Comparison

Ghostery AdBlocker for Privacy vs uBlock Origin Lite

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Ghostery AdBlocker for Privacy

Block ads, trackers, and pop-ups on Safari for a faster, more private browsing experience. This tool speeds up page loads and provides insights into online trackers.

Highlights
  • Blocks ads and pop-ups
  • Stops trackers from collecting data
  • Removes cookie consent pop-ups
  • Speeds up page load times
  • Provides tracker insights
  • Customizable whitelists
Features
Read full description

Block ads, trackers, and popups on Safari. Browse 2.5X faster with Ghostery, the powerful ad blocker for iPhone, iPad, and Mac with over 100 million downloads worldwide. FEATURES: * Block ads and pop-ups across all websites, including YouTube and Facebook * Stop trackers from collecting your personal data * Automatically remove annoying cookie consent pop-ups * Speed up page load times * Get detailed insights on trackers for any website you visit * Preview tracker information on search engine results before visiting a page * Customize your browsing with whitelists for trusted sites and trackers * Enjoy a cleaner, faster, and more private web experience ABOUT GHOSTERY: Ghostery is more than just an ad blocker. Our advanced privacy protection suite is powered by the world's largest tracker database, WhoTracks.Me ensuring you stay ahead of evolving online threats. As an open-source app supported by a global community, Ghostery is committed to making the internet a safer, more private place for everyone. WHY CHOOSE GHOSTERY? * Easy to use: Install and start protecting your privacy in seconds * Customizable: Fine-tune your protection levels to suit your needs * Transparent: See exactly what trackers are blocked on each site * Constantly updated: Our tracker database is upgraded daily * Free and open-source: No hidden costs and fully transparent Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.ghostery.com/privacy-policy

About

uBlock Origin Lite

This efficient content blocker utilizes browser-based filtering for reliable ad and tracker removal. It offers a declarative approach, minimizing resource consumption by only activating its service worker when interacting with its interface.

Highlights
  • Efficient content blocking
  • Declarative filtering
  • Minimal resource consumption
  • Browser-based filtering
  • Supports multiple filter lists
  • Open-source and transparent
Features
Read full description

uBO Lite (uBOL) is a reliable and efficient content blocker. The default ruleset corresponds to uBlock Origin's default filterset: - uBlock Origin's built-in filter lists - EasyList - EasyPrivacy - Peter Lowe’s Ad and tracking server list You can enable more rulesets by visiting the options page -- click the _Cogs_ icon in the popup panel. uBOL is entirely declarative, meaning there is no need for a permanent uBOL process for the filtering to occur, and CSS/JS injection-based content filtering is performed reliably by the browser itself rather than by the extension. This means that uBOL itself does not consume CPU/memory resources while content blocking is ongoing -- uBOL's service worker process is required _only_ when you interact with the popup panel or the option pages.

Screenshots

Ghostery AdBlocker for Privacy3 screens
uBlock Origin Lite3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: uBlock Origin Lite at none against Ghostery AdBlocker for Privacy's 10. uBlock Origin Lite also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.3) and ratings volume (989 vs 209). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Ghostery AdBlocker for Privacy sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. uBlock Origin Lite asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

uBlock Origin Lite holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 209 and 989 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 76% of Ghostery AdBlocker for Privacy's written reviews are positive against 78% of uBlock Origin Lite's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Ghostery AdBlocker for Privacy ships an update every 6 days, uBlock Origin Lite weekly. Both last shipped on November 8, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Ghostery AdBlocker for Privacy versus uBlock Origin Lite: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGhostery AdBlocker for PrivacyuBlock Origin Lite
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (209 ratings)4.7 (989 ratings) — better
Positive reviews76.2% of reviews77.9% of reviews — better
Number of ratings209989 — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 days — betterWeekly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, MaciPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS18.718.5 — better
Further details — not scored
Size45 MB47 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGhostery GmbHRaymond Hill

Customer experience

Ghostery AdBlocker for Privacy

All ratings209 ratings
Positive80.9%
Neutral6.2%
Negative12.9%
Written reviews390 reviews
Positive76.2%
Neutral5.9%
Negative17.9%

uBlock Origin Lite

All ratings982 ratings
Positive91.9%
Neutral2.5%
Negative5.6%
Written reviews533 reviews
Positive77.9%
Neutral6.4%
Negative15.8%

User reviews

Ghostery AdBlocker for Privacy

From 209 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Easy to understand settings
  • 🚀 Websites run much better
  • 🔒 Blocks ads, trackers, and pop-ups
  • 👍 Customizable blocking options
  • 🚀 Lightweight and fast

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Inconsistent performance on different platforms
  • 🐛 Fails to block some ads, especially on YouTube
  • 🐛 Occasionally stops working or requires reinstallation

uBlock Origin Lite

From 989 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Lightweight and efficient
  • 🔒 Open-source and transparent
  • 👍 Effective ad blocking
  • 👍 Seamless integration with Safari

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Compatibility issues with latest iOS version
  • 🔧 Difficulty accessing settings in private mode

Bugs and requests

Ghostery AdBlocker for Privacy

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • New version not supported on macOS Safari
  • Uninstall icon causes issues on other devices

Requested features

3 requests
  • Allow one-time donations instead of subscriptions
  • Expand DNS-level blocking to other devices
  • Improve integration with Safari and other browsers

uBlock Origin Lite

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Unable to turn on extension on laptop Safari after installation
  • Fails to load when enabling in Safari

Requested features

2 requests
  • Import third-party filter lists
  • Improved dashboard and settings access

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Ghostery AdBlocker for Privacy

Subscriptions7
  • Small monthly contribution$1.991 Month
  • Medium monthly contribution$4.991 Month
  • Monthly donation$4.991 Month
Show 4 more
  • Small yearly contribution$23.901 Year
  • Yearly donation$47.991 Year
  • Medium yearly contribution$59.901 Year
  • Large yearly contribution$143.991 Year
One-time3
  • Small one-time contributio$5.00
  • Medium one-time contribution$10.00
  • Large one-time contribution$20.00
None

uBlock Origin Lite

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Ghostery AdBlocker for Privacy free?
Ghostery AdBlocker for Privacy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is uBlock Origin Lite free?
uBlock Origin Lite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Ghostery AdBlocker for Privacy or uBlock Origin Lite?
uBlock Origin Lite is rated higher. Ghostery AdBlocker for Privacy averages 4.3 out of 5 from 209 ratings, while uBlock Origin Lite averages 4.7 from 989 ratings.
Do Ghostery AdBlocker for Privacy or uBlock Origin Lite have ads?
Neither Ghostery AdBlocker for Privacy nor uBlock Origin Lite shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Ghostery AdBlocker for Privacy or uBlock Origin Lite?
Ghostery AdBlocker for Privacy ships an update every 6 days, and uBlock Origin Lite weekly. Most recently, Ghostery AdBlocker for Privacy was updated on November 8, 2026 and uBlock Origin Lite on November 8, 2026.

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