ad blocker · Ghostery GmbH

Ghostery

Free open-source browser extension that blocks ads and trackers and rejects cookie pop-ups.

82/100

#2 of 12 ad blockers
Facts checked 8 Oct 2026

In short

The ad and tracker blocker is free to install; the vendor lists no paid plan, only optional contributions^1,2.
Extensions are listed for Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, Opera and Brave^2,8.
Its Never-Consent feature automatically declines tracking in cookie consent dialogs⁴.
The extension is open source under GPL-3.0 on GitHub³.
Ghostery removed user accounts on 1 October 2025; no login is needed⁸.

Ghostery suits people who want a free, open-source blocker that also handles cookie pop-ups and works in most browsers^2,3,4. There is no paid plan, only optional contributions¹. The catch: it is a browser extension only, so it does not filter other programs, and the vendor's pages do not document custom filter rules^4,9,10.

Best for: People who want a free, open-source blocker with cookie pop-up handling.

Where the points come from

Where it blocks18 of 23

Blocking13 of 26

Privacy and trust20 of 20

Price31 of 31

Where it blocks 18 of 23 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Windows browsers	Chrome, Edge, Firefox, OperaThe vendor says Ghostery is supported in Chrome, Safari, Opera, Firefox, Edge and Brave⁸.	12 / 12
Blocks outside the browser	NoGhostery is described as a browser extension; no Windows app or system-wide mode is listed^2,3.	0 / 5
Phone protection	iOS, AndroidSafari app for iPhone and iPad⁵; extension for Edge or Firefox on Android⁶.	6 / 6

Blocking 13 of 26 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Still works in Chrome after Manifest V2	YesThe Chrome page says Ghostery is fully compatible with Chrome's Manifest V3⁴.	4 / 4
Your own block rules	Not publishedNot published on the vendor's Chrome, Firefox or product pages^4,9,10; they cover only blocking individual trackers.	0 / 7
Malicious site blocking	YesThe privacy policy lists Phishing and Malware protection as a feature; the Firefox page says it blocks known malicious domains^7,9.	5 / 5
Cookie pop-up blocking	YesNever-Consent automatically declines tracking in cookie consent dialogs⁴.	4 / 4
No ad allow-list on by default	Not publishedNot published on the vendor's product page¹⁰; it mentions allowlists you create but not default settings.	0 / 6

Privacy and trust 20 of 20 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Open source	YesThe extension is on GitHub under GPL-3.0³.	10 / 10
No browsing history kept	YesThe Firefox page says its permissions do not mean Ghostery collects your browsing activity; the policy says data is non-personal^9,7.	6 / 6
Works without an account	YesThe FAQ says Ghostery removed user accounts on 1 October 2025 and needs no login⁸.	4 / 4

Price 31 of 31 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Free plan	YesThe FAQ says the ad blocker installs without a subscription and core features stay free².	12 / 12
Cheapest paid plan	$0No paid plan is listed; the pricing page offers only optional donations^1,2.	12 / 12
Devices on one paid plan	99No paid plan, so recorded as 99 under the rule¹.	4 / 4
Money-back guarantee	YesNo paid plan, so nothing to refund; recorded as true under the rule¹.	3 / 3

The rule behind each line: how we score ad blockers.

Plans and prices

As the vendor lists them, before tax. Prices are in US dollars unless the plan shows euros; the points use US dollars, with euros converted at the ECB rate.

Plan	Price as listed	Per month	Notes
Free1 person	Free^1,2	$0	Optional donations; no extra features

The pricing page lists only donations ($1.99 to $11.99 a month, $23.90 to $143.90 a year, $5 to $20 once); the vendor says donations give no extra products or services¹.

Strengths

Free to install, with every core feature free².
Open source under GPL-3.0³.
Manifest V3 compatible in Chrome⁴.
Never-Consent handles cookie dialogs automatically⁴.
Works on iPhone and iPad through Safari, and on Android through Edge or Firefox^5,6.

Limits

Browser extension only; the pages describe no Windows app or system-wide blocking^2,3.
Chrome on Android does not allow add-ons, so Android use is through Edge or Firefox⁶.
The vendor says results on YouTube ads can vary⁴.
In 2018 Ghostery emailed users with hundreds of addresses visible to all recipients¹¹.

Concerns on record

On 25 May 2018, Ghostery sent a GDPR email that put hundreds of recipients in the CC line, exposing their addresses to each other, as reported by Gizmodo¹¹.

What Ghostery GmbH says

Vendor claims. We show them, but they earn no points.

Ghostery says it can block many YouTube pre-roll and mid-roll ads, with results that can vary⁴.

Other ad blockers

1
uBlock OriginPeople who want a free, open-source blocker with their own filter rules
95/100
$0cheapest paid plan
3
AdGuard DNSPeople who want device-wide blocking and a plan with their own rules
77/100
$1.67/mocheapest paid plan
4
Control DPeople who want to filter every device by DNS and write their own domain rules
73/100
$2.50/mocheapest paid plan
5
NextDNSPeople who want one blocker for every app and device on the network
71/100
$1.86/mocheapest paid plan

Ghostery vs uBlock Origin · Ghostery vs AdGuard DNS · All 12 ad blockers

Sources

Ghostery contributions, Ghostery. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Ghostery Tracker & Ad Blocker, Ghostery. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
ghostery/ghostery-extension, GitHub. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Ghostery ad blocker for Chrome, Ghostery. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Ghostery ad blocker for Safari, Ghostery. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Ghostery ad blocker for Android, Ghostery. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Ghostery privacy policy, Ghostery. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Ghostery FAQ, Ghostery. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Ghostery ad blocker for Firefox, Ghostery. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Ghostery ad blocker, Ghostery. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Ad blocker Ghostery celebrates GDPR day by revealing hundreds of users' email addresses, Gizmodo. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.

Website: www.ghostery.com · Markdown version · We are not affiliated with Ghostery GmbH.