Android ad-blocker

Discussion in 'mobile device security' started by ABaird3, May 20, 2018.

  1. ABaird3

    ABaird3 Registered Member

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    Are there any viable alternatives to Adguard for Android? I'm looking around and don't seem to find much. I've heard Adguard drains the battery pretty fast, so I'm looking for something a non-tech-savvy user can use, and which effectively blocks in-game adverts.
     
  2. trott3r

    trott3r Registered Member

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    Install the trial and see how it goes.

    It automatically decides which method to choose depending on you phones speed.
     
  3. Deletedmessiah

    Deletedmessiah Registered Member

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    Try Blokada
     
  4. imuade

    imuade Registered Member

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    I use adguard and i dont see any battery drain.
    Adguard can work with both samsung browser and yandex browser, while other adblockers work only with samsung browser.
    Adblock
    Adblock plus
    Adblock fast
    Crystal adblock

    Otherwise you can install a browser with adblock includes, for example brave browser
     
  5. Gandalf_The_Grey

    Gandalf_The_Grey Registered Member

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  6. LoneWolf

    LoneWolf Registered Member

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    Been using AdGuard for Android for quite some time now, currently on Android 8.0, never have had any drain on the battery.
    You could try Firefox Focus browser for android, removes ads and trackers, it's a decent privacy browser for Android.
     
  7. ABaird3

    ABaird3 Registered Member

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    I'm looking at Blokada, it looks interesting. The device is Fire tablet as a gift for a relative, which will be having Google play etc installed (I've seen how to do this on the net). So I won't be able to try anything out on the device until it's given. Thus the question and research beforehand.

    It's not so much ads in browsing I want it for. My need is for in-game ads, a large range of games have lots of flashing **** ads that are obtrusive, to say the least.

    A certain tech discount site seems to frequently have Adguard lifetime licences, so it's no biggie to buy one of those. It's only I read lots of negative comments about battery performance. But if that's not strictly the case, then I'm perfectly open to giving AG a trial run.

    Blokada is looking appealing though.

    Thanks for all the suggestions.
     
  8. NiteRanger

    NiteRanger Registered Member

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    AdGuard Premium, AdClear and Blokada have similar features except that Blokada lacks HTTPS filtering for the moment
     
  9. IvoShoen

    IvoShoen Registered Member

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    Another good choice is DNS66.
     
  10. Freki123

    Freki123 Registered Member

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    From me it's 1.6% battery usage with adguard (atleast android shows that) and i don't feel a "drain". Remember AG also got a firewall thingy to block programms you never want to phone out.
    If you only want a addblock and spend no money blockada is a good start.
     
  11. summerheat

    summerheat Registered Member

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    Why should it? I've never tried it but from what I've seen on its homepage it uses hosts files - i.e. it blocks network requests to thousands of hosts (adservers, trackers, malware sites) similar how DNS66 does it. HTTPS filtering does not make any sense here.

    It does make sense, though, in blockers which also use filterlists in order to block content like

    Code:
    https://www.nytimes.com/adx/bin/adxrun.html?jsonp=processAdx&page=homepage.nytimes.com%2Findex.html&positions=Inv1%2CInv2%2CInv3%2Cab1%2Cab2%2Cab3%2Cprop1%2Cprop2%2CAnchor%2CBar1%2CADX_CLIENTSIDE%2CBottom8%2CBottom9%2CTop5%2CHeader1&autoconfirm=0&v=3&cpp=0&attributes=nyt5&keywords=United+States+Politics+and+Government%2CRussian+Interference+in+2016+US+Elections+and+Ties+to+Trump+Associates%2CMidterm+Elections+(2018)%2CSpecial+Prosecutors+(Independent+Counsel)%2CJustice+Department%2CRepublican+Party%2CComey%2C+James+B%2CGiuliani%2C+Rudolph+W%2CMueller%2C+Robert+S+III%2CTrump%2C+Donald+J%2CTrump%2C+Donald+J%2CMueller%2C+Robert+S+III%2CRussian+Interference+in+2016+US+Elections+and+Ties+to+Trump+Associates%2CUnited+States+Politics+and+Government%2CFederal+Bureau+of+Investigation%2CPresidential+Election+of+2016%2CJustice+Department%2CRosenstein%2C+Rod+J%2CPresidential+Election+of+2016%2CRussian+Interference+in+2016+US+Elections+and+Ties+to+Trump+Associates%2CTrump%2C+Donald+J%2CUnited+States+Politics+and+Government%2CSpecial+Prosecutors+(Independent+Counsel)%2CMueller%2C+Robert+S+III%2CTrump+Tower+(Manhattan%2C+NY)%2CNader%2C+George+A+(1959-+)%2CZamel%2C+Joel%2CPrince%2C+Erik+D%2CTrump%2C+Donald+J+Jr%2CUnited+Arab+Emirates%2CMohammed+bin+Salman+(1985-+)%2CSaudi+Arabia%2CTrump%2C+Donald+J%2CNorth+Korea%2CKim+Jong-un%2CUnited+States+International+Relations%2CNuclear+Weapons%2CBolton%2C+John+R%2CMoon+Jae-in%2CArms+Control+and+Limitation+and+Disarmament%2CSouth+Korea%2CUnited+States+Politics+and+Government%2CUnited+States+International+Relations%2CAppointments+and+Executive+Changes%2CCampaign+Finance%2CLobbying+and+Lobbyists%2CEthics+and+Official+Misconduct%2CConflicts+of+Interest%2CNational+Security+Council%2COffice+of+Government+Ethics%2CUnited+States+Agency+for+International+Development%2CAdelson%2C+Sheldon+G%2CBolton%2C+John+R%2CBush%2C+George+W%2CFreedman%2C+Matthew+C%2CManafort%2C+Paul+J%2CIran%2CIsrael%2CUnited+States%2CTexas%2CSchool+Shootings+and+Armed+Attacks%2CGun+Control%2CSanta+Fe%2C+Tex%2C+Shooting+(2018)%2CParkland%2C+Fla%2C+Shooting+(2018)%2CFlorida%2CMarjory+Stoneman+Douglas+High+School+(Parkland%2C+Fla)%2CAbbott%2C+Gregory+W+(1957-+)%2CSanta+Fe+(Tex)%2CPolitics+and+Government%2CSutherland+Springs+(Tex)%2CSecond+Amendment+(US+Constitution)%2CRepublican+Party%2CPatrick%2C+Dan+(1950-+)%2CParkland+(Fla)%2CSchool+Shootings+and+Armed+Attacks%2CSanta+Fe%2C+Tex%2C+Shooting+(2018)%2CBarnes%2C+John%2CPolice%2CSanta+Fe+(Tex)%2CSchool+Shootings+and+Armed+Attacks%2CSanta+Fe%2C+Tex%2C+Shooting+(2018)%2CSanta+Fe+(Tex)%2CInternational+Trade+and+World+Market%2CCustoms+(Tariff)%2CChina%2CUnited+States+International+Relations%2CTreasury+Department%2CMnuchin%2C+Steven+T%2CTrump%2C+Donald+J%2CUnited+States+Politics+and+Government%2CVenezuela%2CElections%2CMaduro%2C+Nicolas%2CFalcon%2C+Henri%2CPolitics+and+Government%2CIraq%2CSadr%2C+Moktada+Al-%2CUnited+States+International+Relations%2CPolitics+and+Government%2CDefense+and+Military+Forces%2CCorruption+(Institutional)%2CIraq+War+(2003-11)%2CShiite+Muslims%2CRenting+and+Leasing+(Real+Estate)%2CEvictions%2CLandlords%2CRent+Control+and+Stabilization%2CEast+Harlem+(Manhattan%2C+NY)%2CGentrification%2CRenting+and+Leasing+(Real+Estate)%2CHarlem+(Manhattan%2C+NY)%2CCalifornia+Today%2CResearch%2CProductivity%2C30+Rock+(TV+Program)%2CVocational+Training%2CWorkplace+Environment%2CLabor+and+Jobs%2CRace+and+Ethnicity%2CGreat+Britain%2CWindsor+(England)%2CMarkle%2C+Meghan%2CHarry%2C+Prince+of+Wales%2CRagland%2C+Doria%2CGospel+Music%2CGambling%2CCasinos%2CNative+Americans%2CMashantucket+Pequot+Indians%2CNational+Indian+Gaming+Commission%2CCalifornia%2CMississippi%2CConnecticut%2CRegulation+and+Deregulation+of+Industry%2CAthletics+and+Sports%2CSupreme+Court+(US)%2CMidterm+Elections+(2018)%2CClinton%2C+Hillary+Rodham%2CClinton%2C+Bill%2CDemocratic+Party%2CEndorsements%2CUnited+States+Politics+and+Government%2CShelter+Island+(NY)%2CReal+Estate+and+Housing+(Residential)%2CData-Mining+and+Database+Marketing%2CPrivacy%2CAmazon.com+Inc%2CFacebook+Inc%2CGoogle+Inc%2CLinkedIn+Corporation%2CTwitter%2CT-Mobile+US+Inc%2CPalestinians%2CPalestine+Liberation+Organization%2CAbbas%2C+Mahmoud%2CErekat&secureClientside=1
    ... via the following rule:
    Code:
    .com/adx/
    from EasyList. A blocker solely based on hosts files can't do this (as you would have to block the nytimes.com domain itself).

    I recommend AdGuard for Android (and not AdGuard Content Blocker from the Play Store), namely the Premium version. It also contains a firewall which allows you to block any network access for specific apps.
     
  12. ABaird3

    ABaird3 Registered Member

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    For the record, I've went with Adguard after all. I got an offer of lifetime licence for multiple devices going cheap from a certain tech site (SS). I appreciate the input.

    Blokada does look good though, I've bookmarked that for future reference.
     
  13. NiteRanger

    NiteRanger Registered Member

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    FYI, Blokada does use filters besides DNS filtering similar to AdGuard and AdClear. Read the below regarding HTTPS filtering

    https://github.com/blokadaorg/blokada/issues/130

    And that's because I used all 3 before i.e. AdGuard, Blokada and AdClear
     
  14. RockLobster

    RockLobster Registered Member

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    If it's game ads you want to block I would try noroot firewall and use it to block the game from connecting to ad servers
     
  15. summerheat

    summerheat Registered Member

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    Well, I'm surprised. The Blokada FAQ only talks about blocking
    and:
    Hence, unless that FAQ is outdated, the developer's answer in that issue is a bit strange.
     
  16. Alexhousek

    Alexhousek Registered Member

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    I'm trying to understand how Blokada and Adblock Plus work in simple terms. I realize that both are useful for web browsing on an android phone. But, what I'm looking for is ad-blocking for free games that have ads and pop-ups and are constantly annoying you with ads. (I realize that developers need to support their work and that they use ads for this purpose.) Do either Blokada or Adblock Plus work for these purposes or do you have to root your phone for this purpose?
     
  17. Gandalf_The_Grey

    Gandalf_The_Grey Registered Member

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    personalDNSfilter (the most easy to use) and Blokada create a VPN connection and block most (but not all) annoying ads without having to root your phone.
    I wouldn't want to use my Android phone or tablet without one of them.
     
  18. Trooper

    Trooper Registered Member

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    I just use AdGuard. Works for me.
     
  19. amico81

    amico81 Registered Member

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    i use dns66 with adguard filters....zero battery impact...works fine
     
  20. LoneWolf

    LoneWolf Registered Member

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    Ditto.
     
  21. EASTER

    EASTER Registered Member

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    Mine is fully rooted. Is there a suggestion that works best with that SuperUser status? I rarely, and I do mean very rarely ever go online with the Browser on mine but when I do I still use AdBlock Browser and it seems to keep the nasties away just fine. Recently I installed FF but I don't want to begin to Bloat a phone with add-ons and extras just to use it.
     
  22. Gandalf_The_Grey

    Gandalf_The_Grey Registered Member

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    Never used it, because my phones are not rooted, but AdAway seems to be the best for rooted phones.
     
  23. EASTER

    EASTER Registered Member

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    Thank You @Gandalf_The_Grey for your reply. I will look to try that one since I often like to Root my SmartPhone Android's and am fairly expansive on peering deep into the Droid's O/S's settings and such to customize internals for best performance & maximum safety.
     
  24. summerheat

    summerheat Registered Member

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    I'm not sure if that's still correct. This is what the Adaway wiki says:
    I believe that bypassing a local VPN (as used by DNS66, Blokada and Adguard) is not that easy.
     
  25. summerheat

    summerheat Registered Member

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    I doubt that this works. AFAIK, DNS66 doesn't understand the Adguard/ABP filter syntax (unless this has changed) but needs hosts files instead. This list might work although it's not formatted as a hosts file.
     
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