Pricing and Features

Ghostery is a free extension tool offered for web browsers, specifically Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, Safari, and Microsoft Edge. If you want to employ the tool into your mobile device, you can download the mobile browser, or an extension for Firefox mobile browser from the Google Playstore, Amazon App Store, or the Apple App Store.

As stated earlier, using the extension tool doesn’t take much time and effort. Upon completing the installation process on your browser of choice, the tool automatically counts the trackers following you on a certain page, and gives you the full list with the choice to block them. You can find the tracker’s details in the list, so you can choose wisely when taking an action for each one of them. Now, do take note, Ghostery does not automatically block these trackers for you, so you will have to choose which ones to block and which ones to leave alone on your own. This is a bit inconvenient, especially if you are faced with a whole boatload of trackers. Thankfully, you can also block by category or by website to save time.

The tool can effectively block ads while giving you a finer range of control, so you can configure ads that are present on a page. If you want to support a website by showing non-obtrusive ads, you can do so by unblocking it from the tool’s list, while you can absolutely do away with flashy banners and pop-ups. One last feature that Ghostery offers is the ability to still access content and functionality despite blocking some elements on a certain web page. For example, social media buttons, commenting systems, and video and sound widgets are present in the page via the tool’s click-to-play functionality. Bear in mind though, that some of these elements may have trackers embedded in them, so you should still be wary when enabling them. Still, having this option shows Ghostery’s flexibility and user-friendliness, and it is nice knowing that you have the choice to do so whenever you need or want to.

The Ghostery extension and mobile browsers have been acquired by Cliqz, a German company that builds ground-breaking browser technologies to make the internet more private and easier to use. Ghostery proudly joins this state-of-the-art browser and the rest of the Cliqz product suite to set a new standard in privacy protection.

Customer Service

Ghostery has a meaty help center that contains topics such as usage and function discussions of the extension. You can also find a FAQ section both for web browsers and mobile versions of the tool. If you want to reach their support team, you can send a request ticket, and a representative will respond to you shortly. They also have an email and phone line for faster communication. Lastly, Ghostery is also present in social media, specifically in Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn, so you can follow their accounts to receive the latest news and updates.

Knowledge is Power

While it may be tempting to just lock all of the trackers away from your web sessions, it is also important to know what they are and where they are coming from, so you can make an informed decision when choosing which to block or not. Ghostery does a fine job of educating its users on the different trackers that it detects on websites, so you can fully understand their purpose before taking an action. You can check which specific company these trackers are coming from, and if you want a certain website to get to know your surfing habits, then you can let them freely collect data —  with your consent, of course. Getting to know these elements can give way to a smarter surfing session, and Ghostery should be applauded for doing this.

What's the Verdict on Ghostery?

Worth It, Some Issues

Ghostery Review 2020 – Conclusion

While Ghostery can do better by setting automatic tracker blocking by default, it certainly does not fall short in its promise of privacy in an online setting. It can effectively stop and block trackers and unwanted ads, offers a fast and painless installation and usage, and gives users control over their digital experience. Moreover, it goes beyond simple ad blocking by educating individuals about the trackers present in the current page, feeding them with information in the process. Keep your valuable online data to yourself with Ghostery, and you won’t have to worry about being tracked by companies and receiving targeted ads whenever you surf the web.