How to Block Twitch Ads in 2024: Complete Guide to Ad-Free Viewing
If you want to know how to block Twitch ads – from banner ads to mid-roll ads – dive into this guide that comes with step-by-step instructions and our top suggestions.
Written by Jeremy Gan (Writer)
Reviewed by Samuel Chapman (Editor)
Facts checked by Eugenie Tiu (Editorial Assistant)
Last Updated: 2024-01-14T21:55:23+00:00
All our content is written fully by humans; we do not publish AI writing. Learn more here.
Key Takeaways: Block Twitch Ads
- Twitch streams are full of ads if users don’t subscribe or buy Twitch Turbo.
- The best ways to block Twitch ads include using strong stand-alone ad blockers (like uBlock Origin) or VPNs with built-in ad blocking features. You can also use a VPN to stream Twitch from an ad-free country.
- The best VPN for blocking Twitch ads is ExpressVPN, followed by NordVPN and Surfshark, with Windscribe being a free VPN that deserves honorable mention.
If you’re one of the 2.3 million daily Twitch viewers, you’re no stranger to ads interrupting the streams. Twitch runs ads in order to stay afloat, and these ads range from on-screen pop-ups to video ads, some running before you watch the stream and others mid-stream. This guide will explain how to block Twitch ads, including with good gaming VPNs, ad blockers and more.
Twitch doesn’t like it when people avoid ads, but you can learn how to block Twitch ads with a virtual private network (VPN), including some of the best VPNs.
Ad blockers usually come as browser extensions, but sometimes they’re packaged with VPNs. In one convenient package, VPN services simultaneously block ads and preserve your online privacy from hackers, internet service providers (ISPs) and government agencies. We have an article on the best VPNs with ad blockers, as well.
Before proceeding, remember that different ads require different solutions. Ad blockers that come with VPNs don’t always block pre-roll and mid-roll ads on Twitch, though they can get rid of pop-up ads effectively. However, ad blockers still don’t protect your privacy fully. We’ll cover everything you need to know below.
Different Types of Twitch Ads
Though there are technically seven types of Twitch ads, they all fall into these three larger categories:
- On-page ads and banner ads
- Pre-roll and mid-roll video ads
- In-script ads
For the top two types of Twitch ads, you can use online tools to block them.
However, streamers will sometimes read from a script to promote a product. These sponsorships aren’t pop-ups or videos. VPNs and ad blockers can’t prevent them because they’re part of the broadcast.
How to Block Pre-Roll and Mid-Rolls Ads
One of the most effective ways to block video ads (pre-roll and mid-roll) as you watch Twitch is to simply connect to a VPN server in a country that does not let Twitch run ads.
Poland, Germany, Ukraine and Costa Rica are four countries that block these types of Twitch ads from playing or appearing. From our testing, we confirmed that these countries have few or no ads, which is because of local advertising policies.
while mid-roll ads are slightly less common.
For our tutorial on blocking video ads, we’ll use ExpressVPN as our example. It has a dedicated ad-blocking feature, it is the best VPN for Germany, Poland and many other countries.
- Register for ExpressVPN
Visit the official ExpressVPN website and purchase a subscription. Next, go to the download page.
- Download and Install ExpressVPN
Download and install ExpressVPN by following the on-screen prompts.
- Connect to a Server
After installing ExpressVPN, launch it and connect to a country that doesn’t show Twitch ads. Your best options include Poland, Germany, Mexico, Costa Rica, Ukraine and Romania. You should now be able to stream Twitch without pre-roll and mid-roll ads.
- Enable the Ad Blocker
As an added measure, you can also enable the built-in ad blocker by going to the “options” menu and enabling the ad blocking feature in the “advanced protection” tab.
How to Block On-Page Twitch Ads With a VPN
While connecting to a specific location is great for blocking ads, you’ll need an ad blocker to eliminate on-page ads on Twitch. While some ad-block browser extensions work, bundling an ad blocker with a VPN gets you online anonymity along with an ad-free experience. We’ll use NordVPN as the example here for some variety.
- Register for NordVPN
Go to the NordVPN website and click “pricing” to subscribe. After creating an account, you’ll be directed to the download page.
- Get NordVPN
Get NordVPN for your desktop and install the app. After that, launch the app and go to the main interface.
- Activate Threat Protection
Click the shield icon on the left side and use the dropdown menu below “web protection” to activate it. You should now be able to access Twitch without running into ads. If you wish to use Threat Protection Lite, you can toggle it on, but you must connect to a VPN server to ensure it’ll stop ads. If you’re on mobile, you’re stuck with it.
Other Effective Ways to Block Twitch Ads
Using a VPN to block ads on Twitch can result in slower internet speeds, especially for those with poor reception. Fortunately, there are many alternative methods for blocking Twitch ads.
Subscribe to Twitch Channels
Subscribing to Twitch is the simplest way to remove ads from your favorite Twitch channel. The streamer also earns money from your Twitch subscription, so we recommend this if you want to support them.
Purchase Twitch Turbo
Twitch Turbo is a subscription that gets rid of all ads on Twitch livestreams (besides channel sponsorships) for $11.99 per month in the U.S., though other countries charge a different amount. There may be pop-ups and banners on the homepage, but pre-roll and mid-roll ads will never appear when you watch a stream.
Use Twitch Adblock Extension
You can block a large variety of ads with an ad-blocking extension for browsers. Twitch Adblock Plus and Surfshark’s browser extension are two of the best. They’re available on Google Chrome and other Chromium-based browsers.
Use uBlock Origin
uBlock Origin is one of the best ad blockers for Twitch ads and has the added benefits of being free and open source. It can remove Twitch ads, while recording which ads and ad domains have been blocked, and it has other advanced customization features. It also doesn’t hog system resources; you barely notice it’s there.
Some people have reported it not working for them, but it performed well in our testing.
Best VPN to Block Twitch Ads
Here are the best VPNs for blocking Twitch ads, either by connecting to an ad-free country using a VPN or using a VPN’s built-in ad blocker.
1. ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN’s extensive server network lets users connect to countries like Poland, Germany and Costa Rica, which don’t allow video ads when watching Twitch streams. It also has ad-blocking capabilities built into the app, so it will remove pop-ups or banner ads, plus its large server network and features are unmatched. Read our ExpressVPN review for more details.
- Unlimited GB
- 8
- Yes
2. NordVPN
NordVPN comes with an ad and malware blocker and Threat Protection. The former works even when not connected to a VPN location; the latter requires a VPN connection and is better for mobile users. Threat Protection is effective in blocking Twitch ads, and NordVPN also has servers in ad-free countries. If you want to learn more, check out our NordVPN review.
- *The prices are charged in the first billing cycle only. Renewal prices vary.
- Unlimited GB
- 6
- Yes
3. Surfshark
Surfshark’s CleanWeb is excellent for blocking pop-ups and Twitch ads, though you need to stay connected for it to work. CleanWeb 2.0 offers customization options and instant ad blocking without connecting to VPN servers. However, it’s only available as a browser extension. Our Surfshark review has more info.
- Unlimited GB bandwidth, Unlimited devices, Secure VPN, Ad blocker, Cookie pop-up blocker. Plans renew: $185.40 for one year, $370.80 for two years
- Unlimited GB
- Unlimited
- Yes
- Everything in Starter, plus Antivirus protection, Identity protection, Email Breach and Credit Card Alerts, Online Alias Plans renew: $191.40 for one year, $380.80 for two years.
- Unlimited GB
- Unlimited
- Everything in One, plus Data removal Plans renew: $215.40 for one year, $430.80 for two years
- Unlimited GB
- Unlimited
How Do I Stop Twitch Ads For Free?
If you aren’t willing to spend money to block ads on Twitch, there are other solutions besides the VPNs above. Windscribe has free servers in Germany, but they come with data usage limits. It also has the R.O.B.E.R.T. blocking tool, which can block ads on Twitch. You can look at our Windscribe review for the complete picture.
Final Thoughts: Twitch Ad Blockers
No one likes so many ads interrupting their favorite streamers’ greatest moments, but Twitch makes blocking ads non-optional thanks to the sheer number that appear. Fortunately, there are several solutions to this problem.
The best way is to connect to a VPN server in a country without Twitch ads, but VPN services with ad blockers also work wonders. Users who don’t want to spend money can consider uBlock Origin or Windscribe (although it has data usage limits). Subscribing to a streamer or getting Twitch Turbo is also a surefire way to remove ads.
As a bonus, we have also published an article on how to block ads on social media platforms such as Facebook, as well as complete guides on how to block Paramount Plus ads, YouTube ads, Peacock ads, Amazon Prime Video ads and Netflix ads.
For more facts on Twitch, you can check out our Twitch statistics piece.
What’s your favorite way to block Twitch ads? Are there any VPNs or browser extensions we missed? Let us know in the comments section below. Thank you for reading.
FAQ: Blocking Twitch Ads With VPNs
No, ads will only appear on Twitch Partner and Affiliate broadcasts, meaning small streamers will provide an utterly ad-free viewing experience.
You can use a browser extension for blocking Twitch ads, like Twitch Adblock Plus or uBlock Origin, or connect to a VPN server in specific countries like Poland and Costa Rica.
Twitch Prime, a free subscription offered to Amazon Prime members, used to let you get ad-free content from one streaming channel per month. Today, it doesn’t remove ads anymore.