Filtr is a new tool from Kaylee Serena Calderolla, the developer behind the Safari ad blocker Wipr. Filtr uses a new feature in iOS 26 and macOS 26 called URL filters. This feature blocks access to certain websites or domains at the network level rather than just in the browser. Filtr is the first app to use URL filters, Calderolla told TechCrunch this week.
Wipr prevents ads from loading in Safari. Ads will not load, nor will their tracking code. Filtr is an additional paid feature bundled into Wipr that blocks ads in iPhone, iPad, and Mac apps. Ad blockers are good for security and privacy, and even the FBI recommends them. But ad blockers often do little to prevent tracking from ads within apps.
Blocklist Updates Automatically And Routes Requests Through Apple Servers
Filtr uses an advertising blocklist that Calderolla maintains. The app consults a “pre-filter” blocklist stored on the user’s device and updated automatically through Wipr. If the pre-filter list finds a website might be on the block list, it confirms against the list on Calderolla’s servers. These requests route through Apple’s servers as a proxy so app developers do not know who is querying their blocklists. Users can set up Filtr once and never think about it again.
No Personal Data Collected, But Some Ads May Still Appear
Calderolla’s apps “do not collect personal data” according to her privacy policy. Her apps do not need personal information to work, and neither does Apple’s URL filter feature. No ad blocker is perfect. Filtr does not always block ads served directly from websites users visit. Users may still see ads in Facebook, Google, and Reddit apps because blocking those domains could break the apps. Calderolla said Filtr can at times block these ads by filtering specific web addresses instead of entire domains.
Pricing And Availability
Wipr costs $5 in the Apple App Store and works across all Apple devices. Filtr costs an additional $5 each year or $25 for a one-time lifetime payment via in-app purchase. Calderolla described development challenges in a May blog post, noting that Apple’s documentation on URL filters was sparse.
Featured image credits: Magnific.com
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