AdBlock vs µBrowser
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
AdBlock
Block unwanted ads, pop-ups, and video advertisements on your iOS device. Enhance privacy, reduce data usage, and improve device performance. Enjoy a cleaner, faster browsing experience without subscriptions.
- Blocks 99% of ads
- Local DNS proxy service
- Customizable DNS rules
- Safari Content Blocker
- Privacy protection from trackers
- iCloud rule synchronization
- Works on Wi-Fi and cellular
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The original AdBlock - the first and last ad-blocker you'll ever need. A one time purchase - no subscriptions needed. We've been blocking ads on iPhones and iPads since 2012 - we know our game! :) AdBlock allows you to block ads on your iOS device. Get rid of 99% of annoying popups, banners and video ads. Protect your privacy, limit bandwidth use, speed up your device, save battery and drastically improve your day-to-day iOS experience. The most important advantages of AdBlock are: • AdBlock comes with a local DNS proxy service built-in. Use it to see which domains you're device is contacting. Create your own rules and assign any IP to any domain, right on your device. You can (and should!) bootstrap this feature with rules found online. • AdBlock has enhanced DNS proxy rules export and import function. Share DNS proxy rules with other users, easily import rules found on the Internet. • AdBlock comes with a Safari Content Blocker to block ads on websites in Safari. • AdBlock allows you to create your own list of domains and synchronize your rules between all your devices using iCloud. • AdBlock allows you to protect your privacy by blocking mobile trackers. Prevent Internet trackers from recording your online activity and selling your private data. • AdBlock does not send your Internet traffic through any remote server. All of your connections stay direct, fast and secure. Ads are blocked right on your device! • Setting up AdBlock is simple! Just download the app, and follow the tutorial to set everything up. When in doubt - contact our support! • AdBlock automatically updates to the latest version of the filters on every app run. We keep the ad servers database up-to-date for you. • AdBlock works with Wi-Fi and cellular networks. You don't need to set it up separately for every network you use. • AdBlock comes with a handy widget to quickly change the DNS proxy status when needed. Looking for support? Contact our dedicated support line directly from the app - we'll help you out with the proper setup and answer all the questions you might have.
µBrowser
A micro browser designed for your Apple Watch, offering a quick way to access basic web browsing when other devices aren't available. It allows you to open URLs, search the web, and manage your browsing history and favorites.
- Open any URL
- Web search with DuckDuckGo
- View and save visited pages
- Manage bookmarks via iOS app
- Watch face complications
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µBrowser is the micro browser for your Apple Watch. Quickly look something up, open a favorite website or read a webpage when you don’t have another device around. Built for short visits on a small screen, µBrowser puts the web on your wrist. NEW: Ask µBrowser Ask questions about webpages, get a quick summary and explore further with follow-up questions. Answers include sources so you can open the original page. FEATURES • Open web addresses directly on your Apple Watch. • Search with DuckDuckGo, Google, Bing, Brave Search, Startpage or Ecosia. • Revisit recent pages and save your favorites as bookmarks. • Manage bookmarks with the iPhone companion app. • Quickly access the browser through watch face complications. • Choose whether to save browsing history and searches, and keep cookies between sessions. PLEASE NOTE Browsing on your wrist has its limits. Large or complex webpages may not work as expected, JavaScript support is limited, and signing in to websites may not work. Ask µBrowser works with publicly readable content and may be unable to access pages behind sign-ins or paywalls. Ask µBrowser requires watchOS 27 or later and available Apple Intelligence and Private Cloud Compute services. Availability depends on your device, Apple Account, language and region. Daily usage limits may apply. An internet connection is required.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ratings volume: AdBlock at 34K against µBrowser's 104. AdBlock also leads on rating (4.3 vs 4.0) and chart position (#32 vs unranked). µBrowser's advantage is review sentiment (57% vs 44%). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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
AdBlock costs $1.99 and µBrowser $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
AdBlock holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: AdBlock has 34K ratings behind it against 104, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 44% of AdBlock's written reviews are positive against 57% of µBrowser's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
AdBlock ships an update every 4 weeks, µBrowser every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 19, 2026.
| Parameter | AdBlock | µBrowser |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1.99 — better | $2.99 |
| Rating | 4.3 (34K ratings) — better | 4.0 (104 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 43.9% of reviews | 57.3% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 34K — better | 104 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | #32 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, Apple Watch |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 25 MB | 25 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | AdBlock Labs | Arno Appenzeller |
Customer experience
AdBlock
µBrowser
Bugs and requests
AdBlock
Reported bugs
3 issues- Disconnects from VPN randomly
- Syncing issues with iCloud
- Compatibility problems with newer iOS versions
Requested features
4 requests- Automatic updates to block new ad domains
- Whitelist option to allow ads on certain sites
- Improved battery optimization
- Easier setup and configuration
µBrowser
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
AdBlock
No in-app purchases
µBrowser
No in-app purchases








