Apple’s iOS (and iPadOS) have gone through quite a number of updates over the years, and with that came new ways to embed ads in websites and apps. Luckily for us, there are all kinds of ad blockers designed for Safari (and apps that use Safari to preview Web content). However, not every ad blocker is the same – and we’re sure you’re after truly the best option. With that said, it’s time to take a look at the best ad blockers for iOS and iPadOS in 2021.
How to Turn on Ad Blockers on Your iPhone or iPad
Ad blockers do not start working immediately upon downloading. You must turn them on in iOS’s settings. Once you choose and download an ad blocker, here’s how to activate it on your iPhone or iPad.
1. First, visit the Settings app on your device and tap on Safari.
2. Scroll a bit down and tap on “Content Blockers.”
3. At this moment, you should see the ad blockers you’ve installed on your device. Feel free to use the right-placed switches to activate individual ad blockers.
We would also like to note that ad blockers come as individual apps. However, once you activate them via the Settings app, they integrate with Safari (like a web browser extension). Still, don’t forget to visit your ad blocker’s app and check whether you can fine-tune anything.
1. Ad Guard
Ad Guard is a fantastic option for blocking ads in Safari, as it touts up to 50 filters. One downside, however, is that some of these filters are subscription-based. On the upside, the free and default Ad Guard filters will do a fantastic job of blocking more ads that the average Safari user will encounter.
This app also offers a fake VPN profile that will block ads across the entire system – not just in Safari. The major flaw with this option is that this upgrade happens to be paid, but even the free version will be more than enough to clean up the user experience.
With that said, many of you should be happy with the free version of Ad Guard. Still, if you ever wish to unlock all of its features, know that the premium subscription plan comes priced at only $0.99/month or $4.99/year. There’s also an option to buy a lifetime license, priced at $12.99 – quite affordable overall.
2. 1Blocker
1Blocker‘s App Store download page mentions that it has a “lightning-fast native content blocking API” and that it “doesn’t slow Safari.” From what we’ve seen, both of those claims are true. 1Blocker is non-invasive, stable, and comes as a quick option to block ads and get back to seeing just what matters.
However, it’s also important to mention that there are two equally important sides to 1Blocker. On the one hand, this is an incredibly lightweight app that gets out of your way. On the other hand, it comes with a highly comprehensive set of features. You can block ads, trackers, pop-ups, social media widgets, adult sites, trackers, and plenty more. And yes – you can decide which of those content categories you no longer wish to see.
You can get started with 1Blocker for free, which is a very nice way to test its capabilities. However, to get access to everything this app has to offer, you’ll find a range of subscription plans. The most affordable one is 1Blocker’s annual plan, priced at $14.99.
3. AdBlock Pro
Safari-compatible ad blockers for iOS and iPadOS aren’t a new thing and going for one of the oldest apps of its kind is always a good idea. That describes AdBlock Pro. This is a highly sophisticated ad blocker that works on iPhones, iPads, and Macs, and comes with an incredible set of features.
In terms of web content blocking, AdBlock Pro supports a range of categories. You can block ads, banners, and pop-up notifications, as well as redirects to other websites. This app also puts an end to autoplay videos, embedded YouTube ads, and similar. As a result, AdBlock Pro promises two times faster web browsing, up to 50 percent lower data usage, and improved battery life.
We would also like to note that AdBlock Pro integrates with Safari in a very nice way. You can use Safari’s built-in icons to pause content blocking, reload websites without content blockers, and more. Many of those features come free of charge, but you’ll need to pay $9.99/year to unlock this app entirely.
4. Wipr
As you’ve probably noticed by now, ad blockers can be complex in some cases. That’s great for power users who wish to dive into different types of web content blocking. However, you also have plenty of options if you need something straightforward and effective, such as Wipr.
This is one of the most popular ad blockers for iOS right now, primarily due to its ease of use. Setting it up takes only a couple of seconds of your time, which is when Wipr will get out of your way. Once you set it up, you can rest assured that Safari will eliminate ads, trackers, annoying banners, cookie-related pop-ups, and similar. All of that happens in the background, without you having to do anything.
Aside from blocking ads, Wipr is a great privacy-oriented solution. That’s because it blocks trackers as well, and it comes with an always up-to-date blacklist. And the best thing is its price. To download and use this app, you’ll need to pay $1.99 – and that’s it!
5. Firefox Focus
Lastly, we have a bit different recommendation. Up until now, we’ve talked about “traditional” ad blockers that work inside Safari. However, there’s also another option to try – especially if you don’t want to use Safari extensions. It’s always good to have an alternative, which is why we recommend Firefox Focus.
This isn’t an ad blocker – instead, this is a fully-featured web browser. Mozilla’s Firefox Focus is designed to protect your privacy from the ground up, and it comes with convenient tools. Most importantly, it can block ads, digital analytics tools, content and social trackers, and plenty more.
With that said, Firefox Focus is a much better option than Safari’s “Private” mode, as it blocks a much more extensive collection of data trackers. There’s no web history you need to worry about, which means no passwords, cookies, or anything similar. It’s perhaps a bit drastic, but it gets the job done.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are plenty of options in front of you. No matter which of the best ad blockers for iOS you choose, we’re 100% sure you’ll achieve your goals, meaning no ads or any similar digital annoyances.
Before we let you go, we’d like to share a couple of resources you may find helpful. First, did you know that you can turn a Raspberry Pi device into an ad-blocker? Also, check out the best web browsers with integrated ad-blocking features.
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