AdGuard Review 2026: System-wide ad blocking apps with a 30-day refund and a lifetime licence option
Affiliate disclosure: this review contains affiliate links — we may earn a commission if you sign up, at no cost to you. Ratings are our own editorial scores.
AdGuard
Pros
- 30-day money-back guarantee on licence keys bought from official AdGuard sites
- Renewal price on the page’s tariff data equals the purchase price ($29.88 for Personal 1-year)
- One licence works on any device (Windows, macOS, Android or iOS), 3 on Personal and 9 on Family
- Free browser extensions plus free Android and iOS builds that block ads in browsers or Safari
Cons
- Windows and Mac apps are 14-day trials, not free
- Free iOS build only blocks in Safari; app-level blocking and DNS protection need the paid version
- Chrome MV3 extension is limited by rule caps (30,000 static rules per extension, 1,000 regex rules, 5,000 dynamic rules, 50 filters) and loses auto-update filters and phishing protection
- Prices exclude VAT; the page’s tariff data showed Personal 1-year at $35.15 and Personal Lifetime at $94.11 once tax was included for the detected country
Best for: Blocking ads outside the browser, Families covering up to 9 devices, Buyers who prefer a one-off lifetime payment.
What it is
AdGuard makes ad-blocking apps for Windows, Mac, Android, Android TV, iOS, Linux, browsers and routers, sold by Adguard Software Limited of Limassol, Cyprus, a company registered in 2009. One licence is universal and works on any device, with the Personal plan covering 3 devices and Family covering 9. Licences for more than 9 devices are handled by sales.
The browser extensions are free, as is a cut-down Android build that blocks ads in browsers and an iOS build that blocks ads and trackers in Safari. The paid apps add system-wide blocking, and on iOS the option to use trusted DNS servers that block ads, trackers and malicious sites. The Chrome MV3 extension is constrained by Chrome’s rule limits and no longer offers auto-updating filters, phishing and malware protection or self-destructing cookies. No audits are cited on the pages we read.
What it costs in practice
Personal is $2.49/mo billed annually at $29.88, and the page’s tariff data lists the renewal at the same $29.88. Family is $5.49/mo billed annually at $65.88, shown against a struck-through $7.47/mo, and renews at $65.88. Lifetime licences are $79.99 for Personal and $169.99 for Family, the latter shown against $239.97. All of these exclude VAT; for the tax country detected during our check the tariff data put Personal 1-year at $35.15 and Personal Lifetime at $94.11.
Auto-renewal is enabled by default for all subscriptions bought from the website. You can cancel from the Licenses tab in your account and the subscription remains valid until its expiry date. A full refund is available within 30 days of purchase for keys bought via official AdGuard websites; later requests are reviewed individually. AdGuard VPN, DNS and Mail are separate products with their own subscription terms and are not covered by this licence.
Key features
| Feature | What it does |
|---|---|
| Multi-device licence | Personal covers 3 devices and Family covers 9, on a 1-year or lifetime basis; licences for more than 9 devices go through sales@adguard.com. |
| System-wide ad blocking apps | Desktop and mobile apps block beyond the browser; the free Android build blocks ads in browsers only. |
| DNS control on iOS | Use trusted DNS servers that also block ads, trackers and malicious websites. |
| Auto-renewal and cancellation | Website subscriptions renew automatically; cancel from the Licenses tab and the subscription stays valid until its expiry date. |
AdGuard pricing
| Plan | Price | Included |
|---|---|---|
| Personal, 1 year | $2.49/mo | Billed annually at $29.88, VAT may apply; up to 3 devices; renews at $29.88 |
| Family, 1 yearPOPULAR | $5.49/mo | Billed annually at $65.88, VAT may apply; up to 9 devices; shown against $7.47/mo. Labelled Best choice |
| Personal, Lifetime | $79.99 | One-time payment, VAT may apply; up to 3 devices |
| Family, Lifetime | $169.99 | One-time payment, VAT may apply; up to 9 devices; shown against $239.97 |
How AdGuard compares
| Alternative | How it differs |
|---|---|
| uBlock Origin | Free browser extension; also affected by Chrome MV3 rule limits |
| NextDNS | DNS-level blocking with a free 300,000-query tier |
| Proton VPN NetShield | DNS-level ad and malware blocking bundled into Proton Unlimited |
AdGuard ratings on other platforms
Independent user ratings from third-party review sites, linked here for transparency. These are not our editorial score, are captured on the date shown, and may have changed since.
Frequently asked questions
How much does AdGuard cost?
Personal is $2.49/mo billed annually at $29.88 for up to 3 devices, or $79.99 as a one-time lifetime licence. Family is $5.49/mo billed annually at $65.88 for up to 9 devices, or $169.99 lifetime. All prices exclude VAT, which may apply.
Is there a free version?
Yes. The browser extensions are free, the free Android version blocks ads in browsers, and the free iOS version blocks ads and trackers in Safari. AdGuard for Windows and for Mac are 14-day trials.
Verdict
AdGuard is a reasonable buy if you want ad blocking at the operating-system level rather than in a browser extension: the annual price is low, renewal matches the purchase price, and a 30-day refund is offered. The trade-off is that the desktop apps are trials rather than free, the free mobile builds are browser-only, and VAT adds a noticeable amount to the headline figure. Consider the lifetime licence if you plan to stay.
Facts verified against: adguard.com, adguard.com, adguard.com, adguard.com, adguard.com, adguardcheckout.com (as of September 2026).