Adblock Plus

World's most widely installed ad-blocking browser extension with hundreds of millions of users globally

Adblock Plus is a widely-used open-source browser extension that enables users to block advertisements, pop-ups, tracking scripts, and malware-laden content across the web. Originally launched in 2006 as a Firefox extension, it has grown into one of the most downloaded browser extensions globally, with hundreds of millions of active users across Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and other browsers. The product is developed and maintained by eyeo GmbH, a Cologne-based company, though Adblock Plus itself operates as a distinct product entity. At the center of Adblock Plus's business model is the Acceptable Ads program, which defines a set of criteria for non-intrusive advertising and allows compliant ads to pass through the blocker by default. Large advertisers and ad networks — including Google, Microsoft, and Amazon — have historically paid eyeo to be whitelisted under this program, generating significant revenue. This arrangement has been both commercially successful and highly controversial, drawing criticism from publishers, advertisers, and privacy advocates who view it as a form of 'ad-blocking extortion.' An independent Acceptable Ads Committee was established to provide governance over the whitelist criteria. In the AdTech ecosystem, Adblock Plus occupies a unique and disruptive position: it simultaneously threatens traditional display advertising revenue while offering a monetization pathway for advertisers willing to meet its standards. It competes with other ad blockers such as uBlock Origin, AdGuard, and Ghostery, and has influenced broader industry conversations around user privacy, consent, and the sustainability of ad-supported content on the web.