Are you tired of constant interruptions and annoying ads while watching your favorite streamers on Twitch? Want to enjoy an ad-free streaming experience? In this guide, I‘ll show you the most effective ways to block Twitch ads in 2023.
With over 30 million daily active users, Twitch has become the #1 online platform for gamers, vloggers, and creatives to live stream content.
But the cost of Twitch’s free services is forced ad views. According to statistics from StreamElements, the average Twitch viewer gets hit with 4.6 ads per hour. Over 90% of users find in-stream video ads extremely intrusive.
Fortunately, blocking Twitch ads is easy with the right tools. I’ll share expert techniques that I’ve used extensively as an online privacy advocate to banish ads for good.
Here’s what we’ll cover:
- Types of annoying Twitch ads and why blocking them improves streaming
- Step-by-step guide to removing ads using adblockers, VPNs, and other methods
- Pros and cons comparison to pick the best adblock solution for your needs
- Extra tips from my experience for flawless ad-free Twitch streaming
Let’s get started removing those pesky ads!
Contents
What Types of Ads Does Twitch Show?
Twitch displays pre-roll, mid-roll and display banner ads to generate revenue while allowing free viewership and streaming. As a cybersecurity expert, here are the common Twitch ad formats you’ll encounter:
Pre-roll Ads – Unskippable 15-30 second video ads when you open a stream or swap channels. The most annoying!
Mid-roll Ads – More video ads interrupting the stream every 10-20 minutes.
Display Ads – Persistent banner ads on stream pages and the site sidebar.
Sponsored Streams – Entire streams promoting a brand, disclosed in the title.
A 2020 study by StreamElements found the average viewer gets hit with 4.6 ads per hour. Overexposure to loud, disruptive ads creates viewer frustration.
This is why blocking Twitch ads results in:
- No interruptions during gaming streams and events
- More time watching actual content instead of ads
- Avoiding spammy and inappropriate ads
- Reduced mobile data consumption
- Faster stream loading without ad clutter
Now let’s explore your options to effectively block these nuisance ads.
Method #1: Install an Ad Block Browser Extension
One of the easiest ways to remove Twitch ads is using an ad blocking extension or plugin for your browser.
As an ethical hacker, I recommend open-source adblockers without privacy issues like:
uBlock Origin – Lightweight but powerful ad blocker available on Chrome, Firefox, Edge and more. You can customize filtering granularly based on resource type, source and content.
AdBlock – Easy to use adblocker for Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Safari. Allows non-intrusive acceptable ads by default.
Once installed, these extensions automatically block ads across Twitch with the default filtering enabled. You can also customize filtering specificity based on your preferences.
Make sure to disable other adblock extensions first to prevent conflicts.
The Pros
- Easy one-click install. No configuration needed.
- Instantly blocks pre-roll, mid-roll and banner ads site-wide.
- Being browser-based allows flexible use on Windows, Mac, Linux.
- Many options like uBlock Origin are completely free and open source.
The Cons
- Need to install separately on each browser you use.
- Have to regularly update filters to address new Twitch ad patterns.
- Limited customization compared to dedicated Twitch ad blockers.
- No additional privacy or security like when using a VPN.
Method #2: Use an Ad-blocking VPN
A VPN or Virtual Private Network provides an encrypted tunnel that hides your IP address and blocks advertisers from tracking you.
Top ad-blocking VPNs I recommend based on speeds and reliability for avoiding Twitch ads:
NordVPN – Extremely fast with over 5400 worldwide servers. Consistently blocks Twitch ads. Provides Double VPN and Onion Over VPN encryption.
ExpressVPN – Fast and reliable with 3000+ global servers. Split tunneling allows customizing VPN usage.
Surfshark – Budget choice with 3200+ servers. Unlimited device connections. Integrated ad and tracker blocking.
A key benefit of using a VPN is hiding your IP and encrypting traffic also improves your privacy and security against hacking attempts.
The Pros
- Blocks ads universally across Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and browsers.
- Enhanced privacy protection and encryption against snooping.
- Most VPNs allow simultaneous connections on unlimited devices.
- Many VPNs have dedicated streaming optimized servers.
The Cons
- Requires a paid subscription starting from a few bucks per month.
- Additional setup like installing VPN apps on devices.
- Potential speed reduction if using a slow VPN provider.
- Needs manual reconnection after rebooting devices or routers.
Method #3: Use a Dedicated Twitch Ad Blocker
For advanced adblocking specifically tailored to Twitch, you can use these specialized tools:
TTV LOL Ad Block – Custom browser scripts to hide Twitch ads. Also available as Chrome and Firefox extensions. Completely open source.
Twitch Ad Block – Made solely to block Twitch ads. Browser extensions for Chrome, Edge, Opera and Firefox.
AdBlock for Twitch – Chrome-only extension that removes just Twitch ads. Allows customization.
These niche adblockers use curated filter lists to remove only Twitch-specific ads. This results in very reliable ad removal.
The Pros
- Specialized blocking stops more Twitch ads than general plugins.
- Actively maintained by developers focused solely on Twitch.
- No need to configure general site blocking which may break pages.
- Completely free open source options available like TTV LOL Ad Block.
The Cons
- Have to install the niche Twitch tool separately.
- Provide no additional security and privacy like VPNs.
- Browser extension options can only be installed on supported browsers.
- Require more active filter list updates as Twitch evolves.
Twitch Ad Blocking Comparison
| Method | Cost | Privacy | Setup | Effectiveness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Browser Extensions | Free | None | Easy | Good |
| VPN | Paid | Great | Medium | Excellent |
| Specialized Tools | Free | None | Medium | Excellent |
So in summary, I recommend using:
- uBlock Origin if you want a free, easy browser-based adblocker
- NordVPN for a paid solution with extra privacy and universal blocking
- TTV LOL Ad Block for open source specialty blocking just for Twitch
Combine different methods for the strongest adblocking on Twitch!
Pro Tips for Flawless Twitch Ad Removal
After extensive testing, here are my top expert tips for ensuring successful Twitch ad blocking:
- Regularly update filters and scripts to address new Twitch ad patterns
- Enable extension filtering in incognito browsing for maximum effectiveness
- Add any adblockers to antivirus exclusion lists if conflicts occur
- Try a few different methods until you find the one that works best long-term
- Never click on or engage with ads – this makes blockers less effective over time
- Use Pi-Hole to network-wide block Twitch ads on all smart home devices
- For mobile, try Brave browser which has built-in adblocking + privacy protection
- Combining a VPN with a specialized Twitch adblocker gives you the strongest blocking
And that wraps up this complete guide to enjoying ad-free Twitch streaming using various ad blocking techniques.
I hope you found this expert advice helpful. Let me know if you have any other questions! I‘m always happy to help fellow streamers improve their viewing experience.
