Replacing AdGuard Premium for Android?

[HarborFront]

I'm not saying it's no good for I'm also using it now. But I would like a replacement once my license expires. It has many advantages over other similar adblockers like

- blocking ads/trackers/social media plugins in apps and browsers with filters i.e. device-wide and browser blocking
- DNS filtering(with DNSCrypt & DNSSEC server)
- firewall
- HTTPS filtering

However, it has several disadvantages

1) It is a paid app
2) It drains battery more than other similar apps. This is based on feedback on the net
3) It uses a local VPN which prevents the user from using a dedicated VPN service as Android only allows one VPN to run at anyone time

Here are my suggestions to overcome

1) Use a browser like Firefox Quantum with addons to protect against ads/trackers/phishing/fingerprinting/social media plugins (with adguard or uBlock Origin addon) etc. This gives more and effective protection than Adguard Premium
2) Use AdClear. AdClear now provides firewall and HTTPS filtering features. It offers device-wide and browser protection against ads/trackers etc. Also, AdClear don't consume noticeable battery according to feedback on the net. I believe its privacy policy will not affect you seriously if you don't mine.
3) Lastly, the above are FREE



Edit :- Ooops sorry. AdClear also uses a VPN service so it'll clash with your dedicated VPN service. Removed the latter.

 

[permar4]

there is also a free and open source alternative called "blokada".

As far as the battery is concerned, according to the application itself, there is very little power consumption, in the latest versions there is a graph to know how much battery consumption adguard, although I do not know if it is accurate.

And on proton or wind it would still consume battery power as well as all your data would pass through a 3rd person...

 

[HarborFront]

there is also a free and open source alternative called "blokada".

As far as the battery is concerned, according to the application itself, there is very little power consumption, in the latest versions there is a graph to know how much battery consumption adguard, although I do not know if it is accurate.

And on proton or wind it would still consume battery power as well as all your data would pass through a 3rd person...

Blokada creates a local VPN on your handphone. This will prevent you from using a dedicated VPN service.

 

[DeepWeb]

Adaway and then remove all the Hosts sources and replace them with Steven Black's HOSTS file.
GitHub - StevenBlack/hosts: Extending and consolidating hosts files from several well-curated sources like adaway.org, mvps.org, malwaredomainlist.com, someonewhocares.org, and potentially others. You can optionally invoke extensions to block additional sites by category.

 

[HarborFront]

Adaway and then remove all the Hosts sources and replace them with Steven Black's HOSTS file.
GitHub - StevenBlack/hosts: Extending and consolidating hosts files from several well-curated sources like adaway.org, mvps.org, malwaredomainlist.com, someonewhocares.org, and potentially others. You can optionally invoke extensions to block additional sites by category.

Yah. This is one way to allow the user to use a dedicated VPN service but it requires rooting. What about the other features of Adguard Premium?

 

[Deletedmessiah]

Blokada creates a local VPN on your handphone. This will prevent you from using a dedicated VPN service.

What non-root adblockers on Android work without creating a local VPN? Adclear also uses local VPN to block ads.

 

[HarborFront]

What non-root adblockers on Android work without creating a local VPN? Adclear also uses local VPN to block ads.

You are right. I just added an Edit to my post and have it removed

 

[DeepWeb]

You are only talking of its ads/trackers etc blocking. What about the other features of Adguard Premium?

The Hosts file is also blocking Coin miners, malware, phishing and tracking domains. The other tricks Adguard is pulling off intercepting HTTPS traffic which I find highly controversial regardless of how much I can trust a company.

 

[Deletedmessiah]

You are right. I just added an Edit to my post and have it removed

I believe there is a way to block ads with hosts file method without rooting. But you still have to unlock the bootloader. I'm not sure if it breaks Google safetynet. It might be a hassle.

 

[Deletedmessiah]

Adaway and then remove all the Hosts sources and replace them with Steven Black's HOSTS file.
GitHub - StevenBlack/hosts: Extending and consolidating hosts files from several well-curated sources like adaway.org, mvps.org, malwaredomainlist.com, someonewhocares.org, and potentially others. You can optionally invoke extensions to block additional sites by category.

Only for rooted devices.

 

[HarborFront]

The Hosts file is also blocking Coin miners, malware, phishing and tracking domains. The other tricks Adguard is pulling off intercepting HTTPS traffic which I find highly controversial regardless of how much I can trust a company.

FF Quantum with its addons can do the former. Together with AdClear the device will be protected

 

[ForgottenSeer 58943]

there is also a free and open source alternative called "blokada".

As far as the battery is concerned, according to the application itself, there is very little power consumption, in the latest versions there is a graph to know how much battery consumption adguard, although I do not know if it is accurate.

And on proton or wind it would still consume battery power as well as all your data would pass through a 3rd person...

Blokada from F-Droid is WAY better than Adguard IMO. Go with MVPS Host and Anti-Coinminer lists and it flies and consumes virtually no battery life.

However for me, I use an OpenVPN Server on my network, then OpenVPN on Android, connect back behind my home network which gives me not only extensive Pi-Hole adblocking, but malware filtration from Bit Defender+VirusTotal+ClamAV on my mobile device. It's the ultimate in security and privacy. But not every has the skill to setup an OpenVPN server for their home.

 

[RmG152]

Blokada from F-Droid is WAY better than Adguard IMO. Go with MVPS Host and Anti-Coinminer lists and it flies and consumes virtually no battery life.

However for me, I use an OpenVPN Server on my network, then OpenVPN on Android, connect back behind my home network which gives me not only extensive Pi-Hole adblocking, but malware filtration from Bit Defender+VirusTotal+ClamAV on my mobile device. It's the ultimate in security and privacy. But not every has the skill to setup an OpenVPN server for their home.

How do you add this anti-virus at network layer?

 

[mekelek]

I'm using AdGuard DNS instead of the app due to Battery issues.
Or you could try combining it with Firefox with uBlock origin

 

[Ink]

@HarborFront

Install F-Droid client
F-Droid - Free and Open Source Android App Repository

Install Blokada via F-Droid client - device-wide protection
> Enable Keep Alive & Start on Boot
Blokada ad blocker | F-Droid - Free and Open Source Android App Repository
Blokada - the best ad blocker for Android, free and open source

Install Brave browser for Android - browser-based protection
DL: Brave Browser: Fast AdBlocker - Android Apps on Google Play
HP: Secure, Fast & Private Web Browser with Adblocker | Brave Browser

Install Bitdefender Free Antivirus for Android - best free Android protection
DL: Bitdefender Antivirus Free - Android Apps on Google Play
HP: Bitdefender Antivirus Free for Android

 

[HarborFront]

@HarborFront

Install F-Droid client
F-Droid - Free and Open Source Android App Repository

Install Blokada via F-Droid client - device-wide protection
> Enable Keep Alive & Start on Boot
Blokada ad blocker | F-Droid - Free and Open Source Android App Repository
Blokada - the best ad blocker for Android, free and open source

Install Brave browser for Android - browser-based protection
DL: Brave Browser: Fast AdBlocker - Android Apps on Google Play
HP: Secure, Fast & Private Web Browser with Adblocker | Brave Browser

Install Bitdefender Free Antivirus for Android - best free Android protection
DL: Bitdefender Antivirus Free - Android Apps on Google Play
HP: Bitdefender Antivirus Free for Android

Blokada creates a local VPN which means you cannot use a dedicated VPN. BTW, it doesn't block social media plugins

Brave browser has some blocking capabilities just like its desktop version. How effective the protection is unknown. Also, it doesn't accept extensions

BitDefender is free, ads free and only scans when the file is being downloaded. It doesn't protect in real-time.

In finding a replacement for AdGuard Premium I need to consider the replacement for the other features as well.

Like I mentioned FF Quantum browser has All the necessary addons and more. They protect against ads/trackers/phishing/coin miners/fingerprinting/social media plugins (with adguard or uBlock Origin addon)/scripts/XSS/clickjacking(CSRF)/keyboard profiling/data profiling by search engine etc.

AdClear offers device-wide protection against ads/trackers etc. It also comes with a firewall and HTTPS filtering like AdGuard. If you don't mind its privacy policy which I don't think it affects you seriously. Unfortunately, it also creates a local VPN.

On a secondary note I might consider Adhell in place of AdClear which then allows me to use SAMSUNG's firewall and the ability to use a dedicated VPN service.

Sophos Mobile Security is free, offers real-time protection and ads free besides scanning downloaded files.

 

[uninfected1]

+1 for Blokada. Been using Adguard for Android (free and then premium) for some time and battery usage was indeed quite high but the main issue for me was how much it slowed down browsing. Neither of these issues occur with Blokada and it seems to block pretty well.

 

[Deletedmessiah]

+1 for Blokada. Been using Adguard for Android (free and then premium) for some time and battery usage was indeed quite high but the main issue for me was how much it slowed down browsing. Neither of these issues occur with Blokada and it seems to be block pretty well..

I agree on Blokada. For non-root, non-Samsung phones, it was the most efficient one and the one which worked the best after Adguard. Other options like DNS66, block this, Netguard or Adclear always had some sort of issues.

 

[MeltdownEnemy]

+1 for Blokada. Been using Adguard for Android (free and then premium) for some time and battery usage was indeed quite high but the main issue for me was how much it slowed down browsing. Neither of these issues occur with Blokada and it seems to block pretty well.

BlockAda can't block youtube ads in ytbapp, only on navigator.

 

[HarborFront]

Adguard Premium says it can block social media plugins but I find it can't. Tried the below links on Samsung Internet Browser and TugaBrowser

Watching 'Annihilation' at home versus the cinema

https://gizmodo.com/after-bragging-about-broadcom-jobs-trump-kills-its-qua-1823716096

Google to ban ads on cryptocurrencies, related products

At least AdClear admit they cannot block social media plugins

After exhaustive testing between Adguard Premium (paid) vs AdClear (free) I see no much difference in their features. Well....if you can trust the Russians with your Adguard I suppose you can trust AdClear with its not so good privacy policy