Lesson 3 of 5
Network blocking vs cosmetic blocking
Two layers that work together.
4 min read
Network blocking refuses the HTTP request entirely: the ad never loads. Cosmetic blocking removes the visual leftovers using CSS selectors so you don't see empty boxes or skeleton placeholders.
Good blockers do both. Network blocking gives you the performance win. Cosmetic blocking gives you the clean look.
Key takeaways
- Network rules act on URLs and domains.
- Cosmetic rules act on CSS selectors.
- Cosmetic-only blocking still downloads the ad.