Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Which ad blocker are you using on Safari?

B

bingefeller

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jun 25, 2007
601
35
Northern Ireland
I had been using Chrome for a long time and I noticed that Youtube ads are come through. I was using Privacy Badger and uBlock and this was a good combo for many years, but no longer it seems!

I've decided to switch back to Safari and am wondering what ad block is popular? So far I've been reading about Wipr, Ghostery, AdGuard, Adblock Plus, Adblock for Safari, 1Blocker and I just don't know anymore! Wipr seems to get bad reviews on the App store, but I'm using it on iPad and iPhone and it works ok, but it doesn't seem to get good reviews on the MacOS App store.

I spend a lot of time on Youtube, so something that even manages to block the Youtube ads would be great (hopefully without making the video playback quality lower).

I couldn't use Safari without an ad blocker, it would drive me crazy.
 
Sheepish-Lord said:
Doesn’t make it through with my setup above. Blocks Twitch ads as well, I’m telling y’all extensions are not as good as dedicated software.
Click to expand...
Is there any security issues with the software? Is your browsing data being sent to a remote server? I’m not sure about adblock software, but antivirus software is notorious for selling your data.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ajr123 and bingefeller
I use AdGuard plus AdGuard Extras which keeps YouTube 100% ad free and with sponsor block, sponsor free too. Plus I have a raspberry pi running AdGuard Home. All these are free and keep ads out of nearly every app even Apple News. For Safari to use AdGuard Extras I have the free extension User Scripts
 
  • Like
  • Love
Reactions: snak-atak and bingefeller
Sheepish-Lord said:
Doesn’t make it through with my setup above. Blocks Twitch ads as well, I’m telling y’all extensions are not as good as dedicated software.
Click to expand...
I use the free versions of AdGuard and the free User Script AdGuard Extras and it keeps me 100% ad free plus running the free AdGuard Home service on an always on device helps keep ads out of apps like News and Twitch and games. Didn’t have to pay for any premium. Just have to manually update AdGuard Extras from time to time.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bingefeller
russell_314 said:
Firefox and uBlock origin. YouTube ads will still make it through because they are now integrated with the video. YouTube premium is the fix for that.
Click to expand...
You may want to give AdGuard and AdGuard Extras a try [use the free User Scripts Safari extension in order to use AdGuard Extras]. I've not seen a YouTube ad in 18+ months. The Extras gets rid of that, and SponsorBlock gets rid of content creator in video sponsors [it is crowd sourced]. I got fed up with the amount of ads YouTube does and how little the content creators get, so I went full block and support the creators I follow with Patreon as that's the platform that gives the most to them [even more so then the Join feature in YouTube].
 
  • Like
Reactions: russell_314 and bingefeller
vjl323 said:
Didn’t have to pay for any premium.
Click to expand...
I agree, no need to pay for 'premium' for Safari to block most ads. But paid AdGuard for Mac is more capable with trackers and malware as well as having broader scope - potentially all apps.

With AdGuard we have the choice and some will do as you and be satisfied with free product. Others will be prepared to pay for a better solution. Choice is good!

Either way, the AdGuard products are arguable the best at present.

vjl323 said:
Plus I have a raspberry pi running AdGuard Home.
Click to expand...
I have that too! Relatively straight forward, but not for the networking neophyte.
 
  • Like
Reactions: headlessmike and bingefeller
bingefeller said:
I spend a lot of time on Youtube, so something that even manages to block the Youtube ads would be great (hopefully without making the video playback quality lower).
Click to expand...
Increasingly YouTube is using in video stream ads. Requires something to intercept the video stream, understand which bits of a video look like adverts and remove them. Not easy, but AdGuard say they are working on it https://adguard.com/en/blog/youtube-server-side-ad-insertion.html It would require something beyond what is possible in the free AdGuard for Safari. The free adblockers are better than nothing but can't block all ads.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bingefeller
russell_314 said:
Is there any security issues with the software? Is your browsing data being sent to a remote server? I’m not sure about adblock software, but antivirus software is notorious for selling your data.
Click to expand...
I also worry a bit about how much access to user data is being given to the software owner in situations like this. Are we sharing our browsing usage?
 
Thanks for the replies. @Sheepish-Lord, @gilby101 - you both would recommend AdGuard then? I have read that some of these ad blockers apparently can slow down your computer, have you found any performance issues?

gilby101 said:
Increasingly YouTube is using in video stream ads. Requires something to intercept the video stream, understand which bits of a video look like adverts and remove them. Not easy, but AdGuard say they are working on it https://adguard.com/en/blog/youtube-server-side-ad-insertion.html It would require something beyond what is possible in the free AdGuard for Safari. The free adblockers are better than nothing but can't block all ads.
Click to expand...
Are you seeing any YouTube ads when using the paid AdGuard? I read about an extension called Vinegar, which makes YouTube run a html5 player, but I'm not sure if this would show ads, or even if the videos would play at the same resolution as the regular YouTube player.
 
bingefeller said:
Thanks for the replies. @Sheepish-Lord, @gilby101 - you both would recommend AdGuard then? I have read that some of these ad blockers apparently can slow down your computer, have you found any performance issues?


Are you seeing any YouTube ads when using the paid AdGuard? I read about an extension called Vinegar, which makes YouTube run a html5 player, but I'm not sure if this would show ads, or even if the videos would play at the same resolution as the regular YouTube player.
Click to expand...
Full desktop version of AdGuard is like 200-300 MB in my activity monitor soooo I'm good ha
 
bingefeller said:
is that using pihole? I remember looking into that and it is way over my head - it looks very complex! I like the convenience of just buying an ad blocker, or using extensions.
Click to expand...

No pihole, just register for NextDNS, install their app from the Mac App Store and you're in business. It's free (for me, at any rate, I never come close to their chargeable usage level). Great service.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Basic75 and bingefeller
Seamaster said:
No pihole, just register for NextDNS, install their app from the Mac App Store and you're in business. It's free (for me, at any rate, I never come close to their chargeable usage level). Great service.
Click to expand...

does that mean your IP address will change, like when you're on a VPN? Or does it just mean that your traffic is routed through a different server, which blocks the ads?
 
ajr123 said:
I also worry a bit about how much access to user data is being given to the software owner in situations like this. Are we sharing our browsing usage?
Click to expand...
Absolutely! Potentially! In return for the benefits (blocking malware, trackers and ads) you need to trust the vendor to not collect your browsing. Just as you have to trust the supplier of your browser and operating system.

Two things I do:
1) Attempt to keep abreast of reports regarding vendor infidelity (e.g. Apple breaking/deleting promises about OCSP) for products I use.
2) Ask myself, does a supplier of free software have a viable business model with products that do collect revenue?

It is not easy choosing where to place trust.
 
  • Like
  • Love
Reactions: ajr123, bingefeller and SalisburySam
bingefeller said:
does that mean your IP address will change, like when you're on a VPN? Or does it just mean that your traffic is routed through a different server, which blocks the ads?
Click to expand...
No, it's DNS based, so it should only configure your device to use a different DNS server, one that is configured to not resolve the names of the servers used for ads etc.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bingefeller
Basic75 said:
No, it's DNS based, so it should only configure your device to use a different DNS server, one that is configured to not resolve the names of the servers used for ads etc.
Click to expand...

That's good to know - thanks.

I still haven't decided on what to go for, I'm kind of leaning towards AdGuard (paid version) and possibly NextDNS, but I'll have to read up on both of them.


vjl323 said:
I use AdGuard plus AdGuard Extras which keeps YouTube 100% ad free and with sponsor block, sponsor free too. Plus I have a raspberry pi running AdGuard Home. All these are free and keep ads out of nearly every app even Apple News. For Safari to use AdGuard Extras I have the free extension User Scripts
Click to expand...

Do you need to use AdGuard Extras with the AdGuard app? Do the extras work on their own via your scripting extension?
 
Can vouch for AdGuard. Free version is good enough for my use on Chrome, Safari, and Firefox, on Mac, iOS, and iPad.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bingefeller
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back