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HexDecOctBin
freeAgent
Somewhat ironically, you can install and use the Firefox uBO extension on Orion for iOS. Orion/Kagi figured out how to do it before Firefox/Mozilla.
graynk
except it doesn't work. but you can install it, yes.
I want to like Orion but I've seen the same bugs for a year now.
Aerbil313
I'm using Orion as my daily driver on iOS mainly because of a Safari bug[1]. It used to be very buggy, had frequent app crashes for no reason at all but nowadays (since a year?) works pretty fine, even the UBO plugin works fine.
1: You can long tap and select "Download Linked File" on any link in Safari, including links that are forbidden by Content Restrictions, such as a news.ycombinator.com link from google search. Ping me if a Safari engineer sees this and fixes it!
jeffhuys
It does work tho. Just not consistently lol
eddythompson80
Last I tried Orion was a couple of months ago. I wouldn't really say "figured out" per se. Like I see the vision, I like the vision, but I'm waiting.
freeAgent
I mean that they figured out how to support (most) browser extensions on iOS in their browser, unlike Firefox. They haven’t figured everything out, but I do daily drive Orion on iOS. I still prefer Firefox on desktop due to stability (and Orion’s extension advantage in mobile doesn’t extend to desktop).
toofy
from what i understand orion is overflowing with bugs.
even without the bugs, after everything we’ve been through with crazy shit from closed sourced browser companies, the last thing i’d install would be orion/kagi. lol nuh uh.
not a chance i’d trust an ai company with almost the entirety of my online existence—especially when they close off and hide what they’re doing.
handsclean
Orion is not made by an AI company, it’s made by Kagi.
If you’re an open source or non-profit diehard then yes, it’s not that, but as far as closed source for-profit businesses go, they’re a lot better than most. They are a public benefit corporation that has rejected VC funding, and their main pitch is aligning user and company benefit, despite the mainstream currently railing against it.
I’m not affiliated, just a user.
JumpCrisscross
> from what i understand orion is overflowing with bugs
I use it as a daily driver on macOS. Not noticing the bugs anymore.
int_19h
Vivaldi is closed source as well, yet it's one of the better browsers around.
(and has integrated ad blocker that is "good enough" for all practical purposes)
47282847
Not having any issues at all with Orion on iOS. And yeah like others said Kagi is not “an AI company“?
stranded22
AI company?
I thought Orion is made by Kagi?
rs186
People who install Firefox on iOS is likely a very small number. If I were the project manager of Firefox, and with such limited resources and Google's cash going away any day, I would not put in any work either.
HexDecOctBin
Sure, in which case they shouldn't have released it at all. A substandard product simply reduces the brand value.
rs186
Adblock feature!= Firefox on iOS
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account42
On the contrary, caring about their "brand" more than the actual Firefox software effectively describes what is wrong with Mozilla.
iOS "Firefox" shouldn't be a thing in the first place - definitely not with such a misleading name.
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neuroelectron
Apple really isn't that important.
jen729w
1Blocker has worked tremendously well for me for what feels like a decade now.
https://apps.apple.com/au/app/1blocker-ad-blocker/id13655310...
xnx
Look like that costs money though?
gruez
It's absolutely bonkers that an adblocker needs to cost $15/year, when the actual filter lists are maintained by volunteers and there's (presumably) very little in the way of code changes needed.
GeekyBear
If you don't dont see any additional value, then chose choose one of the free ad blocking options.
One of the nice things for developers working in the Apple ecosystem is that users are willing to support well crafted software.
Although, sometimes you do run into developers as selfless as Gorhill who still craft excellent software.
el_benhameen
I dunno, I’m not a fan of paying for wrappers but I get a lot from 1Blocker and I’m happy to pay for it. As far as I know it’s just one dude who builds the app, and he spends a lot of time keeping it working in the face of YouTube tactics, etc.
ctippett
I use 1Blocker and I'm on a grandfathered plan that's $5 per year. It's absolutely worth it (even at $15).
dylan604
Having the lists freely available is only part of the battle for the end user. There are different ways of using that free data, and that takes time to develop. A good blocker can also do more than just utilize that free data as well
lupusreal
Charging money fits iOS user culture though. They might even have fewer users if it was free.
browningstreet
Yup and it works on my family plan. No brainer. It’s a set-it and forget-it install. Recommended.
phire
The free functionality works well enough for me that I never saw the need to look further (until now).
You can only enable one filter list, but "Ads" is a single filter list, so I just enabled that. Just means I can't enable the "Trackers" (though safari has some built in tracker blocking) or "Annoyances" lists, or add Custom rules.
Though, it's going to be a deal-breaker for anyone outside of the English speaking world, because the regional filters count as a second list.
internet2000
It’s okay, you can afford it.
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azretd
I have used Wipr for years, and now Wipr 2. Worth the small amount to keep intrusive ads, and it is cross platform.
VignuB
One of the better install and forget it content blocker. The cherry on the top of the cake is that the developer is pretty responsive too.
wao0uuno
Yeah Wiper 2 works really well but it slows down my iPhone 12 considerably. I guess there’s not enough ram for all these filters. Still faster than AdGuard.
walterbell
Seconded. Small one-time license fee per major version.
daakus
Mostly using Wipr 2. Brave works very well but Safari seemed maybe slightly snappier (I know the browser engine is the same). Tried this but seems like it blocked less than Wipr 2 in a quick spot check.
sandstrom
On this topic, I have to recommend Hush! It is an excellent free, open-source and well-maintained app for iOS.
junaru
iOS Safari 18.5, installed and enabled in both normal and private modes.
Opened a private tab and navigated to youtube.com - got cookie consent regardless.
Closed every app, restarted safari fully - same results. Same on google maps.
Uninstalled.
gaws
I had the same experience and wouldn't recommend Hush.
Marsymars
> On this topic, I have to recommend Hush! It is an excellent free, open-source and well-maintained app for iOS.
Is it? I don’t see any maintainer activity is the past six months.
whstl
It used to be nice but it breaks too many websites lately for me, unfortunately.
elektor
Is this any better than AdGuard?
I’ve heard it’s best to avoid running both but unsure whether this version of uBlock is worth it.
soraminazuki
gorhill has proven his integrity time and time again, and that's hard to beat. He works on uBO because he believes in it and not for profit. It's the one thing that I would value, especially in an ad blocker. This isn't to say that there's anything wrong with AdGuard though.
SOLAR_FIELDS
Yeah honestly unless the developer can demonstrate that they don't allow ads through from who pay them to be allowed, pretty much no adblocker is going to be fully trustworthy. There will always be an incentive, if the adblocker is popular enough, for the dev to take money from an advertiser to bypass the block.
If I did have to trust any adblocker though, it would be gorhill's.
vehemenz
Adguard works better right now, at least for my purposes.
I'm not sure why, but uBO Lite randomly stops working at times. I've had to fire up the test page (https://ublockorigin.github.io/uBOL-home/tests/test-filters....) many times after enabling experimental filters, but it just doesn't seem to "stick."
Squarex
uBlock is open source. Some people might object AdGuard Russian foundation, but they have distanced themselves from the conflict and employ people in Ukraine.
slowmotiony
Adguard is Russian? Thanks, just cancelled my subscription.
subjectsigma
So I did some research into this and it’s complicated. Seems as though the founder is Russian, the business is registered in Cyprus and is under EU jurisdiction, and the team is all over the world with the majority based in Russia.
Relevant post on the topic: https://www.reddit.com/r/Adguard/comments/1lgxza0/seeking_cl...
That’s enough for me to not use Adguard, but wanted to clarify so others can make their own decision
plutokras
I have no complaints about AdGuard, but I will switch to this. uBlock is the best ad blocker across platforms, and gorhill is a legend.
gruez
It's worse IMO because it doesn't allow for custom rules, which AdGuard does.
65
I've been using Ad Block Pro without any problems.
temp0826
I like that I can use uBlock Origin in Orion on iOS but interacting with any addon in it feels finicky, so I keep it at a pretty minimal level (compared to how aggressively I block on desktop, anyways). Anything else is definitely welcome though so looking forward to it.
HelloUsername
Previous discussion on 13-may-2025:
arthurtully
AdGuard on iOS has worked for me for years in it's free form. It's script based so works like uBlock Origin on desktop.
leokennis
Liking AdGuard too. Both their DNS offering (basically a Pi-Hole in the cloud), and their iOS content blocker. Especially because I can subscribe to third party blocklists like HaGeZi, and AdGuard will load/transform them into Apple's custom content filtering syntax.
dawnerd
I ended up just paying for it due to how much I use it. Their dns is also great at blocking I’m app ads.
inquirerGeneral
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wao0uuno
It’s fast but doesn’t block all ads for me.
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It's a shame Firefox on iOS has failed/refused to support third-party content filters [1] since 2019. Just because they can't bring Gecko doesn't mean they shouldn't try to gain mindshare for the Mozilla Firefox brand on one of the biggest platforms, yet they refuse to put in the resources.
1: https://github.com/mozilla-mobile/firefox-ios/issues/5198