Compare Merlin AI and Stands Adblocker: Which Extension is the Best?
Stands AdBlocker offers a comprehensive ad-blocking solution for Chrome and Edge users, enhancing browsing speed and safety by blocking intrusive ads and potential threats. | ||
| 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 | 8.5 Winner in this category |
| Total users Total active users across all major browsers: Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari. | 1,000,000 | 4,363,886 Winner in this category |
| Total ratings Total number of user ratings received across all supported browsers. | 8,802 | 307,151 Winner in this category |
| Average rating Average user rating across all browsers, calculated from available store ratings. | 4.8 ⭐ Winner in this category | 4.5 ⭐ |
| 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 | 4.8 4.61 Average Chrome Web Store rating from the last 100 reviews 2.0M+Users |
| Edge User rating and stats for the extension on Edge browser. | - |  4.7 4.75 Average Microsoft Edge Store rating from the last 100 reviews 360.0K+Users Winner in this category |
| Firefox User rating and stats for the extension on Firefox browser. | - |  3.8 3.91 Average Mozilla Firefox Add-ons Store rating from the last 100 reviews 3.9K+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.  | 8.5 Stands AdBlocker offers a wide range of features, for everyone. In addition to the basic blocking of all types of advertising, there are also features such as help with online security. In the settings, you can individually define whether only advertising or, for example, all tracking on websites and more should be blocked.  Another interesting function is the option to allow only a certain number of ads on websites. This is called fairness settings. So if you don't want to be flooded with ads, but still want to support the website, this is a good option.  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. | 8.5 The extension runs without any problems. No impairment of browser performance was detected during the test. Ad blocking worked without any problems on various websites during the test. The reviews mention problems with the whitelist, which we did not encounter. 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.  Winner in this category | 8.0 The design is very simple and therefore intuitive to use. The pop-up displays relevant data, such as whether ads are blocked on the website. Overall, the design is designed to be user-friendly without overwhelming the user with information. |
| 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. | 9.5 Stands AdBlocker is free of charge. For this, the extension offers excellent value for money. Users get comprehensive ad blocking features, with individual options to customize these for themselves too. 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. | 9.0 Stands AdBlocker is very easy to set up. Once installed, the basic user doesn't have to do anything else and can start surfing straight away. For the other features, anyone who invests a minute should be able to learn the remaining settings, as these have also been presented very simply to make it possible for everyone to use them. 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 | 7.5 While Stand's AdBlocker increases online security by blocking malicious ads and phishing threats, the data collection that Stand's AdBlocker performs could be a problem for users who place a high value on privacy. |
| 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. | Stands AdBlocker is a very powerful tool for anyone who wants a free way to surf the Internet without constant ads. We can confirm the high ratings in the Web Store. In particular, the simple design and user-friendliness are a major positive point. |
| Our Recommendation | In our comparison between Merlin AI and Stands Adblocker, Stands Adblocker came out on top, scoring 8.5. Stands Adblocker is the most widely used, with over 4 million users and 307k+ reviews—and it also delivered the strongest performance in our tests. User reviews for Stands 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. In the end, the differences between these extensions are minimal, so your choice may come down to personal preference or specific features.
If you want a quick recommendation, Stands Adblocker is our top pick. But as always, the best choice depends on what matters most to you. | |
