Quick comparison
| # | App | Pricing | Verified price | Open source | Platforms | Verified facts | Score |
|---|
| 1 |  uBlock Origin | Open source | — | Yes | Browser extension, Android | 5 of 5 | 76.8 |
| 2 |  Pi-hole | Open source | — | Yes | Self-hosted, Linux | 4 of 4 | 68.8 |
| 3 |  AdGuard Home | Open source | — | Yes | Self-hosted, Linux, Windows +1 | 3 of 3 | 64.8 |
| 4 |  Squid | Open source | — | Yes | Linux, Windows, Self-hosted | 4 of 4 | 51.2 |
1Best for: Firefox users who want the most capable, lightweight browser blocker available
Open sourceBrowser extension, Android
Why switch from Privoxy
Filters inside HTTPS pages without certificate setup and uses maintained lists, for browser-only blocking.
Pros
- Very efficient on CPU and memory
- Deep controls: custom filters, element picker, dynamic filtering
- No acceptable-ads programme, no donations sought
Cons
- Removed from the Chrome Web Store; Chromium support is ending
- Advanced mode is easy to misconfigure
- Browser-only, so it can't block ads inside apps
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.377
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.15100
Freshness ×0.15100
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
2Best for: Tinkerers who want ad blocking for every device on their home network
Open sourceSelf-hostableSelf-hosted, Linux
Why switch from Privoxy
Blocks ads for every device on the network at the DNS level, with a web dashboard and no proxy settings to configure.
Pros
- Covers every device on the network
- Huge community, guides and blocklists
- Runs on cheap hardware like a Raspberry Pi
Cons
- Can't block same-domain ads like YouTube's
- Needs a device running around the clock
- Occasional allowlisting needed when sites break
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.3100
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.15100
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
3Best for: Home-lab users who want network-wide blocking with a polished dashboard
Open sourceSelf-hostableSelf-hosted, Linux, Windows, macOS
Why switch from Privoxy
Network-wide DNS blocking with easy filter-list subscriptions and a friendlier web interface.
Pros
- Covers every device on the network, including smart TVs
- Encrypted DNS support built in
- Single binary or Docker image, easy to set up
Cons
- Can't block ads served from the same domain as content
- Needs an always-on device on your network
- Protection stops when devices leave home unless you expose it
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.387
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.15100
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
4Best for: Network admins who need a caching forward proxy with fine-grained access control and logging
Open sourceSelf-hostableLinux, Windows, Self-hosted
Why switch from Privoxy
A full caching proxy with detailed access control for offices and schools, not just ad filtering.
Pros
- Very flexible access control, authentication and logging
- Works as both a forward proxy and a reverse-proxy accelerator
- Free software with decades of production use
Cons
- Configuration syntax is dense and hard to learn
- HTTP/1.1 support is described as not quite complete by the project
- Small volunteer team, so releases and docs can lag
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.341
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.15100
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula