Best all round free adblocker for Android - suggestions

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Kuttz

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May 9, 2015
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Ghostery browser have built in adblocker but ghostery's privacy terms is debatable.
 

jetman

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Jun 6, 2017
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I think Firefox Focus blocks ads.
I have Kaspersky safe browser on iOS which seems to work.
 
F

ForgottenSeer 55474

I would also say Adguard(a shame windscribe proxy and adblocker does not exist for Android):eek:
 

HarborFront

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Hi

Just realized that if I have Blokada, NetGuard or Avira Phantom VPN enabled only one will work because they are all using a VPN service. And Android only allows one application to use the VPN service at a time

Blokada - In-browser and apps adblocker
NetGuard - Firewall
Avira Phantom VPN - To hide IP address
Best browser with data saving and adblocker feature?

How to get the best of all?

Thanks

:rolleyes:
 
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klaken

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Oct 11, 2014
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I occupy the systems of cdome and cwatch office (comodo) ... They generate a vpn network that contains advertising blocker .. They work well in android.
 

Evjl's Rain

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best browser with adblock:
- naked browser with customized filterlist, can be anything
- samsung browser with adguard addon

AdguardDNS if you are at home or with constant IP addresses
DNS66: personally, I hate using VPN because they more or less drain some juice

samsung phones: adhell

if you are a native english speakers, you can use any browser with adblocker because they can be enough. If you are non-native english speakers, try all the above mentioned apps
 

HarborFront

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best browser with adblock:
- naked browser with customized filterlist, can be anything
- samsung browser with adguard addon

AdguardDNS if you are at home or with constant IP addresses
DNS66: personally, I hate using VPN because they more or less drain some juice

samsung phones: adhell

if you are a native english speakers, you can use any browser with adblocker because they can be enough. If you are non-native english speakers, try all the above mentioned apps
DNS66 uses a VPN interface which means it'll clash with another app which uses VPN

DNS66 | F-Droid - Free and Open Source Android App Repository

I had FF Quantum removed for it's slow and consumes battery power

I leave the VPN to my Avira Phantom VPN to hide my IP address and uses Yandex Browser with Protect instead which is data saving and has adblocking built-in. Yandex Browser with Protect also accepts Adguard Content Blocker like Samsung Internet Browser. Yandex Browser with Protect is fast

For anonymous surfing I have Lightning Browser (downloaded from F-Droid repository which comes with adblocker built-in) paired with Orbot as a Tor proxy. Note that the free Lightning Browser downloaded from Google Play Store do NOT have adblocking built-in

By itself, without using Orbot, Lightning Browser is also fast

I also have Orfox with Orbot for anonymous surfing

All using DDG search engine
 
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Evjl's Rain

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I also tried lightning browser but it was a bit buggy in the past

I finally stick to Naked browser free because I can add whatever filter on filterlists.com (not support element hiding) by copying the filter to .nbhosts.txt in download folder of android
this browser is one of the fastest ever with lowest memory usage. Lightning may use a bit less, not so much but lightning only has it's own filter and can't be modified

My friend has a low-end Asus tablet. He used chrome to play a video on a website and the video was laggy as hell. I adviced him to try naked browser and the video was perfectly smooth on NB. I believe yandex uses similar engine so I doubt it would be slower than NB
 

HarborFront

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I also tried lightning browser but it was a bit buggy in the past

I finally stick to Naked browser free because I can add whatever filter on filterlists.com (not support element hiding) by copying the filter to .nbhosts.txt in download folder of android
this browser is one of the fastest ever with lowest memory usage. Lightning may use a bit less, not so much but lightning only has it's own filter and can't be modified

My friend has a low-end Asus tablet. He used chrome to play a video on a website and the video was laggy as hell. I adviced him to try naked browser and the video was perfectly smooth on NB. I believe yandex uses similar engine so I doubt it would be slower than NB
Actually, you can gauge the performance of Lightning Browser here

In this link Lightning Browser is slightly better than Opera Mini

Three lightweight Android browsers that may speed up your old smartphone or tablet

and in this link Naked Browser is the middle performer

Need for speed - What's the fastest Android browser?

IMO, Lightning Browser is slightly faster than Opera Mini which, in turn, is slightly faster than Naked Browser
 

oneeye

Level 4
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Jul 14, 2014
174
Hi

Just realized that if I have Blokada, NetGuard or Avira Phantom VPN enabled only one will work because they are all using a VPN service. And Android only allows one application to use the VPN service at a time

Blokada - In-browser and apps adblocker
NetGuard - Firewall
Avira Phantom VPN - To hide IP address
Best browser with data saving and adblocker feature?

How to get the best of all?

Thanks

:rolleyes:

Hi Harborfront,

You are correct about using one app at a time. However, if you want overall privacy, like others mentioned, a VPN with adblocking is a choice. But, you could also use an app like Blokada and Orbot at the same time. Orbot can proxy thru Tor any app you choose in settings, and don't use the local VPN.

As for me, I mostly use browsers with adblocking. When I'm using something like Chrome, I fire up Blokada, or if I want to block all analytics Blokada takes care of that. Now, if I want or need a VPN, I have ProtonVPN and you want a VPN especially for using any public Wi-Fi naturally.

Now, NetGuard does have blocking capabilities, but I think you need the paid version through playstore first, then I think you can get the Adblock plugin from GitHub or XDA. There is a huge thread in XDA developer forums for NetGuard. Just do a search.

So, as you see, there are several options to using various services. But, I noticed later, you mentioned using Opera browsers. Personally, I would not, because they sold to a Chinese conglomerate in 2016. I used to love their browser, when I had
(HTC touch pro 2) running Windows 6.5 .
And lightening browser nope! Firefox is the best to harden yourself out of any browser's offered for Android, hands down.
 

oneeye

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Jul 14, 2014
174
Does it work if you're using mobile data or is it for wifi only?

Hi,

I know cell data works just fine, and Wi-Fi should be OK too. It might slow your connection slightly like a VPN does at times, but the fact you could have all connections or select which apps go thru is a huge benefit. Orbot is in PlayStore as well as F-Droid app store. Plus the Guardian Project has lots of other and like Orfox browser. But, if privacy is a concern, don't try and log into social media on it.
 
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oneeye

Level 4
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Jul 14, 2014
174
Hey all,

Hope you all had a good Christmas and have a safe New Years.

Just want to remind folk's, that these free AdBlockers need our support just like developer's in playstore. They never push for donations, but they gladly receive them. So, support these guys, and buy them a beer or two. You know, so they too have a Happy Holidays ( - :
 

Deletedmessiah

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Jan 16, 2017
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Hi,

I know cell data works just fine, and Wi-Fi should be OK too. It might slow your connection slightly like a VPN does at times, but the fact you could have all connections or select which apps go thru is a huge benefit. Orbot is in PlayStore as well as F-Droid app store. Plus the Guardian Project has lots of other and like Orfox browser. But, if privacy is a concern, don't try and log into social media on it.
Thats nice. Thanks for the info!
 

HarborFront

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Oct 9, 2016
6,014
Hi Harborfront,

You are correct about using one app at a time. However, if you want overall privacy, like others mentioned, a VPN with adblocking is a choice. But, you could also use an app like Blokada and Orbot at the same time. Orbot can proxy thru Tor any app you choose in settings, and don't use the local VPN.

As for me, I mostly use browsers with adblocking. When I'm using something like Chrome, I fire up Blokada, or if I want to block all analytics Blokada takes care of that. Now, if I want or need a VPN, I have ProtonVPN and you want a VPN especially for using any public Wi-Fi naturally.

Now, NetGuard does have blocking capabilities, but I think you need the paid version through playstore first, then I think you can get the Adblock plugin from GitHub or XDA. There is a huge thread in XDA developer forums for NetGuard. Just do a search.

So, as you see, there are several options to using various services. But, I noticed later, you mentioned using Opera browsers. Personally, I would not, because they sold to a Chinese conglomerate in 2016. I used to love their browser, when I had
(HTC touch pro 2) running Windows 6.5 .
And lightening browser nope! Firefox is the best to harden yourself out of any browser's offered for Android, hands down.
Yes, I have Orbot but I realize it works reasonably fast with 4G LTE. With WiFi it's real slow. Also, Orfox is a few version behind FF Quantum

You'll need to get NetGuard (a firewall) with adblocking capability outside the Google Play Store and its free. It still uses VPN

No, I do not use Opera browser. I used Puffin Browser (a Taiwanese browser) for a short while. It's fast but its DNS always connects to Google at 74.xxx.xxx.xx regardless of the country you choose for your VPN so I gave it up

FYI, Lightning Browser is fast and can run with Orbot on 4G LTE without issue

Firefox Quantum is slow although it comes with tons of extensions which other browser cannot provide
 
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