Did a bit of looking around and apparently uBO is no longer available for Safari:
opened 09:29AM - 08 Sep 19 UTC
Very quick tl;dr: uBO will no longer work with Safari, use Firefox or a new "con… tent blocker" app (see below for good replacements).
In the past few months, and especially in the past week, there have been a lot of posts and comments questioning the status of [uBlock Origin for Safari](https://github.com/el1t/uBlock-Safari). This should answer all questions on the status of uBO for safari.
uBlock Origin was ported for Safari in 2016, and was updated regulary (mostly changes from the main project) until 2018 when development completley stopped. Since then Apple has begun phasing out Safari extensions as extensions, and has instead been implenting a new extensions framework which is extremley limited in adblocking functions, only allowing "content blockers", which are just links bundled as an app which Safari enforces. From Safari 12 / macOS Mojave, old legacy Safari extensions were still allowed, but came with warnings saying that they will slow down your browsing (they infact won't, or at least not noticably). Safari also recently shut their Extension Gallery, instead redirecting it to the mac app store. Though it is still curently possible to install uBlock Origin [by downloading the extension from Github](https://github.com/el1t/uBlock-Safari/releases/download/1.16.0/uBlock0.safariextz) (edit: must follow [these instructions](http://osxdaily.com/2019/02/08/bypass-safari-no-longer-supports-unsafe-extension-error-mac/), it will not be starting from Safari 13 / macOS Catalina, when the legacy entension API will be fully deprecated.
**It will not possible for uBlock Origin to work with the upcoming Safari 13 / macOS Catalina release**
If you are a current user of uBlock Origin for Safari here are the options to continue blocking ads:
1. For the moment continue to use Safari 12 with uBlockOrigin. Anybody with uBO currently installed, it won't be removed until you update to Safari 13. If you don't have uBO installed, and wish to install on a pre-Catalina version of Safari, [Download the latest (and final) release here](https://github.com/el1t/uBlock-Safari/releases/download/1.16.0/uBlock0.safariextz) and follow [these instructions](http://osxdaily.com/2019/02/08/bypass-safari-no-longer-supports-unsafe-extension-error-mac/) to install it. Unfortunately it's a bit complicated. This will stop working with macOS Catalina (coming "this fall"). **Update:** It appears that it is not possible to install uBO permanently, it will always uninstall on a restart of Safari. If you have it, it *should* stay.
2. Switch to a different browser. If you choose this, I strongly recomend Firefox. Chrome will itself be ending support for uBlockOrigin soon. If battery life is an issue for you get [Firefox Beta, Nightly or Developer](https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/channel/desktop/) which has [massive battery life improvements to bring it on par with Safari / Chrome](https://appleinsider.com/articles/19/09/03/firefox-macos-test-build-is-far-better-for-your-battery-life) being tested (note: somewhat unstable). This will come to the stable version, hopefully in time for uBO-Safari's eol.
3. Get a content blocker. Not nearly as powerful as uBO, but the best option if you want to stay with Safari. **Do not get the app called "uBlock"**, this is unassociated with uBlockOrigin ([read about the split here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UBlock_Origin#History)), and is simply a content blocker with a big negative feature of having acceptable ads built in (which is AdBlockPlus's pay-to-play ad and tracker unblocking program). It shares no code with uBO and has no advantages over any other content blocking app. Here are some recomendations of content blockers:
**Top picks**
- [Adguard for Safari](https://apps.apple.com/app/adguard-for-safari/id1440147259), very good blocking and free. Very customisable. Doesnt always have the best performance (though this has apparently been fixed). AdGuard's performance is quite controversial, read discussion [here].(https://github.com/el1t/uBlock-Safari/issues/158#issuecomment-533546184). AdGuard also uses the same lists and filter syntax as uBO, making migration easier.
~~- [1Blocker](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/1blocker-faster-safer-web/id1107421413), by far the most powerful, with custom rules and an element picker. This is the best option if you don't mind paying. Costs $10. ~~**Update:** do not buy. [1Blocker has teased 1BlockerX for Mac, which will be a paid upgrade. I cannot reccomend buying an app now which will soon be obsolete.](https://mobile.twitter.com/1BlockerApp).~~ **Update 2:** 1Blocker has said that it will be a free upgrade to 1BlockerX from the current version, so there isn't any reason to wait if you want it.~~ 1Blocker has switched to a subscription model, even for people who already paid for it. Avoid.
- [Ka-block](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ka-block/id1335413823). Unexceptional. Free. Will block ads, nothing more. Pretty sure it's just a wrapper for easylist, but it's a good option if you mind paying for 1Blocker. Also open-source.
**Other Good Options**
- [Ghostery Lite](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ghostery-lite/id1436953057). Free. Ghostery. Some advanced options for whitelisting. Good lists for ad and tracker blocking.
- [Adguard for Mac](https://adguard.com/en/adguard-mac/overview.html). Fully featured system wide adblocker, contains custom lists and element picker. Does cost after a trial, [see here for prices](https://adguard.com/en/license.html).
- [Wipr](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/wipr/id1320666476). $1.99, simple featureless and popular. ~~Don't see any advantage in this over Ka-block (see above) for an extra $1.99.~~ Apparently Ka-Block doesn't work for youtube (wipr does), and Wipr uses 3 extensions to get around the limit in rules.
**Do Not Reccomend**
- AdBlock Plus for Safari - Supports acceptable ads, a pay-to-play ad allowing system which allows certain ads and trackers which meet guidelines and pay AdBlock Plus. Some of these ads, imo, are not acceptable, and I don't consider any trackers acceptable. Uses Easylist so otherwise is identical to Ka-Block!.
- uBlock - Don't at all associated with uBO or the code which uBO contains. Is instead identical to AdBlock Plus in all but name including acceptable ads.
- AdBlock for Safari (made by BETAFISH INC) - Yet another acceptable ads-supporting blocker which just uses easylist. Avoid.
- There are plenty more on the mac app store, have a look if none of these suit. No new content blockers can spy on you as they send lists though Safari's built in system, so they are all pretty safe. If you find a good one comment and I'll add it to this list.
**Update:** [Here is a statement from gorhill (uBO developer) on the state of Safari](https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/blob/master/platform/safari/README.md#safari-platform)
**Edit:** a lot people are asking about uBlock Origin not working in the future on Chrome. If you'd like more information on this, [here is an article from ghacks from january](https://www.ghacks.net/2019/01/22/chrome-extension-manifest-v3-could-end-ublock-origin-for-chrome/), and a [statement from gorhill, developer of uBlock](https://bugs.chromium.org/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=896897&desc=2#c23).**
There has been discussion of this on [Reddit](https://old.reddit.com/r/uBlockOrigin/comments/d18cpi/explanation_of_the_state_of_ublock_origin_and/) [Github](https://github.com/el1t/uBlock-Safari/issues/158) and [Hacker News](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21025252).
Even worse, gorhill (uBO creator) outlines limitations of the adblocking API in WebKit preventing uBO from working at 100% capability. Damn, guess we’re boned until Gecko or a Blink-based web browser with WebExtensions support is ported.
Or alternately, a Haiku-native client for Invidious/Piped instances is developed.