Freedom251 › Chrome Extensions
Privacy Badger
What Privacy Badger is
Privacy Badger is a free browser extension for limiting cross-site tracking by advertisers and other third parties. Instead of relying only on a human-maintained list, it learns from tracker behavior and blocks or restricts domains it observes tracking. By default, it sends Global Privacy Control and Do Not Track signals to companies users interact with. It blocks unique tracking cookies while allowing low-entropy cookies used for other functions, and can replace blocked social or other useful widgets with click-to-activate placeholders. The extension detects canvas-based fingerprinting; other fingerprinting detection and first-party protection are described as ongoing projects. It mainly targets third-party tracking, so ads are blocked only when they appear to track users. It also removes outgoing link click tracking on Facebook and Google. EFF says browsing data is not shared unless a user chooses to include it in a broken-site report. Privacy Badger is available on Android and as an extension for major browsers on desktop and mobile devices.
Who it suits
It suits people who want tracker blocking and privacy signals while browsing on supported desktop or mobile browsers. Administrators can use the documented managed-device deployment options.
What it does well
- Learns from observed tracker behavior
- Sends Global Privacy Control and Do Not Track
- Blocks unique tracking cookies
- Detects canvas-based fingerprinting
- Free on Android and major browsers
What to know first
- Not a general ad blocker
- First-party fingerprinting protection remains ongoing
- Safari for macOS support is in progress
- Safari for iOS lacks required extension capabilities
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free browser extension | Free |
As privacybadger.org lists them, read 11 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Verdict
Privacy Badger focuses on behavioral tracking protection rather than broad advertisement removal. Its adaptive blocking, privacy signals and cookie controls are useful, but platform support and some fingerprinting protections remain limited.
Facts from Privacy Badger's own pages
- Ad blocking limit
- Privacy Badger is primarily a privacy tool and does not block ads unless they appear to track users. · privacybadger.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Browser support
- major-browsers · privacybadger.org, 21 Sept 2026
- Browsing data
- EFF says Privacy Badger will not share browsing data unless the user chooses to share it by filing a broken-site report. · privacybadger.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Compatibility limit
- The site says Safari for macOS support is in progress and Safari for iOS appears to lack extension capabilities Privacy Badger needs. · privacybadger.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Cookies
- It blocks unique tracking cookies while allowing low-entropy cookies that serve other functions. · privacybadger.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Device coverage
- desktop-and-mobile · privacybadger.org, 21 Sept 2026
- Fingerprinting
- It detects canvas-based fingerprinting, while detection of other forms and protection against first-party fingerprinting are described as ongoing projects. · privacybadger.org, 11 Oct 2026
- First-party protection
- It primarily protects against third-party tracking and removes outgoing link click tracking on Facebook and Google. · privacybadger.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Founded
- 2014 · privacybadger.org, 28 Sept 2026
- Free plan
- Yes · privacybadger.org, 21 Sept 2026
- Headquarters
- San Francisco, California, USA · privacybadger.org, 28 Sept 2026
- License
- The Privacy Badger source code is licensed under GPLv3+. · privacybadger.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Managed devices
- The site directs administrators to its enterprise deployment and configuration document for managed devices. · privacybadger.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Platforms
- The site links to browser-extension installations for Chrome, Firefox, Firefox for Android, Edge, Edge for Android, Opera, and Brave. · privacybadger.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Privacy signals
- By default, it sends Global Privacy Control and Do Not Track signals to companies users interact with. · privacybadger.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Privacy Badger is a browser extension that blocks advertisers and other third-party trackers that track users across websites. · privacybadger.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Remote updates
- By default, it receives periodic learning updates from EFF’s Badger Sett project, which discovers trackers on popular websites. · privacybadger.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Support
- Users can request help or report bugs by emailing [email protected] or using the GitHub issue tracker. · privacybadger.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Tracking detection
- It learns from tracker behavior and blocks or restricts domains it observes tracking, rather than relying only on a human-curated block list. · privacybadger.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Widget controls
- It can replace blocked social and other potentially useful widgets with click-to-activate placeholders. · privacybadger.org, 11 Oct 2026
Where Privacy Badger stands on Freedom251
- Chrome Extensions#9 of 26
- Edge Extensions#12 of 23
- Browser Extensions#11 of 19
- Ad blockers#30 of 48
- Extensions#16 of 23