Poll Best AdBlock Extension that Protects Browser and Web Browsing

[oldschool]

I understand that MV3 extensions are only updated with the new release and not on a daily basis.

Yes, that is one of the features of MV3.

It seems that the developer of uBlock Origin Light has not given it the same attention and effort as uBlock Origin.

This isn't necessarily @gorhill's fault, but rather the limitations of MV3 architecture and, importantly, Chrome/Chromium and Edge bugs. The same applies to Privacy Badger and other ad blockers,e.g., PB's Google and Facebook link tracking are broken due to these. Gorhill doesn't even bother to publish UBOL in Firefox anymore.

Our Edge and Firefox versions are still MV2. The main reason for staying on MV2 is that MV3 is buggy.

Edge adds its own bugs on top of ones it inherits from Chrome (for example). I am sure Firefox's MV3 implementation is similarly buggy (for example).

At some point we will either be forced to migrate, or MV3 will become less buggy and more fully featured than MV2 (at least for Privacy Badger's immediate needs), in which case we will migrate voluntarily.

Will the proposed Manifest V3 changes to Chrome break Privacy Badger? · Issue #2273 · EFForg/privacybadger

We are looking forward to releasing an MV3/DNR bug fix for #3147 soon. We are still unable to do anything about a bunch of known MV3 bugs because we need Google to fix them in Chrome and as we warned fixing MV3/DNR bugs is clearly not a priority for Google.

Will the proposed Manifest V3 changes to Chrome break Privacy Badger? · Issue #2273 · EFForg/privacybadger

 

[Nunzio_77]

In my opinion, Ghostery is currently performing very well, reaching and, in my opinion, surpassing other AdBlock extensions (uBOL and AGuard) in terms of blocking and privacy, and it's also light on PC resources. Its strengths are also its AI and frequent, automatic updates throughout the day.

 

[Parkinsond]

In my opinion, Ghostery is currently performing very well, reaching and, in my opinion, surpassing other AdBlock extensions (uBOL and AGuard) in terms of blocking and privacy, and it's also light on PC resources. Its strengths are also its AI and frequent, automatic updates throughout the day.

I'll try it on some hard-to-control sites to compare its efficacy with uBOL.

 

[Nunzio_77]

I'll try it on some hard-to-control sites to compare its efficacy with uBOL.

Let me know the results of your tests, I'm curious.

 

[Parkinsond]

Let me know the results of your tests, I'm curious.

It's good for blocking ads, but fails to block popup ad tabs, although it prevents its connection.

For RAM, compared to uBOL

 

[darth]

Unlike Ghostery, uBOL doesn't have a service worker that runs in the background 100% of the time to block ads, you'll notice that uBOL's service worker disappears immediately from Chrome's task manager and has like zero CPU time when browsing different sites.

It's hard to measure the CPU and memory usage of UBOL since it's tracked under "Browser"

Reliability: Being entirely declarative, uBO Lite's service worker is not required to initiate network-, cosmetic-, or scriptlet-based filtering in a timely manner.

As a result, uBO Lite reliably filters at browser launch, or when navigating to new webpages while its service worker is suspended

Only issue with uBOL's approach is it can't update filters dynamically unlike Adguard and Ghostery. It's entirely possible to have dynamic filters and scripts without uploading to the store every time - that's how Userscript Managers are able to work in MV3, you can subscribe or create any userscript without asking the developer to bake it into the extension

 

[Parkinsond]

It's hard to measure the CPU and memory usage of UBOL since it's tracked under "Browser"

Just reload a website, it will show up in browser task manager.

 

[Nunzio_77]

It's good for blocking ads, but fails to block popup ad tabs, although it prevents its connection.

For RAM, compared to uBOL

View attachment 295776View attachment 295777

Well, what's about 140 MB of RAM on a PC with 4, 8, 16, and 32 GB of RAM?
I don't see any pop-up ads on my PC.
Can you post some links to (secure) websites so we can run some tests?

 

[Parkinsond]

Well, what's about 140 MB of RAM on a PC with 4, 8, 16, and 32 GB of RAM?
I don't see any pop-up ads on my PC.
Can you post some links to (secure) websites so we can run some tests?

 

[Nunzio_77]

Unlike Ghostery, uBOL doesn't have a service worker that runs in the background 100% of the time to block ads, you'll notice that uBOL's service worker disappears immediately from Chrome's task manager and has like zero CPU time when browsing different sites.

It's hard to measure the CPU and memory usage of UBOL since it's tracked under "Browser"


Only issue with uBOL's approach is it can't update filters dynamically unlike Adguard and Ghostery. It's entirely possible to have dynamic filters and scripts without uploading to the store every time - that's how Userscript Managers are able to work in MV3, you can subscribe or create any userscript without asking the developer to bake it into the extension

Perhaps this is why uBOL displays the number of blocked trackers more quickly than Ghostery, which takes a little longer. But perhaps it's better not to wait for new versions to get more updated scripts.

 

[Sampei.Nihira]

Guys, there's a fundamental flaw in your reasoning.
Neither Ghostery nor uBlock Origin Lite allow the injection of userscripts.

AG = yes
uBo= yes

 

[Nunzio_77]

Excuse my ignorance, but what is user script injection?
Is it important for privacy protection?

 

[LinuxFan58]

Yes, that is one of the features of MV3.

This isn't necessarily @gorhill's fault, but rather the limitations of MV3 architecture and, importantly, Chrome/Chromium and Edge bugs. The same applies to Privacy Badger and other ad blockers,e.g., PB's Google and Facebook link tracking are broken due to these. Gorhill doesn't even bother to publish UBOL in Firefox anymore.

The 'static' rules are update when the extension is updated, but the dynamic DNR rules (currently maxed out to 30.000) could be updated by the extension. AdGuard launched the idea to reserve only 5000 of those dynamic rules as custom rules for the user and use the remainder of those dynamic rules (25.000) as a kind of trickle updates in between extension updates. But that did not land well with Google (users suddenly got messages that Adguard required extra permissions). AdGuard seemed to have dropped the idea and offers now the full 30.000 dynamic rules for users.

That said with DNR rules much more can be done that with old fashioned rules. Peter Low's list (over 3500 ABP Mv2 rules) for instance is just one (1) DNR Mv3 rule in uBol.

 

[Acadia]

How about Malwarebytes Browser Guard?
Acadia

 

[oldschool]

Excuse my ignorance, but what is user script injection?

Basically, it gives the user the ability insert custom JavaScript code into web pages to modify their appearance, behavior, or functionality.

Is it important for privacy protection?

Yes and no. It depends on the user's preferences.

How about Malwarebytes Browser Guard?

As an ad blocker it is kind of ho hum, below average at best. For example, you get no better results than Edge's built-in tracking protection.

 

[lokamoka820]

I have not experienced the YouTube issues you mentioned with uBOL on Chrome, Edge, Vivaldi, Firefox, and Waterfox.

How has your experience with Waterfox been compared to Firefox so far?

 

[Sampei.Nihira]

Excuse my ignorance, but what is user script injection?
Is it important for privacy protection?

Practical example: you can do this with uBoL using a simple DNR rule:



You cannot do this because you need to inject scripts:




Are both important, only the first or only the second?
You decide.

 

[rashmi]

How has your experience with Waterfox been compared to Firefox so far?

I don't see or feel a noticeable difference using clones, but I use clones for some privacy aspects and customization; at least you have a neat interface and experience disabling unwanted or annoying features. Vivaldi is my main browser, and Edge is the backup, which I hardly use. I used Waterfox for a while and felt the same as using Firefox, but it has some useful settings.

 

[lokamoka820]

I switched to Ghostery. It may not offer the same level of security as Adguard, but as an ad blocker, it makes my pages load faster, and with its default settings, there are no placeholder ads on the pages.

 

[Parkinsond]

I switched to Ghostery. It may not offer the same level of security as Adguard, but as an ad blocker, it makes my pages load faster, and with its default settings, there are no placeholder ads on the pages.

Agree; I consider it the second choice after uBOL instead of the resource-intensive AG or the less efficient ABP.