Compare AdBlock and Recall: Which Extension is the Best?

AdBlock is a popular browser extension with over 60 million users, designed to block ads, enhance privacy, and improve browsing speed. Read our detailed review to see how it performs.
With Recall, you can capture, summarize, and organize articles, PDFs, and videos with AI, spaced repetition, browser extensions, and strong privacy controls.
Key Features
  • Blocks Ads: Removes pop-ups, banners, and video ads for a cleaner browsing experience.
  • Protects Privacy: Stops websites from tracking you and blocks harmful ads.
  • Sync Across Devices: Premium users can sync settings across multiple browsers.
  • Customizable: Change the look and feel of the extension, even swap ads for cute images.
  • YouTube Limitations: Works great on most sites, but struggles with blocking YouTube ads.
  • AI Summarization: Instantly summarizes articles, PDFs, YouTube videos, and more.
  • Personal Knowledge Base: Saves and organizes your summaries for easy retrieval.
  • Spaced Repetition & Active Recall: Helps you actually remember what you save, not just store it.
  • Augmented Browsing: Highlights related content as you browse, surfacing connections in your knowledge.
  • Browser Extensions: One-click saving and summarizing directly from Chrome or Firefox.
  • Editable Notebook: Add notes, highlights, and customize your saved content.
  • Tagging & Organization: Automatic and manual tagging, with support for nested tags.
  • Cross-Platform Sync: Works on desktop and mobile, keeping your knowledge base up to date.
Our Rating
8.2
8.9
Total users
76,543,424
73,229
Total ratings
295,546
95
Average rating
4.2 ⭐
4.1 ⭐
Entry Level PriceFreeFree
Chrome
Chrome Web Store logo
4.5
2.43
290.5K+ ratings
58.0M+Users
Chrome Web Store logo
4.2
4.14
78 ratings
70.0K+Users
Edge
Microsoft Edge Store logo
3.8
3.62
1.5K+ ratings
17.3M+Users
-
Firefox
Mozilla Firefox Add-ons Store logo
4.2
3.73
3.5K+ ratings
1.3M+Users
Mozilla Firefox Add-ons Store logo
3.9
3.94
17 ratings
3.2K+Users
Safari
-
-
Features
8.5

Ad blocking:

The free version blocks annoying advertisements on websites. With the premium version, additional functions such as the blocking of cookie banners or pop-ups can also be activated.

Cookie

Privacy and Security:

AdBlock blocks third-party trackers on every Website and protects your privacy. It also blocking malicious ads with malware, scams, and cryptocurrency miners.

security

Sync & Backup:

With the Premium version, whitelists and user-defined rules can be synchronized across Chrome profiles.

9.2

Recall's range of functions is impressive for a relatively new tool. The AI summary works on a wide range of content, from articles to YouTube videos with a running time of several hours. We particularly liked the personal knowledge base and the way Recall automatically links related content. Spaced Repetition and Active Recall are outstanding features for students. However, some features are still in beta or will be available soon. The functions in the free version are severely limited in the number of users per day, and there is an upper limit for free use.

Performance
8.0

The ad blocker extension generally works without slowing down the browser on most websites. However, recent changes at YouTube have meant that AdBlock has not yet managed to ban ads from YouTube again.

9.0

Retrieval is fast and reliable in most cases. The summary is fast, even with very extreme examples such as a 9-hour news show that we had summarized in our test. Occasionally, we encountered errors or slowdowns, especially when asking further questions about the summarized content via the wizard. The team is actively working on performance improvements and there are regular updates. Overall, the tool feels stable and is suitable for everyday use.

Design
8.5

The user interface is clearly laid out. With the premium version, you can also use functions to make individual adjustments. You're in control of the look, feel, and font size of AdBlock with easy-to-use controls. There is also the Image Swap function, which will still block ads, but it will replace some ads with pretty pictures of cats, dogs, and nature.

9.0

The user interface has a clear and modern design. The focus is on user-friendliness. We found the browser extension intuitive and easy to navigate. The tagging and organization system can be used flexibly, and some users mentioned minor bugs in the user interface, but these were only minimally noticeable in the test.

Value for Money
7.5

The free version offers good value for money. Compared to other competitors, the premium functions may be somewhat more expensive. Some premium functions are offered free of charge by other providers.

8.1

The free tariff is suitable for infrequent users who do not need all the functions, as you will quickly reach the map limit. However, if you want to use the extension on a day-to-day basis, you cannot avoid the
extension. The paid plan is competitively priced, especially with the student discount. We appreciate that some features will remain free forever, and the team is open to feedback on pricing. Compared to alternatives, Recall offers good value for money for those who need advanced knowledge management features, but casual users may find the limitations too restrictive and stop using the extension.

Ease of Use
7.8

Installation is done in one click. However, you are immediately redirected to a website that informs you that payment is required to use it. However, this is only a voluntary donation.
Basic functions are used from this point on. Some settings are set to allow non-intrusive ads and special ads on YouTube, for example. This must first be actively switched off in the settings.

allow ads
8.0

An account is required to use Recall. However, due to the integration with a Google and Apple login, this should be easy for everyone.
Saving and summarizing content is a one-click process that is well explained at the beginning. However, mastering all functions (e.g., nested tags, links, and spatial repetitions) requires some time and some searching, which can lead to many users not being able to exploit the full potential.

Security & Privacy
9.0

Strong privacy protection through the premium feature malware blocking. The privacy policy is transparent without any indication of data being passed on.

9.9

Recall is characterized by its privacy-friendly approach. User data is not used by the extension for advertising, profiling, or AI training. All content is stored securely, and users retain full control over their data. Data can be exported for inspection or deleted at any time. The data protection guidelines are transparent, and support is always available to answer questions about data protection. We were unable to identify any uncertainties during our review.

Conclusion

AdBlock is a reliable tool for blocking basic ads. While it blocks most ads and still protects your privacy by preventing tracking, recent updates have failed to prevent ad videos on YouTube. It's a good choice for anyone looking for a simple and reliable adblock extension.

Recall impressed us with its useful intelligent use of AI and its focus on helping users in their everyday lives, especially when learning. The browser extension makes it easy to capture content, and the revision features with auto-generated questions are a real bonus for learners.

For occasional users, the free version may be enough, but if you want to use the extension, you can't avoid the paid version. The extension is not yet perfect and has small bugs, but the team reacts quickly to these and feedback, and many new functions are currently being introduced.

Overall, Recall is a good choice for anyone looking to do more than just bookmark cards and build a personal knowledge base. If you're tired of forgetting what you've read online and want to save time, it's a must!

Our Recommendation

In our comparison between AdBlock and Recall, Recall came out on top, scoring 8.9.

AdBlock is the most widely used, with over 77 million users and 296k+ reviews, but Recall outperformed it in our review. User reviews reflect our findings.

Notably, AdBlock has the highest user rating in the Chrome Web Store at 4.17, which supports its strong performance in our review.

There are some noticeable differences between these extensions, so it's worth considering your priorities and the details below.


  • Looking for the richest feature set? Recall stands out with a rating of 9.2. On the other hand, AdBlock lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.5.
  • Need top performance? Recall stands out with a rating of 9. On the other hand, AdBlock lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.
  • Design lovers, take note: Recall stands out with a rating of 9. On the other hand, AdBlock lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.5.
  • Want to get the most for your money? Recall stands out with a rating of 8.1. On the other hand, AdBlock lags behind in this area with a rating of 7.5.
  • If you hate complicated tools, Recall stands out with a rating of 8. On the other hand, AdBlock lags behind in this area with a rating of 7.8.
  • With privacy and security becoming ever more important, Recall stands out with a rating of 9.9. On the other hand, AdBlock lags behind in this area with a rating of 9.

If you want a quick recommendation, Recall is our top pick. But as always, the best choice depends on what matters most to you.