October 28, 2025
No ads, full drama
uBlock Origin Lite Apple App Store
Free ad blocker hits iPhone & iPad—fans cheer, Wipr loyalists clap back, Safari quirks confuse
TLDR: uBlock Origin Lite, a free ad blocker, just landed on Apple’s App Store for iPhone and iPad. The crowd cheers privacy and speed, while debates rage over Safari’s mini-browser blind spot, permission hassles, Wipr loyalists vs free fans, and whether the listing is truly official.
uBlock Origin Lite just slid into Apple’s App Store and the crowd went loud. Early reviewers are popping confetti: “Finally on iPad!” with glowing notes about fixed battery drain and the no data collected promise in the privacy policy. It’s a free ad-and-tracker blocker using popular filter lists like EasyList and EasyPrivacy, though some wish they could add custom lists.
Then the plot twist: Apple’s own rules rain on the parade. One standout gripe says Safari’s newer extension system doesn’t work inside those mini-browsers embedded in apps (think “Open in Safari” views inside social apps), meaning your blocker takes a break exactly when you wanted it. Cue groans.
Enter the rivalry: fans of paid rival Wipr 2 flex that they already had it—and it’s “worth the price,” sparking a free-vs-paid showdown in the comments. Meanwhile, a user fumbles with permissions, saying they must grant “full access” just to temporarily turn the blocker off on a site, which sets off a mini panic about toggles and trust.
And because it’s the internet, skepticism shows up: one commenter couldn’t find the listing on GitHub and asked if this release is legit. The App Store lists uBlock’s creator, Raymond Hill, but the doubt adds spice. Thread historians even dropped past threads for receipts. Verdict: big win, with bonus drama.
Key Points
- •uBlock Origin Lite (uBOL) is an efficient, declarative content blocker available on the Apple App Store.
- •Its default ruleset matches uBlock Origin’s default filterset, including EasyList, EasyPrivacy, and Peter Lowe’s list.
- •Additional rulesets can be enabled via the options page accessed through the Cogs icon in the popup.
- •uBOL’s filtering is handled by the browser; the extension’s service worker runs only during user interaction, reducing resource use.
- •Version 2025.1019.1656 adds automatic selection for newly allowed hosts and updates filter lists; the developer states no data is collected.