NovaBlock vs AdBlock Plus

AdBlock Plus is the most well-known ad blocker in the world. For many users, it is the first and only blocker they ever installed, somewhere around 2010 to 2014, and they never thought about it again. It still works. It still blocks most ads. So why bother switching?

Because the AdBlock Plus you installed twelve years ago is not the AdBlock Plus running in your browser today, and the modern alternatives are not the awkward power-user tools they were. This article is a fair-minded comparison written for the user who has had ABP installed for a decade and is wondering whether it is time for a change.

For broader context, see our best ad blocker 2026 guide.

The Acceptable Ads elephant in the room

In 2011, the company behind AdBlock Plus (Eyeo) launched the Acceptable Ads programme. The idea: ads that meet certain visual criteria (no animation, no large blocks of text, certain placement rules) can be allowlisted by default. Large advertisers pay Eyeo a fee for inclusion in the programme. The allowlist is on by default for new ABP users.

Reasonable people can disagree about whether this is a sensible compromise or a betrayal of what an "ad blocker" means. What is not in dispute is that many users do not know it is on. The opt-out is one toggle in settings, but the default matters because most users never visit settings.

NovaBlock does not run such a programme. There is no commercial allowlist. The only sites that bypass blocking are the ones you personally allowlist for your own reasons.

Performance and blocking quality

On a clean Chrome 132 profile with a fixed set of 25 sites:

Two findings worth highlighting. First, much of the gap on default settings closes once you disable Acceptable Ads in ABP. So if you do that one thing, ABP becomes meaningfully more competitive. Second, ABP does not invest in YouTube or cookie banners the way NovaBlock does, so those gaps persist even after settings tuning.

Manifest V3 maturity

Both blockers now run on Manifest V3 in Chromium browsers. ABP's MV3 migration was relatively smooth but came late, and some users reported reduced blocking quality during the transition period of 2024 and 2025. By 2026 most of those issues are resolved.

NovaBlock was built for MV3 from the start. There is no legacy code path to maintain, which keeps the engine smaller and the release cadence faster. Background on the topic in our Manifest V3 explainer.

Privacy

NovaBlock has no in-product telemetry. The extension does not phone home, the website does not load third-party analytics inside the account flow, and the privacy policy is short on purpose.

AdBlock Plus collects some telemetry, including aggregate counts of blocked items and certain extension events, with an opt-out in settings. The privacy policy is fair and clearly written, but the data collection is more extensive than NovaBlock's, and the financial relationship with advertisers in the Acceptable Ads programme is its own consideration.

Features

Ad blocking core

Both use EasyList and similar filter sets. Without Acceptable Ads, ABP and NovaBlock are roughly comparable on core ad blocking. With Acceptable Ads on (the default), NovaBlock blocks meaningfully more.

YouTube

NovaBlock has a dedicated YouTube module updated independently of filter lists. ABP relies on community filter list updates. The gap on YouTube reliability is the most consistent difference our testing surfaced. See block YouTube ads.

Cookie banners

NovaBlock auto-dismisses cookie banners by default. ABP does not, although a third-party "Cookie List" can be added manually. See remove cookie banners.

Pop-ups

Both handle standard pop-ups well. NovaBlock has a broader annoyance list that catches newer pop-under variants. See block pop-ups.

Multi-device sync

NovaBlock Premium syncs across browsers and devices via one account. ABP has limited sync via browser-level account systems.

UI

NovaBlock's UI is intentionally minimal: a small icon, a clean popup, almost no configuration screens. ABP's UI has accumulated over a decade and feels its age. Neither is bad; ABP's is just busier.

Pros and cons

NovaBlock pros

• No acceptable-ads programme. The user is the customer.
• Best-in-class YouTube and cookie banner handling.
• No in-product telemetry.
• MV3 native, lighter engine.
• Multi-device Premium sync.

NovaBlock cons

• Less brand recognition than ABP. If you want the household name, ABP is it.
• Closed source today; engine open-sourcing is on the roadmap.

AdBlock Plus pros

• Most recognisable brand in the space.
• Long history, large user base, well-maintained.
• Free.
• Settings are familiar to long-time users.

AdBlock Plus cons

• Acceptable Ads on by default.
• Telemetry is more extensive.
• YouTube and cookie banner handling trail NovaBlock.
• MV3 migration was bumpy; performance gaps are still measurable.

Real-world scenarios

• You installed ABP a decade ago and never looked back: consider switching. At minimum, open ABP settings and disable Acceptable Ads.
• You like familiarity and rarely visit settings: ABP still works fine. Just know what it is doing by default.
• You are tired of YouTube ads and cookie banners specifically: NovaBlock is the clearer upgrade.
• You want to support a small independent team rather than a large ad-adjacent company: NovaBlock.

How to switch from AdBlock Plus to NovaBlock

1. Install NovaBlock from the Chrome Web Store or Firefox Add-ons.
2. Pin the NovaBlock icon to your toolbar.
3. Disable AdBlock Plus. You can leave it installed for a few days if you want a fallback, but two active blockers on the same profile waste CPU.
4. Restart the browser to clear stale filter caches.
5. If a site breaks, click NovaBlock's icon and pause for that site. Report it via the popup if it looks like a real bug rather than a known limitation.

If you want Premium across multiple devices, create an account and sign in once on each browser.

Conclusion

AdBlock Plus is still a working ad blocker in 2026 if you know to turn off Acceptable Ads. NovaBlock is a leaner, faster, more privacy-aligned product that does the job most people actually want without making them visit a settings page. If you are due for a refresh, this is the easy upgrade. If you are perfectly happy with ABP, at least open the settings today and look at the Acceptable Ads toggle. You should know what your tools are doing on your behalf.