Ad Blocker

Best Apps Like NextDNS: Top DNS Ad Blocking Alternatives in 2026

NextDNS acts as your DNS resolver in the cloud, blocking ads, trackers, and malware across all your devices with per-device profiles, parental controls, and query-level analytics.

Why People Look for NextDNS Alternatives

Pi-hole requires dedicated local hardware; NextDNS works on any device by changing DNS settings.
AdGuard app is paid software; NextDNS offers a generous free tier of 300,000 queries per month.
ISP DNS resolvers have no ad blocking and log your queries; NextDNS blocks trackers and has a privacy-focused logging policy.
Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 does not block ads; NextDNS adds blocking on top of fast DNS resolution.

6 Best Alternatives to NextDNS

Each app below addresses a specific gap in NextDNS's offering. We picked them based on real user review patterns and feature differentiation.

Pi-hole

Self-hosted network-wide DNS ad blocker.

Pi-hole runs on your local network and blocks ads for every connected device without any cloud dependency. All DNS queries stay on your network. Requires a Raspberry Pi or Linux server to run.

Users who want full local control over DNS blocking without any cloud trust. Free and open-source.
Explore Pi-hole data →

AdGuard Home

Self-hosted DNS ad blocker from the AdGuard team.

AdGuard Home is a self-hosted DNS filtering server similar to Pi-hole but with a more modern interface and native DNS-over-HTTPS support. Runs on Linux, Windows, macOS, Raspberry Pi, and Docker.

Self-hosters who want a Pi-hole alternative with a better interface and DoH out of the box. Free and open-source.
Explore AdGuard Home data →

Cloudflare 1.1.1.1

Fast privacy-focused public DNS resolver.

Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 is one of the fastest public DNS resolvers with strong privacy practices (no selling of query data). It does not block ads by default but offers 1.1.1.2 for malware blocking and 1.1.1.3 for malware + adult content filtering.

Users who want a fast, private DNS resolver without ad blocking overhead. Free.
Explore Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 data →

ControlD

Customizable DNS resolver with per-device and per-profile rules.

ControlD is a flexible DNS resolver with per-device profiles, custom rules, geo-unblocking, and analytics similar to NextDNS. It supports DNS-over-HTTPS, DNS-over-TLS, and WARP-style proxy modes. More customization options than NextDNS.

Power users who want more control over per-device DNS rules and geo-unblocking. Free limited; Pro from $2/mo.
Explore ControlD data →

AdGuard DNS

Public and private cloud DNS with ad and tracker blocking.

AdGuard DNS provides both public DNS servers with default blocking and a private DNS product (AdGuard DNS Private) with custom rules, query logs, and per-device settings — similar to NextDNS.

Users who want AdGuard-grade blocking without running software on every device. Public DNS free; Private from $2.99/mo.
Explore AdGuard DNS data →

Quad9

Security-focused public DNS that blocks malware domains.

Quad9 is a non-profit public DNS resolver that blocks malware and phishing domains using threat intelligence from IBM, Cisco Talos, and others. It does not block ads but provides malware protection as a free public service.

Users who want malware-blocking DNS without ad filtering and with non-profit oversight. Free.
Explore Quad9 data →
How we found these alternatives

NextDNS was founded in 2019 and is used by millions of people and organizations as a cloud-based alternative to running Pi-hole locally.

Frequently Asked Questions

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