VPNs and ad blockers are often mentioned together in online privacy discussions, but they serve fundamentally different purposes. A VPN encrypts your internet connection and masks your IP address, while an ad blocker removes advertisements and tracking scripts from websites. Understanding these differences will help you decide whether you need one, the other, or both.
What a VPN Does
A VPN creates an encrypted tunnel between your device and the VPN server, preventing your ISP, network administrators, and other intermediaries from seeing your internet traffic. It also replaces your real IP address with the VPN server’s IP, providing location privacy and the ability to access geo-restricted content. However, a standard VPN does not block ads, remove trackers from web pages, or prevent cookies from being stored on your device. Learn more about why you need a VPN in 2026.
What an Ad Blocker Does
An ad blocker removes advertisements from web pages, blocks tracking scripts, and can prevent malicious ads from loading. This improves browsing speed, reduces data usage, and provides a layer of privacy by limiting tracker activity. However, an ad blocker does not encrypt your internet traffic, hide your IP address from websites, or protect you when using public Wi-Fi networks. See our rankings of the best ad blocker software and learn how to choose the right one for your browser.
Products That Combine Both
Several services now bundle VPN and ad blocking together. Surfshark CleanWeb provides ad blocking within its VPN app. NordVPN’s Threat Protection feature blocks ads and malware alongside VPN encryption. AdGuard offers both a standalone ad blocker and a VPN service. These combined solutions are convenient, though dedicated tools for each function typically offer more control and better performance.
Our Recommendation
For most users, having both a VPN and an ad blocker provides the most complete privacy protection. The ad blocker handles your day-to-day browsing experience by removing ads and trackers, while the VPN protects your connection privacy, especially on public Wi-Fi. If you can only choose one, an ad blocker will have a bigger impact on your daily browsing experience, while a VPN is more critical if you frequently use public networks or need to access geo-restricted content. Don’t forget antivirus software as the third pillar of your security setup. Our complete online protection stack guide explains how all three work together, and you may also wonder whether antivirus replaces an ad blocker (spoiler: it doesn’t).
