BowerBird vs Adblock Plus
The incumbent, and the reason people go looking.
What Adblock Plus does better
Reach and longevity. Adblock Plus has filter infrastructure a solo project cannot match, and it supports browsers BowerBird does not.
Where BowerBird is different
No paid allowlist, no upsell interstitials, and no all-sites request at install.
Side by side
| 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 |
Which one to install
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.
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The part that is not a feature comparison
BowerBird asks for no site access at install. Ad and tracker blocking runs on rules the browser applies itself, so it needs none. Access to a single site is requested from your click, the first time you hide something there, and can be taken back in settings.
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.