GitHub - AdAway/AdAway: AdAway is a free and open source ad blocker for Android.
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AdAway is a free and open source ad blocker for Android. - AdAway/AdAway

I have been using the hosts file based ad blocker AdAway for at least two years. It runs on my smartphones and tablet, all rooted, thus I can run a VPN simultaneously. Since it has always worked flawlessly, I never really took the time to compare it to other similar apps.

But as of today, there hasn’t been an update since 2024.

I am asking for alternatives and the reason you think they’re better.

  • Voxel@feddit.uk
    6·
    5 hours ago

    I would tbh recommend to just switch to DNS-based blocking by changing your DNS provider in the Android settings (“Private DNS”).

    • printf("%s", name);@piefed.blahaj.zoneOPEnglish
      1·
      5 hours ago

      That’s a great idea for the ad blocking, which is what I am writing about in the OP, but I also would like to be able to block specific hosts and IP addresses on a hosts file level, in order to stop system apps from connecting.

      • BluescreenOfDeath@lemmy.worldEnglish
        1·
        4 hours ago

        I’ve used a VPN based ad filter for years.

        It was called dns66, but has been replaced by DNSnet on F-Droid.

        It creates a loopback VPN connection and forwards all traffic through it, when can then be filtered.