Alternatives to NextDNS

2 self-hosted alternatives — 2 easy

Why people look for alternatives

  • Free tier limited to 300,000 queries per month
  • DNS queries pass through third-party servers
  • Advanced features require paid plan
  • Dependent on external service availability
AppDifficultyMin RAMDockerMobileActive
AdGuard Home

Network-wide ad and tracker blocker that acts as a DNS sinkhole.

easy0.25 GBYes
Pi-hole

Network-wide ad blocker that acts as a DNS sinkhole, originally designed for Raspberry Pi.

easy0.25 GBYes
AdGuard Home

Network-wide ad and tracker blocker that acts as a DNS sinkhole.

Pros

  • + Clean modern web UI
  • + DNS-over-HTTPS and DNS-over-TLS support
  • + Per-client settings
  • + Easy to set up

Cons

  • - Backed by a commercial company which may shift priorities
  • - Less community filter lists than Pi-hole
  • - No API for advanced automation
  • - Some features overlap with router capabilities
Pi-hole

Network-wide ad blocker that acts as a DNS sinkhole, originally designed for Raspberry Pi.

Pros

  • + Huge community and extensive block lists
  • + Very lightweight
  • + Easy dashboard
  • + Works well on Raspberry Pi

Cons

  • - Web UI is less modern than AdGuard Home
  • - No built-in DNS-over-HTTPS
  • - Teleporter backup system is basic
  • - Updates can occasionally break things