Alternatives to SmartDNS

A local DNS server that queries several upstream resolvers and returns the fastest-responding IP address. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.

  • SmartDNS

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

    FreeProprietaryLinuxSelf-hosted

Replacements

Listings that take over the same core job as SmartDNS.

  • mosdns

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

    FreeOpen sourceSelf-hostedCommand line

    mosdns focuses on rule-based routing of domains to different upstreams with domain blocking and encrypted DNS, is GPL-3.0 licensed, and its documentation is in Chinese.

  • dnsmasq

    Lightweight DNS forwarder, DHCP server and TFTP server in one.

    FreeOpen sourceLinuxSelf-hosted

    dnsmasq is a GPL-2.0 forwarder that also provides DHCP and network boot, with automatic local hostnames, but lacks encrypted upstreams and fastest-answer selection.

  • RouteDNS

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

    FreeProprietaryLinuxSelf-hostedCommand line

    RouteDNS offers flexible routing between resolvers with built-in blocklists and DTLS upstreams, with English documentation, though it also needs file-based configuration.

  • dnscrypt-proxy

    Encrypts your DNS lookups so your internet provider cannot read or tamper with them, and blocks domains while it is there.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinuxCommand line

    dnscrypt-proxy also measures resolver speed and balances across the fastest, adds DNSCrypt and Anonymized DNS with filtering, and runs on Windows and macOS.

  • Blocky

    Lightweight DNS proxy with blocklists, written for container deployments.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinuxSelf-hostedCommand line

    Blocky is an Apache-2.0 proxy for containers with blocklists, per-group rules and encrypted upstreams, configured in YAML without picking the fastest upstream answer.

  • AdGuard Home

    Network-wide ad and tracker blocking in a single binary, with encrypted DNS built in rather than bolted on.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinuxWebSelf-hosted

    AdGuard Home provides a web interface, full blocklist management, per-client rules and parental controls in one open source binary, rather than fastest-answer selection.

  • 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 is an EUPL-1.2 DNS server with blocklists and a web interface covering every device, caching DNS and optionally running DHCP, but it runs on Linux only.

Also worth comparing

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

  • Diversion

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

    FreeProprietarySelf-hostedCommand line

    SmartDNS runs on routers and home servers, returning the fastest upstream answer with basic ad blocking through domain rules.

  • dnsproxy

    A simple DNS proxy server supporting DNS-over-TLS, DNS-over-HTTPS, DNSCrypt and DNS-over-QUIC.

    FreeOpen sourceSelf-hostedCommand line

    SmartDNS returns the fastest upstream answer from DoT, DoH, DoQ and DoH3 resolvers and can block ad domains through rules.

  • Technitium DNS Server

    A self-hosted DNS server that blocks ads network-wide, hosts your own zones, and encrypts upstream queries.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinuxSelf-hosted

    SmartDNS picks the fastest upstream answer and supports encrypted upstreams with basic ad blocking, but runs on Linux without a graphical interface.

Similar software

Related functionality, not a direct replacement.