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Spotify Ad blocker for MacOS

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Quick Overview

BlockTheSpot-Mac is a project aimed at blocking advertisements in the Spotify desktop application for macOS. It provides a method to patch the Spotify app, removing ads and enabling additional features without requiring a premium subscription.

Pros

  • Removes audio and visual advertisements from Spotify
  • Enables unlimited skips for free users
  • No need for a premium subscription to access enhanced features
  • Easy to install and use

Cons

  • May violate Spotify's terms of service
  • Could potentially break with Spotify updates
  • Ethical concerns regarding bypassing paid features
  • May not work on all versions of macOS or Spotify

Getting Started

  1. Download the latest release from the GitHub repository.
  2. Open Terminal and navigate to the downloaded folder.
  3. Run the following command:
sudo chmod +x ./BlockTheSpot.sh && sudo ./BlockTheSpot.sh
  1. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.
  2. Restart Spotify after the process is complete.

Note: Always ensure you have a backup of your Spotify application before applying any patches. Use this tool at your own risk and be aware of potential legal and ethical implications.

Competitor Comparisons

18,104

Command-line tool to customize Spotify client. Supports Windows, MacOS, and Linux.

Pros of spicetify/cli

  • More comprehensive customization options for Spotify
  • Supports themes, extensions, and custom apps
  • Active community with regular updates and contributions

Cons of spicetify/cli

  • More complex setup and usage
  • Requires more technical knowledge to fully utilize
  • May break with Spotify updates, requiring manual fixes

Code Comparison

BlockTheSpot-Mac:

#!/bin/bash
spotify_path="/Applications/Spotify.app/Contents/Resources/Apps"

spicetify/cli:

func backupFile(file string) error {
    return copyFile(file, file+".bak")
}

BlockTheSpot-Mac focuses on a simple bash script to modify Spotify files, while spicetify/cli uses Go for more complex operations and customizations.

Summary

BlockTheSpot-Mac is a simpler solution specifically for blocking ads on macOS, while spicetify/cli offers a more comprehensive toolkit for customizing Spotify across multiple platforms. spicetify/cli provides greater flexibility and features but requires more technical expertise to use effectively. BlockTheSpot-Mac is easier to use but has more limited functionality. The choice between the two depends on the user's needs and technical proficiency.

Adblocker for Spotify

Pros of spotify-adblock

  • Written in C, potentially offering better performance
  • Supports Linux systems natively
  • More actively maintained with recent updates

Cons of spotify-adblock

  • Limited to Linux platforms
  • Requires compilation from source
  • May need more technical knowledge to set up and use

Code Comparison

BlockTheSpot-Mac (Swift):

class AdBlocker {
    static func blockAds() {
        // Ad blocking logic for macOS
    }
}

spotify-adblock (C):

#include <stdio.h>

int main() {
    // Ad blocking logic for Linux
    return 0;
}

Summary

BlockTheSpot-Mac is designed specifically for macOS users, offering a simpler setup process for those on Apple systems. It's written in Swift, which aligns well with macOS development.

spotify-adblock, on the other hand, caters to Linux users and is written in C. This may provide performance benefits but requires more technical expertise to implement. It's more actively maintained, which could mean better long-term support and updates.

The choice between these two largely depends on the user's operating system and technical proficiency. macOS users will find BlockTheSpot-Mac more accessible, while Linux users with some technical knowledge might prefer spotify-adblock for its potential performance advantages and active development.

Protect your privacy by blocking all annoying Spotify ads & analytics in Linux, OSX and Windows with hosts file.

Pros of SpotifyAdBlock

  • More actively maintained with recent updates
  • Supports a wider range of macOS versions
  • Includes additional features like automatic updates

Cons of SpotifyAdBlock

  • More complex installation process
  • Requires more system permissions
  • May have compatibility issues with some Spotify versions

Code Comparison

BlockTheSpot-Mac:

#!/bin/bash
cp /Applications/Spotify.app/Contents/Resources/Apps/spotify.css /Applications/Spotify.app/Contents/Resources/Apps/spotify.css.bak
curl -o /Applications/Spotify.app/Contents/Resources/Apps/spotify.css https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Nuzair46/BlockTheSpot-Mac/main/spotify.css

SpotifyAdBlock:

def patch_spotify():
    spotify_path = "/Applications/Spotify.app"
    backup_path = os.path.join(os.path.expanduser("~"), ".spotify-adblock-backup")
    
    if not os.path.exists(spotify_path):
        print("Spotify not found. Please install Spotify first.")
        return

Both projects aim to block ads in Spotify on macOS, but they use different approaches. BlockTheSpot-Mac employs a simpler method by replacing a CSS file, while SpotifyAdBlock uses a more comprehensive patching process. SpotifyAdBlock offers more features and broader compatibility, but it comes with a more complex setup and potential compatibility issues. BlockTheSpot-Mac is simpler to install but may not be as effective or up-to-date.

13,199

SpotX patcher used for patching the desktop version of Spotify

Pros of SpotX

  • Supports multiple platforms including Windows, macOS, and Linux
  • Offers more extensive ad-blocking features, including video ads
  • Provides regular updates and maintenance

Cons of SpotX

  • More complex installation process, especially for non-technical users
  • May require more frequent updates to maintain functionality
  • Potential for compatibility issues with future Spotify updates

Code Comparison

While both projects aim to block ads in Spotify, their approaches differ:

BlockTheSpot-Mac:

#!/bin/bash
sudo cp /Applications/Spotify.app/Contents/Resources/Apps/spotify.css ./spotify.css.bak
sudo cp ./spotify.css /Applications/Spotify.app/Contents/Resources/Apps/spotify.css

SpotX:

$spotx_version = "1.0"
$spotify_path = "$env:APPDATA\Spotify\Apps"
Copy-Item -LiteralPath "$PWD\chrome_elf.dll" -Destination "$spotify_path" -Force

BlockTheSpot-Mac uses a simple bash script to replace CSS files, while SpotX employs a more complex PowerShell script to modify Spotify's core files. This reflects SpotX's more comprehensive approach to ad-blocking and feature modification.

Video, audio & banner adblock/skip for Spotify

Pros of BlockTheSpot

  • More actively maintained with frequent updates
  • Supports a wider range of Spotify versions
  • Includes a convenient installation script for easier setup

Cons of BlockTheSpot

  • Windows-only solution, limiting its user base
  • Requires more manual steps for installation and updates
  • May have compatibility issues with some antivirus software

Code Comparison

BlockTheSpot-Mac:

#!/bin/bash
spotify_app_path="/Applications/Spotify.app"
spotify_binary_path="$spotify_app_path/Contents/MacOS/Spotify"

BlockTheSpot:

$SpotifyDirectory = "$env:APPDATA\Spotify"
$SpotifyExecutable = "$SpotifyDirectory\Spotify.exe"
$SpotifyApps = "$SpotifyDirectory\Apps"

Both projects aim to block ads in Spotify, but they target different operating systems. BlockTheSpot-Mac is specifically designed for macOS, while BlockTheSpot focuses on Windows. The code snippets above illustrate the different approaches to locating the Spotify application files on their respective platforms.

BlockTheSpot-Mac uses a bash script to identify the Spotify application path on macOS, while BlockTheSpot employs PowerShell to locate Spotify files in the Windows environment. This fundamental difference in implementation reflects the distinct target platforms of each project.

EZBlocker - A Spotify Ad Blocker for Windows

Pros of Spotify-Ad-Blocker

  • Cross-platform support (Windows, macOS, Linux)
  • More active development and recent updates
  • Larger community and user base

Cons of Spotify-Ad-Blocker

  • More complex installation process
  • Requires additional dependencies
  • May have compatibility issues with certain Spotify versions

Code Comparison

BlockTheSpot-Mac:

#!/bin/bash
cp /Applications/Spotify.app/Contents/Resources/Apps/spotify.css /Applications/Spotify.app/Contents/Resources/Apps/spotify.css.bak
curl -o /Applications/Spotify.app/Contents/Resources/Apps/spotify.css https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Nuzair46/BlockTheSpot-Mac/main/spotify.css

Spotify-Ad-Blocker:

def block_ads():
    hosts = get_hosts()
    for host in hosts:
        if host not in WHITELIST:
            block_host(host)

The BlockTheSpot-Mac script is simpler, focusing on modifying the Spotify CSS file to block ads. Spotify-Ad-Blocker uses a more complex Python-based approach, manipulating host files to block ad servers.

Both projects aim to block ads in Spotify, but they employ different techniques. BlockTheSpot-Mac is specifically designed for macOS, while Spotify-Ad-Blocker offers a more versatile solution across multiple platforms. The choice between the two depends on the user's operating system, technical expertise, and desired level of customization.

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README

BlockTheSpot-Mac

A multi-purpose adblocker and skip-bypass for the Spotify for MacOS

Please support Spotify by purchasing premium
For Windows, use BlockTheSpot

Last updated: 06 July 2024
Last tested version: 1.2.32.985


We need collaborators.

  • We are running short of people who can collaborate and maintain this project. If you are good with bash scripting, please create an issue here or contact red.dev in discord.

Features:

  • Blocks all banner/video/audio ads within the app
  • Blocks logging (Sentry, etc)
  • Unlocks the skip function for any track
  • Blocks Spotify automatic updates (optional)
  • Hides podcasts, episodes and audiobooks on Home Screen (optional)
  • Enable Developer Mode (optional)

Installation/Update:

  • Close Spotify completely.
  • Run The following command in Terminal:
bash <(curl -sSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Nuzair46/BlockTheSpot-Mac/main/install.sh)

Note:

  • BlockTheSpot-Mac now requires codesign to sign the binaries after patching.
  • For this, you will need to have Xcode installed on your mac.
  • To install xcode, use the following command in terminal:
xcode-select --install
  • If you have already installed xcode, you can skip this step.
  • If you have Intel mac, you can try skipping codesign by using the -S flag.

Optional Install Arguments:

-f Force patch -- forces re-patching if backup detected
-h Hide podcasts, episodes and audiobooks on home screen
-P Path to Spotify.app -- set custom Spotify app path
-u Block updated -- blocks automatic updates
-d Enable Developer Mode
-S Skip Codesign -- only to be used if you have intel mac
-U Uninstall BlockTheSpot-Mac and restore original.

Use any combination of flags.
The following example clears app cache, adds experimental features, leaves new UI enabled and blocks updates:

bash <(curl -sSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Nuzair46/BlockTheSpot-Mac/main/install.sh) -hu

Uninstall:

  • Close Spotify completely.
  • Run The following command in Terminal:
bash <(curl -sSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Nuzair46/BlockTheSpot-Mac/main/install.sh) -U

or

  • Reinstall Spotify

Notes:

  • Audio/video ads during Podcast playback are currently NOT blocked with BlockTheSpot.
  • Spicetify users: When using BlockTheSpot-Mac + Spicetify, the current script requires running BlockTheSpot first.

DISCLAIMER

  • Ad blocking is the main concern of this repo. Any other feature provided by BlockTheSpot-Mac or consequence of using those features will be the sole responsibility of the user, not BlockTheSpot/BlockTheSpot-Mac.
  • All future forks/clients using this of this repo should be licensed under AGPL-3.0 License.