrast, here are the features of Adblock Plus.
- Block banner ads, video ads, and pop-ups
- Eliminate tracking and enjoy higher privacy
- Get rid of malware hiding in ads
- Improve your browsing experience
- Top-notch customization with whitelisting and Acceptable Ads
- Free, constant support
The feature comparison may have given you a better outlook of the two solutions. If not, continue reading as we’ll delve deeper into the comparison.
User Interface: UBlock vs Adblock
A crucial factor to consider before choosing an app or program is its user interface. Is it easy to use and beginner-friendly? Thankfully, both uBlock Origin and Adblock Plus are user-friendly and easy to use. However, there are minute differences you should know about.
Let’s compare the interface of the two solutions. Adblock Plus offers a clean and intuitive design. You can enable and disable the ad blocker using a one-tap switch. If you want to allow ads on a certain website, you simply whitelist it, and the ads will start to show. If you’re facing issues with a particular website, you can report it with a single click.
UBlock Origin has a user interface that resembles Adblock Plus. You can enable/disable it with one click. The ad blocker allows Acceptable Ads, but you can eliminate them if you want. Overall, the user interface is intuitive and user-friendly.
Both Adblock Plus and uBlock Origin have a similar user interface.
Customization Options
We discussed features a couple of sections earlier, but let’s delve deeper this time. UBlock Origin offers excellent customization options. The ad-blocking features are top-notch, and this app won’t let any ads pass through the shield. It also comes with a comprehensive range of third-party filters to block all problematic ads.
Adblock Plus also has a lot of customization features. However, it’s not open-source like uBlock, and hence, it only has a set of predefined filters. You can whitelist websites if you want. However, please note that Adblock Plus has Acceptable Ads enabled by default. So, some intrusive ads may appear.
Privacy: UBlock vs Adblock
Privacy is another critical factor to consider when using an adblocker program. When it comes to privacy, Adblock Plus seems to have an edge, as the Adblock team mentions clearly on the website about how serious they are about security. The uBlock team, on the other hand, doesn’t mention anything about security on their website.
So, if security is a dealbreaker for you, Adblock may be a better choice.
Resource Utilization
Both uBlock Origin and Adblock Plus are resource-efficient, and they don’t consume a lot of your system resources. However, some independent tests show that uBlock tends to use fewer resources than Adblock. The difference is nominal, and you won’t even notice if you have a high-end PC.
However, you may notice a difference in a low-end PC. If you have a low-end PC, you may notice some performance issues with Adblock. UBlock, on the other hand, is more resource-efficient.
Wrap Up: UBlock vs Adblock
UBlock Origin and Adblock Plus are two of the most popular ad blocker software solutions in the world. Both of them are fantastic tools for blocking ads, and you can use any one of them based on your preferences. In this head-to-head comparison, we discovered that uBlock Origin offers better customization and resource utilization, while Adblock Plus has an edge in security.
