Total Adblock (vs Adblock Plus)

I have learned to my cost that Adblock Plus is not effective in an Android + Chrome environment (Google Search brings up significantly more adverts than text answers). One review that I read said that Total Adblock did the job and was not vastly expensive. Equally recommendable was Surfshark.  Has anyone in this forum got any views that they could share?

I have now read a sufficient no of negative reviews of Total Adblock to put me off the idea. I am therefore looking for alternatives that are effective in an Android / Chrome environment with a better track record than Total Adblock. Tks if anyone can recommend something

You can purchase the full AdGuard app.

Good luck!

In my "research" I strayed into further "considerations" which I had not been aware of: VPN's, Chrome extensions and various other aspects which would influence the choice with a view to getting "optimum" results. Something to do with "blocking at source ...."  I had been looking at the Surfshark  website.

 

I have a VPN included in my Bitdefender subscription but have never used it.  Most of these other aspects are beyond my pay grade - I simply want an app that will filter out the bulk of adverts which appear when I do a google search on my Android.

 

AdGuard is a subscription product (Russian - tracking?).  Can I assume that if I sign up it covers automatically all these other considerations which I can disregard?

 

Tks

Yes, the AdGuard app is an originally Russian, but currently Cypriot, system-wide ad blocker that works in all your browsers at the network level.

You can try it for free for a while to see if you like it before you buy it, and there are subscription and lifetime license options, as well as various limited-time discounts on special occasions.

Good luck!

Thanks, it definitely seems to be worth a try.

You are welcome, Magic Sam!

I don't seem to be able to find where to click if I want to have an initial free trial period??

 

https://adguard.com/en/license.html

 

or

 

https://adguard.com/en/adguard-browser-extension/overview.html

 

??

Edited by Magic Sam, 30 June 2025 - 05:51 PM.

You can download the AdGuard app, which will automatically start a time-limited trial period (14 days for AdGuard for Windows and 7 days for AdGuard for Android) from the following link (click the green Download button):

https://adguard.com/en/welcome.html

However, the AdGuard web browser extension is free and does consequently NOT have any time-limited trial period, but it has limited functionality because it only works in your browser.

You can download the AdGuard browser extension for Google Chrome from this link:

https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/adguard-adblocker/bgnkhhnnamicmpeenaelnjfhikgbkllg

You can choose to either purchase the AdGuard app or use the free AdGuard browser extension, but if you purchase the AdGuard app, you do NOT need to use both.

Good luck!

Thanks for that. I have just read through the Adguard documentation - the contents and no of options are -  huge. I hope in the end it will be possible to get 2 installations, one for Windows PC, one for Android mobile, on a simple plug-and-play basis for dummies. 

 

"Extensions" does not apply to my Android?

 

Tks

You are welcome, Magic Sam!

You are likely right about 2 installations, one installation for your Windows PC, and one for your Android phone (I only use the AdGuard browser extension for Chrome myself).

You are also right about extensions, because Google Chrome on your Android phone by default does NOT allow the installation of browser extensions.

However, you can optionally install the AdGuard browser extension for Chrome in Google Chrome on your computer, and then use Google Sync to sync the browser extension with your Android phone.

But after all, the AdGuard app is much more comprehensive than the AdGuard browser extension.

Good luck!

Tks for your attempts to simplify things ...
I had the idea of using 2 of the 3 licences for the Windows PC and mobile respectively.
Of the two AdGuard on the mobile would be more use due to the lack of other effective protection.
As I understand it I can download for free the
software as an extension on my PC accepting that
the protection would be limited to Chrome. I could use this route if otherwise I have to purchase 2 licenses.
Oh for a simple life ..

You are welcome, Magic Sam!

You can purchase and use the AdGuard app on your computer and Android phone, or use the free AdGuard browser extension on your computer and sync it to your Android phone.

However, it is NOT necessary to purchase multiple licenses for the AdGuard app.

Good luck!

@Magic Sam:

You posted this topic to ask about AdBlock Plus & Total AdBlock.
This thread has, however, been (ahem) hijacked in favor of shilling for a different vendor's products.
A company HQ recently moved to Cyprus notwithstanding, AdGuard remains a Russian-run company with mostly Russian developers.
And, in particular, the Android app garners pretty poor reviews.

(Unlike even Kaspersky Lab, with their many decades of world-recognized security research & software, this company has no such extensive, global reputation.)

You appear to be appropriately skeptical and have researched the documentation. That's good.

But with so many options for “ad-blocking” browser extensions and apps available from non-Russian vendors & with AdGuard's mediocre reviews, why risk installing their software on one's Windows and Android devices?

The answer is that I visited this forum for guidance on the best advert protection specifically in an android mobile environment. I was not aware that Kaspersky could offer such a product, nor that AdGuard performed badly in the reviews. Such are the reasons for visiting the BC forum !