---
title: Privacy Badger
canonical: https://saasranked.com/software/privacy-badger/
category: Ad Blockers
points: 60
rank: 11 of 12
facts_checked: 2026-10-08
---

# Privacy Badger

Free open-source extension that learns to block trackers from their behaviour.

60 points out of 100. #11 of 12 ad blockers. Vendor: Electronic Frontier Foundation. Website: https://privacybadger.org/

- It is a free browser extension from a nonprofit, with optional donations [1].
- Install buttons are listed for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera and Brave, plus Firefox and Edge on Android [1].
- It blocks a third party it sees tracking you across 3 separate sites [1].
- The vendor says it blocks ads only when they track you [1].
- The extension is licensed GPL v3 or later [2].

Verdict: Privacy Badger suits people who want free, open-source tracker blocking that needs no setup or account [1][2]. It learns which third parties track you and blocks them [1]. The catch: the vendor calls it a privacy tool, not an ad blocker, and the vendor's pages show no custom rules or cookie pop-up blocking [1]. Best for: People who want free tracker blocking that learns on its own.

## Points

| Criterion | Line | Value | Points | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Where it blocks | Windows browsers | Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera | 12/12 | The homepage lists Add to Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Opera buttons [1]. |
| Where it blocks | Blocks outside the browser | No | 0/5 | Privacy Badger is described only as a browser extension [1][2]. |
| Where it blocks | Phone protection | Android | 3/6 | Add to Firefox for Android and Edge for Android; the vendor says Safari on iOS lacks needed capabilities [1]. |
| Blocking | Still works in Chrome after Manifest V2 | Not published | 0/4 | Release notes mention Manifest V3 limitations but do not say the Chrome extension uses it; the repository manifest declares version 2 [3][5]. |
| Blocking | Your own block rules | Not published | 0/7 | Not published on the vendor's homepage FAQ or permissions page [1][4]. |
| Blocking | Malicious site blocking | Not published | 0/5 | Not published on the vendor's homepage FAQ [1]; it describes tracker blocking only. |
| Blocking | Cookie pop-up blocking | Not published | 0/4 | Not published on the vendor's homepage FAQ [1]. |
| Blocking | No ad allow-list on by default | Not published | 0/6 | Not published on the vendor's homepage FAQ [1]; it describes a cookie-blocking yellowlist, not an ad allow-list. |
| Privacy and trust | Open source | Yes | 10/10 | The README says Privacy Badger is licensed under GPL v3 or later [2]. |
| Privacy and trust | No browsing history kept | Not published | 0/6 | Not published on the vendor's pages [1][4]; the permissions page says it logs tracking destinations locally and shares nothing outside the browser. |
| Privacy and trust | Works without an account | Yes | 4/4 | The homepage offers direct Add to browser buttons and mentions no sign-in [1]. |
| Price | Free plan | Yes | 12/12 | Free extension with no time limit; it blocks trackers, including advertisers that track you, but is not a general ad blocker [1]. |
| Price | Cheapest paid plan | $0 | 12/12 | A free extension with no paid plan; donations are optional [1]. |
| Price | Devices on one paid plan | 99 | 4/4 | No paid plan, so recorded as 99 under the rule [1]. |
| Price | Money-back guarantee | Yes | 3/3 | No paid plan, so nothing to refund; recorded as true under the rule [1]. |

## Plans

| Plan | Price | Per month (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free [1] | $0 |

## Strengths

- Free, from a nonprofit [1].
- Open source under GPL v3 or later [2].
- Learns trackers from behaviour and gets periodic learning updates [1].
- Sends the Global Privacy Control and Do Not Track signals by default [1].
- Available on Android through Firefox or Edge [1].

## Limits

- The vendor says it does not block ads unless they track you [1].
- Not supported on iOS [1].
- Browser extension only; no Windows app or system-wide mode [1].
- The vendor's pages document no custom rules or cookie pop-up blocking [1].

## Sources

1. [Privacy Badger](https://privacybadger.org/), Electronic Frontier Foundation, accessed 2026-10-08
2. [EFForg/privacybadger](https://github.com/EFForg/privacybadger), GitHub, accessed 2026-10-08
3. [Privacy Badger releases](https://github.com/EFForg/privacybadger/releases), GitHub, accessed 2026-10-08
4. [Privacy Badger permissions](https://github.com/EFForg/privacybadger/blob/master/doc/permissions.md), GitHub, accessed 2026-10-08
5. [Privacy Badger manifest.json](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/EFForg/privacybadger/master/src/manifest.json), GitHub, accessed 2026-10-08