PrivacyTools.io
Reviewed by Gabriel Bachmann
uBlock Origin logo

uBlock Origin

chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/ublock-origin/cjpalhdlnbpafiamejdnhcphjbkeiagm
4.9 (8)
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uBlock is a lightweight, open-source, and free Chrome privacy browser extension that is used to block ads and other online trackers. It’s designed to be user-friendly and efficient. The extension blocks ads on all websites by default. But it can also be customized to block certain elements from any website that you visit. For example, if you want to block only pop-up advertisements, you can do so by adding the “pop-ups” filter in the uBlock Origin settings panel. Once added, this filter will take precedence over the general ad blocker setting in uBlock Origin.

uBlock has an extensive list of filters that can be enabled or disabled according to your needs. These filters are easily accessible through the settings panel, which is located at the top right.

Threat level
Covered

A covered pick. Anyone can use it as a private drop-in, with no setup or know-how. Enough for most people. Threat levels

Screenshot of the uBlock Origin website
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Our take

If you install one privacy extension, make it this one. uBlock Origin is lightweight, free, open source, and far more capable than the ad blockers that sell your data on the side, and its advanced mode can lock down third-party requests well beyond ads. The one real caveat is Chrome’s Manifest V3 shift, which weakens blockers, so it runs at full strength on Firefox and a reduced Lite version on Chrome. On Firefox it is close to non-negotiable.

GitHub at a glance
gorhill/uBlock
Stars
66,137
+ 769 this week
Last commit
12d ago
healthy
License
GPL-3.0
Latest release
1.72.0
12d ago
Stars, last 31d
Website at a glance
chrome.google.com
F score 15
Weak website security headers
Graded by Mozilla HTTP Observatory, tested 14d ago

Measures the security configuration of the tool's own website, not the privacy of the product itself. A strong tool can still score low here.

uBlock Origin alternatives

uBlock Origin license, in plain English
GPL-3.0
Strong copyleft

Free to use and modify, but anything you distribute that is built on it must also be open under the same license.

Permits

  • Commercial use
  • Modification
  • Distribution
  • Patent use
  • Private use

Requires

  • Disclose source
  • Same license
  • State changes
  • License and copyright notice

Does not provide

  • Liability cover
  • Warranty

Why it matters: Strong copyleft keeps every distributed version open. A vendor cannot fold this into a closed product and ship it without releasing their changes.

Plain-language summary of the project's license, not legal advice. Read the full text for the exact terms.