10 Privacy Browser Extensions Everyone Should Use

Your browser reveals more about you than you might think — every site you visit can see your IP address, set tracking cookies, run fingerprinting scripts, and follow you across the web with third-party trackers. The good news is that a handful of free, open-source browser extensions can dramatically reduce your digital footprint with minimal effort. Here are ten privacy-focused extensions worth installing today.

1. uBlock Origin — The Gold Standard of Content Blocking

uBlock Origin is widely regarded as the most efficient content blocker available. Developed by Raymond Hill, it blocks ads, trackers, and malicious domains using a fraction of the memory that similar blockers consume. It’s open source, regularly updated, and available for Firefox, Chrome, Edge, and Opera.

• Lightweight: Uses significantly less CPU and memory than alternatives.
• Highly configurable: Choose from dozens of filter lists, or create your own rules.
• Privacy-first: No data collection, no analytics, no “acceptable ads” programme.

On Firefox, uBlock Origin retains its full power under Manifest V2. Chrome users can still install it, though Manifest V3 imposes some limitations. For a lighter alternative on Chromium browsers, try uBlock Origin Lite.

github.com/gorhill/uBlock — free and open source (GPL-3.0).

2. Privacy Badger — Automatic Tracker Blocking by the EFF

Privacy Badger, built by the Electronic Frontier Foundation, learns as you browse. It watches which domains track you across multiple sites and automatically blocks them — no manual configuration required.

• No filter lists needed: Privacy Badger adapts to your browsing habits and blocks whatever it sees tracking you.
• Do Not Track signal: Sends DNT headers and respects them where possible.
• Transparent: Shows you exactly which trackers it’s found on each site.

It works alongside uBlock Origin without conflict — Privacy Badger handles behavioural tracking while uBlock Origin handles ads and known malicious domains.

privacybadger.org — free and open source (GPL-3.0).

3. NoScript — Block Scripts Until You Trust the Source

NoScript takes a stricter approach: by default, it blocks all JavaScript, Java, Flash, and other active content. You decide which sites to trust, and only those sites can run scripts. This eliminates entire categories of browser-based attacks.

• Default-deny: Everything is blocked until you explicitly allow it.
• Anti-XSS protection: Built-in defence against cross-site scripting attacks.
• Application Boundaries Enforcer: Prevents clickjacking and other UI redressing attacks.

NoScript is most effective for Firefox users, where it has the deepest integration. The learning curve is real, but once you’ve set up your trusted sites, it runs quietly in the background.

noscript.net — free and open source (GPL-2.0).

4. ClearURLs — Strip Tracking From Every Link

Every time you click a link from a search engine, social media site, or email service, tracking parameters are appended to the URL. ClearURLs automatically detects and removes these parameters before your browser sends the request.

• Supports hundreds of trackers: Regular expressions for known tracking parameters from Google, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, and more.
• No data collection: The extension never phones home or sends your browsing data anywhere.
• Open source: The rule set is community-maintained and auditable.

Install it and forget it — ClearURLs works silently, cleaning every URL your browser loads. It’s available for Firefox, Chrome, and Edge.

clearurls.xyz — free and open source (LGPL-3.0).

5. Decentraleyes — Cut Off CDN Tracking

Many websites load common JavaScript libraries (jQuery, Angular, Font Awesome) from CDNs. Each CDN request tells the provider which sites you visit. Decentraleyes serves local copies of these libraries from your own computer, eliminating the need for CDN requests entirely.

• Local resource serving: Over 400 common library versions bundled with the extension.
• Reduces external requests: Fewer CDN calls means faster page loads and less tracking.
• Privacy-by-design: No configuration needed — it just works.

Keep in mind that Decentraleyes covers only a finite set of CDN libraries. For comprehensive CDN blocking, pair it with uBlock Origin’s built-in blocking lists.

decentraleyes.org — free and open source (MPL-2.0).

6. DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials — All-in-One Privacy Dashboard

DuckDuckGo’s browser extension gives every site a privacy grade from A to F based on trackers, encryption, and privacy practices. It also blocks third-party trackers, forces encryption where possible, and includes the company’s email protection feature.

• Privacy grades: See at a glance how each site treats your data.
• Global privacy control: Automatically opts you out of data sharing on supported sites.
• Email protection: Generate @duck.com aliases that strip trackers before forwarding to your real inbox.

The privacy grades can be educational — they make you aware of just how many trackers are embedded in everyday websites.

duckduckgo.com/app — free, based on open-source components.

7. HTTPS Everywhere — Always Use Encrypted Connections

Originally developed by the EFF and Tor Project, HTTPS Everywhere rewrites every link you click to use HTTPS instead of HTTP, ensuring your connection is encrypted. While modern browsers now default to HTTPS, the extension still catches edge cases and legacy sites that don’t redirect automatically.

• Rules-based: Thousands of predefined rules for sites that support HTTPS but don’t enforce it.
• Blocks unencrypted requests: Upgrades any HTTP link to HTTPS before the request is sent.
• Open source: Rules are community-maintained and transparent.

Note that Firefox and Chrome now include HTTPS-First mode, which may make this extension redundant for most users. Still, for extra assurance, it’s a solid addition.

eff.org/https-everywhere — free and open source (GPL-2.0).

8. Cookie AutoDelete — Automatic Cookie Cleanup

When you close a browser tab, Cookie AutoDelete removes the cookies associated with that site. This prevents companies from using persistent cookies to track you across sessions. You can whitelist sites where you want to stay logged in.

• Automatic cleanup: Deletes cookies, localStorage, and IndexedDB data as soon as a tab closes.
• Greylisting: Temporarily keeps cookies for sites you visit regularly, then cleans them after a period of inactivity.
• Visual indicators: A coloured icon shows which sites have been cleaned.

Pair this with a password manager like Bitwarden, and you can afford to be ruthless with cookie deletion — you’ll never lose access to your accounts.

github.com/Cookie-AutoDelete/Cookie-AutoDelete — free and open source (GPL-3.0).

9. Bitwarden — Open Source Password Manager

Using the same password across multiple sites is one of the biggest privacy risks. Bitwarden is a fully open-source password manager that generates, stores, and autofills strong, unique passwords for every site you visit. It works as a browser extension on all major platforms.

• Open source: The entire codebase is publicly auditable.
• End-to-end encrypted: Your vault is encrypted before it leaves your device.
• Self-hostable: You can run your own Bitwarden server with Vaultwarden for complete control.

A password manager is arguably the single most impactful privacy tool you can use — it eliminates password reuse without requiring you to remember dozens of complex passwords.

bitwarden.com — free and open source (GPL-3.0).

10. CanvasBlocker — Defeat Browser Fingerprinting

Canvas fingerprinting uses the HTML5 Canvas API to create a unique identifier for your browser, which can track you even without cookies. CanvasBlocker blocks or spoofs these fingerprinting attempts, making your browser look different each time a site tries to fingerprint it.

• Canvas API protection: Blocks or fakes canvas fingerprinting requests.
• WebGL and AudioContext: Also protects against WebGL and audio fingerprinting.
• Per-domain settings: Choose whether to block, fake, or allow fingerprinting on each site.

CanvasBlocker is most effective on Firefox, where the extension API provides the deep hooks needed to intercept these low-level APIs. Chromium’s extension model limits its effectiveness there.

github.com/kkapsner/CanvasBlocker — free and open source (MIT).

The Bottom Line

You don’t need to install all ten at once — that would risk browser slowdowns and compatibility quirks. Start with uBlock Origin and Privacy Badger as your baseline, then add ClearURLs and a password manager for everyday protection. If you’re willing to trade some convenience for maximum security, add NoScript and CanvasBlocker to the mix.

Remember that the best privacy extension is a privacy-respecting browser. Firefox and Brave both include strong built-in protections that complement these extensions nicely.

Looking for more free and open-source software? Browse our full directory for hundreds of tools across every category.