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Do VPNs Block Ads?
Callum Tennent
Callum Tennent oversees how we test and review VPN services. He's a member of the IAPP, and his VPN advice has featured in Forbes and the Internet Society. Read full bio
VPN services do not block ads by default, but some VPNs include ad blockers designed to stop ads and trackers. However, our testing shows that even the most effective VPN ad blockers miss around 20% of ads.
A VPN’s primary purpose is to encrypt your web traffic and hide your IP address – not to block ads. As such, simply turning your VPN on will not stop ads.
However, some VPN services also offer ad blockers as part of a wider package. Therefore, with the right VPN subscription, you can also block ads while using a VPN.
We’ve carefully tested every VPN ad blocker to find out which actually work.
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Can VPNs Block Ads?
Only VPNs with ad blockers can block ads, and the quality of these built-in ad blockers varies.
We identified 16 VPNs with working ad blockers and compared the performance of each by using an objective ad block checker. You can see the results below.
Of the 16 VPN ad blockers we tested, PIA, NordVPN, and IVPN performed the best, each blocking over 90% of ads and trackers.
You can see us testing NordVPN’s ad blocker, Threat Protection, in the video below:
IVPN's AntiTracker Hardcore Mode blocked 94% of all ads and trackers.
On the flip side, you should avoid VPN ad blockers from TunnelBear, Perfect Privacy, and Hotspot Shield, which performed the worst in our tests. Hotspot Shield and Perfect Privacy failed to block any ads whatsoever.
Here’s a table breaking down each VPN’s ad blocker performance:
Can a VPN Block YouTube, Spotify & Google Ads?
Our tests show that VPN ad blockers are limited in what types of ads they can block – particularly embedded ad content. They cannot block Facebook sponsored ads or Spotify premium ads, for example.
However, VPN ad blockers are good at blocking banner and video ads on sites like YouTube, Twitch, and Google
When it comes to Spotify, the best a VPN ad blocker can do is stop banner and video ads. However, you cannot remove advertisements for Spotify premium.
VPNs are also inconsistent when it comes to blocking Twitch ads. We found that connecting to a non-US IP address would greatly reduce the chance of seeing ads, but only a handful of VPNs were able to stop pre-roll and mid-roll video ads from appearing.
VPN ad blockers can prevent ads on YouTube, but only certain types. Many VPN ad blockers can stop banner ads appearing over the top of the YouTube video you’re watching, but they cannot stop pre-roll ads.
We tested all the VPN ad blockers on 4 popular websites and apps that run annoying or intrusive ads. Here are the full results:
No VPN was able to block ads on all the popular websites we tested. Astrill VPN, PIA, and NordVPN were all able to block ads on 3 out of 4 websites we tested. TorGuard, Perfect Privacy, and Hotspot Shield performed the worst, failing to block any ads.
Astrill, NordVPN, PIA, and Windscribe are all able to block Google ads. In the video below, we show you how easy it is to block Google ads using NordVPN’s Threat Protection.
NordVPN's Threat Protection easily blocks ads from appearing on Google search results
Ad Blocker vs VPN: Do I Need an Ad Blocker If I Have a VPN?
You still need an ad blocker even if your VPN includes one. As our tests of ads on popular sites show, even the best VPN ad blocker does not block every type of ad.
Only IVPN is able to unblock nearly every type of ad, but only when in ‘Hardcore Mode’. We don’t recommend this, though, as you cannot access Google or other legitimate sites when it’s turned on.
Furthermore, what many VPNs call ‘ad blockers’ are actually closer to malicious site blockers and anti-trackers. This involves using blacklists to prevent you from landing on a website which is known to host malware, adware, or spam. This is useful, but not an ad blocker.
Similarly, anti-trackers prevent third-party network connection requests, making it harder for advertisers and data brokers to gather data and build a profile of your online behavior.
DNS site filtering and tracker blocking get called ad blockers because they prevent adware and discourage targeted digital ads. They also have privacy benefits, and encourage a consent-based approach to online browsing.
But they do not block ads in the way a reliable ad blocker like uBlock Origin does. Compared to a VPN, a traditional ad blocker works by analyzing the web page for ad codes and blocking ads from appearing. In addition, you may wish to use an ad blocker without being connected to a VPN server. VPN ad blockers require you to be connected to one of its servers in order to work.
Using a more private browser alongside an ad blocker will provide maximum protection against ad tracking, dangerous websites, and ad content.
How to Block Ads with a VPN
With a working VPN ad blocker, it’s very easy to block website ads. In the video below, we show how to block ads on Vanity Fair using NordVPN.
VPNs can block ads on websites like Forbes.
Here’s how to block ads with a VPN:
If you want to block ads with your VPN, you first need a VPN that actually has an ad blocker. We recommend Private Internet Access.
Once you’ve downloaded the VPN, you’ll need to activate its ad block feature. They go by different names, but are usually found under the Preferences or Settings menu. Using Private Internet Access as an example, first head to Settings.
Then, from the menu, select Privacy and toggle on PIA MACE.
With the ad blocker now switched on, you need to connect to a VPN server to start blocking ads (and any other trackers or malware included as part of the VPN’s security suite).
Based on ad blocker test performance, manual site tests, and the number of devices/browsers the ad blocker can be used across (macOS, Windows, iPhone, Android, and browser), here are the VPN ad blockers ranked best to worst:
PIA MACE is the best VPN ad blocker. Our manual tests found that it blocks banner ads, sponsored ads, and pre-roll ads. According to an external ad block test, it can block up to 95% of all ads and trackers.
Like all VPN ad blockers, MACE isn’t perfect. We first tried it with Twitch and found that it was unable to block pre-roll ads. We had more success using it to block YouTube pre-roll ads, Google sponsored ads, and banner ads on websites.
Furthermore, we were disappointed by the absence of customization options. MACE is an on/off feature, and there’s no ability to whitelist certain domains.
PIA MACE is easily toggled on via PIA’s privacy settings.
PIA uses publicly available blocklists and updates its list of malicious websites once a month, ensuring nothing slips through. It doesn’t whitelist its own ads or any of its commercial partners, or only block those of its competitors.
MACE won’t block all ads, but we found it to be such a simple, toggle-on feature that it’s worth using if you’re already a PIA user. It’s available across most devices (except iOS) and it might even speed up page loading times as it’s preventing most ads from showing up.
PIA MACE isn’t free, but a subscription only costs $2.03. This makes it one of the cheapest VPNs, but it’s also one of the best VPNs. As a VPN, PIA is fast, no logs, and comes with a large server network.
We used NordVPN’s Threat Protection (formerly CyberSec) to successfully remove banner ads, pop-ups, and sponsored ads across the web. According to our independent tests, it can block up to 92% of ads and trackers. It’s easy to switch on, satisfyingly simple to use, and works in the background without the VPN needing to be connected.
Threat Protection blocks Google, YouTube, and Twitch ads and you do not have to be connected to a server for it to work, making it as simple as an ad blocker like uBlock Origin. However, we found that it works even better when you are connected to a VPN server. Without being connected we blocked 75% of ads, but while connected we blocked over 90%.
In addition to being an ad blocker, Threat Protection detects for scams and malware and has a search results safety indicator that informs you whether websites are safe to visit.
Threat Protection tells you whether websites are safe to visit.
However, we are disappointed that NordVPN has reserved Threat Protection for subscribers to the more expensive Pro plan and not the regular subscription package. Furthermore, we noticed that having it on affects NordVPN’s streaming capabilities, making it much more likely for the VPN to be detected and blocked.
Windscribe has the best free VPN ad blocker. It blocks ads without being connected to a VPN server, stops the majority of trackers, and has extensive customizable options.
It used to only be available as a free browser extension, called Ad Crusher, but it has now been incorporated into Windscribe’s DNS feature, called R.O.B.E.R.T.. This is available as part of the free and pro version of Windscribe.
Windscribe’s ad blocker is impressive for the sheer number of customization options and for the fact it’s completely free. You can select to block ads, trackers, evaders, cookies, and adult sites. Premium VPN ad blockers from Proton VPN and Surfshark don’t offer the same level of control.
Ad block checkers show that, on average, Windscribe will block 89% of all online ads. Our own manual tests show that Windscribe’s ad blocker will block Google ads with ease and some YouTube ads.
To find the best VPN ad blockers, we first identified all the major VPN services that offer legitimate ad blockers. Many VPNs advertise ad blockers that are, in actual fact, more like malware blockers or tracker blockers. We excluded those that don’t include ad blockers.
Once these genuine VPN ad blockers were identified, we tested the efficacy of each ad blocker by running them through an objective ad blocker test. Because results do not always replicate, we ran each ad blocker through the tester on three separate occasions and worked out an average performance. This testing made up 50% of our overall score.
We then tested each ad blocker on five major, specific websites that people want effective ad blockers for: Google, YouTube, Spotify, Facebook, and Twitch. How well each ad blocker performed here made up 30% of its overall score.
However, many ads on these websites and services cannot be blocked. We evaluate performance here based only on ads that it is only possible to block, such as banners and pop-ups. That excludes Spotify premium ads and Facebook feed ads, for example.
Finally, we gave higher scores to the VPN ad blockers that can be used across a wide range of devices, including macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android. If the VPN ad blocker is exclusive to browsers, it would score lower to those that work on a device basis. This made up 20% of the overall ad blocker score.
FAQs
How Do I Stop Ads on a VPN?
There are hundreds of free VPNs available, and almost all of them use ads. There’s no way to get around this: pushing ads is one way for a free VPN service to make money and the ads are hard-coded into the app.
The way to stop ads from appearing on your VPN is to subscribe to a premium VPN service. Buying a VPN means you won’t experience pop-up ads and annoying requests to upgrade. It also means you can avoid the dangers of free VPNs.
