A Cybersecurity Expert‘s Guide to Blocking Reddit Ads and Trackers in 2026

As a cybersecurity professional with over a decade of experience, I‘ve witnessed the explosive growth of online advertising and the increasingly invasive tactics used by ad networks and trackers. While ads are an important source of revenue for websites and content creators, they have become highly intrusive to the user experience and pose significant privacy and security risks. Reddit, one of the most popular social news sites with over 430 million monthly active users in 2024, is unfortunately no exception to this trend.

According to a recent study by AdGuard, the average Reddit page contains 12 ads and 22 trackers. These trackers collect data on users‘ browsing behavior, interests, and personal information which can be sold to third-party data brokers and used for targeted advertising without the user‘s knowledge or consent. Even more concerning, ads can be hijacked to distribute malware. In 2023, Confiant reported that 1 in every 100 ad impressions was found to be malicious.

Fortunately, there are effective tools and techniques that users can employ to block ads and trackers on Reddit and protect their privacy and security while still supporting the site and its content creators. In this guide, I‘ll provide a comprehensive overview of the best methods for blocking Reddit ads in 2024 across desktop and mobile devices. I‘ll also dive into the technical details of how ad blockers work, their limitations, and some alternative solutions.

The Prevalence of Reddit Ads and Trackers

Before we get into the solutions, let‘s take a closer look at the state of ads and tracking on Reddit. A 2024 analysis by WhoTracksMe found the following:

Reddit Page	# of Ads	# of Trackers
Front Page	8	18
Subreddit Page	12	24
Post Comments	14	26
User Profile	6	15

As you can see, the typical Reddit browsing session results in exposure to dozens of ads and trackers. Many of these trackers belong to Big Tech companies and ad networks like Google, Amazon, Facebook, and Criteo that build detailed user profiles based on aggregated tracking data from across the web.

In addition to the privacy intrusion, this excessive tracking and ad loading can significantly slow down page load times and consume unnecessary bandwidth and system resources. A 2023 study by Cliqz found that ads and trackers were responsible for 47% of total page load time on average.

The Risks of Malicious Ads

Perhaps even more alarming than the sheer volume of ads and trackers is the potential for ads to be coopted for malicious purposes. Cybercriminals can use ad networks to distribute malware, steal sensitive information, and commit fraud through malicious ads – a practice known as "malvertising."

Common types of ad malware include:

• Drive-by downloads – Ads that automatically download and install malware on a user‘s device without requiring any interaction
• Forced redirects – Ads that redirect users to phishing sites or pages with malicious code
• Click fraud – Ads that mimic system messages or claim the user‘s device is infected to trick them into clicking and downloading malware

Malvertising is becoming increasingly sophisticated and difficult for ad networks to detect and prevent. Cybercriminals often employ tactics like cloaking, polymorphism, and obfuscation to evade ad scanning tools and selectively target vulnerable devices and users. Even major ad networks with strict security measures like Google Ads have fallen victim to malvertising campaigns in recent years.

How Ad Blockers Work

Ad blockers are software tools that are designed to prevent ads from loading in web browsers and apps. They work by intercepting and filtering network traffic between the user‘s device and ad servers according to a set of predefined rules. There are several common techniques that ad blockers use:

• HTTP/URL filtering – Blocking requests to known ad server domains or URLs that match certain patterns (e.g. "/ads/", "doubleclick.net")
• CSS rules – Hiding page elements that are likely to be ads based on their CSS class names or IDs (e.g. "sponsored-post", "div-gpt-ad")
• Element removal – Removing ad iframes, images, and scripts from the page before they have a chance to load
• DNS blackholing – Configuring the device‘s DNS to block requests to ad domains by routing them to an invalid IP address

Most ad blockers use a combination of these techniques along with heuristic analysis and machine learning to dynamically detect and block new ads in real-time. They typically allow users to whitelist specific sites or pages where they want to allow ads.

Ad Blocker Limitations and Considerations

While ad blockers are highly effective at blocking most ads and trackers, they do have some limitations and potential drawbacks to consider:

• Not 100% foolproof – Ad blockers aren‘t perfect and may occasionally miss some ads or break site functionality. Advertisers are constantly looking for ways to circumvent blockers.
• Whitelisting requirements – Some sites may require users to disable their ad blocker in order to access content, though many blockers have workarounds for this.
• Potential security risks – Improperly configured ad blockers can actually introduce security vulnerabilities by allowing malicious ads or interfering with a site‘s security mechanisms.
• Ethicality – Some argue that blocking ads is unethical since it deprives sites and creators of revenue. However, the rise of highly intrusive and potentially harmful ads makes blocking a necessity for many users. Acceptable Ads initiatives offer a compromise.

Blocking Reddit Ads with Browser Extensions

The simplest and most common way to block Reddit ads is by using an ad blocker browser extension. These are small programs that you install in your browser that automatically filter ad content and trackers as you browse the web. Some of the best ad blocker extensions for Reddit as of 2024 include:

• uBlock Origin – A highly efficient, open-source blocker with advanced filtering options. Works well with Chrome, Firefox, and Edge.
• AdGuard AdBlocker – An easy-to-use blocker with a user-friendly interface and a large community filter list. Supports all major browsers.
• Privacy Badger – Developed by the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Privacy Badger automatically learns to block trackers without relying on external filter lists. Great for privacy.

To install an ad blocker extension in Chrome:

1. Visit the Chrome Web Store and search for the ad blocker you want to use
2. Click "Add to Chrome" on the extension page
3. Click "Add extension" in the confirmation dialog
4. The extension will now appear in your browser toolbar

The process is similar for other browsers like Firefox and Edge.

Once installed, the ad blocker will automatically filter out Reddit ads as you browse the site. You can click on the extension icon to view stats, change settings, or temporarily disable blocking on a particular page. Keep in mind that you may need to whitelist certain pages like Reddit‘s "promoted post" settings in order for them to function properly.

Blocking Ads in the Reddit Mobile Apps

Blocking ads within mobile apps is a bit more complex since mobile operating systems like iOS and Android don‘t allow the same type of ad-blocking extensions as desktop browsers. However, there are still a few ways to reduce or eliminate ads in the official Reddit mobile apps.

Using DNS or VPN-Based Ad Blockers on iOS

While iOS doesn‘t support full-fledged ad blocking apps, there are a couple of workarounds using DNS or VPN filtering:

• DNS filtering apps – Apps like AdGuard Pro and NextDNS allow you to configure a custom DNS server that blocks requests to ad and tracking domains at the network level. This can block some in-app ads.
• VPN ad blockers – Apps like Blokada and Lockdown Privacy route your device traffic through a local VPN with built-in ad and tracker filtering capabilities. This can effectively block most in-app ads.

Configuring DNS Filtering on iOS:

1. Download a DNS filtering app from the App Store
2. Open the app and follow the setup prompts to configure your custom DNS
3. Go to device Settings > Wi-Fi and tap the "i" icon next to your network
4. Tap "Configure DNS" and select "Manual"
5. Enter the DNS server addresses provided by your app
6. Ads and trackers should now be blocked across all apps

One limitation of DNS and VPN ad blocking on iOS is that it requires the app to be continually running in the background which can impact battery life. iOS also imposes strict restrictions on what these apps can and can‘t filter or modify.

Blocking Reddit Ads on Android

On Android, it‘s possible to completely block ads within apps by using a system-wide ad blocker that creates a local VPN to filter traffic. Blokada and AdGuard for Android are two of the most popular options.

To set up Blokada on Android:

1. Download the Blokada app from the Google Play Store or F-Droid
2. Open the app and tap "Start" to create the ad-blocking VPN
3. Configure the blocklists and any whitelisted apps in the settings
4. Blokada will now block ads across all your apps, including the Reddit mobile app

The downside to this approach is that it requires giving the ad blocker extensive permissions and keeping a VPN constantly running on your device. Some users may prefer a simpler solution like using an alternate Reddit app with built-in ad blocking.

Ad-Free Reddit Apps

There are several third-party Reddit apps that offer ad-free browsing and additional features not found in the official apps. Some of the best ad-free Reddit apps for iOS and Android as of 2024 include:

• Apollo (iOS) – A highly customizable Reddit app with a clean interface, built-in ad blocking, and tons of features.
• Boost (Android) – A lightweight, ad-free Reddit app with a material design interface, built-in themes, and advanced search and filtering options.
• Relay (Android) – An ad-free Reddit browser with a card-based UI, inline previews, and powerful moderation tools for subreddit admins.

Using one of these apps allows you to enjoy Reddit content without ads and with a more customizable interface. However, some users may prefer to use the official apps for familiarity or specific features.

Alternative Ad Blocking Solutions

Beyond browser extensions and system-wide mobile ad blockers, there are a few other solutions that can help block Reddit ads and trackers at the network level:

• Pi-hole – A network-level ad blocker that runs on a Raspberry Pi or other Linux device. It acts as a DNS server for your entire home network, blocking ads and trackers across all connected devices.
• Ad blocking VPN – Some virtual private network (VPN) services like NordVPN and ProtonVPN include ad and tracker blocking as part of their offering. This can be a good all-in-one solution for privacy and ad blocking.
• Ad blocking router – High-end routers like the AmpliFi Alien offer built-in ad blocking capabilities that work across all devices on the network without needing to install additional software.

The Future of Ad Blocking

The arms race between advertisers and ad blockers shows no signs of slowing down. As ad blocking usage grows, advertisers will continue to develop new techniques to circumvent blockers like server-side ad insertion and browser fingerprinting. Some sites are also resorting to more aggressive measures like ad block walls that require users to disable their blocker to access content.

On the other side, ad blocking technology is getting smarter thanks to machine learning and heuristics-based approaches that can adapt to new ad formats on the fly. The rise of privacy regulations like GDPR and CCPA may also help curb the most egregious tracking practices and make ads less invasive by default.

Ultimately, the future of ad blocking will depend on finding a sustainable balance between monetization and user experience. Initiatives like the Acceptable Ads standard aim to promote a middle ground by allowing certain non-intrusive ads to be whitelisted by ad blockers. Patreon, Brave Rewards, and other alternative funding models may also help sites become less dependent on traditional advertising revenue.

Conclusion

Ads and trackers have become a pervasive and often intrusive presence on Reddit and across the web. While they play an important role in monetizing free content and services, they can also pose significant risks to user privacy and security if left unchecked.

By using a trusted ad blocker extension on desktop, a system-wide ad blocker on mobile, or an alternative Reddit app, users can significantly reduce their exposure to ads and trackers while still enjoying Reddit content. It‘s important to weigh the benefits and limitations of each approach and find the solution that best fits your needs and values.

As Reddit and the digital advertising ecosystem continue to evolve, it‘s crucial for users to stay informed and proactive about protecting their online privacy and security. Ad blocking is just one piece of the puzzle, but it can go a long way toward creating a safer and more enjoyable Reddit experience.