Awesome Ad-Free

A curated, community-maintained list of ad‑free alternatives to popular web services, software, and publications, with an emphasis on privacy and cleaner user experiences.

Website/Source: https://github.com/johnjago/awesome-ad-free

Overview

Awesome Ad-Free is an "awesome list"–style directory that catalogs services, apps, and content platforms that do not rely on advertising. It helps users discover options that reduce tracking and visual clutter while encouraging direct support models (e.g., subscriptions, donations, or other non‑ad funding).

The project is open-source and released under the CC0 1.0 license, making the list free to share, reuse, and adapt.

Features

• Curated ad-free alternatives

  • Focuses on replacements for ad-supported:
    • Websites
    • Software and apps
    • Online publications

• Category-based organization of alternatives
  Alternatives are grouped by use case, including (as headings in the list):

  • Blogs – Ad-free blogging platforms and blogs
  • Communication – Messaging, email, and related tools without ads
  • File Sharing – Ad-free file hosting and sharing services
  • Mobile Apps – Mobile applications that do not use in-app advertising
  • Music – Music services and platforms that operate without ads
  • Other – Miscellaneous ad-free services that don’t fit into other categories
  • Publications – News sites, magazines, and other reading material without ads
  • Reference – Encyclopedias, documentation sites, and similar resources without advertising
  • Social – Social networks and communities that avoid ad-funded business models
  • Utilities – Tools and utilities available without ads
  • Web Apps – Browser-based tools and applications that run ad-free

• Supporting resources around the ad-free ecosystem

  • Ad Blockers – Listing of ad-blocking tools, with notes on:
    • Avoiding certain projects (e.g., Adblock Plus for paid whitelisting; a specific “uBlock” project for aggressive donation prompts and ad-like content on its own site)
  • Articles – Reading material about ad-free models, funding content without ads, and related topics
  • Businesses – Examples of businesses that do not rely on advertising yet are successful
  • Groups – Communities or organizations interested in ad-free, privacy-respecting services
  • Make Money Without Ads – Resources and ideas for funding content or services without advertising
  • Talks – Presentations and talks on the theme of ad-free or non-ad-supported models

• Open contribution model

  • Public repository with a CONTRIBUTING.md file that defines how to propose additions or changes
  • Community contributions are tracked through GitHub issues and pull requests

• License and reuse

  • Licensed under CC0 1.0 (Public Domain), allowing:
    • Copying and redistribution
    • Modification and republishing
    • Use in other projects or directories without restriction

• Part of the broader Awesome ecosystem

  • Listed as an "Awesome" project, following the general awesome-list format and curation standards.

Pricing

Not applicable. Awesome Ad-Free is an open-source, CC0-licensed list and directory; there are no pricing tiers or paid plans.

License

• Type: CC0 1.0 Universal (Public Domain Dedication)
• Details: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

Contributing

• Contributions are accepted via GitHub pull requests and issues.
• Contribution guidelines and standards are defined in CONTRIBUTING.md in the repository.