Adblock Plus vs wBlock

Adblock Plus is a browser extension and mobile ad-blocking product that filters ads, third-party tracking requests and malicious domains using lists such as EasyList and EasyPrivacy. It blocks formats including video ads, banners, pop-ups and pop-unders, and can disable social buttons. Acceptable Ads are enabled by default, but users can turn that feature off. Users can also remove default filter lists, add other lists or create their own. EasyPrivacy targets tracking domains, fingerprinting scripts, analytics requests and data-collection domains. The desktop add-on supports Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Microsoft Edge, Opera and Yandex Browser. Mobile options include a Safari app for iOS, a product for Samsung Internet on Android and the separate Adblock Browser. The extension can access page URLs and content to block or hide ads; it does not track browsing history, record form typing or alter submitted data. Free ad blocking is available. Premium is listed at $4 a month or $40 a year.

wBlock is a free, open-source ad blocker for Safari on Apple devices. It distributes filtering across five Safari content blockers, with a stated capacity of 750,000 rules. Users can add AdGuard-syntax, regional, annoyance, and custom filter lists by URL, pasted text, or file, and use an element zapper to remove page elements. Filtering, userscripts, and autoplay can be controlled separately for individual sites. The app includes a Greasemonkey-compatible userscript engine and supports UserCSS themes, including Less, Sass, and Stylus. Tube Cleaner and Player Cleaner add video options such as Picture-in-Picture and background audio. Its script catalog includes SponsorBlock, DeArrow, Dark Reader, Return YouTube Dislike, and TwitchAdSolutions. iCloud can sync lists, custom filters, userscripts, the allowlist, and settings; users can export a local backup instead. The privacy policy says the app does not collect browsing history, telemetry, or device identifiers and has no built-in analytics or crash reporting. It is available through the App Store, Homebrew, and a DMG download.