PrivacyTools.io
Reviewed by Gabriel Bachmann
uBlock Origin logo

uBlock Origin

chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/ublock-origin/cjpalhdlnbpafiamejdnhcphjbkeiagm
5.0 (32)
GitHub ★ 69k
Website →
Firefox Extensions Browser Extensions Open Source Browser Free
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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
Star on GitHub
GPL-3.0 blockerbrowser-extensionchromiumfirefoxjavascriptublockublock-origin
Stars
69,061
+187 this week
Forks
4,430
1,047 watching
Last commit
today
healthy
Latest release
1.75.4
today, 100+ total
Star history
Issues
100% closed
13
open
3,433
closed
+0 / -0
opened / closed, last 4 weeks
Opened vs closed, last 12 weeks
Commits, last 26 weeks
507 commits, active 25 of 26 weeks
110 contributors since Apr 2015
Languages
  • JavaScript 89.2%
  • CSS 4.7%
  • HTML 3.4%
  • Other 2.7%
Updated daily from the GitHub API. Star tracking since Jun 10, 2026.
Embed badge or GitHub stats card
Website at a glance
chrome.google.com
F score 15
Weak website security headers
Graded by Mozilla HTTP Observatory, tested 1d ago
Inspect this site yourself
Mozilla Observatory web-check urlscan.io SSL Labs Security Headers

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.

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SponsorBlock Install the SponsorBlock extension in your Chrome browser to automatically block sponsored segments in YouTube videos.
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xBrowserSync xBrowserSync is a Chrome extension that enables you to synchronize your browsing sessions across multiple browsers and computers. This means that you can start browsing on one…
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.