Ad blockers are essentially complete privacy tools now. Because just hiding the ads from your feed is just a piece of the whole equation. Where do those ads come from? How do they know your preferences? These are the real questions.
Ad blockers now have the infrastructure to block these ads and tracker domains. And because the same infrastructure can be used for online security features, such as blocking cryptomining and phishing links, and sometimes even some soft paywalls.
The point is that ad blockers can do a lot more than just hide ads. But each has different priorities, different business models, and so on. For example, Total Adblock and uBlock Origin stand as polar opposites: one is polished and paywalled, the other is free, open-source, and fiercely community-driven.
Quick Overview
| 🌟 Feature | Total Adblock | uBlock Origin |
| ⭐ AdBlock Tester Score | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| 🆓 Free Plan | Limited | 100% free |
| ▶️ YouTube Ad Blocking | Yes, (except shorts) | Yes. All of them. |
| 💻 Custom Filters | Not available | Yes. Dynamic filtering. |
| 📱 Platform Support | Chrome, Edge, Safari, Android, iOS | Chromium and Firefox-based browsers |
| ⛔ System-Wide Blocking? | On Android (VPN) | No |
| 📞 Support | Premium, live chat | Community-based |
| 💰 Price | $19.99/year (1st year), renews at $99 | Free & Open-Source |
We will be comparing the two ad blockers in this article to see which one comes out on top.
Key Differences at a Glance (TL;DR)
- Total Adblock is a paid tool with a 7-day trial. Then, it locks features behind a $99/year subscription. uBlock Origin is free and open-source with no premium tier or upsells.
- uBlock Origin has dynamic filtering, element pickers, and advanced rule building. Total Adblock has none of that. It’s a fixed, toggle-based system.
- Both block YouTube ads, but uBlock Origin works more reliably on Shorts, mid-rolls, and in-feed placements. Total Adblock occasionally misses embedded ad formats.
- Total Adblock blocks ads system-wide on Android via a local VPN. uBlock Origin, on the other hand, only works inside browsers and lacks system-wide coverage.
- Total Adblock has anti-malware, phishing site blocking, and scam protection as part of the bundle. uBlock Origin uses curated blocklists to block malicious domains, but doesn’t have bundled antivirus or real-time threat scanning.
- uBlock Origin is super lightweight and optimised for speed, even with heavy custom rules. Total Adblock is also fast, but slightly heavier due to its bundled features and tracking protection.
- Total Adblock has formal billing support and a help centre, but prioritises paying users. uBlock Origin has no official support, but an active Reddit community, GitHub wiki, and tech forum presence fill the gap.
Real-World Ad Blocking
Simulated benchmarks are one thing. Real-world browsing is another. We tested both ad blockers on news sites, YouTube, social media, and shopping platforms to see how they actually perform when ads get aggressive.
News Sites
- Total Adblock: Blocked banners, mid-article ads, cookie prompts, and annoying overlays across sites like Forbes, NYT, and The Guardian. Paywalls still showed up. But that’s expected.
- uBlock Origin: Did everything Total Adblock did and, in some cases, more. It removed soft paywall prompts, and with the right filters, even newsletter popups and subscription nudges. More tweakable if you want to go deeper.
YouTube Ads
- Total Adblock: Removed pre-rolls, mid-rolls, and homepage ads. But Shorts? Not always. After watching a few, some product placements snuck through.
- uBlock Origin: Very reliable for YT ad-blocking. It removed ads in shorts, mid-rolls, masthead ads, and sidebar promos. It consistently outperformed nearly every blocker we’ve tested on YouTube.
Social Media
- Total Adblock: Blocked most promoted posts on Reddit and X. Twitch ads and banners were also removed, but in-stream creator ads still appeared.
- uBlock Origin: Similar performance, but with more consistency on niche platforms. Bonus: If you want to block native elements, such as promoted carousels, uBO lets you zap them manually.
Shopping Sites
- Total Adblock: Removed coupon popups, cart reminders, and newsletter modals across sites like AliExpress, Crocs, and Shein.
- uBlock Origin: Just as effective, but better for advanced annoyances. You can use the element picker to permanently remove dynamic banners, chat widgets, or floating footers.
To sum it up, both block the basics well. However, uBlock Origin is simply more precise and more reliable across complex ad formats, such as YouTube Shorts and dynamic pop-ups.
Privacy & Security
We looked beyond pop-ups to see how each tool handles trackers, malicious scripts, and data-hungry domains.
Tracker & Script Blocking
- Total Adblock: Blocks common analytics scripts like Google Analytics and Hotjar out of the box. Tracker blocking is built-in and always on. No configuration is required.
- uBlock Origin: Goes deeper. EasyPrivacy is enabled by default, and you can add regional, anti-surveillance, and niche tracker lists to enhance your privacy further.
Malware & Phishing Protection
- Total Adblock: Includes phishing protection, scam blocking, and malware filters. Also includes TotalAV antivirus in premium bundles for an extra layer of protection.
- uBlock Origin: No antivirus bundled, but includes several powerful blocklists for malicious domains, scam URLs, and cryptomining scripts. You can add more with third-party filters.
Transparency & Data Handling
- Total Adblock: Closed source. The company claims not to collect or sell your data, but there’s no way to verify that.
- uBlock Origin: Fully open source and maintained by a privacy-first community. No telemetry, no tracking, and no hidden deals with advertisers. You can inspect the code yourself.
uBlock Origin has a deeper, more configurable set of privacy tools and transparency. If you care about your data, it’s the winner in the privacy department, too.
Platforms, Compatibility & Mobile Support
Browser Compatibility
- Total Adblock: Works on Chrome, Edge, and Safari. Doesn’t support Firefox, and due to its design, it’s more aligned with casual Chrome users.
- uBlock Origin: Supports Firefox, Edge, Opera, Brave, and most Chromium-based browsers. No support for Chrome’s MV3 by design. uBlock refuses to compromise performance just to comply with Google’s stricter extension rules. Doesn’t work on Safari.
Mobile Support
Total Adblock
- Android: System-wide blocking via local VPN, ads in apps, and browsers get blocked.
- iOS: Safari content blocker. No app-level blocking, but browser ads are filtered well.
uBlock Origin
- Android: Works only on Firefox for Android (and forks like Mull). No system-wide blocking.
- iOS: Not available. No iOS app or Safari integration. However, a beta version of uBlock Lite is available for use with TestFlight.
System-Wide Blocking
- Total Adblock: Only on Android (via VPN). No support for Windows or macOS ad blocking.
- uBlock Origin: Browser-only across all platforms. Doesn’t attempt system-level filtering, and it stays true to its browser-focused design.
Usability & Control
One of these disappears into the background. The other is a power tool for users who want to see everything under the hood. Here’s how they compare in setup, day-to-day use, and customisation.
Installation & Setup
- Total Adblock: Easy to install via the browser store or mobile app, but it immediately routes you into a 7-day trial (an email is required). After that, blocking becomes limited unless you subscribe.
- uBlock Origin: One-click install, no sign-up, no trial, no upsells. Just refresh your tabs, and the ads disappear. Simple by default, powerful when you want it to be.
Day-to-Day Use
- Total Adblock: A minimal interface featuring a large green “protected” badge, toggle switches for ad/tracker/malware blocking, and an allowlist. No filter lists or advanced options, making it perfect for users who don’t want to adjust settings.
- uBlock Origin: Clean extension panel with a simple on/off toggle and a real-time view of what’s being blocked. Behind the scenes, there’s a full suite of tools: filter list management, script toggling, network request logs, and more.
Customisation
Total Adblock
Very limited. You can turn features on or off, whitelist sites, and that’s about it. No custom filter support, no element picker, no per-site controls.
uBlock Origin
uBlock Origin is the most customisable ad blocker on the market right now. You can:
- Add and manage dozens of filter lists
- Use the Element Picker to block anything on a page permanently
- Temporarily zap page elements with the Element Zapper
- Create complex, dynamic filtering rules with My Rules
- Block scripts, large media, fonts, and site-by-site
Pricing – Are Total Adblock and uBlock Origin Worth It?
Total Adblock and uBlock Origin’s contrasts don’t end here either. While Total Adblock is a premium ad blocker with paid features that are essential for it to run smoothly, uBlock Origin is completely free.
Total Adblock
Free Plan
Total Adblock has a free plan. But it’s just there to upsell the premium subscription. It automatically activates the 7-day full-featured trial without requiring you to provide your credit card information.
However, once the free trial ends, it puts you on the real free tier, which intentionally stops blocking ads on the top 15,000 websites unless you upgrade. Which makes it less than ideal for long-term use without a subscription.
Premium Plan
$19.99/year (first year), renews at $99/year
The premium plan includes all the good stuff. You’ll get:
- Full ads and tracker blocking
- YouTube Ad blocking
- Scam and phishing protection
- Comes bundled TotalAV
Is Total Adblock Worth It?
If you want an all-in-one lightweight solution for ad blocking and digital security, Total Adblock is worth it for the first year. The recurring price hike is a lot, though. But there’s a 60-day money-back guarantee if you need it.
uBlock Origin
Free Plan
uBlock Origin is 100% free and, according to the developer, it always will be. There are no trials, upsells, or paywalls. Instead, it can sometimes get rid of soft paywalls on other sites, too. It includes:
- Full ad and tracker blocking
- Advanced filters
- Element picker/zapper
- Dynamic script filtering
- Community filter list support
Is uBlock Origin Worth It?
Absolutely. It’s one of the most powerful and efficient blockers on the web and it’s completely free. There’s no premium version because the free version is already the best version.
Support & Reliability
Having proper support channels can make a big difference. Here’s how these two ad blockers compare in terms of help, stability, and trust.
Support Options
Total Adblock
Support is mainly for paying users. You get email and phone support (mostly for billing questions) and access to a help centre with setup guides and FAQs. No live chat or dedicated tech support unless you’re on a premium plan.
uBlock Origin
There is no official support team, no email hotline, no help desk. But you’re not alone. uBlock has one of the most active user communities out there. Help lives in:
- r/uBlockOrigin on Reddit
- GitHub discussions and issue tracker
- Tech forums and privacy subreddits
Most problems are documented, and power users frequently jump in to help.
Reliability & Community Trust
Total Adblock
It’s reliable for what it does, but it’s closed-source, and past user reports have flagged auto-renewal confusion and billing friction. As part of the TotalAV ecosystem, it gets regular updates and backend support.
uBlock Origin
Open-source, transparent, and driven by privacy-first contributors. No corporate team. Which often means fewer updates, but not here. Bugs are fixed quickly, and every line of code is transparent.
Final Verdict
Total Adblock and uBlock Origin are two of the best ad blockers around, but they couldn’t be more different.
Total Adblock is all about ease. You install it, turn it on, and it just works. It’s beginner-friendly, blocks most ads out of the box, and even has phishing and malware protection. But it comes at a cost… literally. After the 7-day trial, most features are locked unless you pay. And while it works well, its lack of customisation limits how much control you have.
| If you want… | Go with… |
| Set-it-and-forget-it ad blocking | Total Adblock |
| Total control over scripts, filters, and elements | uBlock Origin |
| The best YouTube ad blocking (including Shorts) | uBlock Origin |
| Ad blocking in Android apps (not just browsers) | Total Adblock |
| A lightweight, ultra-efficient browser extension | uBlock Origin |
| Traditional support and bundled antivirus | Total Adblock (Paid) |
| A completely free tool with no paywall | uBlock Origin |
uBlock Origin, on the other hand, gives you everything for free. It’s lean, lightning-fast, endlessly customizable, and 100% open source. It doesn’t hold your hand, but it doesn’t hold back either. If you’re willing to learn a bit, it’s the most powerful ad blocker in 2025.