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Comment by mirimir | Hacker News Reader

Hey, there are no ad blockers for apps, right? Messing with other apps is a ToS violation for both Google and Apple, as I recall.

Edit: OK, you can. But not with other apps from the official stores.

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There are. Google doesn't allow apps that block ads in other apps on play store (anymore, they were on play store some years ago), but you can always just download and install them manually on android.

NetGuard is on Google's store, and (at least in pro version) you could use it to monitor and block individual addresses any app wants to access. It's a bit involved, though I recommend at least the basic functionality: the ability to selectively allow and deny access to Wi-Fi/mobile connection for apps. I don't run any ad-filtering for apps, but I disabled networking for any app that IMO shouldn't use it, and I'm surprised by which apps suddenly start popping up in NetGuard's notifications (especially when I'm not using them).

I use Adaway on Android; it's hosts file based and reasonably effective. It isn't in the Play store and requires root, so it's not exactly aimed at a mainstream audience.

That's the greatest and most underrated opportunity for F-Droid.

On both, you can block the ads at the DNS level. Not quite as effective, but still workable.

What apps do you use? Or do you mean using pihole or whatever?

Edit: OK, I see. Adguard, for example.

Blokada DNS works reasonably well.

You can with Adguard

Thanks for this, installing this on both me and my wife's phones.

But it's not available from Google or Apple stores.

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