Alternatives to personalDNSfilter
Lightweight Java DNS filter proxy that blocks ad and malware domains on Android and desktops. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
personalDNSfilter
Lightweight Java DNS filter proxy that blocks ad and malware domains on Android and desktops.
Replacements
Listings that take over the same core job as personalDNSfilter.
AdGuard Ad Blocker
System-wide ad and tracker blocker apps for Windows, macOS, Android and iOS with DNS filtering.
AdGuard Ad Blocker is a freemium closed-source app for Windows, macOS, Android and iOS that also adds phishing and malware protection, with features varying by platform.
AdAway
System-wide Android ad blocker using hosts files or a local VPN.
AdAway is a GPL-3.0 Android blocker using hosts files with root or a local VPN without root, but it has no desktop version and is not on Google Play.
Blokada
Mobile ad blocker with a local filter and an optional VPN tier.
Blokada works on both Android and iOS with free local filtering, while its plus tier with VPN and cloud filtering is a paid subscription.
Rethink DNS
Android firewall and encrypted DNS client with per-app rules.
Rethink DNS adds a per-app firewall, encrypted DNS and detailed logs on Android and can proxy WireGuard, though its amount of configuration is daunting at first.
DNSNet
An Android app that filters DNS requests through a local VPN to block ad and tracker domains.
DNSNet is an Android-only continuation of DNS66 that filters through a local VPN, so it always occupies the VPN slot and is not open source.
dnscrypt-proxy
Encrypts your DNS lookups so your internet provider cannot read or tamper with them, and blocks domains while it is there.
dnscrypt-proxy suits desktops, adding DNSCrypt, Anonymized DNS and resolver speed balancing with filtering, configured in TOML and without an Android app or Java requirement.
Also worth comparing
These listings name personalDNSfilter 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.
personalDNSfilter is a Java DNS filter proxy for Windows, macOS, Linux and Android with DoH and DoT support, but desktop use requires Java.
hBlock
A POSIX shell script that builds a hosts file blocking ad, tracking and malware domains.
personalDNSfilter is a Java DNS filter proxy for desktops and Android that blocks ad and malware domains with encrypted DNS support.
Intra
An Android app from Jigsaw that encrypts DNS lookups to get around DNS manipulation and blocking.
personalDNSfilter supports DNS over HTTPS and TLS on Android and desktops, and also blocks ad and malware domains with or without the VPN slot.
InviZible Pro
Android app bundling Tor, I2P and DNSCrypt with a no-root mode.
personalDNSfilter covers only DNS filtering with DoH and DoT on Android and desktops, without Tor or I2P routing.
Maza
A Bash script that blocks ads system-wide by filtering DNS through the hosts file or dnsmasq.
personalDNSfilter is a Java DNS filter proxy for desktops and Android with DoH and DoT support, requiring Java on desktop systems.
Privoxy
A non-caching web proxy that filters HTTP headers and page content to remove ads and trackers.
personalDNSfilter blocks ad and malware domains through DNS on Android and Java-enabled desktops, filtering by domain only rather than headers or page content.
TrackerControl
Monitor and restrict Android application tracking connections.
personalDNSfilter blocks ad and malware domains with DoH and DoT support, can work without the VPN slot, and also runs on Java desktops.
Similar software
Related functionality, not a direct replacement.
AdGuard DNS
Public filtering DNS resolver with encrypted transports.
NextDNS
Cloud DNS filtering with per-device profiles and detailed logs.
