Ads can be a nuisance. Try to watch a YouTube or Amazon video and you have to endure an ad first.
Equally, visit almost any webpage and you’ll be faced with adverts.
It’s not surprising, with approximately 5 billion internet users in the world any advert can attract additional consumers.
It’s an easy and relatively cheap way for companies to boost brand awareness and potentially improve their bottom line.
That doesn’t stop it from being frustrating, which is why many people turn to ad blockers.
You may be surprised by some of the following ad blockers usage statistics and demographics.
Key Statistics
- 42.7% of internet users use an ad blocker
- 46.2% of 16-24 year olds use ad blockers
- Ad Blockers are more popular on desktops than mobile devices
- In 2015 ad blockers cost publishers $21.8 billion
- More people install ad blockers because there are too many ads versus ads being annoying
- 30% of ad blockers had the blocker installed by someone else
- 41% of people said a well-placed ad creates positive brand perception
- 63% of US internet users feel negatively about ads in videos
Ad Blockers Usage Statistics & Demographics in 2025
1. 42.7% of Internet Users Use an Ad Blocker
A Hootsuite survey revealed ad blockers are used by over 40% of the population.
The average across the globe was 42.7% although it varied slightly by country.
Interestingly, just 3 countries had less than 25% of people using ad blockers. Those countries were Japan, Morocco, and Ghana.
Indonesia rates the highest with 56.8% of users using ad blockers.
It was followed by India with 50.7% of people blocking ads. In the US 38% of people use ad blockers.
Men appear to use ad blockers more than women and it seems to be most popular in the younger generation, specifically those under 40.
(Hootsuite)
2. 46.2% of 16-24 Year Olds Use Ad Blockers
A survey completed in 2021 showed that just 5.3% of those under age 11 use ad blockers. At the other end of the scale, 15.6% of people over 65 used them.
By far the most popular users of ad blockers are the 16-24-year-old range where 46.2% of people are blocking ads.
Interestingly, the percentage of people using ad blockers drops steadily as people age. This trend appears to be fairly consistent regardless of location.
(eMarketer)
3. Ad Blockers Are More Popular on Desktops than Mobile Devices
People are increasingly accessing the internet via mobile devices. Since 2022 56% of access is believed to be via mobile devices and 42% via desktops.
That makes it surprising that more ad blockers are used with desktop computers than with mobile devices!
A survey performed in the first quarter of 2021 showed that 60% of 18-24-year-olds used ad blockers on desktops, just 18% used them on smartphones.
Equally, 44% of people over 55 used ad blockers with their desktop, but only 25% with their smartphone.
Even those aged between 25-34 felt the same. 47% used ad blockers with a desktop, just 34% on their mobile device.
The result was roughly the same for 35-54-year-olds.
(statista)
4. In 2015 Ad Blockers Cost Publishers $21.8 Billion
Over the last 20 years the internet has become significantly faster and easier to use. Younger internet users today don’t remember the days of dial-up.
They certainly couldn’t imagine having to wait for a page to load.
In short, they expect a smooth and fast experience. If they don’t get it they will move onto a different site.
The same is true if they are bombarded with adverts or they receive them too soon after reaching a page. It interrupts the experience.
Unfortunately, one bad interruption can prompt many people to install ad blockers. This prevents anyone from displaying their adverts and costs every online publisher money. It’s estimated that this approach has cost publishers an impressive $21.8 billion in most sales in 2015 alone!
(Adobe)
5. More People Install Ad Blockers Because There Are Too Many Ads versus Ads Being Annoying
Internet users are not stupid, they understand that advertising is the backbone of all businesses and the internet is a perfect place for everyone to advertise their services.
People expect to see adverts and, even if they are annoying, they will tolerate them.
Only 48% of people will install an ad blocker because they have had enough of annoying ads.
A much larger percentage, 63% of people, will install an ad blocker because they are receiving too many ads.
Getting the balance right is critical. That means every website owner needs to appreciate less is more and only allow ads that are likely to be useful to their consumers.
It will bring more business to your site.
(Pagefair and Adobe)
6. 30% of Ad Blockers Had the Blocker Installed by Someone Else
There are several reasons to use ad blockers, but in some cases the user isn’t the one that has installed it! According to a survey, 30% of people using ad blockers didn’t install it themself.
This can be due to their privacy settings. The browser they have chosen may even default to ad blocking.
Of course, there are also those that don’t know how to install an ad blocker so ask a friend or family member to do it for them.
The good news for publishers is that this group can be persuaded to turn off their ad blockers. You need to tell them why it’s a good idea and give them easy-to-follow instructions.
(Adobe)
7. 41% of People Said a Well-Placed Ad Creates a Positive Brand Perception
A 2020 study by Statista revealed ad placement is critical. 41% of respondents felt that a relevant ad, running next to related content, was a good thing.
It was felt this reflected the website’s knowledge of the industry and willingness to look after customers.
This positive brand perception encourages more consumers to the site, making it highly likely that sales figures will increase.
(Statista)
8. 63% of US Internet Users Feel Negatively About Ads in Videos
The same 2020 Statista survey showed that people were more receptive to ads on websites than they were to ads in videos.
It showed 63% of people had negative attitudes toward ads in videos, only 47% said the same about website ads.
These figures are likely a reflection of different approaches to internet content. Videos are often short and easy to absorb, allowing someone to see them anywhere at almost any time.
Adding ads increases the time the video takes to play and reduces the quality of the experience.
(Statista)
What Are Ad Blockers?
An ad blocker is a filter that can be added to any device capable of connecting to the internet.
They most commonly appear as browser extensions and may even be automatically installed on your device, all you have to do is activate it.
Each ad blocker has a filter list programmed into it.
The ad blocker will scan any website you visit and look for scripts that match the ones in their list. If they find them they block that part of the page from appearing.
Some ad blockers simply remove that piece of the page, leaving a white area.
Others will replace the content with something else. In both cases you won’t see the annoying ads.
The main aim is to block pop-ups, banner ads, auto-playing videos, and sticky ads.
Most Common Reasons To Use Ad Blockers
There are many reasons to use ad blockers, ranging from the ads being annoying to there simply being too many of them.
It’s important web publishers understand the reasons, it can help to improve ad placement in the future.
According to an AudienceProject survey, 71% of respondents used ad blockers because ‘websites are more manageable without banners’.
Alongside this, 46% wanted to avoid irrelevant messages, 44% felt an ad blocker would stop sites from tracking their behavior, and 41% felt the ad blocker would help pages load faster.
A small percentage of people, just 19%, felt ad blockers would reduce their data consumption.
What is apparent is that ad blockers are predominantly used to avoid annoying and excessive quantities of adverts. Again, this illustrates why web publishers need to adopt a ‘less is more’ attitude.
FAQs
How Do I Know if I’m Using an Ad Blocker?
The most obvious sign that you’re using an ad blocker is that you don’t see pop-up adverts and banners on web pages.
You may also get a message telling you to turn off your ad blocker.
This tells you one is installed and being used.
Of course, if you’ve installed an ad blocker or had someone do it for you then you have one.
Can I Turn Off the Ad Blocker?
Yes, anyone can turn off an ad blocker, but you’ll then receive all the ads on every page you load.
Of course, sometimes you need to turn it off for a page to load properly.
If you’re using a browser-based ad blocker you can open a web browser.
In the top right of your screen you’ll see three dots arranged vertically.
Click these and you’ll be able to select ‘settings’. You can then navigate through ‘privacy and security’ to site settings.
The ad blocker is in the additional content settings, under ads. You’ll see an option to turn it on or off.
Can I Choose Not to Block Certain Sites?
This is a very popular approach and surprisingly easy to do. You’ll need to open the page you want to allow ads on.
At the top of the page will be the URL, that’s the website address. To the left of this, you’ll see a padlock or small ‘i’. Select this.
You should see a list of options, one of which shows ‘ads’. Next to this will be several options, you can toggle between them.
Choose the one that says ‘always allow on this site’.
You can then refresh the web page and ads will show. This will happen every time you load the page in future.
Turning the ad blocker back on means repeating the above but selecting the block option.
Are Ad Blockers Legal?
There is no law against using an ad blocker. After all, you have the right to control the content you see.
Of course, you can’t interfere with how a site is run or any copyrighted material, but a good ad blocker won’t break any laws, helping you enjoy your internet experience.
Summing Up
As this look into ad blockers usage statistics and demographics shows, ad blockers are becoming increasingly common as the number of adverts on the internet multiplies.
The truth is online ads are an essential part of brand awareness and staying competitive.
As a business, you need to focus on making fewer ads but ensuring their quality is high.
Consumers need to consider how reliant businesses are on advertising and consider carefully before implementing ad blockers.
If the right balance is found ad blockers won’t be necessary.
Sadly, this is unlikely to be the case in the near future, you’ll probably want to turn your ad blocker on today.