If you've ever tried a content blocking app on Android, you've almost certainly run into one of two things: a persistent VPN notification in your status bar, or a battery that drains noticeably faster than usual. These are not bugs. They are the inevitable consequence of how most content blockers are built.
BlockerPlus takes a different approach — one that we think is fundamentally better for users. Here's the technical story behind why we don't need a VPN, and why that decision has made the app more reliable, more battery-friendly, and harder to circumvent.
How VPN-based blocking works
The majority of content blocking apps on Android route your device's internet traffic through a local VPN tunnel. The app creates a virtual network interface, intercepts all outgoing traffic, inspects the destination domains, and decides whether to allow or block each request.
This approach has one significant advantage: it's OS-level. Because all traffic passes through the VPN, the app can theoretically block content in any browser and any app, without needing deeper system access.
But it comes with serious trade-offs:
- Battery drain. Maintaining a persistent VPN tunnel requires the CPU to continuously inspect and route network packets. On most devices, this costs between 5–15% additional battery per day.
- VPN conflicts. Android allows only one active VPN at a time. If you use a corporate VPN, a privacy VPN, or any other VPN-based tool, a VPN blocker will conflict with it.
- Unreliability. Android's battery optimisation systems can kill background VPN services, causing the blocker to silently stop working.
- Bypassing. Sophisticated users can bypass VPN-based blocking by connecting through a different VPN the app can't inspect.
"We wanted to build something that actually works — not something that looks like it works."
The Accessibility API approach
BlockerPlus uses Android's Accessibility Service API to monitor what's happening on screen in real time. When a user opens a browser or visits a website, our service observes the on-screen content and URL. If the content matches our blocklist, we intervene immediately — overlaying a block screen before the content loads.
- No battery overhead. The Accessibility Service only activates when the screen content changes. In our testing, the additional battery impact is under 1% per day.
- No VPN conflicts. You can run BlockerPlus alongside any VPN you choose.
- Broader blocking coverage. We can block content in apps that use encrypted or non-standard protocols that VPN inspection can't decode.
- Keyword and context-aware blocking. We detect inappropriate content not just by URL, but by on-screen text and context.
The optional VPN layer
We do offer an optional VPN-based blocking layer for users who want it — useful for network-level DNS blocking. But critically, it's optional. The app works completely and effectively without it. Most of our 200,000+ users have never needed to enable it.
Note: The Accessibility Service requires explicit user permission. We explain clearly what we access and why. We never read message content, passwords, or private data — only the URLs and app names needed for blocking decisions.
Why this matters for you
A VPN-based blocker that conflicts with your work VPN is not a blocker you'll actually use. A battery-draining blocker that you disable to get through the day is not protecting you. BlockerPlus was designed to be something you set up once and forget about — running quietly in the background, doing its job without getting in your way.