0xCUB3 / wBlock

wBlock **The end of Safari ad-blocking B.S.** A Safari content blocker for macOS, iOS, and iPadOS. 750,000 rules across 5 extensions, Protocol Buffer storage, LZ4 compression, iCloud sync. > [!NOTE] > **Looking for a detailed comparison?** Check out my comparison guide to see how wBlock stacks up against other Safari content blockers. Features Performance • **750,000 rule capacity** across 5 Safari content blocking extensions per platform (150k each) • **~40 MB RAM** at idle — Safari's native content blocking API runs rules out-of-process • **Protocol Buffers + LZ4** for filter storage; streaming I/O keeps memory low during compilation • **HTTP conditional requests** (If-Modified-Since/ETag) so updates only download what changed • **iCloud sync** for filter selections, custom lists, userscripts, and whitelist across devices Content modification • **Element Zapper** (macOS, iOS, iPadOS, visionOS) — visually select and hide page elements in Safari • **Userscript engine** with Greasemonkey API (GM_getValue, GM_setValue, GM_xmlhttpRequest) • **Custom filter lists** via URL, paste, or file import — supports any AdGuard-syntax blocklist • **Toolbar search** for quickly finding filters and userscripts • **Automatic rule distribution** across all 5 content blocker slots for maximum coverage Blocking • **Network request blocking** — ads, trackers, cookie banners, annoyances • **CSS injection** for cosmetic filtering and element hiding • **Script blocking** for unwanted JavaScript • **Pop-up and redirect prevention** Configuration • **Auto-updates** from every hour to every 7 days, or manual — with background refresh on iOS • **Per-site controls** — disable blocking on specific sites from the Safari toolbar • **Blocked request logger** (macOS) — see what's being blocked on each page • **Whitelist** for trusted domains • **Regional filters** with auto-detection based on your locale • **Homebrew cask** for macOS: --- Screenshots Userscript Management Manage paywalls, YouTube Dislikes, and more Settings & Customization Configure auto-updates, notifications, and preferences iOS Interface Full-featured blocking on iPhone and iPad --- Technical Implementation **Core Architecture** • Protocol Buffers (libprotobuf) with LZ4 compression for filter serialization • Asynchronous I/O with Swift concurrency (async/await, Task, Actor isolation) • Streaming serialization to disk minimizes peak memory usage during compilation • 5 Safari content blocking extensions per platform (maximum Safari API capacity) • SafariServices framework integration for declarative content blocking **Dependencies & Standards** • SafariConverterLib v4.2.1 for AdGuard to Safari rule conversion • AdGuard Scriptlets v2.2.16 for advanced blocking techniques • Swift 5.9+ with strict concurrency checking enabled • WCAG 2.1 AA compliance with full VoiceOver and Dynamic Type support • SwiftProtobuf for cross-platform filter storage format --- Support Development wBlock is free and open source. If you want to support the project: --- FAQ How does wBlock compare to other ad blockers? Check out our comparison guide vs uBlock Origin Lite, AdGuard, and Wipr. Can I use my own filter lists? Yes. You can add any AdGuard-compatible filter list by URL, paste rules directly, or import from a file. Does wBlock slow down Safari? No. wBlock uses Safari's native declarative content blocking API, which processes rules in a separate process. Memory overhead is ~40 MB at idle with no measurable impact on page load times. Do userscripts work on iOS? Yes. The userscript engine implements the Greasemonkey API (GM_getValue, GM_setValue, GM_xmlhttpRequest, GM_addStyle) on both iOS and macOS via Safari Web Extensions. How often do filters update? Auto-update intervals are configurable from 1 hour to 7 days, or manually triggered. Updates use HTTP conditional requests (If-Modified-Since/ETag headers) to minimize bandwidth usage. Is the element zapper available on iOS? Yes. Open the wBlock extension popup in Safari and tap Activate Element Zapper . --- Credits **@arjpar** · **@ameshkov** · **@shindgewongxj** Star History Developed by 0xCUB3