Ghostery vs wBlock
Ghostery
ghostery.comwBlock
github.comSide by side
| Figure | Ghostery | wBlock |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Ad blockers | 9.1 (#3) | 8.4 (#13) |
| Spec score · Ad Blocking Software | 8.7 (#7) | 7.7 (#22) |
| Browser support | The maker lists Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, Opera, and Brave as supported browsers. | single-browser |
| Cookie popup blocking | Yes | Yes |
| Custom filter lists | Yes | Yes |
| Device coverage | desktop-and-mobile | desktop-and-mobile |
| Element picker | Yes | Yes |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Integrations | The extension integrates WhoTracks.Me tracker information into its privacy tools and reports observed tracking information to WhoTracks.Me under the stated policy. | The built-in script catalog includes SponsorBlock, DeArrow, Dark Reader, Return YouTube Dislike, and TwitchAdSolutions. |
| Support | Users can consult the FAQs or contact Ghostery support at [email protected]. | Bug reports and feature requests go to GitHub Issues, and other questions can be asked on Discord. |
Plans
In their own words
Ghostery
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.
wBlock
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.