An ad blocker that does not ask to read every site you visit
Every major blocker asks for permission to read and change your data on all websites, at install, before it has done anything for you.
BowerBird's blocking runs on rules the browser applies itself, which needs no site access at all. It asks for one site only when you hide your first element there, and you can revoke it.
Why the usual fixes do not stick
Most blockers request access to all websites at install because they were built on an older extension API that inspected every request in the extension itself. The current API lets the browser apply block and allow rules on the extension’s behalf, which removes the need for that access entirely, but it requires giving up request rewriting.
How to do it with BowerBird
- Install BowerBird and read the permission prompt.
- Note that no site access is requested.
- Hide an element on one site and approve access for that site only.
- Review or revoke granted sites in settings at any time.
Worth knowing: This is a real architectural limit, not a policy choice, and it costs features: BowerBird cannot rewrite headers or redirect requests. We think the trade is worth it.
Without granting access to every site you visit
BowerBird installs without asking to read or change your data on any website. Its ad and tracker blocking runs on rules the browser applies itself, which needs no site access at all. When you hide your first element on a site, it asks for that one site, from your click, and you can revoke it later in settings.
Compared with Adblock Plus
Reach and longevity. Adblock Plus has filter infrastructure a solo project cannot match, and it supports browsers BowerBird does not.
| Adblock Plus | BowerBird | |
|---|---|---|
| Paid allowlist (Acceptable Ads) | Yes, on by default | None, ever |
| Site access at install | All sites | None |
| Upsell interstitials | Yes | None |
| Finds the clutter for you | No | Yes (Pro) |
| Pricing model | Free with paid tiers | One-time $12, no subscription |
Adblock Plus ships an Acceptable Ads programme that lets participating advertisers pay to be unblocked, on by default. BowerBird has no allowlist to sell. That is a difference in business model, not in engineering.
Hide your first annoyance free - no account, no subscription.
Get it free for Edge Get it free for FirefoxFree includes unlimited manual rules. Pro is $12 one-time, no subscription.
Get the release notes
One email when the Firefox build lands, and when new features ship. Nothing else, and you can leave any time.