Ad blocking software is used by over 42% of internet users globally. This results in massive losses in publisher ad revenue every year.
As a WordPress site owner, it‘s crucial you find ways to detect Adblocking. This allows you to:
- Identify sessions where you lost ad earnings.
- Send messages to unblock your ads.
- Adapt site monetization strategy if needed.
In this post, we will cover the top three plugins for detecting Adblock users in WordPress:
- OptinMonster – Best for adblock detection and targeted messaging (Recommended).
- AdSanity – Aggressively blocks access for adblock users.
- Anti-Adblock – Free custom message display.
I have used all three extensively and will compare the pros and cons of each method.
Let‘s get started!
Why You Need to Detect Adblocking
Before we get into the plugins, let me quickly explain why detecting adblock users is so important for any publisher.
Ads still make up a majority share of revenue for content sites. However over 42% of all internet users now have some form of adblocking enabled.
This AdBlock usage statistic is from GlobalWebIndex:
| Year | % Internet Users With Ad Blockers |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 11% |
| 2017 | 21% |
| 2018 | 27% |
| 2019 | 34% |
| 2020 | 38% |
| 2021 | 41% |
| 2022 | 43% |
As you can see, adblock rates have been steadily rising over the past 6 years. This severely impacts ad-reliant business models.
What happens when someone uses an ad blocker on your site?
- Any display, banner or video ads are automatically removed from view.
- As a result, you lose out on potential ad revenue from those user sessions.
- Most site analytics platforms do not track or report on this lost revenue.
This is why having the ability to detect when a visitor has ad blocking enabled is so useful.
Popular ad blockers like AdBlock Plus and uBlock Origin are browser extensions installed by users. However there are still ways for publishers to detect them by leveraging smart JavaScript.
The WordPress plugins covered below use advanced scripts to identify when ads are removed on a page. We will now look at how each of them helps tackle adblocking.
1. OptinMonster – Detect Adblock & Target Users
OptinMonster is the leading conversion optimization and lead generation software tool for WordPress sites. Over 1 million sites use it to convert more traffic.
Beyond popups and email opt-ins, OptinMonster has the handy ability to:
- Detect when site visitors are using an ad blocker like Adblock Plus or uBlock Origin.
- Target ad blocking visitors with customized messages.
It essentially allows you to create popups that only trigger for users with adblockers enabled. You can then display polite messages asking them to consider disabling adblock or whitelisting your site.
Why OptinMonster is Our #1 Choice
After testing different solutions, I recommend OptinMonster as the best option to detect and handle adblock users for a few key reasons:
Detailed Detection – It can identify all major browser adblock extensions with high accuracy. This includes AdBlock Plus, uBlock Origin, Adguard etc.
Targeting Options – Gives you complete control to target messaging to only adblock users. Unique views for blocking vs non-blocking visitors.
Built-in Messaging – No need for separate plugins. Create custom adblock messages directly inside the OptinMonster campaign builder.
Popup Flexibility – Choose between lightbox popups, full screen messages, slide-ins and more.
Analytics – See the adblock rate and stats right within your OptinMonster dashboard.
Essentially, it enables polished detection, messaging, and analytics – all in one place!
Setting Up Adblock Detection in OptinMonster
Using OptinMonster to detect Adblock users involves just a few simple steps:
Install the OptinMonster plugin in WordPress and activate your account.
Create a new campaign like a Full Screen or Popup and customize design.
In campaign builder, go to Display Rules and turn on Adblocker Targeting.
Publish campaign and test it by enabling Adblock in your browser.
Once live, the popup will only appear for visitors using an adblock extension like uBlock Origin or AdBlock Plus.
You can then include polite messaging asking them to whitelist your ads. For detailed setup instructions see OptinMonster docs.
OptinMonster Anti-Adblock Popup Templates
To make it easier, OptinMonster has done-for-you anti-adblock campaign templates. These include the messaging and design already optimized to convert adblock users:
You can simply select it when building your campaign. Customize the message, images, buttons etc. as needed – and you are good to go!
This takes all the hard work out of creating targeted messaging.
OptinMonster Pros
- Detailed adblock detection for all major browser extensions
- Custom messaging directly inside campaign builder
- Anti-adblock campaign templates included
- Real-time analytics on adblock rates
- Easy 5 minute setup
OptinMonster Cons
- No ability to fully block content
- Must have Growth plan ($69/month) minimum
Overall, OptinMonster is my #1 pick for adblock detection and handling. The combination of accurate targeting, built-in messaging, and view-through analytics make it very powerful.
It takes just minutes to setup with no coding needed.
2. AdSanity – Block All Adblock Users
Next up is AdSanity – an ad management plugin for WordPress. It helps sites insert direct ads, enable sticky ad units, show custom messages, and more.
AdSanity has an Adblock Detection add-on that takes an aggressive approach to blocking users.
It can identify incoming visitors using an adblock extension and either:
- Display warning popup until adblock disabled
- Fully prevent access to content
- Redirect to custom landing page
This forces all adblockers to disable their extension if they want access your site and content.
How AdSanity Adblock Detection Works
The AdSanity Adblock Detection add-on blocks visitors using adblock in two ways:
1. Warning Message
First, when it detects an adblocker it can show custom popup warning the user. For example:
You can customize the title, description and buttons on this message.
By default, it blocks a portion of your content with an overlay until popup is closed.
2. Redirect Users
Alternatively, you can fully redirect all adblock traffic to a custom landing page instead of a popup warning.
For example to a page asking them to disable adblocking software before proceeding to your site.
This ensures users must whitelist your ads before getting access.
AdSanity Pros
- Aggressive blocking forces adblock disabling
- Detailed detection and analytics
- Custom warning popups or redirects
- Granular targeting rules
AdSanity Cons
- No free plan available
- Add-on cost separate from core plugin
- Redirect approach risks losing visitors
In summary, AdSanity takes a very aggressive stance against adblock users. It packs powerful detection and blocking capabilities.
However the paid add-on price is a barrier for entry. And redirection risks driving visitors away permanently.
Get AdSanity Adblock Detection
3. Anti-Adblock – Free Adblock Messages
If you are looking for a free adblock detection option, a handy plugin is Anti-Adblock.
It allows publishers to display custom messages targeted at visitors using adblocking software.
Features include:
- Detects all popular adblock browser extensions
- Custom adblock warning title and description
- Option to show/hide close button
- Matches site design style
Upon installing and activating in WordPress, the Anti-Adblock settings page loads.
Here you can configure your custom title, warning text, enable/disable close button etc.
Anti-Adblock in Action
Once setup, it will automatically detect visitors with adblock enabled and show your custom message bar:
As you can see it nicely blends right into my site design and layout. Messaging politely asks visitors to consider disabling adblock.
Closing the message will make it disappear temporarily. But it will trigger again on next visit if adblock still enabled.
This allows you to create friendly messages targeted specifically at adblock users.
Anti-Adblock Pros
- 100% Free WordPress plugin
- Detects all major adblock browser extensions
- Display custom messages targeted to adblock users
- Seamlessly matches site style and layout
Anti-Adblock Cons
- Very basic features compared to premium plugins
- No detailed analytics on adblock rates
- No option to block content
In closing, Anti-Adblock provides free and easy adblock detection for WordPress publishers. For basic messaging needs of smaller sites, it hits the spot!
I suggest giving it a test on your site. If you later need more advanced analytics and targeting options, upgrade to OptinMonster.
Final Thoughts
I hope this guide covered the best plugins available today for detecting adblock users in WordPress.
To quickly recap:
OptinMonster – Most powerful adblock detection and messaging capabilities.
AdSanity – Aggressively blocks adblock users via warnings and redirects.
Anti-Adblock – Free custom adblock messages.
Ad blocking remains an ongoing threat to publisher revenue. But thankfully quality detection solutions now exist, along with friendly messaging options.
As the adblock arms race continues, I foresee even more advanced tools arriving soon. But for now these 3 WordPress plugins should help handle users blocking your ads.
Let me know if you have any other questions!
Thanks,
[Your Name]
