AdGuard DNS

Overview

AdGuard DNS filters DNS requests to block ads, trackers, phishing, and malicious domains across connected devices. It suits households that want family controls and people or organizations that need per-device rules and request visibility. Its breadth is a strength, though the device cap on the free plan and custom pricing for paid tiers make cost and scale important considerations.

Public DNS provides Default, Family, and Non-filtering modes. Private DNS adds device-level controls and request analytics. AdGuard says the service is open source, GDPR-compliant, collects only the minimum necessary data, and does not share it with third parties.

AdGuard DNS is included in DNS Filtering Software and Internet Filtering Software.

Key features

Filtering and family controls

Family mode blocks adult content and enables Safe Search and Safe Mode where possible, making it the relevant Public DNS choice for households. Private DNS goes further with parental controls that can schedule restrictions on sites such as social media. Custom rules let users allow or block domains for one device or globally, useful when different devices need different policies.

Request visibility and privacy controls

The dashboard breaks DNS request statistics down by date, country, or device and shows which requests were blocked. That makes it easier to review filtering activity than a mode-only setup, particularly for administrators managing multiple devices. Enterprise DNS stores request logs for statistics, but users can disable logging in account settings.

Encrypted DNS and verification

Support for DNSCrypt, DNS-over-HTTPS, DNS-over-TLS, and DNS-over-QUIC gives users several encrypted DNS options. DNSSEC verifies the authenticity of stored DNS records with digital signatures. These are useful protections for users choosing a DNS service, although they do not replace the service's filtering or parental-control settings.

Enterprise integration and support

Enterprise DNS provides a REST API for automation and integration with existing security control systems; AdGuard also says it integrates with AdGuard Ad Blocker and AdGuard VPN. Enterprise customers receive priority support, technical documentation, setup guides, API documentation, and email support. The API and support package are aimed at larger organizations rather than households.

Pricing

AdGuard DNS uses a freemium model, with a free plan and a 30-day trial. Starter costs nothing and is provided by default. Its 20-device limit makes it a practical entry point for individuals or smaller households, but less suitable for larger deployments.

Personal is for personal use and Team is for small businesses; both are billed monthly, with custom pricing. The paid tiers are the options to consider when the free device limit is too restrictive, but buyers must obtain pricing before comparing their ongoing cost.

Enterprise uses flexible pricing and requires contacting sales. Payment can be annual per user or per 100M requests, and the plan includes unlimited devices, servers, and DNS requests. That removes the Starter scale ceiling for larger organizations, while the custom structure means it is not a self-serve, fixed-price option.

A one-year subscription has a 30-day money-back guarantee; monthly subscriptions are non-refundable. This makes the annual commitment less risky than monthly billing if a refund option matters.

Platforms

AdGuard DNS supports Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, routers, and game consoles. Its listed platform coverage also includes web, API, and self-hosted access, so it can fit mixed-device environments as well as browser-based administration.

Who it's for

Choose AdGuard DNS if you want filtering across devices, household controls, custom domain rules, or a dashboard for reviewing requests. Starter is the sensible place to begin when 20 devices are enough. Personal fits individual use and Team small businesses, while Enterprise is aimed at larger companies that need unlimited request capacity, an API, or integrations. It is a weaker fit if you need a published monthly price for a paid plan or expect Starter to cover more than 20 devices.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Family mode combines adult-content blocking with Safe Search and Safe Mode where possible, while Private DNS adds scheduled restrictions.
• Pro: Per-device and global allow/block rules make it possible to tailor filtering rather than apply one policy everywhere.
• Pro: Request statistics can be viewed by date, country, or device, with blocked requests identified.
• Pro: Enterprise supports a REST API and states integrations with AdGuard Ad Blocker and AdGuard VPN.
• Con: Starter is capped at 20 devices, limiting its usefulness for bigger households or organizations.
• Con: Personal and Team use custom pricing despite monthly billing, so buyers cannot judge their cost without requesting a quote.
• Con: Monthly subscriptions are non-refundable, unlike the 30-day money-back guarantee for a one-year subscription.

Alternatives

• Comodo Secure DNS is a free alternative with a stated cap of 300,000 DNS requests per month, which may suit enterprises and MSPs comparing a free request-limited option.
• NextDNS offers a free plan with 300,000 queries per month and unlimited devices and configurations; consider it if those free-tier limits matter more than AdGuard DNS's stated family controls.
• NxFilter offers free software for commercial and non-commercial use; it may suit readers looking for a freeware DNS filtering option.
• OpenDNS FamilyShield is free, preconfigured to block adult content, and requires no sign-up; it is a simpler option when those controls are the priority.
• Quad9 is free for everyone with no contract or sign-up process, making it an option for readers who want a no-contract DNS service.
• Technitium DNS Server is a free, open-source, self-hosted DNS server; choose it if you specifically want to host the server yourself.
• Blocky is a free, open-source self-hosted DNS proxy, another option for readers who prefer self-hosting.
• Pi-hole is free, open-source software that runs on supported Linux hardware or in Docker; it suits readers seeking that self-hosted approach.

Verdict

AdGuard DNS is a strong fit for households and smaller setups that want more than basic DNS filtering: its family controls, device-specific rules, and request dashboard make it more adaptable to everyday administration. The free Starter plan is a useful starting point within its 20-device limit. Look elsewhere if you need a published monthly price before committing, or if you need a fixed-price paid plan; larger organizations can instead weigh Enterprise's unlimited capacity and integration options against its custom pricing.