Best Ad Blocker Safari Extension?

[FelineTech]

1Blocker is fantastic. They have a new extension that blocks YouTube ads in the browser too.

I have a lifetime subscription. It was very inexpensive, and it supports family sharing. My whole family is covered. The licensed version also blocks "annoyances" (such as comment blocks, pop-ups, trackers, cookie announcements, etc).

It's fantastic. It has completely changed my browsing experience. It makes Safari better than other browsers because of how great 1Blocker is.

 

[Ashin]

I use Firefox Focus (it’s a browser but also Safari content blocker)

Works nicely. Even makes Macrumors forums not heat your phone up like it’s on fire

 

[thatsthequy]

Note that Wipr doesn’t block ads on YouTube, what I do is use the brave browser for YouTube.

Wipr does now with the Extensions API.

 

[LFC2020]

No, he doesn’t have access to your web content, he also asks people who doesn’t believe him to look through the Inspector the Javascript code of the extension to verify that by themselves. This Extra extension has to be this way because of the nature of Safari Extensions.

If you still don’t fully trust Giorgio, you can just set Wipr Extra ONLY for YouTube, relying on the regular Wipr for other websites.

Also, just to reiterate what others said, NO, Wipr doesn’t require any in app purchase, it’s just a tip jar in case you want to support the developer.

If these ad blockers are so safe, then what’s this guy carrying on about? 🤔

 

[Populus]

If these ad blockers are so safe, then what’s this guy carrying on about? 🤔

I didn’t say adblockers are so safe, those are your words, not mine.

Yes, that guy is absolutely right, adblockers generally, potentially, may present a threat to privacy, they access to your browsing data; that’s why I never used another ad-blocker besides Wipr, because Wipr uses Safari content blocker API. With that API the content blocker cannot access to your browser data or what see/do on the web. As I said, that’s why I’ve used Wipr until now, exclusively, despite not reaching the ads on YouTube.

Now, Wipr Extra is a different, optional thing, and that’s why I wrote an email to Giorgio a couple of days ago. He told me the Safari Extension can be used just in YouTube (that way you shouldn’t have to, theoretically, share your data from all the other sites aside from YouTube, I guess). Just to be clear, this Wipr Extra is the only way this blockers have to eliminate ads on YouTube, if you’re fine with Ads on YouTube, you can leave that fourth toggle off, and your privacy will be respected (because, as I said, the regular Wipr uses the privacy focused Apple’s own content blocking API)

If you still are worried about the extension reading your YouTube activity and credentials, and want to be able to use it without the worries, you can do what Giorgio says: just review the
script code with the Safari inspector.

In that video (a bit biased video, because the guy is against ad-blockers, and that’s a different story) he says we shouldn’t trust most of the adblockers, just like we shouldn’t trust most VPN, but in my opinion, some ad-blockers that are open source and peer reviewed (the most popular is uBlock Origin) should be safe, because if they are doing sketchy things, other users from the community with knowledge to review and understand the code, will see and spread the word of a malicious behavior of the ad-blocker, losing the trust of the users.

Coming back to Giorgio’s Wipr ad blocker, if any user with code knowledge read on the inspector that the Safari Extension is logging personal data, you will probably see the piece of news on the MacRumors frontpage in a short amount of time. Because that would be a vulnerability. Or a malicious use of an extension.

Don’t take my word at 100% because I cannot review the code, because I don’t have that knowledge. But I understand that not all ad-blockers are the same.

 

[LFC2020]

I didn’t say adblockers are so safe, those are your words, not mine.

thanks for the detailed response.

 

[Natzoo]

Wipr does now with the Extensions API.

I just got an ad with Wipr extra on .

 

[Euronimus Sanchez]

La mejor extensión es: usa otro navegador, safari es inutilizable sin ublock origin, firefox + adblocks funciona muy bien, sin spam en ninguna página web 👍

*Before Big Sur you can block ads editing hosts (winhelps hosts etc..), now in big sur not work...

 

[Dwalls90]

Definitely AdGuard. You don’t need the Pro version either

Seconding this

 

[deep1]

NextDNS ( works on apps too) , much better than adguard pro which I used for years.

 

[Populus]

NextDNS ( works on apps too) , much better than adguard pro which I used for years.

What’s this, is it safe privacy wise? Or it works just like a VPN?

 

[Ash Pole]

If an ad blocker doesn't allow you to create your own element blocking rules...I ain't interested.

 

[Jayson A]

Easily AdGuard

 

[Taz Mangus]

I use the free AdBlock Pro. Works great. It is able to remove the video ads from YouTube. I use it on MacOS and iOS.

 

[EastHillWill]

NextDNS ( works on apps too) , much better than adguard pro which I used for years.

Wow, really? I’ve used AdGuard (free!) for a couple years now and it’s damn near perfect. A small amount of trial and error when first deciding which filters to use, but smooth sailing afterwards.

 

[ecatomb]

If an ad blocker doesn't allow you to create your own element blocking rules...I ain't interested.

Wipr can't
With 1Blocker, you can have you own rules (nice for hiding some part you hate on a website)
No idea with Adguard (free version), but it seems you could do it with premium one. Never tried yet...

On macOS, I'm using "userscripts" too. Can have your own css or js rules, it's really the best for customization
Too bad I didn't find something similar on iOS. I found only shortcuts, but it's manually for js

 

[3Rock]

WIPR (paid) did not get at least one ad pop up on one Mac rumors thread, whereas 1Blocker free Version did. My vote is for 1Blocker.

 

[Populus]

WIPR (paid) did not get at least one ad pop up on one Mac rumors thread, whereas 1Blocker free Version did. My vote is for 1Blocker.

For me, Wipr didn’t show any ad or pop up in years either, so my vote goes to Wipr.

 

[MistrSynistr]

Wipr needs to figure out how to remove these new YouTube ads.

EDIT: Not sure how Wipr extra is working on YT. What exactly do you need to do with it? I have it enabled.

 

[ecatomb]

Wipr needs to figure out how to remove these new YouTube ads.

EDIT: Not sure how Wipr extra is working on YT. What exactly do you need to do with it? I have it enabled.

It seems to have a new things in safari settings : wipr script. Have to enable it for YouTube

 

[Helmsley]

I use Adblock Plus and have done for a few years. It's free and does the job!

 

[beerseagulls]

Definitely AdGuard. You don’t need the Pro version either

you mean the AdGuard app? or the Adguard DNS profile for iPhones? I installed the AdGuard DNS profile on my 13 Pro Max... now I dont' see any ads in most apps that I use.

the strange problem is that the DNS profile doesn't block out all the apps in Safari browser on the phone....

 

[Samdh90]

you mean the AdGuard app? or the Adguard DNS profile for iPhones? I installed the AdGuard DNS profile on my 13 Pro Max... now I dont' see any ads in most apps that I use.

the strange problem is that the DNS profile doesn't block out all the apps in Safari browser on the phone....

It is a constant cat and mouse issue. Adguard will only be able to block what is "Known" when using their DNS service. Additionally, if you were to switch DNS servers, use a VPN, or similar, you will go unfiltered at that point.

 

[Queen6]

Another vote for AdGuard, never see ad's with all Mac's & PC's testing as being reasonably safe and having strong protection against web tracking. Running several extensions & strong VPN with private DNS servers.

Q-6

 

[WP31]

I didn’t say adblockers are so safe, those are your words, not mine.

Yes, that guy is absolutely right, adblockers generally, potentially, may present a threat to privacy, they access to your browsing data; that’s why I never used another ad-blocker besides Wipr, because Wipr uses Safari content blocker API. With that API the content blocker cannot access to your browser data or what see/do on the web. As I said, that’s why I’ve used Wipr until now, exclusively, despite not reaching the ads on YouTube.

Now, Wipr Extra is a different, optional thing, and that’s why I wrote an email to Giorgio a couple of days ago. He told me the Safari Extension can be used just in YouTube (that way you shouldn’t have to, theoretically, share your data from all the other sites aside from YouTube, I guess). Just to be clear, this Wipr Extra is the only way this blockers have to eliminate ads on YouTube, if you’re fine with Ads on YouTube, you can leave that fourth toggle off, and your privacy will be respected (because, as I said, the regular Wipr uses the privacy focused Apple’s own content blocking API)

If you still are worried about the extension reading your YouTube activity and credentials, and want to be able to use it without the worries, you can do what Giorgio says: just review the
script code with the Safari inspector.

In that video (a bit biased video, because the guy is against ad-blockers, and that’s a different story) he says we shouldn’t trust most of the adblockers, just like we shouldn’t trust most VPN, but in my opinion, some ad-blockers that are open source and peer reviewed (the most popular is uBlock Origin) should be safe, because if they are doing sketchy things, other users from the community with knowledge to review and understand the code, will see and spread the word of a malicious behavior of the ad-blocker, losing the trust of the users.

Coming back to Giorgio’s Wipr ad blocker, if any user with code knowledge read on the inspector that the Safari Extension is logging personal data, you will probably see the piece of news on the MacRumors frontpage in a short amount of time. Because that would be a vulnerability. Or a malicious use of an extension.

Don’t take my word at 100% because I cannot review the code, because I don’t have that knowledge. But I understand that not all ad-blockers are the same.

Good post Populus. I don't know if I can summarize this well but here's my attempt to ELI5:

Your ISP sees everything you do. Your browser sees what you search, watch, etc. If you want to stop your ISP from seeing what you do, you can use a VPN...but then that VPN can see everything you do. If you want to block adds, you can use an add blocker...but then that add blocker can see what you search, watch, etc.

At the end of the day, you trade your privacy for convenience. Plenty of people think it's worth the tradeoffs, plenty don't.

Just about every VPN and add blocker will tell you they aren't 'spying' on you, or 'collecting your data', or 'selling your data', etc. but most of them either do those things or can be compelled to do so by the country they are based in. The questions you have to ask your self are, "Do I think my ISP and browser companies are more trustworthy than my VPN and add blocker companies?" and "Is the tradeoff worth the convenience?"