The Best Ad Blockers for Firefox 2024 (2024)

It’s important to use ad-blocking software combined with a web browser that you trust. We’ve tested some of the most popular ad-blocking services on the Mozilla Firefox browser. We determined that the best ad blockers for Firefox are NordVPN Threat Protection, Total Adblock,uBlock Origin, and Surfshark CleanWeb, which alllead the way with their unique features and ability to bypass unwanted ads.

The best ad blockers for Firefox 2023

• NordVPN Threat Protection: Best for blocking malicious ads
• Total Adblock: Best for blocking mobile ads
• uBlock Origin: Best unique add-ons
• Surfshark CleanWeb: Best for affordable privacy

Top 4 ad blockers for Firefox, compared

Ad blocker	NordVPN Threat Protection	Total Adblock	uBlock Origin	Surfshark CleanWeb
Firefox extension
Blocks ads
Blocks trackers
Blocks malicious sites
Learn more	Get NordVPN Threat Protection Read Total Adblock Review	Get Total Adblock Read Total Adblock Review	Read uBlock Origin Review	Get Surfshark CleanWeb Read Surfshark CleanWeb Review

NordVPN Threat Protection: Best for blocking malicious ads

NordVPN is one of the best virtual private networks (VPNs) on the market, but its plans come with a lot more than just the ability to encrypt your internet connection. NordVPN Threat Protection is an integerated ad and malware blocker included with NordVPN. You can use it to block ads, trackers, and malicious websites, and to scan downloaded files for malware.

You can also opt to use Threat Protection Lite while connected to NordVPN, ensuring that your device is protected from pesky ads and malicious sites whenever you need.

What we liked

NordVPN Threat Protection had some impresive test results when we were testing for with AdBlock Tester and Cover Your Tracks. It received a 93/100 score for ad blocking, a near-perfect score, and 2/3 for tracker blocking, showing that it can block tracking ads and invisible trackers. It also allows for whitelisting and blacklisting, so you can tailor your ad-blocking experience as needed.

We also like that Threat Protection can block malware too. Threat Protection passed our malware detection and phishing detection tests, so we felt reassured that NordVPN could act as a well-rounded cybersecurity suite. Like other Nord products, Threat Protection was also easy to setup and its interface was intuitive.

What we didn’t like

NordVPN Threat Protection can be pricey, considering you're paying for a VPN subscription and not just a premium ad blocker. Surfshark has its own ad and malware blocker, known as CleanWeb, that's more affordable.

If you opt to use Threat Protection Lite, the capabilities are pretty limited. Threat Protection Lite can't block trackers or scan for malware, which could put your device in danger of malware if you're not using an antivirus program.

NordVPN Threat Protection: pros and cons

Get NordVPN Threat Protection| Read Our NordVPN Threat Protection Review

Total Adblock: Best for blocking mobile ads

Total Adblock is made by the same company that makes TotalAV antivirus, so you can be sure this ad blocker has cybersecurity chops. While testing it, we found it extremely easy to set up and really enjoyed the fact that we didn't have to manage any settings to block ads.

What we liked

Total Adblock received a perfect AdBlock Tester score and passed two out of three Cover Your Tracks tests. AdBlock Tester tests the effectiveness of your ad blocker, factoring in contextual advertising, analytics tools, banner ads, and error monitoring. Cover Your Tracks tests your browser to see how well you're protected from tracking and fingerprinting. These high test scores are important especially if you choose to pay for an ad blocker — no one wants to pay for something that doesn't work.

Needless to say, Total Adblock cleared out those annoying ads. The paid version blocks unlimited ads, disables browser notifications, and comes with antivirus protection, three bonuses that help keep your online adventures secure and annoyance-free.

We also like that Total Adblock has iOS and Android apps for mobile devices, which can help protect your smartphone even more than a browser extension.

What we didn’t like

We wish Total Adblock's paid plan wasn't so expensive. The starting price is Free but after that, you can expect to pay a over $100 each year.

Keep in mind this high price might be worth it if you don't already have antivirus protection installed. Antivirus software is necessary for all devices, and you'll get access to the TotalAV security suite features if you pay for Total Adblock.

Total Adblock pros and cons

Get Total Adblock | Read Our Total Adblock Review

uBlock Origin: Best for unique features

uBlock Origin is available on a variety of browsers and offers the most customizable features of any other brand we tested. Along with the basic services of blocking ads, trackers, and malicious URLs, this ad blocker includes several more customizable features that may keep you safe during your web browsing.

Firefox’s website for the uBlock Origin extension calls it “a wide-spectrum content blocker with CPU and memory efficiency as a primary feature.”

Related to the company’s mantra, a user’s personal study on GitHub highlighted that uBlock Origin uses less computer memory than some of the leading brands.^[1] The benefits of reducing memory consumption include speed and page stability, so you can use this ad blocker without worrying about sacrificing your PC’s memory data.

What we liked

uBlock Origin scored 96/100 with AdBlock Tester and the tests it didn't pass were listed as "test has most likely passed." We initially had some issues with Cover Your Tracks but after some tinkering, we received a 2/3 test score.

We also liked that the extension offers a multitude of filter lists that you can enable or disable within your settings. These lists are additional options beyond their default settings, such as:

• EasyList Cookie:Blocks cookies banners, GDPR overlay windows, and other privacy-related notices
• Fanboy Annoyances:Blocks social media content, pop-ups, and other annoying objects to help decrease webpage load times
• AdGuard Annoyances: Blocks cookie notifications, pop-ups, mobile app banners, widgets, and other annoyances
• Dan Pollock’s hosts file: Stops your PC from connecting to certain internet hosts to protect you from spyware and pop-up traps, prevent further tracking, and reduce bandwidth use

What we didn’t like

uBlock Origin released its JavaScript blocking feature in September 2018, taking the extension a step forward in blocking Javascript that can hide malware or attempt exploits. While this was a positive step for the organization, some recent user reviews from the Firefox browser extension showed concern about the feature automatically blocking certain websites. Luckily, the developer addressed the issue by fixing it in GitHub and responding directly to the review.

Another potential misstep for uBlock Origin is the lack of a support website or contact form for user issues. After searching its main webpage, we found that you can reach them through an email address at the bottom of the page that will populate if you click “get in touch.”

uBlock Origin pros and cons

Read Our uBlock Origin Review

Surfshark CleanWeb: Best for affordable privacy

Similar to NordVPN Threat Protection, Surfshark CleanWeb is a function that comes included with Surfshark VPN. By hitting a toggle on your VPN settings, you can block ads and pop-ups, autoplay video ads, cookie pop-up requests, and more.

Surfshark also provides CleanWeb 2.0, which is included with the Surfshark browser extension for Firefox, as well as Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge. CleanWeb 2.0's capabilities including blocking ads and cookie pop-up banners and receiving alerts for data breaches and malware.

What we liked

We were pleased to see CleanWeb receive a perfect ad-blocking test score. It also received a 2/3 Cover Your Tracks score, so you can be largely protected from ads and trackers online.

We also like that you can get CleanWeb for a cheaper cost than its competitor, Threat Protection. Surfshark's pricing starts at$2.29/mo for a two-year plan (often with some extra months thrown in) and it allows for unlimited simultaneous connections so you can encrypt your internet connection and block ads on multiple devices. It also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it out for a month

What we didn’t like

Although Surfshark is an affordable ad blocker, you'd still be required to buy a VPN subscription it in order to use Surfshark CleanWeb. This may not be ideal if you already have a VPN or if you're just looking for an ad blocker.

In addition, you can only access CleanWeb 2.0 with the Surfshark browser extension. This can be frustrating if you're trying to block ads on your smartphone or other devices.

Surfshark CleanWeb: pros and cons

Get Surfshark CleanWeb |Read Our Surfshark CleanWeb Review

Honorable mentions

There are plenty of ad blockers on the market for you to consider. Here are some alternatives:

• Adblock Plus: Adblock Plus states that it blocks all ads by default, including YouTube ads. You can also customize which sites allow ads and view how many ads you’ve blocked.

  Read Our Adblock Plus Review

• AdGuard: AdGuard blocks ads and trackers and provides many filter options to create a seamless and safe browsing experience. It offers custom filters in several languages, so you can block unwanted ads from websites worldwide. This software has a filter specifically for social media, which is a great idea since cybercriminals love to use social media as an exploitative resource.

  Read Our AdGuard Review

Best ad blockers for Firefox FAQs

Bottom line

Our top four best ad blockers for Firefox— NordVPN Threat Protection,Total Adblock, uBlock Origin,and Surfshark CleanWeb— all blocked ads, trackers, and potential malware. All four passed our hands-on tests while browsing the web and with AdBlock Tester and Cover Your Tracks.

4 best ad blockers for Firefox 2023

How we tested the best ad blockers for Firefox

We tested the most important security components for each ad blocker before choosing our top four best ad blockers for Firefox. First, we tested the ad blockers through AdBlock Tester, a site that permits you to test your ad blocker against analytics and advertising services embedded within the testing website.

Next, we tested the ad blocker through Cover Your Tracks, a website that reveals how trackers view a browser. We used the site to test whether the ad blocker was truly blocking tracking ads and invisible trackers. Knowing how important it is for you to bypass social media and video ads, testing the ad blockers on YouTube was the third and final component of our testing process.

To ensure that each testing experience was unique, we fully disabled each ad blocker browser extension before enabling the next ad blocker on our list. Additionally, we made our top three selections because they had top scores in blocking ads, blocking trackers, and blocking ads that live on social media, among other factors.