5 Best Android Chrome Ad Blockers in 2023

One of the things we love about Android is the free apps (in contrast to iOS devices where most apps require payment). But these free apps can also be the source of one of our biggest frustrations. These free apps come with many ads because that’s how they are monetized.

Android users encounter advertisements on practically any part of the UX, but the single most vulnerable part is the Chrome app. Fortunately, there are various Chrome ad blockers we can use to say goodbye to the intrusions and finally have a good time. 

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Best Chrome Ad blockers for Android

Best free Chrome ad blocker	Chrome’s native Ad Blocker
Best Chrome ad blocker in speed	DNS66
Best Chrome ad blocker in customization	AdAway
Best overall	AdBlock Plus
Runner up	AdGuard

1. Google Chrome’s Native Ad Blocker

Not many people are aware that Google has an in-program ad blocker. That’s because Chrome’s native ad blocker isn’t automatic. You have to enable it first via Google Chrome settings. 

Here’s how to do it:

• Tap the triple-dot menu on the upper right corner of the screen.

• Click Settings

• Select Site Settings

• Click Ads

• Tap the Ads Allowed Ticker

That’s it! You’re good to go. 

Pros

• It’s free
• No need for third-party installation
• You will get better ads in the future if you decide to turn the blocker off. This is because Google collects data from you as you enable the native ad blocker as a way to resolve people’s frustrations on ads that are irrelevant to their interests 

Cons

• Since Google is also a publisher, you can only expect to be protected from most ads–not all.  

2. AdGuard

AdGuard for Android is one of the most robust Chrome ad blockers out there. It safeguards you from not only Chrome ads but any advertisement that could potentially pop up in your phone’s system. With that, you can rest assured that you will have a seamless experience using your Android. 

This app is equipped with anti-tracking protection which also secures your data apart from ad blocking. On top of that, AdGuard also blocks active analyzers and lets you customize your various protection filters. These protection filters are as follows:

• AdGuard Base Filter
• AdGuard Tracking Protection Filter
• AdGuard Social Media Filter
• AdGuard Annoyances Filter

Pros

• Device root access not required
• Protects you from pop-ups, ads, video ads, and banners
• Empty frames and spaces are hidden once the ads disappear and are blocked 
• Free to use

Cons

• You need to enable VPN mode to turn on ad blocker
• Cannot be used in parallel with other VPN apps

3. DNS66

DNS66 is a simple yet effective solution to intrusive ads for Chrome Android. It gives you the ability to add hostnames to block via DNS. The app doesn’t require you to root your phone. DNS66 does everything for you by rerouting your connection to a particular DNS server. The only sites that will load are the ones that aren’t included on the DNS’ blacklist. 

The app is not available for download via Google Play Store. We recommend that you get it from F-Droid. It’s a credible directory for free Android apps. You will need to download the app as an apk file and then install it in your system. 

Unfortunately, you cannot install it using your default settings because Android ordinarily only allows you to install apps coming from Google Play Store. 

You need to allow your system to install apps from unknown sources. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Go to your phone’s settings
2. Select Security
3. Tap the ticker for unknown sources

Afterwards, you can install DNS66.

To enable the app, here’s how you do it:

• Click Start under the Start tab

• Choose Yes in the Missing Host Files pop-up 

• Click Ok in the Connection Request pop-up

• Under Host Tab, select the host file sources that you want to add to the blacklist by tapping them one by one. By default, some file sources will be blacklisted under “StevenBlack’s enabled”

• On the next page, tap Deny from the Action drop-down box

• That’s it! If there’s any host file source that you want to add that isn’t on the list, click the “blue + sign” to add it

4. AdBlock Plus

The good thing about AdBlock Plus is that it can give you ad protection not only within the Chrome app but also when you use other Android web browsers. Even though it is a third-party app, it blocks ads natively. This means you will have a faster browsing experience. It is also equipped with features that blocks tracking mechanisms to secure your data and privacy. 

The UI of Adblock Plus is not fancy but it gets the job done. It is considered to be the most solid and straightforward app in the category of free ad blockers. 

AdBlock Plus will help you eliminate the following:

• Pop-ups
• Banners
• Video ads
• Pop unders
• Text ads
• Floating ads

The app offers good ads protection by default, but you can also add other protection filters. Here’s how you can do it:

• Open the AdBlock Plus app
• Click More Blocking Options

• Tick all boxes

You’re good to go. You can add more filters if you want.

Pros

• Blocks ads in various Android browsers, including Chrome, Opera, Firefox, and more. 
• Speeds up browsing
• Blocks ads before they load

Cons

• Cannot block ads in other apps (only web browsers)
• It cannot block ads that have been cached

5. AdAway

AdAway is another great alternative for your ad-blocking needs. You can use it on your rooted device but it’s not mandatory. This app protects your entire system since it utilizes host files as a way to block ads. 

What we like about it is that it’s lightweight. This means that it can run on any Android device without having to use so much CPU power. It’s a great choice, most especially if you have an Android phone of a lower model. 

Similar to DNS66, AdAway is free and open-source which means that you can add sources and host files that you want to blacklist. 

Pros

• Block ads on all apps
• Has high-level customization
• No rooting of the device required

Cons

• Has limited customer support
• Complex UI
• Lacks Google’s security checks
• Unavailable in Google PlayStore 

FAQs

Block ads on Chrome Android

Ads are annoying but most importantly, ads make our data and information vulnerable. By using any of the free Chrome ad blockers we’ve discussed, you can truly make your browsing experience seamless and secure.

Not just that, you can also use YouTube on Chrome and block the annoying video ads. When you use the Chrome ad blockers, you feel powerful and can have a safe and secure browsing experience.

I hope this article brought some value to your Android usage. Let me know which ad blocker you use in the comments section below. Take care and stay safe! Cheers!

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