Best Ghostery Alternatives in 2025: Your Browser, Your Rules

You install Ghostery.The chaos dies down. Fewer ads. Fewer popups. You can breathe.

Then you see people say, “Drop Ghostery. Use uBlock.”Now you’re wondering: Am I missing something? And if you switch, what do you switch to?

If you’re searching for the best Ghostery alternatives in 2025, you’re basically saying:

“I don’t want intrusive ads.”
“I don’t want creepy tracking.”
“I also don’t want my favourite sites to break.”

Fair. Let’s give you options that respect that.Your browser. Your rules.

Best Ghostery Alternatives: Quick Overview

Quick answer:

The best Ghostery alternatives are uBlock Origin, AdGuard, Blockify, Brave, Privacy Badger and privacy DNS services like NextDNS or AdGuard DNS. Use Brave or AdGuard if you want a simple switch, choose Firefox plus uBlock Origin for more control, and add Blockify if streaming ads are your main problem.

Fast takeaway

Simple: Brave or AdGuard
Power control: Firefox/LibreWolf + uBlock Origin
Whole-home: NextDNS / AdGuard DNS / ControlD
Streaming pain, a/v ads: add Blockify

How to Choose the Right Ghostery Alternative

Before we jump into each product, decide who you are in this story. That choice makes everything else easy.

Ghostery Alternatives for Content Consumers

You:

Watch YouTube daily
Steam content pn platforms like Spotify, Twitch, Hulu, etc

You’ll be happiest with:

Blockify ad blocker: blocks audio ads and video ads on all popular content platforms and streaming sites

Ghostery Alternatives for Everyday Users

You:

Want fewer ads and less tracking
Don’t want to touch advanced settings
Just want your browser to behave

You’ll be happiest with:

Brave as an all-in-one browser
AdGuard if you like a “one app, many platforms” feel
uBlock Origin on Firefox/Chrome if you’re ok installing one extension

Ghostery Alternatives for Privacy Maximalists

You:

Read privacy guides or follow r/privacy
Care about fingerprinting and profiling
Enjoy having more knobs to tune

You’ll be happiest with:

Firefox / LibreWolf / Mullvad Browser
uBlock Origin in advanced mode
A DNS service like NextDNS, AdGuard DNS or ControlD

uBlock Origin - The Most Recommended Ghostery Alternative

Why uBlock Origin Is a Top Ghostery Alternative

uBlock Origin is what many people graduate to after Ghostery. Reasons are simple:

Open-source and lightweight
Extremely effective at blocking ads and trackers
No upsells, no weird monetisation model
Huge community and well-maintained filter lists

In everyday browsing, it blocks at least as well as Ghostery for most people, and often with more control.

Best uBlock Origin Setups (Firefox, LibreWolf, Mullvad Browser)

The classic power combo:

Browser: Firefox, LibreWolf or Mullvad Browser
Blocker: uBlock Origin
Mode:
- Default mode for a softer start
- Medium/hard mode if you want granular per-site rules

You can add:

Privacy Badger to catch extra trackers
ClearURLs to strip tracking parameters
CookieBlock to tame dark-pattern cookies

uBlock Origin: Pros and Trade-Offs

Pros

Strong blocking
High control
Transparent project

Trade-offs

Advanced mode has a learning curve
You can break sites if you go wild with lists and rules

If you’re willing to learn a bit, this is the Ghostery alternative that lets you run your browser like a tool, not a billboard.

Blockify - Streaming-Focused Ghostery Alternative

Where Blockify Fits Among Ghostery Alternatives

Blockify solves one very specific pain: streaming ads that ruin your flow.

Ghostery and friends can help on the web, but:

Spotify
Twitch
Hulu
Other streaming & content platforms

often need extra help.

That’s where Blockify steps in as a specialist Ghostery alternative for streaming.

Blockify + Browser Blocker: The Streaming Stack

A clean streaming stack:

Blockify for Spotify and supported platforms
Brave / uBlock Origin / AdGuard / Ghostery in your browser
Optional DNS layer for app-level and network-wide junk

Your browser stays clean. Your playlists stop getting ambushed.

Try Blockify →

AdGuard - Cross-Platform Ghostery Alternative for Non-Tech Users

Why AdGuard Works as a Simple Ghostery Alternative

AdGuard gives you:

Browser extensions
Desktop/mobile apps
DNS service

So you can choose how deep you want to go. For many non-technical users:

Install the app or extension
Leave defaults on
Enjoy quieter browsing

Compared to Ghostery, AdGuard leans more into “set it once and chill” across multiple platforms.

AdGuard vs Ghostery vs uBlock Origin

Short version:

Ghostery: polished UI, browser focus
uBlock Origin: maximum control and transparency
AdGuard: easy multi-device setup with a friendly front-end

If you want “it just works” and you’re not in the mood to tune things, AdGuard is a very comfortable Ghostery alternative.

Brave - Browser-Based Ghostery Alternative with Built-In Blocking

Brave as a Ghostery Alternative for Set-and-Forget Users

Brave says: “We’ll bake the shields right into the browser.”

Out of the box, Brave offers:

Tracker and ad blocking
Some fingerprinting protections
Upgrades to HTTPS where possible

For many users, Brave is the fastest path from “I installed Ghostery” to “my browser respects me more now”:

Switch browser
Log into your stuff
Enjoy much cleaner pages

Brave + DNS (NextDNS or AdGuard DNS) for Extra Protection

If you want a bit more:

Keep Brave
Add NextDNS or AdGuard DNS at device or router level

That combo:

Filters junk for apps too, not just the browser
Leaves Brave to handle cosmetic clean-up and anti-tracking

For a lot of people, Brave + DNS is the sweet spot between convenience and power.

Privacy Badger - Behaviour-Based Companion to Ghostery Alternatives

How Privacy Badger Complements Other Ghostery Alternatives

Privacy Badger by EFF works a bit differently:

It watches behaviour: who tracks you across sites
It blocks based on that behaviour, not just lists

On its own, it’s not a full Ghostery replacement. But as a sidekick to uBlock Origin or AdGuard, it can catch some sneaky trackers.

Best Ways to Combine Privacy Badger with uBlock Origin

Good pattern:

Primary blocker: uBlock Origin
Helper: Privacy Badger

Bad pattern:

uBlock Origin + Ghostery + AdGuard + Privacy Badger + whatever else you find

Keep one main blocker, let Privacy Badger watch for misbehaving domains, and don’t turn your toolbar into a checkbox museum.

NextDNS, AdGuard DNS, ControlD - Network-Level Ghostery Alternatives

Why DNS Services Are Powerful Ghostery Alternatives for Whole Homes

Browser extensions only protect… the browser.

DNS services like NextDNS, AdGuard DNS and ControlD:

Sit at device or router level
Block ad and tracking domains before they reach apps or browsers
Work for smart TVs, consoles, tablets and laptops at once

For a family or multi-device setup, this feels like flipping a single upgrade switch on your whole connection.

NextDNS vs AdGuard DNS vs ControlD as Ghostery Alternatives

On a very high level:

NextDNS: very granular profiles and logs, easy web console
AdGuard DNS: integrates nicely if you already like AdGuard as a brand
ControlD: lots of category-based controls and fun routing tricks

All three can act as Ghostery alternatives at the network level, especially when you don’t want to fiddle with every browser separately.

Stacking DNS with uBlock Origin, AdGuard or Brave

Best practice:

Use one DNS service
Use one main browser blocker (uBO, AdGuard, Ghostery, Brave shields)

DNS cuts off a huge amount of junk. The browser blocker then handles cosmetic clean-up and finer control. Simple, strong, and much less fragile than stacking five full blockers.

Troubleshooting Ghostery Alternatives

You’re not here to babysit broken forms and spinning video players.

Fixing Site Breakage from Multiple Ad Blockers

Most headaches come from a multi-combo system that is overlapping instead of complementing. Everything is blocking everything. Login pages and checkouts give up.

Clean Ghostery Alternative Setup: One Blocker, One Helper, One DNS

When a site breaks:

Turn off helper extensions (Privacy Badger, CookieBlock) for that site.
Toggle your main blocker off/on for that site.
Check DNS logs if you’re using NextDNS/AdGuard DNS/ControlD.
Whitelist only what’s needed, not the whole domain if you can avoid it.
If one service is stubborn, keep a separate “dirty browser” profile just for that, and keep your main browser strict.

Rule of thumb:

1 primary blocker
0-1 helper
0-1 DNS layer

More than that should earn its place.

FAQs About Ghostery Alternatives

Is Ghostery still a good ad blocker in 2025?

Yes. Ghostery still blocks a lot and feels fast. People usually explore Ghostery alternatives because they want open-source tools, more control, or a different trust setup, not because Ghostery stopped working.

What is the best Ghostery alternative for non-technical users?

Blockify or AdGuard. Install, keep defaults, enjoy a calmer web.

What is the best Ghostery alternative for privacy geeks?

Firefox, LibreWolf or Mullvad Browser with uBlock Origin, often plus Privacy Badger, ClearURLs and a DNS provider like NextDNS or AdGuard DNS.

Which Ghostery alternative works best on mobile?

Brave and Firefox with uBlock Origin (where available) work well in the browser. DNS filtering from NextDNS, AdGuard DNS or ControlD covers apps too.

Can I use more than one Ghostery alternative at the same time?

You can, but keep it lean: one main blocker, maybe one helper, plus an optional DNS layer. Stacking too many full blockers usually breaks more than it fixes.

10-Minute Ghostery Alternatives Switch Plan

You don’t need a whole weekend to sort this out. Try this:

Decide which group you’re in: everyday user, privacy maximalist or site owner.
Pick a stack that matches:
- Brave or AdGuard
- Firefox/LibreWolf + uBlock Origin
- DNS + one blocker
- Blockify for streaming or content ads
Install the browser and blocker(s).
Add DNS filtering if your stack includes it.
Test 3-5 key sites: email, banking, work tools, socials.Fix any issues using the troubleshooting steps, not the uninstall button.
Set a reminder in 30 days to check: is the web calmer, and are you still in control?

From now on, when you think about Ghostery alternatives, don’t think about hunting a “perfect extension.”

Think in stacks: one browser, one strong blocker, maybe one helper, and a smart DNS service.

That’s a quiet, stubborn “no” to intrusive ads and lazy tracking - and you’re absolutely allowed to say it.

Best Ghostery Alternatives in 2025: Your Browser, Your Rules