Alternatives to Cloudflare 1.1.1.1
Fast public DNS resolver with a filtered option for families. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
Cloudflare 1.1.1.1
Fast public DNS resolver with a filtered option for families.
Replacements
Listings that take over the same core job as Cloudflare 1.1.1.1.
Quad9
Free public DNS resolver that blocks known malicious domains.
Quad9 is a free non-profit Swiss resolver that blocks malicious domains by default and publishes a no-client-IP-logging policy, but offers no advertising blocking.
AdGuard DNS
Public filtering DNS resolver with encrypted transports.
AdGuard DNS blocks ads and trackers and supports DNS-over-QUIC, but custom rules and statistics need a paid account beyond a small free tier.
NextDNS
Cloud DNS filtering with per-device profiles and detailed logs.
NextDNS adds granular blocklists, per-device profiles and detailed analytics, with a free tier limited to a monthly query allowance.
Control D
Customisable DNS filtering service with per-device profiles.
Control D adds per-device profiles and granular per-service rules with apps for every major platform, while most of its useful features require a paid plan.
OpenDNS Home
A public DNS service from Cisco with phishing protection and optional content filtering for home networks.
OpenDNS Home from Cisco is free with phishing protection and parental content filtering suited to setting once at the router.
CleanBrowsing
A DNS filtering service that blocks malware, phishing and adult content at the network level.
CleanBrowsing focuses on malware, phishing and adult content blocking with enforced Safe Search, on a freemium basis.
DNS4EU
A free public DNS resolver hosted in the EU that blocks malware, phishing and ransomware domains.
DNS4EU is a free resolver running under EU rules with variants of different filtering levels that block malware, phishing and ransomware.
Also worth comparing
These listings name Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 as their own alternative, so the relationship runs both ways.
CIRA Canadian Shield
A free protective DNS service from Canada's domain registry that blocks malware, phishing and scams.
Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 is a free global resolver with a Families option for content filtering, run by a US company rather than a Canadian not-for-profit.
Safe Surfer
A parental-control DNS filtering service that blocks harmful content on phones, computers and home routers.
Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 for Families adds free content filtering without software, though its filtering options are more limited than dedicated services.
Similar software
Related functionality, not a direct replacement.
Stubby
Local DNS stub resolver that encrypts queries with DNS-over-TLS.
dnscrypt-proxy
Encrypts your DNS lookups so your internet provider cannot read or tamper with them, and blocks domains while it is there.
Unbound
Validating, recursive, caching DNS resolver.
Knot Resolver
A caching DNS resolver with a small core and optional modules, from home routers to resolver farms.
