Ghostery vs Stands AdBlocker

Ghostery is a free, open-source browser extension combining ad blocking, tracker protection, cookie-consent handling, and tracker information tools. It blocks banners, video ads, pop-ups, and sponsored content. The Tracker Panel displays trackers it identifies and neutralizes, while WhoTracks.Me provides information about tracking activity and companies. Ghostery says its protection replaces personal identifiers with random values. Never-Consent rejects tracking cookies and sends opt-out signals on supported sites. Supported browsers include Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera, Safari, and Brave, and users can install the extension on as many devices as they like. On iOS and iPadOS, it offers Safari protection; on Android, it supports Edge and Firefox. Chrome on Android is unavailable because Chrome does not allow extensions there. Ghostery says extension telemetry is non-personal, with additional telemetry sent if users opt in. For phishing and malware protection, it says it sends a partial URL checksum to its backend rather than the full URL. Private Search is in closed beta.

Stands AdBlocker is a free browser extension that blocks ads, pop-ups, and trackers on websites including YouTube and Twitch. It supports major browsers on Windows and macOS, plus an Android browser app that blocks advertising while browsing inside that app. The extension includes an element picker and a Cookie Notice Remover for consent pop-ups. Stands says its Manifest V3 implementation uses Declarative Net Request logic, and that video ads can be skipped or removed before, during, and in live videos without stopping playback. Users can allow ads on selected sites, creators, or channels and adjust ad and pop-up preferences. Some non-intrusive ads may be allowed by default; Acceptable Ads and Search Ads can be disabled. The privacy policy says Stands collects IP and device information at download and browsing information such as visited websites and viewed content for ad blocking. It says analytics data is filtered to remove personal data. The plan costs nothing, with no obligatory payments.