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AdGuard alternatives: 6 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave AdGuard: full apps are paid, and full Android app is installed outside Google Play. We ranked 6 alternatives by how directly each one replaces AdGuard, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. uBlock Origin currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1NextDNS logoNextDNSFree plan + paidNoWeb, Windows, macOS +34 of 459.6
  1. NextDNS logo

    1. NextDNSTop pick

    Best for: People who want Pi-hole-style blocking on all devices without running a server

    Free plan + paidWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from AdGuard

    Cloud DNS filtering for all devices without installing a filtering app.

    Pros

    • Works everywhere, including on mobile data
    • All features available on the free plan
    • Very cheap paid plan with unlimited queries

    Cons

    • Free plan stops blocking after 300,000 queries a month
    • DNS queries are handled by a third party
    • Can't remove ads served from the same domain as content
    Visit NextDNS Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is NextDNS a good AdGuard alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free plan
    300,000 queries/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026nextdns.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Over quota
    Resolves without blocking
    Checked Oct 25, 2026nextdns.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Paid plan
    Unlimited queries
    Checked Oct 25, 2026nextdns.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Payment methods
    Cards, PayPal, crypto
    Checked Oct 25, 2026nextdns.io(opens source in a new tab)

The best AdGuard alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

uBlock Origin logo

Best AdGuard alternative for most people

uBlock Origin

Free and open source, if you only need blocking in the browser.

AdGuard Home logo

Best AdGuard alternative for a free option

AdGuard Home

AdGuard's free, open-source network-wide blocker you host yourself.

NextDNS logo

Best AdGuard alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

NextDNS

Cloud DNS filtering for all devices without installing a filtering app.

Blokada logo

Best AdGuard alternative for open source

Blokada

Free open-source system-wide blocker for Android.

AdGuard Home logo

Best AdGuard alternative for self-hosting

AdGuard Home

AdGuard's free, open-source network-wide blocker you host yourself.

AdLock logo

Best AdGuard alternative for Mac

AdLock

Similar paid system-wide blocker for Windows, Mac, Android and iOS.

AdGuard Home logo

Best AdGuard alternative for Windows

AdGuard Home

AdGuard's free, open-source network-wide blocker you host yourself.

AdGuard Home logo

Best AdGuard alternative for Linux

AdGuard Home

AdGuard's free, open-source network-wide blocker you host yourself.

NextDNS logo

Best AdGuard alternative for iPhone and Android

NextDNS

Cloud DNS filtering for all devices without installing a filtering app.

NextDNS logo

Best AdGuard alternative for working in the browser

NextDNS

Cloud DNS filtering for all devices without installing a filtering app.

AdGuard alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to AdGuard?

uBlock Origin ranks first right now. Free and open source, if you only need blocking in the browser. AdGuard Home and NextDNS follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to AdGuard?

Yes. uBlock Origin (open source), AdGuard Home (open source), NextDNS (free plan + paid) and 1Blocker (free plan + paid) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to AdGuard?

Yes: uBlock Origin, AdGuard Home and Blokada. AdGuard Home can also be self-hosted.

Which AdGuard alternatives work on Linux?

AdGuard Home and NextDNS run on Linux.

Why do people switch from AdGuard?

The complaints we hear most: full apps are paid; full Android app is installed outside Google Play; local HTTPS filtering requires trusting a root certificate.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces AdGuard, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.