The 8 Best Anti-Tracking Software for Online Privacy

What Is the Best Anti-Tracking Software Available? 

Many of the most popular websites in the world use invasive trackers to collect user data. YouTube and TikTok are among the worst offenders, with each social media platform using more than a dozen different trackers to capture data on users’ behavior and interactions [*].

But that doesn’t mean everyone has to live with tracking cookies capturing their every move. According to the latest statistics [* *]:

Nearly 80% of Americans are concerned with the way private companies use their data — yet two-thirds believe it’s impossible to prevent companies from collecting that data. 

Anti-tracking software can block websites from capturing and selling your data to third-party advertisers, marketers, and scammers. But not all anti-tracking providers do a good job — and some may even make it harder for you to keep your sensitive information safe.

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What Does Anti-Tracking Software Do? 

Anti-tracking software prevents websites from gathering personal data about you — including your browsing history, website preferences, IP address, device information, and more.

Websites collect this data to share with advertisers, who can then use it to show you personalized ads. This is why you might see advertisements for concert tickets immediately after listening to an artist on YouTube.

Website owners can also share your data with analytics companies and other organizations. Nothing prevents scammers and fraudsters from saying they work for an analytics company — or even creating a real analytics company of their own — and buying that data.

The only way to prevent website owners from sharing this information is to block them from collecting it in the first place. Anti-tracking providers often do this in combination with ad-blocking services. 

Here are some of the benefits of blocking tracking software online:

• Hides your browsing history from websites. Online trackers collect information on every site you visit, the pages you looked at while browsing a site, and where you went before and after. 
• Stops companies from tracking your personal information. Invasive third-party tracking services can create comprehensive profiles on individual users, giving their partners in-depth information about user habits and preferences.
• Prevents you from receiving personalized ads. Without ad-tracking software enabled, most advertisers will show you generic ads based on other factors — like where your IP address appears to be located.
• Can help keep you safe from identity theft. Scammers can use ad-tracking technology to learn what websites you visit, what preferences you have, and more. They can use this information to trick you into giving up valuable personal data.
• Protects you from data brokers. Some third-party tracking providers may sell your information to data brokers, who then package it and sell it to the highest bidder.

The bottom line: Online privacy is getting more and more scarce. Unless you don’t use the internet at all, it’s incredibly difficult to stop trackers and maintain your personal privacy. With Aura, you get a full suite of advanced online privacy and digital security tools — including anti-tracking and ad blockers to help keep you safe (and private) online. Try Aura risk free today → 

Do you need to pay for anti-tracking software?

There are many free anti-tracking software options available online, and many of them are open source. But, as with other products, you get what you pay for.

While it’s true that open source services can be more trustworthy than free proprietary options — since you can see exactly how the software works — they tend to offer far more limited features. Plus, many free and open source anti-tracking providers support themselves by serving ads. This means they’re not really blocking advertisers, but merely replacing them with other advertisers.

If you’re serious about online privacy and safety, consider an all-in-one digital security solution like Aura.

The 8 Best Anti-Tracking Software Providers in 2024

1. Aura 
2. Total Adblock Plus
3. DuckDuckGo
4. uBlock Origin
5. Ghostery
6. Brave browser
7. AVG AntiTrack
8. Privacy Badger

Anti-tracking software is an essential tool for maintaining your online privacy and making you a much less vulnerable target for hackers and scammers. Here are the best anti-tracking tools to consider in 2024:

1. Aura 

Aura is a comprehensive digital security solution that helps protect people from scams, fraud, and invasive advertisements. Every Aura plan includes a complete suite of AI-powered digital privacy tools designed to keep your entire family safe online, along with award-winning identity and fraud protection, 24/7 support, and up to $5 million in identity theft insurance. 

While a relatively new product, Aura has already been rated #1 by TechRadar, Money.com, Forbes, and others.

Aura’s key features include:

• Anti-tracking software and ad blockers for all devices and operating systems. 
• Full suite of digital security tools including powerful antivirus, a military-grade virtual private network (VPN), Safe Browsing tools, password manager, and more.
• Award-winning identity theft and credit protection with the industry’s fastest fraud alerts³. 
• AI-powered spam call and text blocker to keep you safe from phone scams and phishing texts.
• 24/7 U.S.-based support from a dedicated team of White Glove Fraud Resolution Specialists.‍
• Up to $1 million in identity theft insurance to cover eligible losses, such as stolen funds, lawyer fees, and more.

How much does Aura cost?

Aura offers simple and transparent pricing with basic online privacy starting at just $3/month. The slightly more expensive Ultimate plan gives you full protection with identity theft monitoring, one-bureau credit monitoring, credit lock, and more.

Here are Aura’s plans and pricing as of March 2024:

• Privacy: $3/month
• Privacy Plus: $4/month
• Ultimate: $5/month

‍The bottom line: With digital crime at an all-time high, Aura is an ideal option for comprehensive online security and privacy — especially if you have children or elderly family members to look out for. However, it may be too much protection if you’re only looking for an anti-tracking tool or ad blocker. Try Aura for as little as $3/month.

2. Total Adblock Plus

Total Adblock Plus positions itself as a complete service for preventing ads and trackers on the world’s most popular websites. It supports most modern browsers, and prevents YouTube videos from showing ads.

Total Adblock Plus’ key features include:

• Blocks most ads. Total Adblock Plus provides very consistent performance for blocking ads on most websites.
• Disables annoying notifications. Websites can’t send notifications through Total Adblock Plus.‍
• Customizable ad preferences. You can configure a list of websites from which to allow ads.

How much does Total Adblock Plus cost?

Total Adblock Plus charges $29/year, but only for the first year. After that, it renews at $119/year, making it a very expensive option compared to others on this list.

The bottom line: Total Adblock Plus would be an ideal option if it was more upfront about its pricing structure and treated its free subscription users more fairly. Making it hard for customers to disconnect from its service raises red flags, as well.

💡 Related: How To Protect Your Personal Information on Social Media →

3. DuckDuckGo

DuckDuckGo is a search app that positions itself as a competitor to Google. It puts a variety of privacy and security features in the hands of Chrome, Edge, Safari, Firefox, Android, and iOS users.

DuckDuckGo’s key features include:

• Native anti-tracking protection. DuckDuckGo integrates directly with modern web browsers to provide a user experience without online tracking.
• App privacy protection. Android device users can prevent their apps from tracking user activity with an add-on feature.‍
• Email protection. DuckDuckGo offers additional email protection features for removing trackers from emails.

How much does DuckDuckGo cost?

DuckDuckGo is free for users to download and use. It supports itself by showing ads, but promises not to share user data with advertisers.

The bottom line: DuckDuckGo is worth considering for its anti-tracking capabilities, but simply replacing ads with other ads may not be what many users expect.

4. uBlock Origin

uBlock Origin calls itself a wide-spectrum content blocker that prevents privacy invasion on multiple levels. It blocks ads and third-party tracking without drawing additional computing resources from your device.

uBlock Origin’s key features include:

• Highly efficient blocking algorithm. uBlock Origin is less resource-intensive than other content blockers.‍
• Provides in-depth context. It also includes data to help you learn the number of web page elements that you block on every page you visit.

How much does uBlock Origin cost?

uBlock Origin is a free, open source ad blocker and anti-tracking app developed by a single developer named Raymond Hill. He does not accept donations or sponsorship for this work, and it’s unclear how uBlock supports itself financially.

The bottom line: On the surface, uBlock appears to combine a truly ad-free user experience with energy efficiency and detailed alerts. However, there is not much clarity about how the project sustains itself.

💡 Related: What Are Trackers? How To Stop Being Tracked Online →

5. Ghostery

Ghostery makes the internet safer by blocking ads and trackers, preventing cookie pop-ups, and providing ad-free searches to its users. It supports Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera, and Edge.

Ghostery’s key features include:

• Comprehensive ad blocking and anti-tracking. Ghostery supports ad blocking and anti-tracking on every device.
• Includes its own private search engine. You can use Ghostery’s private search engine as an alternative to Google.‍
• Provides in-depth documentation on online privacy. Ghostery’s newsletter will help you take control of your digital privacy.

How much does Ghostery cost?

Ghostery is a free, open source software option that anyone can download and use. Unlike many open source services, Ghostery used to charge $4.99/month but switched to its current free subscription model in 2017.

The bottom line: The main problem with Ghostery is the fact that it replaces third-party ads with ads from its own network. It promises not to give user data to its partners, but this doesn’t help users who simply want to block all ads.

💡 Related: How To Remove Your Personal Information From the Internet →

6. Brave Browser

Brave is a private and secure web browser for Windows, macOS, Android and iOS. It includes malware and phishing protection, blocks fingerprinting, and includes anonymized network routing that is similar to the Tor browser necessary for accessing the Dark Web.

Brave Browser’s key features include:

• Advanced security. The browser includes malware and phishing protection as well as other security features.
• Includes its own native cryptocurrency wallet. Brave has its own browser-based crypto wallet that integrates with most exchanges and platforms.‍
• Supports ad-based crypto rewards. Opting into certain ads lets you earn small cryptocurrency payments without compromising your privacy.

How much does Brave browser cost?

Brave Browser is an open source software tool that is free for anyone to use. It is supported by users who opt for its paid subscription features, which include a security-oriented firewall and VPN service.

The bottom line: Brave Browser offers decent security and privacy to users, but it is especially useful for cryptocurrency holders and traders. Its features are less useful, however, for people who don’t use cryptocurrency.

💡 Related: Is Avast Antivirus Safe To Use? What To Know Before You Buy →

7. AVG AntiTrack

AVG AntiTrack is owned by Avast and additionally marketed under the name Avast AntiTrack. Avast is a large cybersecurity firm with multiple products in its portfolio (which recently merged with NortonLifeLock [*]. However, one of Avast’s products made headlines for selling customer information without consent [*].

AVG AntiTrack’s key features include:

• Detailed reporting. See exactly which companies are tracking you and what kind of data they’re collecting.
• Antivirus add-ons available. Customers can combine AVG AntiTrack with AVG Antivirus for more complete protection.

How much does AVG AntiTrack cost?

AVG AntiTrack charges customers per device. Here are AVG AntiTrack’s plans and pricing as of March 2024:

• One device (PC): $53.99/year
• One device (Mac): $54.99/year
• Up to 10 devices: $64.99/year

The bottom line: AVG Anti-Track would make a decent addition to your security toolset if it was run by a more trustworthy company. As it stands, there are better options on the market.

💡 Related: Aura vs. LifeLock: 2024 Comparison and Showdown →

8. Privacy Badger

Privacy Badger is a browser extension that blocks advertisers and third-party trackers from collecting data about you. It supports most modern web browsers, including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Opera. 

Privacy Badger’s key features include:

• Only blocks trackers, not ads. Privacy Badger only blocks ads that track you, but will leave regular ads in place.
• Analyzes trackers with an algorithm. Many other anti-tracking tools rely on manually curated lists of advertising trackers.‍
• Color-coded permissions tiers. Privacy Badger maintains red, yellow, and green lists showing which websites track you the most.

How much does Privacy Badger cost?

Privacy Badger is an open source software tool supported by its community. This means that it is both free to use and trustworthy because anyone with technical skills can see exactly how it works.

The bottom line: Privacy Badger is a very simple anti-tracking provider that focuses entirely on solving one problem only. It does a decent job, but you would have to combine it with other security services to truly protect yourself online.

💡 Related: How To Stop Websites From Tracking Your Personal Information →

Anti-Track Software vs. VPN: Which One Is Better?

Virtual private networks (VPNs) are an important tool for protecting your digital fingerprint and blocking website tracking attempts. Both VPNs and anti-tracking software help protect your privacy online, but in different ways. 

VPNs encrypt data traffic so that hackers can’t intercept your connection to the internet. They also help you access geo-restricted content and mask your location when you’re browsing online. This improves privacy, but it can introduce latency and reduce connection bandwidth. VPNs work on the entire device — not just your web browser.

Anti-tracking tools typically secure your web browser without impacting the way the rest of your device works. This won’t hide your location or prevent attackers from intercepting traffic on public Wi-Fi, but it will stop websites from collecting and selling your data to third parties.

A VPN and anti-tracking software are complementary tools that should be used together. That way, you earn the benefits of both without having to compromise.

The Bottom Line: Your Privacy Is Worth Paying For

Websites and apps now collect more personal information than ever before. Stand-alone tracker blockers aren’t enough to defend your privacy and safety against every risk.

Using an all-in-one solution like Aura is the best way to safeguard your devices, data, and identity from fraudsters. With anti-tracking and ad blocking capabilities alongside military-grade VPN encryption and award-winning identity theft protection, Aura gives you the best chance of keeping your digital footprint secure.

Get powerful online privacy and digital security for as little as $3/month. Try Aura for yourself!