AdGuard review 2024

AdGuard is a paid ad blocker with over a decade of experience in the field. It uses filter lists to shut down pop-ups, trackers, third-party cookies, video ads, coin miners, and other digital clutter. You can use the AdGuard extension to protect your web browser or stand-alone app for system-wide security.

AdGuard's ad blocker receives praise for efficiency but is also criticized for having ties with Russia. The business was founded in Moscow in 2009 but moved to Cyprus in 2014, where it currently resides. However, most of its development team still operates from Moscow, which can’t be ignored considering cybersecurity.

Because of this, I recommend choosing a more secure ad blocker, such as Total Adblock.

Best alternative to AdGuard

Total Adblock is an outstanding ad blocker developed by cybersecurity professionals behind one of the best antivirus programs. It will turn off annoying ads and pop-ups, protecting your browser from adware and spyware at the same time.

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While I don’t recommend using AdGuard due to security concerns, I understand that you may wish to make this decision for yourself. In this AdGuard review, I will go through everything you need to know about this ad blocker: safety features, ad-blocking capabilities, privacy protection, and pricing.

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AdGuard pros and cons

AdGuard capabilities

AdGuard’s ad-blocking capabilities are on par with the best ad blockers, such as Total Adblock. It successfully disables video ads on YouTube, pop-up ads, direct-link and interstitial ads, malvertising, cookie consent notifications, and more. However, additional services like AdGuard VPN fall behind due to Russia’s online censorship.

AdGuard has additional features to enhance users’ online experience and safety. It offers various filter lists to modify website behavior – you can use preset filters or create your own, as seen in the image below.

Here are some examples of AdGuard filtering:

• You can neutralize social widgets for smoother browsing.
• The Privacy filter manages URL tracking.
• Annoyances filter shuts down pop-ups and cookie notifications.
• Other filters include enhanced ad blocking, cybersecurity, and even language-specific rules.

To learn more about AdGuard’s capabilities, check out my list of the most useful AdGuard features.

Is AdGuard safe?

Yes, AdGuard is safe to use to neutralize online ads, protect minors from harmful online content, and speed up website loading. Furthermore, this service is open-sourced, so tech-savvy internet users can inspect its code to verify its security or improve it.

On the other hand, the majority of AdGuard's team operates from Russia. According to AdGuard’s privacy policy, it doesn’t collect and share user data and doesn’t have physical servers in Russia. However, after its illegal invasion of Ukraine, Russia has increased online censorship, forcing software developers to cooperate with authoritarian state laws.

I cannot recommend using software that could siphon data to Russia's servers. Instead, it’s much safer to use an ad blocker, like Total Adblock, that’s based in a country with strict privacy laws.

AdGuard cost and payment options

AdGuard is an averagely priced ad blocker that offers yearly and lifetime (one-time payment) subscriptions. Payment options include bank cards, PayPal, and cryptocurrency.

AdGuard has Personal and Family plans that only differ in the amount of supported simultaneous connections. Otherwise, both plans grant access to its complete set of benefits, as illustrated in the table below:

AdGuard's free version only blocks ads in browsers and is only available on Android (Chrome) and iOS (Safari). To access more features, like in-app ad blocking and malware protection, you’ll need a full paid version. Those looking to try it out without spending anything can utilize AdGuard’s 3-day free trial or 60-day money-back guarantee.

AdGuard issues refunds but can decline them if a purchase was made over two months ago. In other words, its refund policy is the same as the money-back guarantee. AdGuard will also auto-renew your subscription plan annually, so be sure to cancel it in time should you decide you no longer need it.

How to use AdGuard?

AdGuard is available on all major operating systems, and installing it on your device is quick and easy. To save you time, we prepared a guide on how to install AdGuard on your device.

1. Go to the official AdGuard website
2. Choose your operating system and click Download
3. Launch the downloaded installation file and follow the instructions
4. Open the app
5. Log in with your credentials or create an account
6. You’re now ready to use AdGuard

Interface and ease of use

AdGuard ad blocker apps and browser extensions on different operating systems have similar interfaces and features. AdGurad is compatible with all major platforms, including Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. It even has an app for Android TV. However, Linux users will have to do with the AdGuard extension for browsers, which is available on Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, Opera, and Yandex.

Desktop app

The desktop version's main window displays the number of blocked ads, trackers, and threats. The green button at the center indicates whether your device is protected, so it's hard to miss if you haven’t turned the app on.

Mobile app

Is AdGuard good for Android? The answer is yes. In fact, the Android version is more feature-rich than iOS, due to iOS software restrictions. For example, Android users can utilize AdGuard Firewall protection, while this option is not available in the AdGuard iOS version.

Browser extensions

AdGuard Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, Opera, and Yandex browser extensions all have a simple interface. The main window displays the number of blocked ads and historical data.

There's an option to check website security at the bottom of the screen. It assigns trustworthiness and child safety ratings to websites and checks for malware blacklists on Google and Yandex. Like AdGuard app versions, the settings tab is elaborate and beginner-friendly.

AdGuard features

AdGuard has a long list of ad-blocking and security features. I discuss the most useful ones here.

HTTPS filtering

HTTPS filtering removes ads from Facebook, X, YouTube, and other popular social media platforms. However, it works by installing a specific root certificate into a chosen browser or device, which some might consider a risk to user privacy.

Filter customization

AdGuard offers profound filter list customization options. It lets you compile a specific set of rules limiting a website's ability to show ads, pop-ups, cookie consent windows, etc. Users can add their filters or use the Allowlist feature to exclude specific domains from blocking.

Browsing Security

The Browsing Security option blocks malicious and phishing websites. AdGuard claims to have categorized more than 15 million websites based on their risk rating. It will restrict access to dangerous domains that could steal user data or infect the device with malware.

Stealth Mode

Adguard has a Stealth Mode designed for online privacy protection. It blocks trackers, removes tracking parameters, hides search queries, issues automatic Do Not Track requests, and protects from IP address leaks.

Additional features

AdGuard offers a Parental Control feature, which is rarely found on other ad blockers. Concerned parents can use it to enable Safe Search, restricting access to adult content and excluding inappropriate search results from popular search engines. However, this feature is only available on Windows devices.

Additionally, you can purchase AdGuard VPN to supplement ad blocking with AES-256 encryption, which increases the safety of your personal data. However, AdGuard is based in Cyprus and Russia – neither of which is a good place for a VPN headquarters. I recommend choosing a more reliable VPN based in a country with strict privacy regulations.

AdGuard test results

I performed in-house tests to see if AdGuard can effectively turn off ads and increase online privacy. Here’s how it performed on YouTube and three independent ad-block test platforms:

On Adblock Tester, AdGuard scored an excellent 94/100 with default settings. It only failed at error monitoring, which is a minor downside.

AdGuard performed much better on the Canyoublockit Extreme test. It successfully blocked banner and in-video ads, push notification requests, pop-under ads, direct-link ads, and interstitial ads (ads that appear before the page loads).

On the Coveryourtracks test platform, AdGuard effectively blocked invisible trackers and tracking ads. It also disabled video ads on YouTube.

Customer support

You can reach AdGuard's customer support team through the app by sending them a message. If you have issues with incorrect ad blocking or want to report a bug, you can fill in a form on AdGuard’s website.

There's also email support, an online knowledge base, an FAQ section, and active community forums on Reddit, Telegram, XDA, and other platforms. Unfortunately, there is no live chat option.

Troubleshooting

Some common problems that AdGuard users report include the following:

• Compatibility issues with Windows
• Compatibility issues with different macOS versions
• Firefox Potential Security Risk error
• Yandex certificate warning
• Installer errors
• Android battery usage issues
• Safari filtering issues

You can find solutions to these and other problems in the AdGuard knowledge base or by contacting their customer support team.

Is AdGuard any good and worth getting?

AdGuard is worth getting only if you seek an efficient ad blocker with specific additional features, like Parent Control or filter list customization. However, I cannot recommend it for online privacy protection due to AdGuard's remaining ties to Russia and the latter's aggressive control of software development.

Because of this, I advise looking into other ad blockers, like Total Adblock, which has excellent malware protection features, or NordVPN Threat Protection, which is focused on anti-tracking and online privacy.

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