Compare Merlin AI and AdGuard AdBlocker: Which Extension is the Best?
AdGuard Adblocker is a browser extension with over 14 million users, designed to block ads, enhance privacy, and protect against online threats. Read our detailed review to see how it performs. | ||
| Key Features A summary of the most important features offered by each extension. |
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| Our Rating Tooltivity's expert review score for each extension, based on hands-on testing and research. | 8.4 | 9.0 Winner in this category |
| Total users Total active users across all major browsers: Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari. | 1,000,000 | 26,844,851 Winner in this category |
| Total ratings Total number of user ratings received across all supported browsers. | 8,802 | 78,338 Winner in this category |
| Average rating Average user rating across all browsers, calculated from available store ratings. | 4.8 ⭐ Winner in this category | 4.3 ⭐ |
| Entry Level Price The minimum price required to start using the extension. "Free" means a free tier is available. | Free | Free |
| Chrome User rating and stats for the extension on Chrome browser. |  4.8 3.24 Average Chrome Web Store rating from the last 100 reviews 1.0M+Users Winner in this category | 4.7 4.19 Average Chrome Web Store rating from the last 100 reviews 14.0M+Users |
| Edge User rating and stats for the extension on Edge browser. | - |  4.8 4.23 Average Microsoft Edge Store rating from the last 100 reviews 11.4M+Users Winner in this category |
| Firefox User rating and stats for the extension on Firefox browser. | - |  4.7 4.44 Average Mozilla Firefox Add-ons Store rating from the last 100 reviews 1.5M+Users Winner in this category |
| Safari User rating and stats for the extension on Safari browser. | - | - |
| Features Tooltivity's expert score for the 'Features' aspect of each extension. | 8.0 Merlin AI offers a variety of features including summarizing, writing, coding, diagramming and more. It supports multiple AI models such as GPT-4, Claude and Gemini and allows users to create custom AI chatbots and knowledge bases. The platform also integrates with the web and files in real time. However, some features, such as PDF summarization, are not as robust as those of specialized tools. It also lacks what we consider to be the important function of direct communication between AI and the current website. In addition, the function of direct communication between AI and the current website, which we consider important, is missing.  | 9.3 Ad Blocker:In our tests, ad banners and ad videos were blocked on all websites, including YouTube and Twitch. Blocked ads also include social media widgets and pop-ups, among other things.  Privacy and Malware Protection:The extension blocks tracking by blocking third-party trackers on all websites and protects your personal data. It also detects and blocks malicious websites and spyware.  CustomizableAdGuard Adblocker offers the option of activating or deactivating all functions yourself. Winner in this category |
| Performance Tooltivity's expert score for the 'Performance' aspect of each extension. | 7.5 Merlin is generally fast and responsive, but it can slow down browsers, especially on older hardware. There are occasional bugs and crashes, though the team releases frequent updates and improvements. | 9.0 A recent user complained in a review that it had YouTube problems that affected the performance and speed of the website. In our test, we did not notice any performance problems. The extension generally works quickly and reliably. There are also regular updates, so the problem may already have been solved. Winner in this category |
| Design Tooltivity's expert score for the 'Design' aspect of each extension. | 9.1 The design has a modern look and feel, with handy keyboard shortcuts and sidebar integration that make navigation easier. That said, the user interface can feel cluttered and overwhelming, especially for new users, and there are inconsistencies between the extension, web, and mobile versions.  | 9.2 The design is very clear and well-organized. The display of the settings is significant for adblockers. Here, great importance has been attached to user-friendliness and highlighting the customizable settings. Winner in this category |
| Value for Money Tooltivity's expert score for the 'Value for Money' aspect of each extension. | 8.2 The free plan is generous for light users, offering a substantial daily quota and access to a wide range of basic features. The Pro plan is competitively priced, especially when compared to the cost of subscribing to multiple separate AI tools, and unlocks unlimited access to all models and advanced features. However, the absence of a free trial for premium features means users must commit before experiencing the full capabilities of Merlin AI. Additionally, some users report that the query system—where different models and features consume varying amounts of daily queries—can be confusing or feel restrictive, particularly for those trying to understand how far their usage will go on each plan. | 9.2 The free browser extension offers numerous functions that worked perfectly in the test. Compared to competitors, you get many functions here that others offer for a fee. Winner in this category |
| Ease of Use Tooltivity's expert score for the 'Ease of Use' aspect of each extension. | 8.5 Getting started with Merlin AI is straightforward—installation is quick, and the onboarding process is simple enough for most users to begin using core features right away. However, the platform’s extensive feature set can be overwhelming at first, leading to a noticeable learning curve as users explore everything it offers. Some users have expressed confusion about how the daily query limits work, how different models are selected or switched, and which features are available on each plan. Occasional bugs and log-in issues can also disrupt the workflow, requiring users to troubleshoot or reach out to support. Overall, while Merlin AI is accessible, mastering its full capabilities may take some time and patience, especially for those new to AI tools. | 9.5 Installation is quick and easy. What impressed us in comparison to other competitors was that AdGuard Adblocker clearly shows which functions it offers and explains them in the introduction, and you can activate them directly if you wish. The extension therefore attaches great importance to ensuring that every user recognizes and uses the options. With competitors, some functions were somewhat hidden in the settings.  Winner in this category |
| Security & Privacy Tooltivity's expert score for the 'Security & Privacy' aspect of each extension. | 9.3 Merlin does not sell user data to third parties and only uses data for core functionality. The privacy policy is transparent, but some users remain concerned about the amount of data collected and the permissions required. Winner in this category | 8.0 Strong privacy protection by preventing tracking. Also features malware detection and blocking, although public complaints could raise concerns. |
| Conclusion A summary of our findings and final thoughts for each extension. | Merlin AI is a powerful and versatile tool that can really boost the productivity of a wide range of users. The integration of multiple AI models and functions into a single extension is ideal for this p However, Merlin is not completely perfect. We encountered occasional bugs, inconsistencies in the user interface and some performance issues. Pricing can also be confusing, and some features are locked behind a paywall.. Overall, Merlin AI is a good choice for anyone looking for an all-in-one AI assistant for the browser - especially if you value having multiple AI models and tools in one place. | AdGuard Adblocker is, in our opinion, a very good ad-blocking tool compared to its competitors, offering a range of features in the free extension that you often have to pay for. In our test, all ads were blocked. Other ad blockers currently fail because of YouTube's advertising videos, but AdGuard currently seems to have this fully under control. Overall, it is the choice for a free browser extension with many features. Finally, we would like to point out that our test is about the browser extension. If you work in different browsers and don't want to install a new extension in each one, or if you work a lot in apps that carry out advertising and tracking, AdGuard Adblocker offers an app for comprehensive security outside the browser. The AdGuard app allows you to block advertising in other apps outside of your web browser, for example, and keep your data secure. Here is an overview of the additional functions:  Currently, you have the opportunity to purchase the app as a lifetime plan. Here you can decide whether the app should be installed on 3 or 9 devices.  |
| Our Recommendation | In our comparison between Merlin AI and AdGuard AdBlocker, AdGuard AdBlocker came out on top, scoring 9. AdGuard AdBlocker is the most widely used, with over 27 million users and 78k+ reviews—and it also delivered the strongest performance in our tests. User reviews for AdGuard AdBlocker reflect our findings, while we rate Merlin AI lower than users do. Notably, Merlin AI has the highest user rating in the Chrome Web Store at 4.80, which is even higher than our rating of 8.4. There are some noticeable differences between these extensions, so it's worth considering your priorities and the details below.
If you want a quick recommendation, AdGuard AdBlocker is our top pick. But as always, the best choice depends on what matters most to you. | |
