Alternatives to Unbound
Validating, recursive, caching DNS resolver. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
Unbound
Validating, recursive, caching DNS resolver.
Replacements
Listings that take over the same core job as Unbound.
Knot Resolver
A caching DNS resolver with a small core and optional modules, from home routers to resolver farms.
Knot Resolver is a GPL caching resolver with optional C and Lua modules for custom policies and DNS-over-HTTPS, running on Linux rather than Windows or macOS.
PowerDNS Recursor
A recursive DNS resolver from the PowerDNS project that you run on your own server.
PowerDNS Recursor is a Linux recursive resolver with DNSSEC regression testing that pairs with dnsdist and PowerDNS Authoritative, and does not run on Windows or macOS.
Also worth comparing
These listings name Unbound as their own alternative, so the relationship runs both ways.
CoreDNS
A DNS server written in Go that builds its behavior from a chain of plugins.
Unbound is a BSD-3-Clause recursive, validating resolver with DNSSEC and encrypted transports, but has no plugin chain or service discovery.
dnsmasq
Lightweight DNS forwarder, DHCP server and TFTP server in one.
Unbound resolves recursively with DNSSEC validation rather than forwarding, but has no DHCP server.
Similar software
Related functionality, not a direct replacement.
Pi-hole
A DNS server for your home network that refuses to look up ad and tracker domains, for every device at once.
AdGuard Home
Network-wide ad and tracker blocking in a single binary, with encrypted DNS built in rather than bolted on.
dnsdist
A DNS load balancer that routes queries to backend servers and blocks abusive traffic with rules.
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.
