Disconnect vs uBlock Origin

Disconnect exposes and blocks trackers, data brokers and surveillance networks across websites, apps and email. Its Basic Extension displays and blocks trackers on visited websites. On iOS and Android, Tracker Protection uses encrypted DNS to block trackers across apps and browsers without a VPN. Privacy Pro for iOS adds Smart VPN, custom blocking rules and activity logs. Disconnect Premium can encrypt internet activity and mask the user's IP address in encrypted mode, using AES 256-bit encryption and 2048-bit Diffie-Hellman key exchange. Users can choose Blocking mode, focused on privacy and performance, or Encrypted mode, which may slow connections. Its ad blocking targets privacy-invasive ads that track users or may distribute malvertising, rather than every advertisement. A free plan is available, and the pricing note lists paid plans from $50/yr; Premium is also listed at $5 a month. Website subscriptions cover three unique devices. App Store subscriptions are limited to the purchasing iTunes user and their iPhone or iPad devices.

uBlock Origin is a free, open-source content blocker for desktop and Android versions of Firefox, as well as Chromium and Thunderbird versions. It blocks ads, trackers, coin miners, popups, anti-blockers, and malware sites by default. Several filter lists are built in, and users can add lists and hosts files or create custom rules using EasyList syntax with uBlock Origin extensions. If blocking is too broad, users can disable preselected lists. The basic and advanced popup interfaces include a per-site point-and-click firewall. The project’s stated purpose is to help users neutralize privacy-invading methods in the browser, and it is described as CPU- and memory-efficient, fast, and lean. It works best on Firefox and also supports Chromium-based browsers, including Edge and Opera. In Thunderbird, it affects feeds but not email. The project advises against running it alongside another content blocker. It is licensed under GPL-3.0/GPLv3, and enterprise deployment documentation is available.