Disconnect

Overview

Disconnect is a privacy tool that identifies and blocks trackers across websites, apps, and email. It suits people who want tracker controls beyond the browser, with paid options for mobile features and encrypted internet traffic. Its focus is tracking protection, not removing every ad.

Founded in 2011 and based in San Francisco, Disconnect says it does not collect personal information beyond what users voluntarily provide or sell it to advertisers or other third parties. Its protection also underpins integrations with Firefox, Edge, Samsung Internet, and Chrome IP Protection.

Key features

Tracker blocking across browsers and apps

The Basic Extension displays trackers on visited websites and lets users block them, but covers a single browser. On iOS and Android, Tracker Protection blocks trackers across apps and browsers through encrypted DNS without a VPN. That wider reach makes mobile protection a stronger fit for people concerned about tracking outside the browser.

Additional iOS controls and encryption

Privacy Pro for iOS adds Smart VPN, custom blocking rules, and detailed activity logs to tracker protection. Disconnect Premium encrypts all internet activity and masks the user’s IP address in encrypted mode. Its encryption uses AES 256-bit data encryption and 2048-bit Diffie-Hellman key exchange for perfect forward secrecy. The app also offers Blocking mode, with Privacy and Performance settings; encrypted mode can slow connections, so users who prioritize speed may prefer blocking without encryption.

Focused ad blocking

Disconnect blocks ads that track users or may distribute malvertising; it does not aim to block every advertisement. That narrower scope makes sense for privacy-focused users who tolerate ordinary ads, but not for readers seeking an ad-free browsing experience.

Business and enterprise options

Business deployments can integrate with Zscaler, Palo Alto, Cisco, Fortinet, and other existing security infrastructure. The Lightbox API provides tracker, ownership, app, website, and privacy intelligence through datasets, forensic reports, and integrations. These are specialized capabilities for organizations, not reasons for a typical individual to choose a consumer plan.

Pricing

Disconnect is freemium, with a free plan and a 30-day trial. The Basic Extension is free and covers one browser, making it a limited entry point for people who only need website tracker visibility and blocking. It does not provide the broader app coverage of mobile Tracker Protection.

Premium is shown at $5 a month, with a charge after 30 days and coverage for three devices. Disconnect Premium is also shown at $5 a month, billed monthly, for three devices, tracker blocking, and encrypted VPN. The terms distinguish a post-trial charge from a monthly-billed subscription; readers should choose based on whether they want the trial offer or the stated monthly plan.

Website subscriptions cover three unique devices. App Store subscriptions are limited to the purchasing iTunes user and iPhone or iPad devices, so the three-device website coverage should not be assumed for an App Store purchase. Cloud Privacy Plus has custom pricing and is aimed at enterprises needing tracker protection with URL filtering, DNS, or VPN integration and API or CSV deployment.

Platforms

Disconnect is available on Android, iOS, macOS, Windows, web, and browser extensions, and offers an API. Browser support includes major browsers. The breadth is useful for households mixing desktop and mobile platforms, though subscription coverage depends on purchase channel.

Who it's for

Disconnect fits privacy-conscious users who want tracker blocking across websites and mobile apps, with optional encryption for all internet activity. It is less suitable for people whose primary goal is blocking every ad, or who want the broadest value from a browser-only extension without paying for mobile or encrypted features.

Pros and cons

Pros: Mobile Tracker Protection reaches apps as well as browsers through encrypted DNS, without requiring a VPN.

Pros: Premium combines tracker blocking with encrypted internet activity and IP masking across three devices for website subscriptions.

Pros: The focused ad policy targets tracking and malvertising rather than treating every ad as unwanted.

Cons: The free Basic Extension is limited to one browser, not system-wide protection.

Cons: Ad blocking is deliberately incomplete, so users seeking to remove all ads should look elsewhere.

Cons: Encrypted mode may slow connections, and App Store subscriptions do not share the website plan’s three-device coverage.

Alternatives

For a free, open-source option with all features free and no subscription required, consider Ghostery, available on Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows, and as an extension. AdBlocker Ultimate is another freemium alternative, with Personal for three devices and Family for ten; its prices are custom pricing.

Blokada offers a free ad blocker for Android 5 or newer, while Blokada Plus is €5 a month. Adblock Plus is a freemium alternative whose web extension is an open-source project licensed under GPLv3.

AdGuard offers freemium plans with Personal for three devices and Family for nine; both are custom pricing. AdLock includes a 1-year plan at $39.50 a year for five devices, or a monthly option at $9.95 a month, billed at $119.40/year if billed monthly.

1Blocker is a freemium option for Apple platforms, with a $2.99 a month plan that renews monthly and includes multiple blocking categories and background filter updates. AdBlock is available on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android; its $4 a month Premium plan includes a seven-day free trial.

Browse more options in Ad blockers or Ad Blocking Software.

Verdict

Choose Disconnect if you want tracker protection across browser and mobile app activity, with an optional encrypted mode and clear device coverage on website subscriptions. Its main trade-offs are that it does not block every ad, encrypted mode can reduce connection speed, and App Store coverage is narrower. Readers seeking a free open-source blocker or comprehensive ad removal should compare alternatives first.