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Are you tired of seeing ads while using the Safari browser? Well, we don’t blame you. They get in the way of what you’re trying to do, track you across the internet, and slow down your browsing experience, among other things. The good news is, you can remove ads from Safari using what’s called an ad blocker. However, with so many options available these days, it can be difficult to find the best Ad blockers for safari as per your needs. Fret not, as we’ve got you covered!
In this article, you’ll find our recommendations of the best ad blockers for Safari and what makes them a great choice. We’re also going to discuss the pros and cons of using ad blockers on Safari or any other browser, for that matter.
Let’s dive in:
The Best Ad Blocker for Safari – Our Top 14 Picks
1. Adblock Plus
Free or paid? Free
Has a browser extension for Safari? Yes
Does it offer an app for iOS and macOS? Only available for iOS
AdBlock Plus, or ABP, is one of the most popular ad blockers in the market. It uses preset filter lists to prevent most ads from loading, but you can whitelist your favorite sites as well if you want to support them with ad revenue. You also have some protection against malvertising as ABP doesn’t just hide ads like most ad blockers but also actively stops content downloads.
Pros:
- Blocks all popups and ads
- Whitelist feature to disable ad blocker for particular sites
Cons:
- Not a free option
2. AdBlock
Free or paid? Free
Has a browser extension for Safari? Yes
Does it offer an app for iOS and macOS? Only available for iOS
AdBlock, not to be confused with AdBlock Plus, is a simple-to-use and powerful ad blocker that streamlines your browsing experience. It blocks pop-up ads, banner ads, audio ads, and video ads on Twitch, YouTube, Facebook, and other sites. Additionally, AdBlock lets you control which ads you want to see online with whitelisting.
Pros:
- Easy to use and set up
- Blocks all kinds of ads and popups
- Ad whitelisting supported
Cons:
- Can sometimes slow down page load time
3. Magic Lasso
Free or paid? Free
Has a browser extension for Safari? No
Does it offer an app for iOS and macOS? Yes
Magic Lasso is a high-performance and efficient adblocker that works with Safari on all your Apple devices – Mac, iPhone, or iPad. It removes virtually all kinds of ads, allowing you to browse faster and without any distractions. You can use Magic Lasso to protect your privacy as well because it effectively blocks trackers.
Pros:
- Removes ads and popups effectively
- Community whitelists to support good websites
- Blocks trackers to improve privacy
Cons:
- Pro subscription is needed to unlock advanced features
4. AdLock
Free or paid? A browser extension is free while the app works with a paid subscription
Has a browser extension for Safari? Yes
Does it offer an app for iOS and macOS? Yes
AdLock is one of the best ad blockers for Safari. It’s available as an app and browser extension and blocks all ads, trackers, and connections to dangerous sites. Moreover, AdLock warns users about malware and is capable of bypassing ad-blocker detection, which is something sites use to ensure commercial content doesn’t get removed.
Pros:
- Excellent filtering and customization
- Blocks both ads and trackers
- Built-in VPN
Cons:
- The built-in VPN might not be as secure as others
5. Wipr
Free or paid? Paid
Has a browser extension for Safari? No
Does it offer an app for iOS and macOS? Yes
Wipr is a paid ad blocker that’s well worth the low price of $1.99. It gets rid of annoyances such as ads, cookie pop-ups, cryptocurrency miners, and trackers, enabling you to focus on the content you want while using Safari. The blocklist used by Wipr is updated twice a week to stay up-to-date with the ever-changing internet landscape.
Pros:
- Simple-to-use ad blocker
- Removes all ads
Cons:
- No customization options
6. Ghostery
Free or paid? Free
Has a browser extension for Safari? Yes (called Ghostery Lite)
Does it offer an app for iOS and macOS? No
Ghostery is an open-source, privacy-related extension. It mainly focuses on stopping trackers, but also provides ad blocking and an option to set custom blocking preferences. If you pay for a subscription, you get additional features like an ad-free search engine, comprehensive tracker analysis, and more.
Pros:
- Blocks ads, trackers, and popups
- Customizable whitelist feature
- Blocks unnecessary scripts to speed up page load times
Cons:
- Might not be as effective at blocking all kinds of ads as other options
7. UBlock
Free or paid? Free
Has a browser extension for Safari? Yes
Does it offer an app for iOS and macOS? Only available for Mac
UBlock is a browser extension and app that prevents trackers and ads, increasing the speed of your browsing. It blocks pop-up ads, video ads, and other common ad types as well as provides protection against some malware.
Pros:
- Free and open-source ad blocker
- Blocks ads and popups across most sites
Cons:
- Non-intrusive ads are allowed by default
8. Unicorn Blocker
Free or paid? Paid
Has a browser extension for Safari? No
Does it offer an app for iOS and macOS? Yes
Unicorn Blocker prides itself on providing 3x faster-browsing speed than other ad blockers. It makes this possible by using Apple’s content blocking API. Unicorn Blocker not only blocks all kinds of ads but also prevents advertisers from using trackers that can compromise your privacy.
Pros:
- Removes all kinds of ads and popups
- Provides 3 x faster browsing by blocking ad providers before the page loads
Cons:
- Requires a paid subscription
9. Ka-Block!
Free or paid? Free
Has a browser extension for Safari? No
Does it offer an app for iOS and macOS? Yes
Ka-Block is a highly-rated ad blocker for Safari that stops trackers and ads from slowing down your browsing experience. It blocks the third-party scripts used by sites to dramatically increase battery life, page load time, and data usage.
Pros:
- Improves page load times and data usage by blocking ads and tracking scripts
- Simple set up process
Cons:
- Limited customization
10. Ad and Stuff Blocker
Free or paid? Free
Has a browser extension for Safari? Yes
Does it offer an app for iOS and macOS? No
Next on our list of the best ad blockers for Safari are Ad and Stuff Blocker. It’s a decent adblocker extension that offers faster and ad-free browsing. Using Ad and Stuff Blocker’s whitelisting feature, you can allow ads to appear on the sites you like.
Pros:
- Blocks all ads and popups
- Whitelisting feature to allow the ads you like
Cons:
- Lacks customization options
11. Better Blocker
Free or paid? Free
Has a browser extension for Safari? No
Does it offer an app for iOS and macOS? Yes
Better Blocker is a useful privacy tool that protects you from privacy-eroding ads and trackers on the web. It blocks behavioral as well as tracking pixels and scripts for a faster and safer online experience while using Safari on macOS or iOS.
Pros:
- Gets rid of privacy intrusive ads and trackers
- Easy-to-use interface
Cons:
- Does not block some ads
12. 1Blocker
Free or paid? Free
Has a browser extension for Safari? No
Does it offer an app for iOS and macOS? Yes
1Blockers is a robust ad blocker for Safari that blocks sneaky trackers, annoying elements, and intrusive ads on sites. It’s lightweight, easy-to-use, and automatically updates its built-in filters so that you don’t have to do anything.
Pros:
- Create custom rules easily
- Removes fingerprinting scripts
Cons:
- Paid subscription unlocks the best features
13. Total Adblock
Free or paid? Paid
Has a browser extension for Safari? No
Does it offer an app for iOS and macOS? Yes
Total Adblock is a great ad blocker that removes popups, banners, and video ads by default. It can be customized to prevent access to malicious websites and also has the capability to remove privacy and cookie warnings on trusted sites, which can enhance page load times.
Pros:
- Robust ad blocking
- Removes ads on all sites
- Stops social media tracking
Cons:
- Paid subscription is needed to unlock more features
14. AdGuard
Free or paid? Free
Has a browser extension for Safari? Yes
Does it offer an app for iOS and macOS? Yes
AdGuard is one of the best ad blockers to get rid of all widgets, ads, and trackers. It supports custom filtering rules and also issues warnings if you visit any phishing or malicious websites, giving you the opportunity to avoid them.
Pros:
- Free-to-use ad blocker
- Easy-to-use apps for iOS and macOS
Cons:
- The Safari extension is not as good as the app
To Ad Block, or Not to Ad Block?
As with any other technology, using a content blocker comes with a set of advantages and disadvantages. Let’s take a look at them:
Pros of Using an Ad Blocker for Safari
- Makes your browsing experience safer
- Prevents ad servers from monitoring you
- Speeds up page load time
- Saves you money as you use less data
Cons of Using an Ad Blocker for Safari
- Makes some content and disappear
- Sells your browsing data (in the case of unreliable ad blockers, so steer clear from them if they have no reviews or a bad reputation)
Frequently Asked Questions
If you’re tired of seeing ads everywhere you go, your best bet is to use an ad blocker. Not only will these tools get rid of all ads on the sites you visit, but they also prevent trackers and even speed up your browsing to some extent.
Yes, it’s perfectly legal to use an ad blocker. However, it’s worth mentioning that ads support free internet. All the free services we’re used to, like social media apps and search engines, generally make money through ads. That’s why some sites will block you from accessing their content if they detect the use of an ad blocker.
When it comes to browser extensions, the process is a quick one:
1. Fire up your Safari browser, click the Safari menu, and choose Safari Extensions.
2. Search for the ad blocker extension you want.
3. Click the Get or price button.
As far as apps are concerned, all you have to do is:
1. Go to the App Store or Mac App Store.
2. Search for the ad blocker app you want.
3. Click the Get or price button.
There can be multiple reasons why your ad blocker for Safari. For instance, your ad blocker might be outdated. In some instances, it is because your ad blocker is not enabled in the Safari preferences or does not have the necessary permissions for certain features. In other cases, the website being designed to circumvent ad blockers could be the cause.
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January 1, 2024
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