If you’ve looked for an ad blocker recently, you’re bound to see Total Adblock and Adblock Plus. They are two of the hottest in the scene.
Total Adblock is the newer, more feature-packed option often bundled with security software like TotalAV and promises a one-click, ad-free web. Adblock Plus, on the other hand, is a veteran in the space. Open source, trusted, and still free for most users.
But with all that said, ads are becoming more sophisticated and complex to block. Google and YouTube are actively cracking down on ad blockers. With different ad blockers working differently, the differences between them have never been more significant.
In this comparison, we’ll look at how they perform across real-world browsing, mobile, privacy, and value for money.
Quick Comparison Between Total Adblock and Adblock Plus
| 🌟 Feature | Total Adblock | Adblock Plus |
|---|---|---|
| ⭐ Rating | 10/10 | 10/10 |
| 💵 Price | $19.99/year (1st year), renews at $99 | $4/month, $40/year |
| 🆓 Free Version | Limited functionality | Fully functional |
| ▶️ YouTube Ads | Yes, (except shorts) | Can be a hit or miss |
| ⛔ System-Wide Blocking | On Android (VPN) | No |
| 💻 Custom Filters | Not available | Yes |
| 📞 Support | Premium, live chat | Self-service, limited |
Key Differences at a Glance (TL;DR)
If you don’t wanna get into all the details or just want the highlights, we’ve got you covered.
- Both scored 100/100 in Adblock Tester.
- Adblock Plus is fully usable for free, but Total Adblock stops working on the top 15,000 websites after the 7-day trial.
- Total Adblock blocks most YouTube ads (except Shorts); Adblock Plus sometimes struggles with in-stream ads.
- Acceptable ads are enabled by default in Adblock Plus (but can be disabled); Total Adblock blocks everything by default.
- Total Adblock includes anti-malware and phishing protection, whereas Adblock Plus relies on filters that you manually enable.
- Adblock Plus supports filter lists and element blocking; Total Adblock has almost no advanced settings.
- Adblock Plus is mostly free, except for some paid distraction control filters. Total Adblock, on the other hand, starts at a low price but renews at a steep yearly cost.
Real-World Ad Blocking
Both tools scored perfectly on AdBlock Tester, but benchmarks don’t always reflect what you see in the wild. We tested Total Adblock and Adblock Plus across various news sites, social media platforms, YouTube, and e-commerce sites to evaluate their performance.
News Sites
- Total Adblock: Removed banners, mid-article ads, popups, and cookie prompts on Forbes, NYT, and others. Couldn’t bypass soft paywalls (as expected)
- Adblock Plus: Blocked most banners and popups but allowed a few newsletter modals through. Same paywall limitations
YouTube Ads
- Total Adblock: Removed pre-rolls, mid-rolls, and homepage masthead ads. YouTube Shorts still showed occasional product placements
- Adblock Plus: Blocked some sidebar ads and homepage promo,s but struggled with pre-rolls and failed to stop Shorts ads consistently
Social Media
- Total Adblock: Blocked promoted posts on Reddit and X (Twitter). Removed banners on Twitch but couldn’t touch in-stream sponsorships
- Adblock Plus: Matched Total Adblock on Reddit and X but left Twitch banners intact
Shopping Sites
- Total Adblock: Removed discount popups, newsletter modals and cart reminders on sites like AliExpress and Crocs
- Adblock Plus: Blocked some popups but left many floating banners and embedded product ads visible
To sum it up, Total Adblock is the better pick for easy, aggressive blocking across popular sites. Adblock Plus can catch up, but only if you’re willing to tweak settings and add extra filters.
Privacy & Security
Ad blocking is just the start. In 2025, with all the data breaches, scams, session hijacking, and other sophisticated AI and bot-powered hacking, you also want protection from trackers, scripts and sneaky data collection. Here’s how both tools handle your privacy in different categories.
Tracker & Script Blocking
- Total Adblock: Blocks trackers, analytics scripts (like Google Analytics and Hotjar), and social widgets out of the box. No setup is needed.
- Adblock Plus: Supports EasyPrivacy filters, but they’re not enabled by default. You’ll need to dig into settings to get complete protection.
Malware & Phishing Protection
- Total Adblock: Comes with TotalAV security tools. Blocks malicious ads, phishing domains and scam popups without any filter tweaks.
- Adblock Plus: ABP doesn’t include malware protection by default. You can add filters for phishing domains, but the process is not user-friendly.
Transparency & Data Handling
- Total Adblock: Closed source, so you’re trusting the brand. The company claims that it does not collect or share data without consent.
- Adblock Plus: Fully open source. Anyone can audit the code, and no data is sold or shared. This is an easy pick for those who are serious about privacy.
So, Total Adblock wins for its built-in security features and hassle-free protection. But Adblock Plus is better if you want transparency and to fine-tune your privacy setup.
Platforms, Compatibility & Mobile Support
Both ad blockers cover the basics, but there are significant differences in how they work and where they operate.
Browser Compatibility
- Total Adblock: Works with most major browsers like Chrome, Edge, Safari, iOS/Android. However, there is no support for Firefox.
- Adblock Plus: All major browsers like Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge, and Opera.
Mobile Experience
Total Adblock
Total Adblock is the better option here when it comes to mobile. It supports both Android and iOS
- Android: Total Adblock has system-wide ad blocking via local VPN on Android. This means ads will get blocked across apps and browsers.
- iOS: But on the iOS front, it’s only a Safari extension, which blocks most browser ads but not in other apps.
Adblock Plus
Adblock Plus also has mobile support. But there’s no system-wide support anywhere.
- Android: There’s no VPN support. It works only in compatible browsers, such as Firefox, or via the Adblock Plus Browser app.
- iOS: Same deal here. Browser-only ad blocking through Safari. No extra system-wide option.
Usability & Control
Some people want plug-and-play. Others wish to have total control over every element on a page. Here’s how Total Adblock and Adblock Plus stack up in terms of setup, ease of use and how much freedom they give you.
Installation & Setup
Total Adblock
One-click install from the Chrome Web Store or their site. But you’ll be prompted to sign up for a 7-day trial (email required). After that, most blocking stops unless you upgrade.
Adblock Plus
Super simple. Install, and you’re done. No sign-up, no trial timers, no upsells. Just working on ad blocking from the start.
Day-to-Day User Experience
Total Adblock
Minimal interface with toggles and an “Allow List” (whitelist) for users who don’t want to mess with settings.
Adblock Plus
Clean layout, toggle to pause on current site, and options to add filters. But if you want deeper privacy or stricter blocking, you’ll need to manually disable “Acceptable Ads” and dig into the settings.
Customisation & Power Features
Total Adblock
Limited. You can toggle major categories (ads, trackers, malware), but no support for custom filters, element blocking or fine-tuning.
Adblock Plus
Highly customisable. You can:
- Add or disable filter lists (EasyList, Fanboy’s, etc.)
- Block specific page elements with a visual picker
- Write your own rules
- Manage region-specific ads
The bottom line is that if you want control, you’ve got to go with Adblock Plus. But both are great in terms of usability.
Pricing – Are Total Adblock and Adblock Plus Worth It?
Total Adblock
Free Plan
7-day trial with full access, no credit card required. After that, it stops blocking ads on the top 15,000 sites, which includes most of the internet.
Premium Plan
$19.99/year (first year), renews at $99/year
Includes: Full ad + tracker + YouTube blocking, anti-malware, phishing protection, and TotalAV antivirus (in bundled plans)
A 60-day money-back guarantee is available for the premium tier.
Is Total Adblock Worth it?
If you want a polished, all-in-one ad blocker that just works, Total Adblock Premium is solid, especially at the intro price. However, after renewal, the value drops unless you also opt for the antivirus bundle.
Adblock Plus
Free Plan
Fully functional, no trial, no locked features. You can add custom filters, disable Acceptable Ads, and block most ads without paying a cent.
Premium Plan
$4/month or $40/year
It adds a cookie consent blocker, removes floating video ads, and synchronises cross-device settings.
Is Adblock Plus Worth It?
The premium perks are minor, and most rival blockers include them for free. The free version is the real value here.
Customer Support and User Reports
Support Options
Total Adblock
Total Adblock offers email and phone support, but only for billing-related issues. No live chat or technical support is available via their help centre. The help centre covers common questions about installation, payments, and basic troubleshooting, but more advanced issues may leave you stuck.
Adblock Plus
Adblock Plus takes a different approach. No live support either, but email support and in our tests, replies were super fast (within an hour). They also have a well-maintained help centre and an active user community, so you can find answers without waiting for a support team.
User Reports
Total Adblock
Total Adblock has a mixed record with users. While many love how easy it is to use, some on Reddit and review sites report frustrations around cancelling subscriptions or disabling auto-renewals. It’s a polished product, but support responsiveness can be hit or miss if you’re not a paying customer.
Adblock Plus
Adblock Plus generally gets more goodwill, especially from the open-source community. Users like the no-pressure setup and consistent performance. While premium support is minimal, the overall user sentiment is more positive because expectations are lower for a free tool.
In short,
- Total Adblock has formal support channels, but they favour premium customers.
- Adblock Plus keeps it simple, delivering fast responses and community help when you need it.
- Both are reliable, but ABP edges out with transparency and trust.
Final Verdict
Total Adblock and Adblock Plus both block ads, clean up clutter and speed up your browsing. But the more you use them, the more their differences become apparent.
If you want aggressive blocking without digging into settings, Total Adblock delivers. Especially on YouTube and mobile. But you’ll have to pay, and the renewal cost isn’t cheap. Adblock Plus is a free option that’s reliable for casual users and has customisation for power users who don’t mind getting their hands dirty.
| If you want… | Go with… |
| A free, no-fuss ad blocker with filter control | Adblock Plus |
| System-wide blocking on Android | Total Adblock |
| Strong YouTube and social media ad blocking | Total Adblock |
| Open-source transparency and community trust | Adblock Plus |
| A beginner-friendly, set-it-and-forget-it tool | Total Adblock |
In the end, it’s all about control vs convenience. Adblock Plus is the better choice for privacy-conscious users who want flexibility without a forced paywall. Total Adblock is good if you’re willing to pay for simplicity and want ad blocking that just works across more surfaces.