BlockTheSpot vs SpotX: Which Spotify Ad Blocker?

Why this comparison is harder than it looks

Most comparisons of these two tools rely on claims about how each one works, and many of those claims are repeated without a source. We would rather be explicit about what we could verify. For BlockTheSpot we read the official README and config.ini in full, and we checked the release hashes. For SpotX we checked the repository's GitHub data, including its location, activity, and releases, but we did not audit how it works internally, so we do not describe its mechanism in detail here. Use this page to understand the practical differences and what to check, not as a technical review of either codebase.

Where each project lives today

BlockTheSpot's official repository is mrpond/BlockTheSpot. It is a fork of master131's original repository, and it is archived (read-only). Its latest release is tagged 2026.02.12, published on 11 February 2026, with blockthespot.dll and chrome_elf.dll attached.

The original BlockTheSpot repository, master131/BlockTheSpot, describes itself as superseded by SpotX, and it points to the older SpotX-CLI address. That address now redirects to Nuzair46/SpotX-Win on GitHub. The redirected repository is not archived, but its last code push was on 20 May 2023, it has about 167 stars, and the GitHub releases list we retrieved was empty. We did not find a current release for it.

Maintenance and activity

The table shows why neither project should be treated as a guaranteed, up-to-date tool. BlockTheSpot has the most recent published release, but it is archived. SpotX is not archived, but it has not been pushed to since 2023 and lists no releases in the data we retrieved. Activity can resume, so check the current state of each repository before you choose.

How each one touches your Spotify install

BlockTheSpot, as its README describes, works by renaming chrome_elf.dll and placing new files in the Spotify folder, along with a config.ini containing URL block paths and signature-based edits. That makes its footprint visible: you can see the files, read the config, and remove them with the steps in our uninstall guide.

We did not verify SpotX's installation method in this guide, so we will not describe its file layout. If you consider SpotX, read its own documentation to see what it changes on your computer, where those changes live, and how to remove them. The question to ask of any patch is simple: can I see exactly what it changes, and can I undo it?

Verifiability

This is the area where BlockTheSpot has a clear, documented advantage in what we could check. Its release assets have GitHub-recorded SHA-256 digests. We downloaded the two 2026.02.12 assets on 7 October 2026 and confirmed their hashes matched. You can do the same with our verification guide. For SpotX, we could not confirm release files in the repository we checked, so we cannot say whether the same kind of check is available.

Compatibility with your Spotify build

Both projects depend on specific Spotify code, so both can fail after an update. BlockTheSpot's config.ini names the Spotify version it was written for, which at the time of our check was 1.2.83.461. That makes compatibility something you can check. For SpotX, we did not verify which Spotify builds it targets, so check its documentation before you assume a match.

Platform support

BlockTheSpot is for the Windows 64-bit desktop app, and the README says it is not for the Microsoft Store version. A community Mac repository exists, but it is archived. For SpotX, check its own documentation for the platforms it claims to support, because we did not verify that in this guide.

Using both at once

We do not recommend running both. Each modifies the Spotify client, so a problem could come from either one, and you would have no clean way to tell which. If you want to try the other tool, first restore the original Spotify files using our uninstall guide, then install the second tool alone and test it.

Which should you choose?

• Choose BlockTheSpot if you want a verifiable release, a readable config.ini, and a Windows desktop setup, and you accept that its official repository is archived. Check your build against the config first.
• Consider SpotX only after you have read its own documentation, checked its current activity, and are comfortable verifying any files you download from it.
• Choose Premium or Spotify Free if you want no modification at all. Our alternatives page explains that route and the others.

Summary

BlockTheSpot and SpotX are separate projects, and neither shows clear recent maintenance in the data we checked. BlockTheSpot is archived but has a verifiable 2026.02.12 release and a readable config. SpotX's repository was last pushed in May 2023 and lists no releases. Compare them on verifiability, build compatibility, and source trust, and do not run both at once.

A decision checklist

Use this checklist to choose between the two tools for your own situation. Answer each question for each option, then compare. The answers will not always point to one clear winner, and that is an honest result.

• Can I see exactly what the tool changes on my computer?
• Can I verify the files against a published source?
• Does the tool's repository show recent activity?
• Does it support my Spotify build, and can I check that?
• Can I revert the change cleanly?
• Am I comfortable with the account and terms questions for this tool?

Using the checklist well

Write the answers down before you install either tool. A written record prevents you from choosing on impression, and it gives you something to compare when the next Spotify update arrives.