Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

NetGuard VS Blokada

Compare NetGuard VS Blokada and see what are their differences

NetGuard logo NetGuard

NetGuard

Blokada logo Blokada

The best ad blocker for Android. Free and open source.
  • NetGuard Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-09-27
  • Blokada Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-12-25

NetGuard features and specs

  • Privacy Enhancement
    NetGuard helps in enhancing user privacy by blocking unwanted internet traffic, preventing personal data from being sent without the user's consent.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The application has a straightforward and intuitive interface, making it easy for users to configure and manage their network settings.
  • No Root Required
    NetGuard does not require root access to function, making it accessible to a broader range of Android users who may not want to root their device.
  • Battery Efficiency
    The app is designed to use minimal battery power, ensuring that it does not significantly impact device battery life.
  • Open Source
    NetGuard is open-source software, which allows users to inspect the code for transparency and potentially contribute to its development.

Possible disadvantages of NetGuard

  • Limited to Android
    NetGuard is currently only available for Android devices, which limits its usefulness for users of other operating systems.
  • Paid Features
    While the basic functionality is free, some advanced features require a purchase, which could be a barrier for some users.
  • Network Performance
    In some cases, users may experience a decrease in network performance due to the filtering process used by NetGuard.
  • Complexity for Novices
    Despite a generally user-friendly interface, users unfamiliar with network configuration may find it challenging to fully utilize the application's capabilities.
  • Limited Customer Support
    As an open-source project, NetGuard might not offer as robust customer support as commercial alternatives, which could be a drawback for some users.

Blokada features and specs

  • Ad Blocking
    Blokada effectively blocks ads across various apps and browsers, providing a cleaner and more pleasant user experience.
  • Privacy
    It enhances user privacy by blocking trackers and preventing third-party services from collecting user data.
  • Open Source
    Being open-source allows for transparency, community contributions, and continuous improvement by developers around the globe.
  • Battery Efficiency
    Reduces the number of ads and trackers displayed, which can lead to improved battery life for mobile devices.
  • No Root Required
    Blokada can be installed and utilized without needing root access, making it easy for the average user to set up and use.
  • Easy to Use
    It has a user-friendly interface that allows users of all technical skill levels to easily configure and use the app.

Possible disadvantages of Blokada

  • Potential App Conflicts
    Some apps may not function properly when Blokada’s ad-blocking features are active, requiring users to whitelist or disable the app temporarily.
  • In-App Purchases
    Certain advanced features and functionalities may require in-app purchases or subscriptions.
  • Resource Consumption
    While generally efficient, Blokada can consume additional resources like CPU and RAM, which may affect the performance on lower-end devices.
  • Initial Configuration
    Some users might find the initial configuration process a bit complex or intimidating, particularly if they are unfamiliar with ad-blocking software.
  • Updates and Reliability
    Like any app, it can sometimes have bugs or require updates to maintain compatibility with new versions of operating systems or other apps.

Analysis of NetGuard

Overall verdict

  • NetGuard is generally considered a good option for users looking for a non-root firewall solution for Android devices.

Why this product is good

  • NetGuard offers an easy-to-use interface that allows users to block internet access for specific apps without needing root access. This can help protect user privacy, reduce data usage, and improve battery life. Additionally, it supports IPv4/IPv6 and TCP/UDP, and offers features like fine-grained filtering based on IP address and host name. Being open-source, it also provides transparency, which is a key factor in trust for privacy-related applications.

Recommended for

  • Android users seeking a non-root firewall solution
  • Individuals concerned about app privacy and data usage
  • Users interested in open-source applications
  • People looking to improve device battery life and performance by controlling network access

Analysis of Blokada

Overall verdict

  • Overall, Blokada is regarded as an effective tool for users seeking to enhance their privacy and block intrusive ads. It has received positive feedback for its ease of use, non-intrusiveness, and open-source nature, making it a trustworthy option for privacy-conscious individuals.

Why this product is good

  • Blokada is considered a good app by many users due to its ability to block ads, trackers, and malicious content across all apps on your device. It enhances privacy by preventing data trackers from collecting information, and it can also help improve battery life and data usage efficiency by stopping unwanted background activity.

Recommended for

  • Users who want to block intrusive ads across apps and websites
  • Privacy-conscious individuals looking to enhance online security
  • Those wanting to reduce data usage and improve battery life
  • People seeking open-source software solutions for ad and tracker blocking

NetGuard videos

How to Block Android Apps in connecting to Internet with NetGuard

Blokada videos

Blokada: The Best Free Non Root Adblocker for Android

More videos:

  • Tutorial - How to get the ALL NEW Blokada 4.1.4 Ad Blocker and Vpn
  • Tutorial - HOW TO INSTALL & USE BLOKADA WITH YOUR FIRESTICK - NO MORE ANNOYING ADS! | 2019

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to NetGuard and Blokada)
Monitoring Tools
32 32%
68% 68
Security & Privacy
13 13%
87% 87
Ad Blockers
10 10%
90% 90
Cyber Security
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare NetGuard and Blokada

NetGuard Reviews

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Blokada Reviews

  1. Innotech yt
    Best

    It's a good app to block app ads


22 NextDNS Alternatives
Plenty of ad-blockers are available in the market for PCs and laptops that are providing quality features for blocking ads but ad-blocker for mobiles is a bit challenging. So if you are looking for the best mobile ad-blocker, Blokada is the right choice for you. Whether you want to block ads or have a virtual private network, Blokada helps you in both cases. Android and iOS...

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Blokada should be more popular than NetGuard. It has been mentiond 236 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

NetGuard mentions (48)

  • Sniffnet – monitor your Internet traffic
    There is OpenSnitch [0] on Linux, but it us a bit clumsy to setup. I tried it once and didn't get far, but have it again on my todo list. Not aware of something similar on Linux. On Android there is NetGuard [1] which is awesome (not affiliated, just a happy customer). [0] https://github.com/evilsocket/opensnitch. - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
  • Little Snitch: Network Monitor and Application Firewall for macOS
    Netguard if you want to use it on Android https://netguard.me/. - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago
  • The Global Surveillance Free-for-All in Mobile Ad Data
    Additionally to an OpenWRT [1] Wi-Fi router or Adguard Home [2] server that you can run for yourself, there's also this excellent project called NetGuard [3]. The developer got kicked out of the Play Store for bogus reasons, and had to continue to develop it as an externally funded effort. Support him, buy a pay what you want license, and give him a couple bucks for it if you value open source software like this.... - Source: Hacker News / 7 months ago
  • OpenSnitch is a GNU/Linux interactive application firewall
    There's netguard[1], although most of the convenience features are behind a small payment. [1] https://netguard.me. - Source: Hacker News / 10 months ago
  • Ash HN: My country is undergoing a coup, which encryption software should I use?
    Use briar. Use LineageOS without gapps (aka without Google Play Services). Obviously don't use Meta or Google apps, because that's where the backdoors are for governments. Use AppWarden to enable/disable/verify the usage of known trackers in your apps. Use NetGuard as an Android firewall. [1] https://briarproject.org/ [2] https://wiki.lineageos.org/devices [3] https://gitlab.com/AuroraOSS/AppWarden [4]... - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago
View more

Blokada mentions (236)

  • Adverts crashing the game
    You can read about Blokada here https://blokada.org/ and their v6 will also be in your App/Playstore but as said is subscription only. Lucky Android users can keep scrolling down until you see v5 offered which is completely free (not in Playstore btw). Unfortunately v5 isn't available for iOS. It works though, you won't see another, just a blackout timer that runs for 35 seconds (which does also mean you wait 35... Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Where do ads appear in vivo phones?
    But it's due to game? Or is it Vivo thing? Can you try with https://blokada.org (blocking ads system-wide trough DNS)? Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Bit sad innit?
    If you use the Firefox browser with the uBlock Origins extension, it blocks almost every ad. I use the Samsung Internet browser with Blokada 5 and it's a nearly ad-free experience. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Reddit is officially shutting down ALL third party apps: What this means for r/QAnonCasualties going forward.
    For those on Android, download Blokada 5. It's a free open-source systemwide adblocker app. Don't download Blokada 6 on the Play Store. It's a subscription cloud-based app. Google doesn't allow VPN-based adblocker apps in the Play Store. If you have a Samsung phone, Blokada 5 is in the Galaxy Store. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • I’m so tired of Jesus ads on Reddit
    You can download the blokada5.apk directly from https://blokada.org/ still instead of the play store. Source: about 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing NetGuard and Blokada, you can also consider the following products

RethinkDNS - 2B+ Android users deserve access to a safer and open Internet.

AdAway - An ad blocker that uses the hosts file. For Android, requires root.

AFWall+ - AFWall+ (Android Firewall +) - iptables based firewall for Android

AdGuard - Surf the Web Ad-Free and Safely. Shield up!

GlassWire - Visualize network activity in detail, get notified when new apps access the network, look out for...

Pi-hole - Pi-hole is a multi-platform, network-wide ad blocker.