Free ad blocker extension
uBlock Origin is a free security and privacy web browser extension that allows you to block pesky online ads. Developed by Raymond Hill — also known as gorhill — this software is an open-source and cross-platform extension available for most browsers. It filters webpage content and prominently blocks different types of ads that can be annoying to get rid of.
Easy to block
Ad-blocker extensions are always a life-saver when you want to avoid getting bombarded by tons of ads while visiting websites. These little tools are quite nifty since you can easily access their settings on your browser’s top bar, letting you quickly pause their job on certain websites if you have to and just as quickly resume it. uBlock Origin is just one of the many content blockers that are easy to use.
You just have to set up your preferences — whether or not you have any particular sites you’d like to exclude on the blocking and such — and you’re all set. To make things easier, you can also load up block lists maintained by online communities instead of painstakingly setting up your own. Some of these are immediately available to you after you install uBlock Origin. These block and filter lists can even cover malware domains, giving your web surfing some added security.
A total upgrade
Unlike uBlock, uBlock Origin has tons of other features thanks to its dedicated community. You have the usual option to optimize your filters with its dynamic URL filtering feature. The extension has a DOM inspector, a logging functionality, options to block link-prefetching, hyperlink auditing, site-specific switches, JavaScript disabling, and even cosmetic filtering and blocking of remote fonts. Plus, uBlock Origin’s source code is free, so you can tweak it even further.
Moreover, since this is a lightweight program, it will only take a little storage space. It’s also less resource-intensive when it operates, compared to other software like AdBlock Plus. It also is one of the most resource-efficient blockers around. Not to mention that while uBlock — eventually acquired by AdBlock — allows certain paid ads, uBlock Origin remains independent of any payment for blocking ads and lets you completely block them out.
A reliable pick overall
If you want less strain on your resources and more customizable functionality, uBlock Origin is a good choice for many reasons. It’s free and won’t offer any premium paid deals — plus, it has tons of extra features you can’t find in the original software. Take care when downloading this extension, however, as you might accidentally go to ublock.org and get the other ad blocker instead of this one.
