Choose AdGuard Home if built-in encrypted DNS, parental controls, Safe Search, or per-client upstreams are your main priorities. Choose Pi-hole if you want a Linux-hosted DNS sinkhole with mature group management, a web dashboard, command-line control, optional DHCP, and many deployment choices. Both are free, self-hosted DNS filters that can block ad and tracking domains for devices across a network, but neither is a complete replacement for a browser content blocker. Your result depends as much on configuring every client to use the filtering server as it does on which software you install.
Pi-hole and AdGuard Home at a glance
Pi-hole and AdGuard Home solve the same basic problem: they answer DNS requests for your network and refuse, redirect, or sinkhole requests that match blocking rules. Because the decision happens at DNS level, one server can cover phones, televisions, game consoles, smart-home devices, and computers without installing an extension on each device.
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The projects are not interchangeable in every operational detail. The most direct feature comparison available is maintained by the AdGuard Home team, and its page history records a 2022 edit. Treat the distinctions below as that vendor’s description of built-in capabilities, not as an independent benchmark. Features and setup requirements can change, so verify the current documentation for the release and platform you intend to use.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute| What matters | Pi-hole | AdGuard Home | What that means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core blocking method | DNS sinkholing with customizable lists | DNS sinkholing with customizable lists | Both make domain-level decisions for clients that actually use the filter. |
| Encrypted DNS upstreams | Not listed as built in by the AdGuard-authored matrix; additional software or manual configuration may be required | Listed as built in: DNS-over-HTTPS, DNS-over-TLS, and DNSCrypt upstream support | AdGuard Home is the more direct starting point when you do not want a separate encrypted-DNS resolver. |
| Encrypted DNS server modes | Not listed as built in by that matrix | DNS-over-HTTPS and DNS-over-TLS server modes are listed as built in | Useful when clients or remote devices need an encrypted connection to your resolver. |
| Phishing and malware blocking | Not listed as built in by that matrix | Listed as built in | Pi-hole may need additional lists, software, or manual work for an equivalent setup. |
| Parental controls and Safe Search enforcement | Not listed as built in by that matrix | Listed as built in | AdGuard Home provides these controls in the product rather than asking you to assemble them. |
| Per-client configuration | Listed as available | Listed as available, with documented client settings | Either can apply different policies, but client identification and network design determine how reliable the result is. |
| DHCP service | Optional DHCP server documented | Availability depends on the current deployment and documentation | Pi-hole can take over address assignment when a router cannot advertise a custom DNS server. |
| Management interfaces | Web dashboard and command-line interface | Web administration interface | Both are administered locally; the exact screens vary by release. |
How network-wide DNS blocking works
When a device needs to contact example.com, it normally asks a DNS resolver for an IP address. A filtering resolver checks the requested domain against blocklists. If it matches, the resolver returns a sinkhole response or otherwise prevents ordinary resolution; if it does not, the request is resolved normally or forwarded to an upstream server.
This arrangement is network-wide only when clients send their DNS traffic to the filtering host. Installing Pi-hole or AdGuard Home on a server does not automatically redirect every device. Your router’s DHCP settings, the filter’s own DHCP service, or manual device configuration must advertise the filter’s address.
DNS filtering is deliberately narrower than a browser ad blocker. It sees domain lookups, not the full page, network request, or rendered element. An advertisement and wanted content may share one domain, and a first-party service can make requests that cannot be blocked without also breaking the service. Video ads, sponsored posts, and other embedded content therefore have no universal guarantee of removal. Results depend on the service and the lists you choose.
Which one should you choose?
Choose AdGuard Home for built-in encrypted DNS and policy controls
AdGuard Home is the more straightforward fit when you want encrypted DNS upstreams without installing another resolver, or when the resolver itself should serve DNS-over-HTTPS or DNS-over-TLS. The same vendor matrix lists phishing and malware blocking, parental controls, Safe Search enforcement, and access settings as built-in capabilities. Those statements describe the product’s advertised feature set; confirm the current implementation before relying on a particular protocol or control.
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Its client model is useful for households or small offices with different policies. The documentation describes identifying clients by IP address, CIDR range, MAC address when AdGuard Home is acting as DHCP server, or ClientIDs for certain encrypted-DNS protocols. A client can then receive different blocking choices or upstream servers.
Choose Pi-hole for a flexible Linux sinkhole and group workflow
Pi-hole is a good starting point when you want a free, self-hosted Linux service with a web dashboard, command-line operation, customizable lists, caching, and group management. It supports bare-metal installation and Docker deployment subject to the project’s current prerequisites. Its optional DHCP server is particularly useful when a router cannot advertise a user-selected DNS address.
Pi-hole is not a browser plug-in. Once DNS is configured correctly, it can cover devices that cannot run extensions, including many smart TVs and mobile applications. The trade-off is that capabilities presented as built in by AdGuard Home may require extra software, separate resolvers, or manual Pi-hole configuration.
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Choose either for a basic, customizable DNS sinkhole
If your requirement is simply “block known ad and tracker domains for my home network,” either project can meet it. Both support custom filtering and both rely on the same domain-level technique. There is no controlled, independent head-to-head test in the available material that establishes a speed, uptime, security, or blocking-rate winner, so claims that one is categorically faster or blocks more are not justified here.
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Installation and network configuration
Plan the DNS path before installing. The filtering host needs a stable address, must remain powered when clients need name resolution, and must be reachable from the networks you intend to protect.
Common installation sequence
- Choose an always-on host. Use compatible Linux hardware, a server, NAS, virtual machine, or Docker host supported by the project’s current documentation. Reserve a stable address through your router or configure a static address using the host’s normal network tools.
- Install one resolver. Follow the current Pi-hole or AdGuard Home installation method for your operating system. Do not run both services on the same address and port unless you deliberately separate their listening interfaces.
- Complete the web setup. Pi-hole presents its dashboard after installation. AdGuard Home’s initial setup guide lists TCP port 3000 for first-time setup and TCP port 80 for the web interface; ordinary DNS uses UDP port 53. Encrypted DNS modes can require additional ports. Binding to port 53 commonly requires elevated privileges, depending on the operating system and installation method.
- Select upstream resolvers and filters. Choose upstream DNS behavior, subscribe to appropriate lists, and add custom rules cautiously. A broad list can block a needed domain; keep a process for allowlisting and removing obsolete rules.
- Make clients use the filter. Change the router’s DHCP option for DNS, use Pi-hole’s DHCP server after disabling the router’s DHCP service, or set the DNS address manually on each device.
- Verify from several client types. Check a computer, phone, television, and any important appliance. Confirm that each reports the filtering host as its DNS server and that the dashboard records its queries.
Router DHCP path
The usual arrangement is to leave the router assigning addresses while changing its LAN or DHCP DNS fields to the filter’s address. Existing leases may continue using old settings until they renew, so reconnect clients or renew their leases after saving the router configuration. Menu names differ by manufacturer; look for LAN, DHCP Server, DNS Server, or Local Network settings.
Pi-hole DHCP fallback
If the router refuses to advertise a custom DNS server, Pi-hole documents an alternative: disable the router’s DHCP service, enable Pi-hole’s DHCP server, and let Pi-hole provide both addresses and its own DNS setting. Never operate two DHCP servers on the same broadcast network unless you have a deliberate, segmented design; competing servers can give clients inconsistent gateways and DNS addresses.
Manual device configuration
As a fallback, enter the filtering host’s address in each device’s network settings. This is practical for a few fixed devices but becomes difficult to maintain as devices roam between networks or receive new addresses. It also does not automatically cover guests.
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Per-client policies and encrypted-DNS bypasses
Per-client rules are only as accurate as client identification. An address-based identity can change when DHCP leases change; a MAC-based identity may be unavailable across routed segments or privacy-randomized Wi-Fi connections. AdGuard Home’s documented options—IP, CIDR, MAC when it supplies DHCP, and selected encrypted-DNS ClientIDs—let you choose a method that fits the network.
Browsers and operating systems can be configured to use a resolver other than the one supplied by DHCP. Encrypted-DNS settings can also send queries directly to an external service. The setup documentation establishes that clients must be configured to use the filtering server, but the available material does not provide an independent test of every bypass behavior. For a dependable policy, audit client DNS settings, decide whether encrypted DNS is required or restricted, and test from the actual networks and devices you manage.
Hardware, platforms, and cost
The software itself is free and self-hosted. Buying a Raspberry Pi is optional, not a prerequisite. A compatible Linux computer, spare server, NAS, virtual machine, or Docker-capable system may already satisfy the requirements. Pi-hole describes its hardware and software needs as minimal and asks users to check prerequisites before choosing bare metal or Docker. AdGuard Home’s setup material likewise links to a Raspberry Pi guide and documents multiple deployment methods.
If you do choose a single-board computer, budget for the board, a compatible power supply, storage, and—if needed—a case. No specific board model, kit, performance figure, or current price is established here, so select hardware only after checking the project’s current supported-platform list. The important characteristics are reliable networking, adequate storage for the operating system and logs, and continuous availability.
Reliability, recovery, and privacy considerations
Keep a recovery path
Local DNS sits in the network’s name-resolution path. If the filtering host fails, clients may appear to lose internet access even though the WAN connection is healthy. Pi-hole’s post-install documentation warns about a host configured to use itself as its upstream DNS: if the service stops, that host can lose DNS resolution. Avoid a circular dependency and know how to temporarily assign a working alternate resolver while repairing the service.
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- Record the filtering host’s address and administrator credentials in a safe place.
- Know how to reach the router and change DHCP DNS settings without relying on the broken resolver.
- Keep an alternate network path, such as a phone hotspot, for downloading packages during an outage.
- Back up custom lists, allowlists, and policy settings before major upgrades.
Understand what “privacy” does and does not mean
AdGuard Home’s repository states that the project does not collect usage statistics and does not use web services unless configured. That is a specific project statement, not a complete privacy comparison. Your resolver still sees local queries, and the upstream provider you select may see forwarded queries. Logging duration, dashboard access, encrypted transport, and upstream policy depend on your configuration.
Maintain lists conservatively
More lists are not automatically better. When a wanted site breaks, inspect the blocked domain in the dashboard, create the narrowest allow rule that restores the feature, and document why it exists. Periodically remove redundant or abandoned lists. Apply changes gradually so you can identify which rule caused a failure.
What each product cannot promise
- Not every advertisement will disappear. Domain filtering cannot reliably separate wanted and unwanted content served from the same domain.
- It is not a full browser blocker. Neither product provides all of the page-level inspection and cosmetic filtering available to browser tools.
- It does not protect devices that bypass DNS. A client using a manually configured or encrypted external resolver may never ask your filter.
- It is not a performance guarantee. The available official material contains no independent, controlled comparison of latency, throughput, uptime, or block percentage.
- It is not automatic network security. Malware and phishing lists can reduce known-domain exposure, but they do not replace operating-system updates, endpoint protection, safe browsing, or account security.
Troubleshooting decision tree
The dashboard shows no queries from a device
- Display the device’s current DNS server and compare it with the filter’s address.
- Renew its DHCP lease or reconnect to Wi-Fi.
- Check for a browser or operating-system encrypted-DNS setting that overrides DHCP.
- Confirm that the filter is listening on the expected interface and that the firewall permits DNS traffic.
Some devices work and others do not
Compare their lease information and DNS settings. Guest VLANs, mesh nodes, VPN clients, and manually configured appliances may receive a different DNS server. Test each network segment separately and ensure the filtering host is reachable from it.
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- Open the filter’s query log and identify the blocked domain associated with the feature.
- Allowlist only that domain, not an entire tracking or advertising domain family, unless you understand the consequences.
- Clear the client and application DNS cache, then retry.
- If the service still fails, remove the exception and decide whether that service is compatible with DNS-level blocking.
The whole network loses name resolution
Temporarily restore a known-working DNS address in the router or on a test client, then inspect whether the filtering host is powered, reachable, and listening on port 53. Check for a failed update, a port conflict, or a second DHCP server. Once service is restored, test both ordinary DNS and the dashboard before returning all clients to the filter.
A practical decision checklist
- Do you need DNS-over-HTTPS, DNS-over-TLS, DNSCrypt upstreams, or encrypted-DNS server modes without extra components? Start with AdGuard Home.
- Do you want a Linux sinkhole with dashboard, command-line operation, groups, caching, and an optional DHCP server? Start with Pi-hole.
- Can your router advertise a custom DNS address? If not, plan Pi-hole’s DHCP fallback or manual client settings.
- Will different people or device classes need different policies? Plan client identification before choosing lists.
- Can you keep the host online and recover the network if it fails? If not, solve availability first.
- Are you expecting every video or in-app advertisement to vanish? Use a browser-level blocker where appropriate and treat DNS filtering as a complementary layer.
For a basic home network, either project is a defensible choice. The deciding factor is the operational feature you will actually use: AdGuard Home concentrates more listed policy and encrypted-DNS functions in one service, while Pi-hole offers a familiar Linux-based sinkhole workflow with flexible deployment and DHCP options. Configure DNS deliberately, test every important client, and judge the result by the behavior of your network rather than by unsupported claims of a universal winner.
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