NextDNS
Custom encrypted DNS that blocks malware, ads, trackers, and adult content.
NextDNS is a configurable DNS filtering service for blocking malicious domains, ads, trackers, and unwanted content across devices and networks. It combines encrypted DNS setup options with security feeds, parental controls, allow/deny lists, analytics, and adjustable logging retention.
Why it stands out
- Works at the DNS layer, so filtering can apply across browsers, apps, devices, and networks rather than only inside one browser.
- Offers unusually granular security toggles, including protections for DNS rebinding, IDN homographs, typosquatting, DGAs, newly registered domains, and parked domains.
- Lets users choose log retention from very short windows up to long-term storage, or disable logging entirely.
- Supports separate configurations, making it practical to run different policies for kids, adults, work devices, or specific networks.
- Provides low-latency global DNS infrastructure with many server locations and encrypted DNS protocol support.
Good to know
- DNS-level blocking cannot inspect page content or replace endpoint antivirus, so it may not catch threats that do not depend on blocked domains.
- Some setup is required per device, router, or network, and advanced options may be confusing for users unfamiliar with DNS.
- Blocking rules can occasionally break apps, games, or sites until the relevant domain is allowlisted.
Under the radar: Use separate configurations instead of one global profile when testing stricter blocklists; you can move only a few devices to the new profile before applying the rules to an entire home network.
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Privacy-conscious households and small teams can manage DNS-level blocking across phones, computers, and networks without running their own server. Block malware, phishing, cryptojacking, and suspicious newly registered domains before devices connect to them. Reduce ads and app trackers system-wide, including traffic that browser extensions may miss. Set family rules such as SafeSearch, YouTube Restricted Mode, category blocks, and scheduled recreation time. Review DNS logs and analytics to understand which domains devices and apps are contacting.
Threat-intelligence-based domain blocking, ad and tracker blocklists, native tracking protection, parental controls, real-time logs, analytics, configurable log retention and storage region, custom allowlists and denylists, DNS rewrites, DNSSEC validation, DNS-over-HTTPS, DNS-over-TLS, and multiple independent configurations per account.
Alternative listings
An open-source blocker for ads, trackers, and cookie pop-ups.
Privacy & security tools / big-tech alternativesGhostery provides privacy-focused browser tools that block ads, limit tracking scripts, and automate rejection of many tracking cookies. Its broader site also includes WhoTracks.Me tracker reports and a privacy-news digest, giving users more visibility into the companies collecting data across the web.
0 votesVisit siteNetwork-level ad and tracker blocking with customizable DNS rules.
Privacy & security tools / big-tech alternativesAdGuard DNS is a cloud DNS service that filters requests before they reach websites or apps, blocking known advertising, tracking, phishing, malware, and adult-content domains depending on the mode you choose. It can be used as a public DNS resolver or managed through a dashboard for device-level rules, request statistics, and custom allow/block lists.
0 votesVisit site
Similar sites elsewhere
- AdGuard DNS — adguard-dns.io
- Control D — controld.com
- Quad9 — quad9.net
- Pi-hole — pi-hole.net
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