Top 3 Best Pop-up Blockers
Are you tired of pesky pop-ups causing mayhem on your devices? Some pop-ups offer great deals, and marketers have a very high conversion rate with them. However, others will be malicious and can cause harm to your devices. The best pop-up blocker will help eliminate pop-ups and reduce the risk of downloading malicious software.
We’re going to cover numerous topics in this article, including:
- Standalone pop-up blockers
- Top 3 pop-up blockers
- Benefits of antivirus software
- FAQs
Standalone Pop-Up Blockers
There are a lot of standalone and free pop-up blockers available in the market but we don’t recommend using them. As per recent studies:
- 450,000 new malware is detected per day
- 350,000 new viruses are found daily
- 3 billion malware exists
- 90% of data breaches are phishing-related
Add in the risk of identity theft and spyware, and it’s clear that everyone needs to up their security.
And don’t think PCs are the only devices at risk.
Recently, there has been a significant rise in attacks against macOS, Android, and iOS devices, too. If you’re not taking a proactive approach to your security and online privacy, you’re leaving yourself open to the risk of damage to your devices, identity theft, trojans, and more.
If you want to run something more substantial, you need a robust blocker. In fact, you need to start using a security suite. We’re going to list three of the best security packages that all include pop-up blockers that will provide you with optimal security.
Top 3 Pop-Up Blockers
1. TotalAV
TotalAV tops our list because it’s free. You can download and begin using this pop-up blocker in minutes, but it offers far more protection than just stopping pop-ups. Plus, as the best pop-up blocker, there’s also a premium version (completely optional) if you want even more protection for your devices.
Features
Total Adblock
If you want to blast away pop-ups and ads that ruin your browsing experience, Total Adblock is one of the best solutions in the world. The solution will sit in the background, running in real-time, to detect and block pesky ads from getting in the way or posing a threat to your online security.
Real-time Protection
Premium users will have access to real-time protection against malware, viruses and other malicious software. Free users will not have access to these features, but they do have access to Ad Block Pro.
There are even spyware removal features to keep your data and usage safe and secure.
Identity Protection
Data breach searches are included to help you identify if your information is ever exposed online. Hackers have massive databases with compromised data. TotalAV will scan these sources to identify any issues you may have and help you stop identity theft from impacting your life.
Pros
Loaded with features
ID protection to protect your identity
Safe VPN built-in
Real-time protection
Cons
Anti-virus and anti-malware scanning
TotalAV is truly a complete security package for your system, but it may offer too many features. If you have a malware or virus scanner running on your device already, it may conflict with TotalAV.
Aside from this minor issue, which happens with all antivirus solutions, TotalAV is genuinely one of the leading security solutions in the world.
While we rank TotalAV as the best pop-up blocker, ScanGuard is another fantastic choice.
2. ScanGuard
ScanGuard makes it on our list as one of the top pop-up blockers and antivirus solutions. While not the best in its class, it is affordable, and that’s what most people that choose this solution want.
If you’re not doing anything too crazy online, ScanGuard works great.
Plus, it comes with Ad Block Pro.
Features
Ad Block Pro
ScanGuard comes with Ad Block Pro, but there’s a catch: it’s a separate purchase. For many users, this is a deal breaker because free pop-up blockers are available. The good news is that the blocker works very well.
In fact, it’s one of the best in the industry.
But you’ll pay more for the ad block feature.
Web Protection
The WebShield security tool will block malicious websites before clicking on them. Hundreds of malicious sites and phishing sites are blocked, so even if a pop-up blocker misses a pop-up, any malicious website will be blocked anyway.
Real-time Protection
The real-time protection is powered by Avira, and it is one of the best antivirus options on the market. You’ll enjoy a robust set of options, such as quick and smart scans, malware scans and other custom options to keep your devices safe.
Pros
Cheap overall prices
Family Protection available
Password vault
Virus and malware scanners
Cons
Ad Block Pro is expensive
Ad Block Pro is an exceptional ad blocker, and the pop-up blocker will keep your devices free of these annoying intrusions. But the blocker is quite expensive, so that’s a general complaint and one of the reasons we recommend TotalAV.
3. PCProtect
PCProtect may be last on our list, but don’t let that dissuade you. This pop-up blocker was developed by the same people behind TotalAV and ScanGuard. So, it’s a natural addition to this list, and its performance is impressive. It’s not perfect, but it’s easy to use.
Features
Ad Block Pro
PCProtect’s Ad Block Pro is actually an extra service for the PCProtect Safe Site browser extension. It works to block:
- Pop-ups
- Ad banners
- Adverts
Ad Block Pro can serve as a pop-up blocker for Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Microsoft Edge. Simply activate the blocker with the click of a button after you purchase the add-on.
Antivirus
PCProtect will do more than just block pop-ups through their browser extension. As an antivirus solution, PCProtect will also check for and remove:
- Viruses
- Malware
- Adware
With PCProtect, you get ongoing monitoring in real-time, with smooth scanning that won’t slow down your PC’s performance.
Firewall and Email Blocker
Along with its robust antivirus solution and pop-up blocker, PCProtect also has a built-in firewall to protect against phishing and potential hackers.
There’s even a built-in email blocker to keep spam and phishing emails out of your inbox.
Web Shield
PCProtect has a Web Shield tool to help block phishing sites and other malicious websites. If you’re using a PC, it will work for all of your browsers automatically.
Pros
Robust solution with antivirus protection and a built-in firewall
Web Shield tool helps protect you from malicious websites
Ad Block Pro blocks adverts and banner ads as well as pop-ups
Cons
Ad Block Pro comes at an additional cost
Base product doesn’t offer pop-up blocking
The base PCProtect product doesn’t seem to offer pop-up blocking, but its Ad Block Pro add-on does. If you’re willing to pay the extra cost, this may be a great opportunity to get comprehensive protection for your PC.
Still, we feel that TotalAV and ScanGuard offer slightly better performance and features, which is why this solution ranks third on our list.
Other Benefits of Antivirus Software
Along with disabling pop-ups, antivirus software offers many other benefits to help protect you while you’re on the web.
These benefits include:
Protection from Viruses and Malware The most obvious benefit of an antivirus is that it offers protection from viruses, malware and other malicious software.An antivirus program can detect viruses and other threats before they have a chance to spread and harm your system.Anti-malware programs can help protect your private data. Hackers use malware to get your login information and other personal data. Typically, they infiltrate systems by sending malicious emails. An antivirus program like PCProtect can block spam and phishing emails like these to help keep your personal information safe.
Blocking Malicious Websites Malicious websites can infect your system with spyware or even ransomware and leave you vulnerable to hackers.Antivirus software can block malicious websites that may put your system and your personal data at risk. Restricting your access to these sites will help you browse the web safely.
Keep Your System Running Optimally Things like spyware, adware and viruses are not only a risk to your system and personal data. They can also bog down your system and make it run slower than usual.Antivirus software will protect against and remove these threats to help keep your system running optimally.
FAQs
Why are pop-ups dangerous?
They can be. Not all pop-ups are malicious. Some allow you to subscribe to newsletters or inform you of a special sale or promotion. However, many can be dangerous and install malware or spyware onto your system. It’s best to avoid clicking on pop-ups unless you know what they are and that they are legitimately from a trusted source.
Why Do Random Pop-Ups Keep Appearing on Chrome?
If you’re being plagued by random pop-ups on Chrome, it’s likely because your browser has been infected with a virus. It could be adware or a browser hijacker that’s infected your browser and causing pop-ups.
Everyone gets pop-ups from time to time, but if it’s a frequent thing and the ads are random, that’s a red flag and a sign that your browser may be infected.
If your Chrome browser has been hijacked, you may also experience:
- Redirects to insecure websites
- A homepage that keeps changing
- Unfamiliar browser extensions
- Permission pop-ups
If your browser has been infected, an antivirus or PC cleaner product can help remove the infection and prevent more pop-ups.
Why Am I Still Getting Pop-Ups When My Pop-Up Blocker is On?
When you install a pop-up blocker, you assume that it will block any and all pop-ups. However, malware is becoming increasingly more advanced and sophisticated. Some malware can work around pop-up blockers and still launch them.
If you’re still getting pop-ups even though you’ve installed and activated a blocker, it may be a sign that your system is infected with malware. Now is a good time to run a scan on your system using an antivirus program and remove all adware, spyware, malware and viruses.
Do Pop-Ups Mean I Have a Virus?
Yes. Technically, adware will cause pop-ups to show on your system and may even be able to circumvent pop-up blockers. Adware is sneaky and well-designed because the author doesn’t want you to know that anything is amiss with your system.
Pop-ups won’t show up when you’re not online, but once you open your browser, adware will detect your activity and start showing pop-ups.
And it can be very difficult to:
- Realize that you have adware
- Not blame the pop-up on the website
One of the reasons that we advocate for people using full security suites to protect their devices is that a standalone pop-up blocker will likely miss the presence of adware. The blocker may hide the pop-ups, but it will not remove the adware, which can run in the background and continue to cause damage.
Can Pop-Ups Cause Viruses?
Yes. But the pop-up needs to have an interaction from you. In most cases, you can click on the “X” on the pop-up and go on with your life. However, these pop-ups are always tricky and try to entice you to click on the ad itself.
This is where pop-ups can be dangerous.
Once you click on the ad, it can start to download a virus, malware or other malicious software. If you already have malware or a virus on your system, it can perform these actions and begin installing the virus. Some form of malware is designed to cause maximum damage.
The maximum damage comes from:
- Adding backdoors to your system to infiltrate it
- Downloading and installing other files
If you need something more than just a pop-up blocker (you do), the list above offers some of the best security packages that include pop-up blocker options. Real-time protection will help you keep your devices and data safe.
