On this page
- Pick by what you need to block (apps or web pages), how you pay, and how much control you want.
- AdGuard's full Android app has been distributed outside Google Play since 2014; most DNS apps take the same route.
- Private DNS is the simplest free option; apps add exemptions, allow-lists and counts.
- ClearAd adds a daily free allowance and local payment options; it is not an upgrade on features over AdGuard.
AdGuard is one of the best-known Android ad blockers. People look for alternatives for the usual reasons: price, wanting something simpler, wanting open source, or wanting to pay in a way their bank supports. This guide compares the real options without pretending one wins on everything.
What to compare
- Where it blocks: inside apps (DNS or VPN based) or only in a browser.
- How you install it: Google Play does not allow apps that block other apps' ads, so most are installed from the developer's site, F-Droid or another store.
- Cost and payment: free, subscription, one-time, and which payment methods work where you live.
- Control: per-app exemptions, allow-lists, custom lists, counts.
- Privacy: where lookups go, what the app logs.
The options at a glance
| Option | Blocks in apps | Control | Install route | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Android Private DNS | Yes | None (all or nothing) | Built in (Android 9+) | Free |
| AdGuard (full Android app) | Yes | High | Website and other stores (left Play in 2014) | Paid, with a trial |
| Blokada / DNS66 (open-source DNS apps) | Yes | Medium; you manage lists | Websites, F-Droid | Free |
| Ad-blocking browsers | No, web pages only | Low | App stores | Mostly free |
| ClearAd | Yes | Medium: exemptions, allow-lists, counts | Website (APK) | 15 free minutes a day; ads earn more; plans from PKR 49 |
Android Private DNS
Free, built in, nothing to install. It filters by name system-wide and works next to a normal VPN. It has no exemptions and no counts. Our list of Private DNS hostnames shows which providers actually block ads.
Open-source DNS apps
Blokada and DNS66 run a local VPN with lists you choose. They are free and appeal to people who prefer open source. DNS66 is distributed through F-Droid. Expect to manage lists yourself, and check each project's activity and licence before relying on it, since volunteer projects can slow down or change.
Ad-blocking browsers
A browser can hide ads inside web pages, which DNS cannot. It does nothing for ads in games or other apps. Use one beside a DNS filter, not instead of it.
ClearAd
ClearAd is a local-VPN DNS filter with a built-in browser, per-app exemptions and a "Recently blocked" list where you tap Allow on a wrongly blocked address. It is installed from our website, the same route AdGuard's full app uses.
The free tier is 15 minutes of protection a day, and you can watch a short rewarded ad for 15 more, up to 20 ads a day. Plans run from PKR 49 for a day to PKR 2,999 for a year, and you pay on WhatsApp with Easypaisa, JazzCash or bank transfer, then enter a code that works on your phone only.
Which should you pick?
- Want free and simple: Private DNS.
- Want the most mature paid app: AdGuard.
- Want open source: Blokada or DNS66.
- Want to pay in Pakistan without a card, with a free daily allowance: ClearAd.
- Mostly read the web: a blocking browser, plus DNS for apps.
Whichever you choose, no DNS tool blocks everything. Read what DNS blocking cannot do so your expectations match the method.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free alternative to AdGuard on Android?
Android's built-in Private DNS with a filtering hostname is the simplest. Open-source apps such as Blokada and DNS66 add control for free.
Is AdGuard on Google Play?
AdGuard says its full Android ad blocker was removed from Google Play in November 2014 and is distributed from its website and other stores. Only its in-browser Content Blocker stays on Play.
Is ClearAd better than AdGuard?
Not on features. ClearAd is simpler, has a daily free allowance and pays through WhatsApp in Pakistan; AdGuard is a more mature product.
Block ads in your apps with ClearAd
No root. 15 free minutes every day. Blocks most ads, not all. Installed from this site as an APK.
