AdBlock vs Privoxy

AdBlock blocks ads across desktop and mobile devices, with support for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. It works with major browsers and includes custom filter lists, an element picker, and cookie popup blocking. A free plan is available, alongside Premium at $4 a month. Premium includes a 7-day free trial; the subscription starts on day 8 unless cancelled. Listed Premium features are AdBlock VPN, enhanced YouTube blocking, cookie-consent blocking, and distraction controls. Pricing is also described as paid from $40/yr. The maker, AdBlock, was founded in 2009 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas, United States. Device coverage is listed as desktop and mobile. The platform list names four operating systems, while browser support is described as covering major browsers.

Privoxy is free, non-caching web proxy software for privacy controls, access rules, and changes to HTTP headers and web pages. It can modify page text, remove banners and web bugs, filter HTML annoyances, and inspect HTTPS requests and responses. A browser-based configuration and control utility includes rule tracing and remote toggling, and Privoxy can be chained with other proxies. It can serve multiple clients across a network or as a LAN gateway. The software runs on Windows, GNU/Linux, Mac OS X, Haiku, BSD variants, Solaris, and other Unix systems. It is licensed under the GNU GPL version 2 or later, with a free plan listed at free. A basic configuration is included with a new installation, but many advanced features need to be enabled. Privoxy handles HTTP and HTTPS proxying; it does not handle FTP, SMTP, instant messaging, IRC, or ICQ. It is not designed as a malware-removal tool, and the default setup does not filter malware. The project says it lacks trusted build infrastructure; individual project members or external contributors build and upload binary packages.