• by Laurie Sullivan , 4 hours ago

Ad-blocker users are highly valuable consumers, defying industry assumptions. New data reveals the median ad-blocker user spends 66% more than the average non-user.

"There is a misconception that adblocker users hate all ads," Rob Bailey-Adamson, Chief Business Officer at eyeo, told MediaPost. "Over a decade of offering them an alternative of choosing to see only respectful ads, like the ones featured in Acceptable Ads, have shown us that they are amenable to alternative ad experiences.

Acceptable Ads is a program that allows "non-intrusive and polite ads" to serve up even when an ad blocker is turned on. 

As retailers, publishers, and advertisers continue to evaluate the value of consumers based on online behavior, the findings suggest that consumers seeking greater control over their digital experiences may be more commercially valuable than many in the industry assume.

These consumers who use ad blockers online are more likely to pay for digital content and more likely to complete online purchases, challenging long-held assumptions about the audience's value to publishers, retailers, and advertisers, according to the eyeo-Harris Poll research released Wednesday.

The research is based on a two-part consumer study conducted online in the United States by The Harris Poll, a global consulting and market research firm, on behalf of eyeo, a privately held German software development company best known for creating Adblock Plus. 

In the first part of the study, conducted between April 21 and April 23, 2026, among 2,058 U.S. adults ages 18 and older, about 589 participants were ad-blocker users.

The second part was conducted between May 19 and May 21, 2026, among 2,066 U.S. adults ages 18 and older, and 467 were ad blocker users.

Most interesting, 73% of those using ad blockers say they would be at least somewhat likely to create an account or log in for a website or app using their personal details if prompted to access written or editorial content they were interested in, compared with 62% of non-users.

Sixty-seven percent of those using ad blockers pay for digital-content subscriptions, versus 49% of non-users.

Thirty-one percent of Americans report using an ad blocker while browsing the internet. Use is highest among younger adults, higher-income households, college-educated consumers, employed Americans, and households with children.

Among adults ages 18-34, 38% report using ad blockers, compared with 27% of adults ages 45 and older.

Consumers in households earning $100,000 or more annually are also more likely to use ad blockers than those earning less than $50,000, at 35% versus 23%, respectively.

Adults with a college degree or higher are more likely to use ad blockers, compared with those who hold a high-school education or less, or have some college education, at 37% vs. 25% and 29%, respectively.

Employed Americans are more likely to say they use ad blockers compared with those who are not employed, at 35% vs. 23%, respectively.

Americans with children under age 18 in their household are more likely to say they use ad blockers compared to those without children in their household, at 36% vs. 28%, respectively. 

Eyeo recently published an ad-blocking report that referenced data insights from GWI showing adblockers are more intentional across a wide range of verticals, including retail, financial services, tech, automotive, and more.

Advertising has evolved significantly during the past decade, and as the number of consumers using ad blocking grows, more users demand respect for their right to privacy.

Bailey-Adamson believes that trend will continue to skew closer to what he called "user empowerment and an understanding of that from the advertiser side."