Ad blockers in 2025 need to do much more than just hide ads. They need to monitor the incoming traffic to your device, intercept the ad domains, and send them to nowhere. On top of that, they also need to block trackers so you don’t get served targeted ads. And that’s just the basics. Ad blockers now come with additional privacy and security features.
Total Adblock and AdGuard both promise to give you an all in one solution for ad blocking. However, while the first one focuses on security, the latter leans more into the privacy side of things.
Quick Overview
| 🌟 Feature | Total Adblock | AdGuard |
| ⭐ AdBlock Tester Score | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| 🆓 Free Plan | Limited | Only on browsers |
| ▶️ YouTube Ad Blocking | Yes, (except shorts) | Yes. Works great |
| 💻 Custom Filters | Not available | Yes |
| 📱 Platform Support | Chrome, Edge, Safari, Android, iOS | Pretty much anything you can think of |
| ⛔ System-Wide Blocking? | On Android (VPN) | Yes, network-wide even |
| 📞 Support | Premium, live chat | Email, knowledge base |
| 💰 Price | $19.99/year (1st year), renews at $99 | Starts at $29.88/year (without our promo code) |
Let’s have a closer look at what each of them has to offer and how they stack up against each other.
Key Differences at a Glance
Let’s give you a TL;DR first so you can decide if you want to read the rest or not.
- Total Adblock’s free version stops blocking ads on the top 15,000 sites after the trial ends. AdGuard’s browser extension remains fully usable and free without locking core features.
- Both block YouTube ads, but AdGuard is more reliable, especially with Shorts and embedded video ads.
- AdGuard features advanced filters, user rules, script blocking, and even inverted whitelists. Total Adblock has no manual controls, just a basic on/off toggle.
- Total Adblock only supports system-wide ad blocking on Android (via VPN). AdGuard protects Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and even some routers.
- Total Adblock leans more into security (malware/phishing protection, antivirus bundles). AdGuard focuses on privacy, with stealth mode, HTTPS filtering, and tracking prevention built in.
- AdGuard works on almost every device, including smart TVs and Raspberry Pi. Total Adblock is browser-focused with mobile apps and limited system-wide coverage.
- Total Adblock starts at a lower price ($19.99) but renews at a steep rate of $99/year. AdGuard offers more flexible plans, including a lifetime license that pays for itself in the long term.
Real-World Ad Blocking
Both scored 100 on AdBlock Tester, but real-world browsing is where it counts. We tested Total Adblock and AdGuard on news sites, YouTube, social media platforms, and e-commerce websites to see how they perform when things get complicated.
News Sites
- Total Adblock: Blocked banner ads, overlays, popups, and cookie banners on sites like Forbes and NYT. Couldn’t bypass soft paywalls
- AdGuard: Matched Total Adblock across all fronts, and went further. With HTTPS filtering and advanced rules, it removed newsletter and subscription prompts more reliably.
YouTube Ads
- Total Adblock: Cleaned up pre-rolls, mid-rolls, and homepage ads well. Shorts were hit or miss. Some slipped through after extended use.
- AdGuard: Solid performance. Removed Shorts, masthead ads, in-feed promos, and mid-rolls without any additional tweaks. More consistent than Total AdBlock.
Social Media
- Total Adblock: Blocked most promoted posts and banners on Reddit and X (Twitter). Twitch ad banners were removed, but in-stream creator promotions remained.
- AdGuard: The same results were observed on Reddit and X. However, with the desktop app, Twitch was handled better, and even ads were filtered in non-browser social media apps.
Shopping Sites
- Total Adblock: Cleared up annoying overlays, discount popups, and newsletter modals on sites like Shein, Crocs, and AliExpress.
- AdGuard: Did all of the above, and let us manually block remaining UI clutter using custom rules or the element blocker.
Both are good at what they do, but AdGuard is more precise and consistent, especially on YouTube and high-clutter sites. And if you use the desktop app, it blocks ads outside your browser too, something Total Adblock can’t.
Privacy & Security
Ad blocking is no longer just about banners and pop-ups. Yes, that stuff is still the primary thing they block. But they also help protect you from unwanted tracking, phishing, cryptomining, and sometimes even malware. Total AdBlock is a bit more security-focused as it’s tied in with Total AV. AdGuard tried its best to be the only privacy tool you will ever need.
Tracker & Analytics Blocking
- Total Adblock: Blocks standard trackers, such as Google Analytics and advertising pixels, automatically. No need to configure anything, but there’s no way to inspect or customise what’s blocked.
- AdGuard: Far more advanced. It blocks trackers at multiple levels using privacy filters, DNS filtering, and Stealth Mode, which strips search queries, hides referrers, and prevents fingerprinting.
Malware, Scam & Phishing Protection
- Total Adblock: Includes phishing and malware protection as part of its feature set. Paired with TotalAV (on paid plans), it offers a light security layer beyond ad blocking.
- AdGuard: Scans URLs and blocks access to known phishing domains, malicious sites, and scam pages. It also detects and blocks fake social buttons, fake download links, and other deception-based threats, without needing a separate antivirus.
Transparency & Data Handling
- Total Adblock: Closed-source. The company claims it doesn’t collect or sell user data, but there’s no publicly available code to verify this.
- AdGuard: Mostly open-source, GDPR-compliant, and transparent about data handling. Based in the EU (Cyprus), which adds legal protections around how your data is used.
Total Adblock claims to focus more on core web security and convenience, but offers no insight or control over the process. AdGuard, on the other hand, is a culmination of deep, transparent privacy tools that let you lock down your browsing. It’s a better option for users who care about privacy beyond just ads.
Platforms, Compatibility & Mobile Support
A modern ad blocker needs to work everywhere, not just in your browser. This is where AdGuard and Total Adblock diverge in their approaches.
Browser Support
- Total Adblock: Doesn’t even work on all browsers. Just the Chromium-based ones like Chrome, Edge, and Opera. There’s support for Safari only on mobile. And it does not work with Firefox at all.
- AdGuard: Works on all major browsers, including Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, Opera, and any Chromium-based browser. There are standalone browser extensions and apps for deeper integration.
Mobile Support
Total Adblock
- Android: Local VPN to block ads system-wide (browsers + apps).
- iOS: Safari-only ad blocking via content blocker extension. No app-level filtering.
AdGuard
- Android: Content blocker and full system-wide app with granular control over DNS, filters, and app-specific rules.
- iOS: App Store content blocker and standalone app. Also supports DNS-level filtering for complete device protection.
System-Wide Blocking
- Total Adblock: Android only via VPN. No desktop system-wide blocking.
- AdGuard: System-wide protection across Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and even routers, smart TVs, and Raspberry Pi via AdGuard DNS or AdGuard Home.
AdGuard is the winner in terms of cross-platform support. It extends beyond the browser and encompasses your entire network. Total Adblock is effective on mobile, primarily Android, but feels more browser-centric.
Usability & Control
Ease of use matters. But so does having the freedom to fine-tune your protection. While they’re both fairly easy to use, one gets very deep into customizability.
Installation & Setup
- Total Adblock: It installs fast. But you’re immediately funneled into a 7-day trial. After that, blocking stops unless you upgrade. You’ll need to create an account, and features are tied to TotalAV’s ecosystem.
- AdGuard: Simple install from browser stores or direct downloads for the app. You don’t need an account to use it in the browser. You can use it as a browser extension, a standalone app, or a DNS resolver. Each install path is clearly guided.
Daily Use
- Total Adblock: Minimalist UI with just a few toggles (ads, malware, trackers). You get a clean dashboard and allowlisting, but that’s about it. Great for beginners, but less so for power users.
- AdGuard: Clean UI with more depth. You still get a one-click toggle, but you also have access to filter settings, DNS choices, app-specific rules, and Stealth Mode. It scales with your comfort level, ranging from casual to advanced.
Customisation
Total Adblock
No custom filters, element blocking, or advanced rule creation. It’s a one-size-fits-all setup.
AdGuard
It’s highly customisable. You can:
- Add custom filter lists
- Write your own user rules (HTML/CSS/JS)
- Block or allow domains and URLs
- Use inverted whitelists, Stealth Mode, and HTTPS filtering
- Manually zap any webpage element and save that rule forever
Total Adblock is great if you want to turn it on and never touch it again.
AdGuard offers both simplicity and depth, whether you’re browsing or creating your custom ruleset.
Pricing – Are Total AdBlock and AdGuard Worth It?
Both ad blockers offer free options, but the value you get and the price you’ll pay are very different. Let’s break it down.
Total Adblock
Free Plan
With Total Adblock’s free plan, you get a 7-day trial with full features, without needing any credit cards. After that, ads are no longer blocked on the top 15,000 websites, including most major platforms like YouTube, Reddit, etc.
Premium Plan
$19.99/year (first year), renews at $99/year unless cancelled
Includes:
- Full ad/tracker blocking
- YouTube ad blocking
- Phishing & scam protection
- TotalAV antivirus (bundled in some plans)
- Live chat support (premium users)
Is it worth it?
If you want a bundled antivirus and an ultra-simple setup, the first-year deal is a decent option. But the steep renewal cost makes it a more complex sell long-term, especially when others offer more for less.
AdGuard
Free Plan
AdGuard’s browser extension is completely free and doesn’t nag you to upgrade. It actually can’t be upgraded. It covers ads, popups, trackers, and annoyances effectively
Premium Plan (for app & system-wide blocking)
$29.88/year
Includes:
- Full system-wide blocking (apps, games, mobile ads)
- HTTPS filtering & Stealth Mode
- Custom DNS & parental controls
- Support for user scripts and advanced filters
Is it worth it?
Yes. The free version alone is better than many paid blockers. And the lifetime license pays for itself if you want system-wide protection, serious privacy, and flexibility.
Support & Reliability
You need good customer support or a community of users who help each other when using a tool like this, because you may encounter many problems with billing, compatibility, and various other issues. And good support usually translates to reliable software.
Support Options
Total Adblock
- Email and phone support, but only for billing
- Premium users get live chat
- Tech support is minimal; the help centre is for setup, installation, and account management
AdGuard
- No live chat or phone support
- Searchable knowledge base, detailed guides, and FAQs
- Support via email/ticket system. (responses are usually within 24 hours)
- No priority tier, but available to all users (free or paid)
Reliability & Updates
Total Adblock
Total Adblock receives regular updates as part of the TotalAV ecosystem. It has Reliable performance but limited transparency due to being closed source. And many users have reported issues with auto-renewal and refund processes.
AdGuard
Most of AdGuard’s products are open source. It receives frequent updates and active development across all platforms. They are transparent about privacy, blocking methods, and data usage. And the company has a strong reputation in the privacy community with a large, vocal user base
Final Verdict
Total Adblock and AdGuard both claim to be ad blockers, but they serve different people.
| If you want… | Go with… |
| A plug-and-play ad blocker with antivirus integration | Total Adblock |
| Advanced privacy tools like Stealth Mode and HTTPS filtering | AdGuard |
| System-wide blocking on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android | AdGuard |
| Clean UI with zero learning curve | Total Adblock |
| A powerful free browser extension with no paywall | AdGuard |
| A lifetime license instead of yearly renewals | AdGuard |
| Live chat or billing support as a premium user | Total Adblock |
Total Adblock is for convenience. You install it, turn it on, and forget it. It handles ads, phishing sites, and scam links with a clean UI and minimal user input. It’s for people who want an all-in-one privacy tool with antivirus protection, without the need for complex settings.
AdGuard is for control. It offers free browser-level protection and full system-wide coverage through the app. It works on everything: your phone, laptop, router, even smart TVs. And it goes way beyond ad blocking with advanced privacy tools, user scripting, DNS filtering, and stealth mode.