Watching YouTube in 2026 feels more like boring quest of skiping the ads every 2 minutes. By 2026, you might realy struggle while watching a long essey in YouTube, because ads will pop up each 15 minutes. Fortunately, there is a simple solution — adblockers. In this article we’ll break down 5 best YouTube Adblockers and their key features!
Why People Use YouTube Adblockers?
Fewer interruptions and more control
Ads break the flow: pre-rolls, mid-rolls e.t.c. An adblocker reduces that noise so you can watch videos without constant resets of attention. Research and industry reports consistently cite annoying/intrusive ads as a top driver of adblocking adoption.
Faster loading and less bandwidth usage
Ads and trackers add extra network calls, scripts, images, and video payloads. Blocking them can make pages load faster and use less data, which matters a lot on mobile connections and limited data plans.
Avoiding manipulative or low-quality ad experiences
A lot of modern ads are optimized for clicks, not trust: “download now” traps, fake alerts, shady countdowns, or misleading UI that looks like system messages. Blocking ads helps reduce exposure to these patterns, especially in search ads and sketchy download funnels.
It seems that YouTube dosen’t really have any control over what they put during an ads break. People reported many instances, when they had to witness Ilon Mask’s deepfakes, distructive cult’s promotional videoclips and shady cryptoschemes during the ads.
Top 5 Best YouTube Adblockers in 2026
With all that, you might opt for an Adblocker. But how to choose the one you need? We’ve prepared a top 10 YouTube adblockers that are worthy of your time!
Explore their key features, compare them and make a choice for yourself!
AdGuard (Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux)
AdGuard is the closest thing to a “classic” standalone ad blocker app. On desktop, it’s designed to filter ads and trackers not only in browsers but also across other apps, with extra tools like phishing/malware protection and optional family controls depending on platform.
For YouTube, AdGuard tends to perform best when you watch in a browser on desktop, because the filtering layer is stronger there. On iOS, ad blocking is more limited by Apple’s rules, so the experience usually focuses on Safari-based blocking and related features.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅Strong standalone desktop apps (system-level filtering). | ❌iOS is more constrained than desktop for “system-wide” behavior. |
| ✅Extra privacy + security features beyond ads. | ❌YouTube can still change behavior and trigger anti–ad-block prompts. |
| ✅Lots of filter control for power users. | ❌Can break websites until you whitelist them (common with stronger filters and aggressive lists). |
| ✅Works across major platforms (Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, plus Linux options). | |
| ✅Family/parental controls available. |
AdLock (Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Android TV)
AdLock is a multi-platform standalone blocker with downloadable apps across major systems, including Android TV. It positions itself as blocking ads, pop-ups, and trackers, with a “full app” approach (plus separate browser options if you want them).
If you want a single brand that covers both desktop and mobile installs, AdLock is built for that. For YouTube specifically, treat it as “best in browsers” and “varies on mobile,” since mobile app environments (especially iOS) limit what any blocker can do.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅Covers multiple devices per license — up to 5 devices. | ❌Some features sit behind paid plans (common for standalone blockers) |
| ✅Downloadable apps for multiple platforms. | ❌YouTube behavior can change quickly, so occasional fixes/updates matter |
| ✅Free trial for standalone apps (per vendor info). | ❌May require occasional configuration tweaks. |
| ✅Android TV option. | |
| ✅Exeptionaly good at YouTube ad’s blocking |
Blokada (Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux)
Blokada is popular because it’s very “phone-first,” but it also covers desktop platforms. It uses DNS-based blocking and related privacy tooling to reduce ads and trackers systemwide, and it’s positioned as lightweight for everyday use.
On Android, it’s often used for system-wide blocking across apps and browsers. On iOS, the App Store listing notes DNS-based behavior, which usually means it helps with trackers and many ads, but YouTube’s in-video ads may still slip through depending on how they’re served.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅Strong “system-wide” vibe for mobile usage. | ❌Ocasional YouTube Ad’s appearance. |
| ✅Multi-platform availability (including desktop). | ❌ Like all blockers, you’ll sometimes need updates when platforms change. |
| ✅Simple setup compared to self-hosted options. | ❌May interfere with some apps until you whitelist. |
| ✅App whitelisting to fix breakage. | ❌Paid tiers for Cloud/Plus features. |
| ✅Encrypted DNS + privacy focus. |
Total Adblock (mobile apps + broader ecosystem)
Total Adblock heavily markets itself around blocking annoying ads and mentions YouTube ad blocking on mobile. It offers downloadable apps for Android and iOS, and its positioning is very “easy, consumer-friendly.”
Realistically, treat Total Adblock as a mobile-first pick: good for cleaning up browsing, pop-ups, and trackers, and potentially helpful for YouTube in a mobile browser, while results can vary as YouTube changes how ads load.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅Clear mobile app focus (Android/iOS). | ❌“Blocks YouTube ads” claims can vary in practice over time. |
| ✅Targets pop-ups, banners, and tracker-style clutter. | ❌Often a paid ecosystem for full features (typical for this category). |
| ✅Simple onboarding and “install and go” positioning. | ❌Allowlisting/Acceptable Ads means ads can still appear on any sites you whitelist (by design). |
| ✅Has an Allow List / “Acceptable Ads” option so you can whitelist sites where you want ads to show. | ❌Its official install docs heavily focus on browser installation (Chrome/Edge/Safari). |
| ✅Blocks third-party cookies and hidden trackers (privacy-focused benefit, per vendor claims). |
1Blocker (macOS, iOS, iPadOS)
1Blocker is a standalone ad-blocking app built specifically for Apple devices. It uses Apple’s Safari-native content-blocking approach, so it’s designed to remove ads, trackers, and annoying page elements inside Safari (and in-app browsers that use Safari View Controller). It also auto-updates its filter rules, so you don’t have to manually maintain lists.
For YouTube, 1Blocker is best when you watch YouTube in Safari on iPhone/iPad/Mac. It won’t reliably affect ads inside the official YouTube app, because it operates through Safari’s blocking framework rather than system-wide filtering.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅Native Safari integration (fast, local filtering). | ❌ Safari-focused (not a full system-wide blocker like AdGuard desktop). |
| ✅Blocks ads + trackers + common annoyances (cookie popups, widgets, etc.). | ❌ Won’t remove YouTube ads inside the YouTube iOS app. |
| ✅ “Set and forget” feel with cloud updates to filters. | ❌Premium needed for “full power”. |
| ✅Frequent filter updates. | ❌Can break sites until you add exceptions (common for strong blockers; Allow List exists because this happens). |
Conclusion
Adblockers can make YouTube and the rest of the web feel much cleaner by cutting interruptions, reducing tracking, and removing a lot of page clutter. If you want the most complete all-around solution, AdGuard is the strongest “one app” pick, especially on desktop where system-level filtering is more powerful.
If you want solid coverage across multiple device types (including Android TV), AdLock is a good alternative. If your main priority is privacy and tracker reduction across apps, Blokada can be a strong choice. If you prefer a simple, consumer-friendly option mainly for mobile browsing, Total Adblock is easy to start with. And if you’re Apple-only and watch YouTube in Safari, 1Blocker fits naturally with Safari’s built-in content-blocking model.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you adblock on YouTube?
Yes—many ad blockers can reduce or remove ads on YouTube, but YouTube may show warnings or restrict playback when it detects blocking. Is YouTube ad blocker illegal? In most places, using an ad blocker is generally legal, but it can violate YouTube’s Terms of Service and lead to access limits.
Is YouTube ad blocker illegal?
In most places, using an ad blocker is generally legal, but it can violate YouTube’s Terms of Service and lead to access limits.
Does 1Blocker block app ads?
Not really—1Blocker says it can’t block visual ads in other apps and browsers; it mainly blocks content in Safari/Safari View Controller, while its in-app mode targets trackers, not full app ads.
Can YouTube ban me for using AdBlock?
More commonly, YouTube blocks playback or shows warnings rather than banning accounts outright, but enforcement can change.
How to avoid YouTube detecting AdBlock?
I can’t help with bypassing YouTube’s detection. Safer options: disable the blocker on YouTube, or use YouTube Premium/Premium Lite for ad-free viewing.
Can YouTube detect adblockers?
Yes—YouTube has actively used ad-block detection and enforcement (warnings and playback limits)
Do we really see 4000 ads a day?
That number is often repeated, but it’s closer to a rough “exposures” estimate (and heavily debated); most people consciously notice far fewer.
What happens if YouTube finds out you have an ad blocker?
You may get a warning and YouTube can block video playback unless you disable the blocker or allowlist YouTube (messages like this have been widely reported).
