Best Internet Filtering Software in 2026
Updated
In short: AdGuard DNS is ranked #1 of 65 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of NextDNS and Cloudflare Gateway. The best-ranked option with a free plan is NextDNS. The lowest first paid tier on this page is NextDNS at £1.79/mo.
Managing internet access can mean setting boundaries for sites, searches or times of use across the devices you oversee. Compared on safe search controls, custom blocklists and filtering schedules, these software options also vary in activity reports, device limits and platform support. Free plans and paid-from pricing help frame the cost. AdGuard DNS, NextDNS and Cloudflare Gateway are among the entries to compare, with UnveilDNS and Technitium DNS Server also listed. Consider how much control and reporting you need, which platforms are in scope and whether the device coverage fits your situation.
65 internet filtering software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
5 of the 25 here have a free tier you can use, 0 have open-source code on record, and 0 have full bars: free, open, on most of your devices and documented.
| # | App | Signal | Free tier | Open code | Devices | From | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AdGuard DNSWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone · Self-hosted · API | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | Free | 6.7 | |
| 2 | NextDNSWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone · Self-hosted · API · Extension | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | £1.79/mo | 6.7 | |
| 3 | Cloudflare GatewayWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | $7/mo | 6.6 | |
| 4 | UnveilDNSWeb · Windows · Mac · Android · iPhone · Self-hosted | Three bars | — | 5 of 6 | $16.58/mo | 6.6 | |
| 5 | Technitium DNS ServerWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Self-hosted · API | Three bars | — | 4 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 6 | CleanBrowsingWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone · API | Two bars | — | — | 6 of 6 | $6.25/mo | 5.8 |
| 7 | Control DWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone · Self-hosted · API · Extension | Two bars | — | — | 6 of 6 | $2/mo | 5.8 |
| 8 | AdGuardWindows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone · Extension | Two bars | — | — | 5 of 6 | — | 5.7 |
| 9 | Lightspeed ClassroomWeb · Windows · Mac · Android · iPhone | Two bars | — | — | 5 of 6 | — | 5.7 |
| 10 | CIRA Anycast DNSWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Two bars | — | — | 6 of 6 | — | 5.6 |
| 11 | ClasswizeWeb · Windows · Mac · iPhone · Extension | Two bars | — | — | 4 of 6 | — | 5.6 |
| 12 | GoGuardian DNSWeb · Windows · Mac · Android · iPhone | Two bars | — | — | 5 of 6 | — | 5.6 |
| 13 | DNS for FamilyWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | One bar | — | — | 6 of 6 | — | 5.5 |
| 14 | OpenBLDWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | One bar | — | — | 6 of 6 | — | 5.5 |
| 15 | OpenDNS HomeWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | One bar | — | — | 6 of 6 | — | 5.5 |
| 16 | RM SafetyNetWeb · Windows · Mac · Android · iPhone | One bar | — | — | 5 of 6 | — | 5.5 |
| 17 | Smoothwall FilterWeb · Windows · Mac · Android · iPhone | One bar | — | — | 5 of 6 | — | 5.5 |
| 18 | ThreatDown Endpoint ProtectionWindows · Mac · Linux | Two bars | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.5 |
| 19 | DNS DaddyWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · iPhone | One bar | — | — | 5 of 6 | — | 5.4 |
| 20 | GoGuardian AdminWeb · Windows · Mac · iPhone | One bar | — | — | 4 of 6 | — | 5.4 |
| 21 | Saasyan Assure LiteWeb · Windows · Mac · Android · iPhone | One bar | — | — | 5 of 6 | — | 5.4 |
| 22 | Securly FilterWeb · Windows · Mac · Android · iPhone | One bar | — | — | 5 of 6 | — | 5.4 |
| 23 | Yandex DNSWindows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | One bar | — | — | 5 of 6 | — | 5.4 |
| 24 | BlockyWindows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 25 | Cisco Secure AccessWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone · API | Two bars | — | — | 6 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which internet filtering software is ranked first on Freedom251?
AdGuard DNS is ranked #1 of 65 with a score of 6.7. NextDNS is second and Cloudflare Gateway third.
How many of these have a free plan?
5 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, NextDNS has the lowest first paid tier we found: £1.79/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked free-and-open first: a usable free tier and open-source code, then the platforms it runs on and its documentation. Paid placements never change a rank.