Updated on: October 23, 2024
Short on time? Here's the best VPN with an ad blocker in 2024:
- 🥇 Private Internet Access : It has an excellent ad blocker, PIA MACE, that’s easy to use and is included on most major platforms. It also blocks ad trackers and malicious sites, offers very fast speeds, comes with top-of-the-line privacy and security features, and has a 30-day money-back guarantee.
I hate ads as much as anyone else — they get in the way of your entertainment, make web pages load slower, and also compromise your privacy. Plus, they consume additional data on mobile devices and may even lead to malicious sites.
Luckily, I found a solution: VPN ad blockers — in addition to getting rid of pretty much any ad, they also protect you from malicious websites, secure your digital footprints, and hide your location, so advertisers can’t spy on you.
But all the VPNs on this list come with really good ad or malicious site blocking, and they also provide great value through strong security features, fast speeds, and more. My #1 pick is Private Internet Access — its ad blocker stops pretty much all ads, and there’s an ad tracker and malicious site blocker that works very well. Editors' Note: Private Internet Access and this site are in the same ownership group.
Quick Summary of the Best VPNs With Ad Blockers
Editors' Note: Intego, Private Internet Access, CyberGhost and ExpressVPN are owned by Kape Technologies, our parent company
🥇1. Private Internet Access (PIA) — Best VPN With an Ad & Malware Blocker
Private Internet Access (PIA) has the best VPN ad blocker on the market — its proprietary MACE feature blocks ads, trackers, and malware.
MACE performed really well in my ad-blocking testing. Pages that are usually overloaded with ads (like news sites and social media pages) loaded instantly, and MACE even stopped those super-annoying pop-up ads on some of my other favorite sites. When it comes to trackers, most ad blockers will check potential trackers against a list before stopping them. MACE handles trackers a little differently, and I really like this way better — it reroutes the tracking request to the local computer (and not your computer), which means the tracker has no chance of getting to you.
As for the malware blocker, it’s one of the best out there. I tested MACE against fake online malware sites, and I received a warning 100% of the time that the site was potentially harmful to my device — plus, MACE stopped me from visiting the sites every time. It’s also great that PIA regularly updates its list of malicious domains.
And I like how MACE is available on multiple platforms, including Windows, macOS, and Linux. You can also get it on Android if you install PIA’s .apk app, which requires a quick, simple manual installation. Plus, it’s great that PIA allows unlimited connections, so you can protect as many devices as you need.
Private Internet Access offers affordable plans that start as low as $2.03 / month. It covers all plans with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
Private Internet Access has the best VPN-bundled ad blocker — in my tests, PIA MACE prevented almost all of the ads from loading on a site (including pop-up ads and interstitial ads), blocked trackers from monitoring the sites I visited, and stopped me from accessing potentially malicious websites. PIA’s plans have a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full Private Internet Access review
🥈2. ExpressVPN — Fast VPN With an Excellent Ad Blocker
ExpressVPN comes with a really good ad blocker — it does an excellent job at stopping annoying ads, which improves your overall browsing experience and also helps your web page load faster.
I visited several ad-heavy news and social media sites to test its ad blocking capabilities, and I was really impressed by how much cleaner the web pages became (and how much faster they loaded!). Additionally, I like how ExpressVPN’s ad blocker is available on its Windows, Android, macOS, and iOS apps — activating it is as simple as checking a box.
ExpressVPN’s Threat Manager protects you against ad trackers and malicious sites. It works by preventing your device from communicating with servers known to host malware or trackers. This stops you from visiting phishing sites and limits the amount of browsing data trackers can collect on you. I tried visiting some shady websites known to host malicious links, and Threat Manager stopped me from accessing these websites every single time. Threat Manager is available on ExpressVPN’s Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, and Linux apps.
ExpressVPN’s plans start at $4.99 / month and every plan is backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it out yourself risk-free.
Bottom Line:
ExpressVPN comes with a really great ad blocker — in my tests, it was able to block almost all ads on news and social media sites. The VPN also stopped trackers from prying into my browsing history and prevented me from visiting potentially malicious websites, thanks to its Threat Manager feature. All plans are backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full ExpressVPN review
Editors' Note: ExpressVPN and this site are in the same ownership group.
🥉3. NordVPN — Great for Blocking Ads & Malicious Downloads
NordVPN’s Threat Protection Pro protects against ads, shady sites, and even malicious downloads — it scans any executable file you download for signs of malware and removes any malicious content it detects. Even better, Threat Protection Pro does this without compromising your privacy. Plus, on Windows, the feature alerts you about app vulnerabilities that can put your system at risk.
In my tests, Threat Protection Pro worked really well — it stopped me from accessing shady HTTP sites and got rid of almost all ads. That said, it wasn’t able to block as many ads as ExpressVPN’s ad blocker or Private Internet Access’s MACE.
I also like the convenience that Threat Protection Pro offers, as it stays on even if you’re not connected to a VPN server — most VPN ad blockers only work if you’re connected to a server.
Threat Protection Pro is available on Windows and macOS. There’s also Threat Protection on iOS, Android, Linux, Windows, macOS, and browser extensions — this version only blocks ads and malicious domains. However, for Threat Protection to block ads on Android, you’ll need to use NordVPN’s .apk app.
Since Threat Protection Pro prevents malicious downloads, it’s good while torrenting, too, since it stops you from clicking on dangerous pop-ups and visiting harmful sites.
NordVPN has several tier-based subscriptions that come with monthly and yearly plans. It’s best to get the Plus subscription ($3.89 / month) since it includes Threat Protection Pro. The cheapest subscription only comes with Threat Protection. All plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
NordVPN has Threat Protection Pro, which blocks ads, shady sites, and even malicious downloads, and it stays on even if you’re not connected to a VPN server. Threat Protection Pro is also good while torrenting. It also has affordable tier-based subscriptions and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
4. Proton VPN — High-End Privacy With a Great Ad Blocker
Proton VPN blocks ads, trackers, and malicious sites with its intuitive NetShield feature, allowing you to browse online without being slowed down by constant ads and making sure you avoid sites that may contain malware and spyware. NetShield is available on Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux, Android TV, and Fire TV.
NetShield checks against a list of domains known to host ads, trackers, and malicious content. In my tests, pages that are usually ad-heavy loaded quickly — though not as fast as with Private Internet Access’s MACE, which doesn’t need to check sites against a list. I like that you also get the option of customizing NetShield. For example, you can enable it to block malware, ads, and trackers, or just to block malware (though I’m not sure why you wouldn’t want all 3 protections).
Proton VPN has plans that start at only $2.99 / month — it also has one of the best free plans out there, but it doesn’t come with NetShield, so I don’t recommend trying it. All paid plans are covered by a prorated 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
Proton VPN’s NetShield is great at blocking ads and malicious sites, and the protections are customizable. It backs all plans with a prorated 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full Proton VPN review
5. Surfshark — Easy to Use & Affordable VPN With a Good Ad Blocker
Surfshark has some of the cheapest plans on the market. In addition, it comes with very intuitive apps that are very simple to navigate and make it easy to enable and configure its ad blocker. What’s more, the VPN allows unlimited connections.
Surfshark’s CleanWeb feature is pretty good at getting rid of ads and blocking malicious sites — when I ran tests, it stopped me from connecting to HTTP websites and prevented most ads from loading on various websites. However, it wasn’t always able to block pop-up ads (like Private Internet Access ad blockers).
Plus, you can use CleanWeb on tons of platforms — the feature is available on the VPN provider’s iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, Android TV, Fire TV apps, and browser extensions.
Surfshark has super affordable plans that start at only $1.99 / month. It also backs each purchase with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
Surfshark has very cheap plans and intuitive apps that make it easy to use its ad blocker. CleanWeb itself is also good at getting rid of most ads and protecting you from shady sites — plus, it’s available on tons of platforms. It has very affordable prices and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full Surfshark review
Bonus. IPVanish — Strong Ad Blocker for Android & Fire TV
IPVanish has a pretty good ad, tracker, and malicious site blocker called Threat Protection. It uses whitelists and custom DNS to detect and block ads and shady sites. In my tests, it stopped all ads from loading on web pages I visited, and it didn’t let me access 5+ known phishing sites either.
Unfortunately, it’s only available on Android and Fire TV devices, unlike Private Internet Access and ExpressVPN, both of which cover a lot more devices. And you have to be connected to the VPN for it to work, unlike NordVPN, which works without a VPN connection.
IPVanish has reasonable plans starting at $2.19 / month and has a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
IPVanish has a good ad, tracker, and malicious site blocker named Threat Protection that worked well in my tests. But it’s only available on Android and Fire TV devices. The VPN comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bonus. CyberGhost VPN — Great Malicious Site Blocker
CyberGhost VPN’s ad blocker (Content Blocker) is really good at blocking malicious sites — I tested it by trying to connect to 5 shady HTTP websites, and the feature always prevented me from doing that. The ad blocker is also available on many platforms, including Android, Windows, macOS, Android TV, and Fire TV.
Unfortunately, the provider’s ad blocker isn’t very good at getting rid of ads — it stopped ads from showing up on search engines, but it wasn’t able to get rid of ads on most websites. Private Internet Access and the other VPNs on this list are honestly much better at getting rid of ads.
CyberGhost VPN has affordable prices that start at $2.03 / month. It backs the long-term plans with a generous 45-day money-back guarantee, and the shortest plan with a 14-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
CyberGhost’s ad blocker isn’t that great, but I really like its malicious site blocker, which performed well in my tests. Its ad blocker is also available on most major apps. CyberGhost VPN is also affordable and includes a 45-day money-back guarantee for its longer plans.
Read the full CyberGhost VPN review
Editors' Note: CyberGhost and this site are in the same ownership group.
Quick Comparison Table
Editors' Note: Intego, Private Internet Access, CyberGhost and ExpressVPN are owned by Kape Technologies, our parent company
Testing Methodology: Comparison & Ranking Criteria
I followed our proven testing methodology for VPNs to find the best VPNs with ad blockers in 2024. I tested them on various search engines, types of websites, and devices, plus evaluated other criteria. Here’s a quick look at exactly how I made my list:
- I looked for good ad and tracker blocking capabilities. I recommend picking a VPN ad blocker that can get rid of most ads, or at least some of them. Also, the ad blocker should prevent ad trackers from monitoring your online preferences. All the VPNs on my list can at least block some of the ads you see online — Private Internet Access can block pretty much all of them.
- I checked if it blocks malicious sites. I also recommend choosing a VPN ad blocker that can prevent you from accessing malicious links in addition to blocking ads — all of my top picks can block access to shady sites.
- I prioritized powerful security. Essential features that a quality VPN needs to offer include AES 256-bit encryption, which keeps your data shielded from prying eyes, a kill switch to disconnect you and protect your privacy if the VPN connection drops, and IPv6, DNS, or WebRTC leak protection.
- I looked for speedy connections. Every VPN has the potential to reduce your connection speed due to the encryption procedure and the distance your data has to travel through the VPN servers. Nonetheless, top-notch VPNs lessen the speed reduction to a level where you’ll barely perceive any lag.
- I found VPNs with easy-to-use apps. You should only go with VPNs that have easy-to-install apps that make it simple to enable the ad-blocking feature and connect to a VPN server.
- I opted for VPNs that provide great value. I only recommend VPNs with great overall performance in addition to an ad blocker, including good streaming and torrenting support, fast speeds, affordable plans, and generous money-back guarantees.
Top Brands that Didn’t Make the Cut
- TotalVPN. TotalVPN is a VPN offered through top antivirus program, TotalAV. TotalVPN has a pretty great ad blocker, but it just doesn’t compare with a standalone VPN in terms of speed, security, and other features.
- Perfect Privacy. Perfect Privacy has a good ad blocker, good security, and good speeds, but it’s very expensive and not worth the price.
- Hola VPN. Hola VPN has an ad blocker for its Chrome extension, but the VPN isn’t safe — it has a terrible no-logs policy and doesn’t encrypt your traffic.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best VPN with an ad blocker?
Private Internet Access is hands-down the top VPN with an ad blocker on the market in 2024. Its ad blocker removes almost all ads (including pop-up and banner ads), blocks all trackers, and stops you from visiting sites that may contain malware.
Do all VPNs block ads?
No, only VPNs that come with ad blockers are able to block ads. While good VPNs come with a wide range of security features like AES 256-bit encryption, a kill switch, and a strict no-logs policy, you must purchase a VPN with an ad blocker to get this feature.
My favorite VPN with an ad blocker is Private Internet Access — it has a top-of-the-line ad, tracker, and malware blocker, and it also includes high-end security features, blazing-fast connection speeds, and excellent streaming and torrenting support.
Are free VPNs with ad blockers safe?
Free VPNs rarely come with ad blockers. For example, Proton VPN has a great free plan, but you have to upgrade to a paid plan to get its ad blocker. I normally don’t advise people to get free VPNs — they usually lack essential security features, have slow speeds, and limit how much data you can use per day/month.
Instead, it’s much better to purchase an affordable VPN like Private Internet Access — it has excellent ad-blocking features and offers a great value since it has very fast speeds, very good streaming and torrenting support, and really intuitive apps.
Why do I need a VPN and an ad blocker?
A VPN can help protect you in a lot of ways, but it won’t block ads by default. Only VPNs with ad blockers will actually stop those pesky ads from appearing on your screen, block trackers, and prevent you from visiting possibly dangerous websites. When you get a VPN that comes with an ad blocker, you also get all of the great VPN security features like 256-bit AES encryption, a kill switch, and a no-logs policy.
I think the best VPN with an ad blocker is Private Internet Access. Its ad blocker stops ads from appearing on sites and shields you from trackers and malicious sites — plus, the VPN is also very secure, really fast, and very good for streaming and torrenting.
