How To Block Annoying Ads on YouTube

What’s the Best Way To Block Annoying YouTube Ads?

If you’re accessing a service for free — whether it’s Facebook, Google, or YouTube — you’re almost certainly paying for it through ads. While advertising helps support tech companies (and makes their shareholders massive amounts of money), it creates a less-than-stellar experience for you, the user.

YouTube is especially brutal when it comes to serving ads, with non-skippable ads spanning up to 30 seconds before users are able to view many popular videos. 

The platform promotes its Premium subscription as a way to bypass most of these ads — but this isn’t the only way to access ad-free content on YouTube.

If you’ve found yourself annoyed by an onslaught of video ads, there are a few options that can help you improve your YouTube experience: 

• Pay for YouTube Premium. Purchasing a YouTube Premium service will block ads before YouTube videos — at a cost.
• Download a third-party ad blocker like Aura. A third-party ad blocker will block not just YouTube ads — but also ads on other websites that you visit. 
• Switch to a privacy-focused browser. Browsers like Brave, for example, include native ad-blocking features that prevent ads from showing up on YouTube and other sites that you visit.

Ultimately, the best YouTube ad blocker for you will come down to your needs, budget, and how urgently you want to get rid of ads.

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Is YouTube Premium Really Worth It?

YouTube Premium is a paid membership that provides ad-free experiences while you watch YouTube. Premium users won’t get served pre-roll or in-video advertisements. However, you’ll still see “sponsored content” promoted by YouTube. 

It also comes with a handful of other helpful features — including the ability to download videos for offline viewing, background play outside of the YouTube app, adjusting playback speed, YouTube Music Premium, and more.

Students are eligible for a discounted YouTube Premium plan that costs just $7.99/month. But if you’re not a student, the cost is at least $13.99/month for an individual plan — a hefty price tag if you’re mainly interested in blocking ads and don’t really care about other features.

Should you pay for YouTube Premium? If you’re someone that spends a lot of time on YouTube and will make use of Premium’s full host of features, the cost may be worth it. But if your main goal is simply to block YouTube ads, there are plenty of cheaper alternatives on the market that offer more features. 

How To Block YouTube Ads With Aura

Aura is an all-in-one online privacy tool that provides YouTube and website ad blocking, anti-track, data breach monitoring, and more.

Aura’s ad-blocking feature comes as a browser extension available on most popular browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. The Aura browser extension also enhances your privacy by preventing site trackers from collecting your browsing data.

One downside is that Aura only works on desktop devices. If you use the YouTube app on your Android or iPhone, Aura won’t be able to block ads for you. This is the same issue that other third-party ad blockers run into, including Adblock Plus, uBlock origin, and AdGuard.

One workaround is to use Aura’s virtual private network (VPN) to switch your location to a place where YouTube doesn’t run ads.

In addition to the Aura Browser Extension, Aura offers a dedicated ad-blocking and privacy app for iOS and Android starting at just $1.99/month that also includes:

• Online tracker blocking. This helps keep your browsing private and prevents websites and apps from tracking you.
• Dark Web and data breach alerts. Aura can let you know when your sensitive data has been compromised — including your Social Security number (SSN), address, and passwords — so you can quickly take action.
• Password manager. Aura automatically saves and syncs your passwords across devices and alerts you about weak or compromised passwords. You can also use it to generate stronger passwords that won’t be easily guessed by hackers.
• Antivirus software. Protect up to 10 devices from malware, spyware, ransomware, and more with Aura’s antivirus.
• Virtual Private Network (VPN). Aura’s VPN channels your internet traffic through a secure server, preventing hackers from being able to intercept your IP address and browsing data. It also allows you to browse from different geographical locations and unlock geo-gated content. 
• Scam and phishing site protection. All Aura plans come with a Safe Browsing feature that blocks malicious websites as you browse and alerts you if you’re about to enter a potential phishing site.
• Optional identity and financial fraud protection. Aura offers a host of other fraud protection features, including identity monitoring, credit monitoring, generous identity theft insurance coverage, and a digital security suite that you can add on for an additional cost. Aura’s family plans offer parental controls, predator alerts, and advanced safety features that protect family members of all ages. 

Should you pay for a third-party ad blocker like Aura? Not all ad blockers are created equally, with paid tools generally offering more features and better support. The major downside of a free ad blocker is that you don’t know how long it will be supported or if it will continue to be updated. Plus, you still have to pay for all of the other features that you get bundled with Aura.

How To Block YouTube Ads By Using a Privacy-Focused Browser

Privacy-focused browsers are alternative browsers outside of the standard — Chrome, Safari, Edge, etc. — that are designed to protect your browsing data and IP address from being tracked. They usually include an ad blocking feature that works across the web, including on YouTube.

Privacy-focused web browsers are generally free to use, though some features like VPNs and advanced data protection may require paying for a subscription. Some of the most popular options include Brave browser, Vivaldi, and DuckDuckGo.

Should you use a privacy-focused browser to block YouTube ads? Privacy-based browsers are generally free to use, so it doesn’t hurt to sign up and give one a try. However, keep in mind that the main functionality of these services is protecting your data from tracking. Ad blocking features usually come as a secondary benefit and may not work on all types of ads.

If you want to go a step further, you could even consider a Domain Name System (DNS)-level ad blocking option, such as Pi-hole, which controls all web traffic to your devices at a network level. This is one of the only ways to block ads on Smart TVs and other connected devices. 

The Bottom Line: YouTube Premium Isn’t Your Only Option

Ads are among the most common monetization methods used by YouTube channels and creators — and they won’t go away anytime soon. 

But as annoying as some YouTube ads can be, you don’t necessarily have to pay a hefty monthly fee for YouTube Premium to remove them. 

Unless you only use the YouTube app, there are better — and more cost-effective — ways to remove ads yourself.

Third-party and open-source providers are generally affordable and block ads on more platforms than just YouTube. The best ad blockers and ad-blocking extensions, such as Aura, offer additional features to enhance your online privacy.