SPONSORED CONTENT

Ghostery Midnight review

Martin Brinkmann
May 4, 2020
Updated • May 16, 2020
Sponsored Content
|
13

Our team is always looking for things we think our readers will value. We have received compensation for publishing this article.

Ghostery Midnight is a VPN service with added system-wide tracker and ad-blocking. The main idea behind Ghostery Midnight is simple: extend the privacy and benefits of a VPN connection with protections against trackers and ad-blocking. A VPN connection isn’t required for system-wide tracker and ad blocking.
Ghostery Midnight is available for Microsoft Windows and Apple Macintosh 10.13+ devices with mobile apps planned for later this year.

Ghacks users get 1 month of its Premium tier free by using the coupon code GHOSTYHACKS and this link to sign-up.  Credit card information needs to be provided before the discount code can be applied, but you can cancel at any time. After your trial period, the monthly subscription would cost $14 per month.

Ghostery Midnight

ghostery midnight

Installation of Ghostery Midnight is a simple process that holds no surprises. One difference to other VPN services that offer some form of blocking functionality is that Ghostery Midnight's tracker protection and ad-blocking functionality is active even if there is no active VPN connection.

In other words: you get effective tracker blocking and ad-blocking the moment you have installed the application on the device; these can be turned off but most users may want to keep these enabled as they provide system-level protection (similarly to HOSTS file protections and other system-wide options). Ghostery uses a curated list of trackers and advertising servers that is updated regularly.

The Home screen of the application displays the status of the three core features -- VPN, Tracker Blocking and Ad-Blocking -- statistics about blocked trackers, and the applications that run on the system that are protected by the program's features. A quick test in several browsers and other system programs showed that ads and trackers were blocked effectively using the program.

One interesting feature is the option to select any of the applications to check out the number of blocked trackers and ads associated with it. While you may get the information for browsers if you use a blocker in them, you usually don't get them for programs that you cannot install ad-blocking extensions in.

A click on the excellent screenshot tool PicPick for example shows that it is using Google Analytics, and that Ghostery Midnight blocked these connections. The list of blocked connections is broken down into categories like Site Analytics, Social Media, or Advertisers.

ghostery midnight blocked

You may find similar information for other programs that you ran on the device. Even system programs appear to be protected by the application.

Ghostery Midnight has an option to pause protections for a period of time; users may also whitelist certain programs to allow connections that would otherwise be blocked or enable monitoring mode. Monitoring logs connections that would be blocked by the program's functionality but won't block them; ideal for verifying the blocking before enabling it or checking whether a program makes unwanted connections.

A click on the My Apps section in the sidebar displays statistics for all applications. You find the number of blocked trackers and advertising servers for each application listed there plus options to whitelist an application or set it to monitoring only.

ghostery midnight apps

Ghostery Midnight users may use the application to connect the system to VPN servers to get protection on that front as well. A VPN protects the Internet connection and hides the device's IP address as well; this improves privacy but also security in some regards.

You may connect to several locations using the program including Germany, the United States, Canada, and the UK. Connections worked as expected. All you do is toggle the VPN connect option to connect to the selected server. You may switch between servers on the Start page.

The list of servers, all physical and non virtual, is relatively low when compared to other services. Ghostery plans to increase the number of supported regions and servers in the future. Ghostery does not store any network logs and the only data that is logged is bandwidth use in order to manage and improve network performance. IP address information is not collected or stored.

Ghostery does not restrict P2P services or activities, and does not restrict bandwidth or other connection parameters.

Ghostery Midnight is also planning on several interesting updates. The next planned one introduces a Plus tier which falls between its Free and Premium tier, allowing users to take advantage of Midnight’s system-wide tracking without the VPN. Ghostery also has plans to release in the coming months a feature called Live Traffic which allows users to monitor all network activity and report new trackers.

Closing Words

Ghostery Midnight blocks trackers and advertising in all applications and programs that run on a system, and allows users to connect to VPN servers to protect their online activities as well both in regards to privacy and security.

Advertisement

Previous Post: «
Next Post: «

Comments

  1. Dave said on May 12, 2020 at 11:35 am
    Reply

    No VPN is trust worthy…in fact a VPN is the worst because no one knows exactly who’s behind this VPN’s who popup every month and claim they do not log users….yeah right, lol

    1. Trey said on May 15, 2020 at 10:50 pm
      Reply

      Some are more trustworthy than others. The more “reputable” VPN providers know what would happen to their customer base if they felt double-crossed. Anyway, the main reason for a VPN is to avoid love-letters from your ISP. Nothing more.

  2. TelV said on May 11, 2020 at 7:33 pm
    Reply

    Quote taken from Wikipedia: “Since July 2018, with version 8.2, Ghostery shows advertisements of its own to users.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghostery

    I’ll stick with Mullvad VPN at only €5 a month. Coupled with Privacy Badger and uBlock Origin both of which are freebies I see no reason to change.

  3. h said on May 10, 2020 at 7:25 pm
    Reply

    No review then. Just a money grab!

  4. jame smith said on May 10, 2020 at 12:38 am
    Reply

    Ghostery Midnight is interesting vpn that i want to try and hope win it

  5. toasterman said on May 7, 2020 at 5:58 pm
    Reply

    Excellent, thanks ghacks.net

    Ghostery Midnight looks excellent.

    nice features:-
    Ghostery Midnight’s tracker protection and ad-blocking functionality is active even if there is no active VPN connection.

    I am very interested in winning a license.

    Thanks.

  6. Probably not said on May 7, 2020 at 12:38 am
    Reply

    Can the Ghostery company see our internet usage?

    1. Yuliya said on May 11, 2020 at 9:20 pm
      Reply

      Any kind of VPN provider can see your internet usage, regardless of their claims.
      The safest thing mere mortals have is TOR.

      1. Anonymous said on February 26, 2021 at 4:34 am
        Reply

        Yeah , if you like 5 eyes err i mean Big Brother err i mean The F.B.I looking over your shoulder and logging your keystrokes then Yes.. By all means… Get TOR!!
        Because while he is taking your money getting filthy stinking rich selling “privacy” what he actually sold you is Software TO spy on you..

        https://www.antiwar.com/blog/2016/05/05/tor-developer-created-malware-for-fbi-to-hack-tor-users/

        I would trust everything on this list before trusting a TOR

        • A blind date with a woman named Caitlyn
        • Casey Anthony babysitting my kids
        • A mixed drink served by Bill Cosby
        • Bar hopping with Aaron Hernandez
        • Mexican tap water
        • A wolverine with a ‘pet me’ sign
        • OJ Simpson showing me his knife collection
        • An elevator ride with Ray Rice
        • Brian Williams memory
        • Pete Carroll coaching decisions
        • Loch Ness monster sightings
        • A Nigerian inheritance email
        • A factory packed parachute
        • Tying Anthony Weiner’s shoes
        • Harry Reid’s exercise equipment
        • A kiss from Judas
        • An Afghan wearing a backpack
        • A Dana White apology
        • Keeping my healthcare plan
        • A North Korean trial
        • A BIC pen that won’t leak
        • A tuna fish sandwich left on a city bus
        • Michael Jackson’s Doctor
        • An Obama Nuclear deal with Iran
        • Gas station Sushi
        • A Jimmy Carter economic plan
        • Prayers for peace from Al Sharpton
        • Bill Clinton supervising a female intern sleepover
        • Chicago politicians
        • Debbie Wasserman-Schultz’s hairdresser
        • John Kerry’s negotiation skills
        • Iran’s Mullahs not to seek a nuclear weapon
        • Duggar birth control plan
        • Joe Biden with his arm around me or my wife
        • Michael Moore / Rosie O’Donnell with the doughnuts
        • Bernie Madoff managing ALL my investments
        • A dinner date with Hannibal Lecter
        • Chinese cybersecurity / firewall software
        • Prostate exam from Captain Hook
        • Playing Russian Roulette with a semi-auto pistol
        • Al Gore on the climate
        • Teddy Kennedy driving me home from a party
        • An ISIS barber giving me a shave
        • Nancy Pelosi’s plastic surgeon
        • John Boehner / Mitch McConnell – keeping ANY election promise to conservatives
        • The actual constitutionality of a John Roberts Supreme Court decision
        • Linda Tripp keeping a secret
        • Lois Lerner impartially approving tax exempt status applications
        • Erich Holder’s / Loretta Lynch’s DOJ investigating a “racial” incident
        • Al Sharpton paying ALL his back taxes
        • An EPA employee operating a backhoe
        • A Michelle Obama school lunch
        • A date with someone I met on Craigslist
        • French military resolve
        • Treatment at a VA hospital

  7. lucky me said on May 6, 2020 at 5:10 am
    Reply

    That “raffle” sounds great, thus I’m signing up, as I can’t wait to get that email from Martin that says:

    CONGRADULATIONS, YOU WON!

    But then I sign up for the service, only to learn that all I “won” is a 2 month trial service, and now l am on Softonic’s marketing list.

    Lucky me.

    Hmm, I guess I won’t sign up for that raffle after all.

    1. Martin Brinkmann said on May 6, 2020 at 11:53 am
      Reply

      Hi Lucky, the emails are only used to contact the winners. They are not used for any other purpose and will definitely not land on any marketing list.

  8. Matti said on May 5, 2020 at 12:13 pm
    Reply

    Windows and Mac only. $14/month. No warrant canary. 5-Eyes.

    You’ve got to be joking.

    1. ShintoPlasm said on May 7, 2020 at 11:46 am
      Reply

      It does say sponsored content, no? Besides, some people’s threat models may be very simple.

Leave a Reply

Check the box to consent to your data being stored in line with the guidelines set out in our privacy policy

We love comments and welcome thoughtful and civilized discussion. Rudeness and personal attacks will not be tolerated. Please stay on-topic.
Please note that your comment may not appear immediately after you post it.