The best free web filters: How do we test them?Ĭonsidering that all web filters we’ve tested so far are either free, provide a free tier, or offer a free trial putting them to the test was way easier than it usually is – and no one risked busting their budget.įirst, we’ll take a look at available plans (if there are more than one), pick a free option, and evaluate how simple it is to set up a web filter and put it to use while paying particular attention to the ease of use, functionality, and performance. You’ll also want to check whether these web filters grant a good protection level taking into consideration features such as scanning downloaded files for malware, app-blocker, filtering HTTPS/SSL encrypted traffic, protection from malware, phishing, and unwanted software overall, group-based web filtering, tracking a device' location, access to device’s web history, real-time alerts and extensive reports.Īlso, if you’re using a free tier from a company that offers paid plans, check their product range as well the scope of their customer support. So, since most free web filters aren’t worth it, how to choose a worthwhile solution?įirst of all, you need to know on which devices (smartphone or desktop) you want to use a web filter, the number of devices you had in mind, as well as operating system (OS) or browser they’re created for – that’s because many of these are actually meant as extensions or add-ons of certain browsers (opens in new tab) (like Chrome, Firefox, and Opera). There are two main approaches to web filtering: blacklisting – which implies that a list of malicious or otherwise undesirable sites is made and access blocked accordingly, and whitelisting - an opposite (and stricter) approach to blacklisting which implies creating a list of permitted sites and blocking everything else.Īlso, as the term suggests, a free web filter is one that comes completely free of charge - and usually not for a limited period only.

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