Alternatives to AdGuard Home

Network-wide ad and tracker blocking in a single binary, with encrypted DNS built in rather than bolted on. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.

Replacements

Listings that take over the same core job as AdGuard Home.

  • Pi-hole

    A DNS server for your home network that refuses to look up ad and tracker domains, for every device at once.

    FreeOpen sourceLinuxSelf-hostedWeb

    Pi-hole runs only on Linux, has more community tools and guides, and can act as the DHCP server, but lacks AdGuard Home's built-in encrypted DNS server.

  • Blocky

    Lightweight DNS proxy with blocklists, written for container deployments.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinuxSelf-hostedCommand line

    Blocky is a small Apache-2.0 binary with no database, suited to containers, but it is configured in YAML only and has no built-in administration interface.

  • NxFilter

    A self-hosted DNS filter with per-user policies, reports and Active Directory integration.

    FreeProprietarySelf-hosted

    NxFilter is a free, closed-source self-hosted filter with per-user policies, reports and Active Directory integration aimed at schools and organisations.

  • OpenWrt adblock

    A DNS-based ad and abuse domain blocking package for OpenWrt routers, covering every device on the network.

    FreeOpen sourceLinuxCommand line

    OpenWrt adblock runs directly on an OpenWrt router from the standard package feeds, configured on the command line instead of a web interface.

  • Diversion

    A DNS-based ad blocker that runs on Asus routers with Asuswrt-Merlin firmware.

    FreeProprietarySelf-hostedCommand line

    Diversion runs network-wide blocking on Asus routers with Asuswrt-Merlin firmware, where router storage and memory limit blocklist size.

  • RouteDNS

    A DNS stub resolver, proxy and router with blocklists and DoT, DoH, DoQ and DTLS support.

    FreeProprietaryLinuxSelf-hostedCommand line

    RouteDNS offers blocklists, encrypted upstreams and query routing configured through files, with no graphical interface and more DNS knowledge required.

  • SmartDNS

    A local DNS server that queries several upstream resolvers and returns the fastest-responding IP address.

    FreeProprietaryLinuxSelf-hosted

    SmartDNS picks the fastest upstream answer and can block ad domains through rules, but needs manual configuration without a graphical interface.

  • mosdns

    A plugin-based DNS forwarder with rule-based routing, domain blocking and encrypted DNS support.

    FreeOpen sourceSelf-hostedCommand line

    mosdns adds rule-based split routing to different upstreams with domain blocking, but its documentation is in Chinese and rules are edited by hand.

Also worth comparing

These listings name AdGuard Home as their own alternative, so the relationship runs both ways.

  • Acrylic DNS Proxy

    A local caching DNS proxy for Windows that blocks unwanted domains with a custom hosts file.

    FreeOpen sourceWindows

    AdGuard Home runs as a local or network-wide server with a web interface, encrypted DNS and per-client rules, replacing Acrylic's text-file configuration.

  • Adblock Fast

    A lightweight DNS-based ad blocker for OpenWrt routers using dnsmasq, smartdns, Unbound or BIND.

    FreeOpen sourceSelf-hosted

    AdGuard Home runs as one binary on many systems with a web interface, encrypted DNS serving and per-client rules, instead of relying on the router's resolver.

  • Maza

    A Bash script that blocks ads system-wide by filtering DNS through the hosts file or dnsmasq.

    FreeOpen sourcemacOSLinuxCommand line

    AdGuard Home runs as one binary with a web interface and can protect the whole network, adding encrypted DNS and per-client rules.

  • pfBlockerNG

    A pfSense package that adds IP blocklists, country blocking and DNS blocklists to the firewall.

    FreeProprietarySelf-hosted

    AdGuard Home is an open source single binary with a web interface and encrypted DNS serving, but it does no IP or country blocking at the firewall.

Similar software

Related functionality, not a direct replacement.