AdGuard

VS

NextDNS

Cybersecurity Comparison

AdGuard vs NextDNS: Side-by-Side Comparison

AdGuard
NextDNS
Rating
★★★★★★★★★★
4.7/5
★★★★★★★★★★
4.6/5
Free Tier
Yes
Yes
Trial Days
14-day trial
None
Pricing
Free extension; App from $29.99/year
Free up to 300K queries/month; Pro from $1.99/month
Company
AdGuard Software Ltd.
NextDNS Inc.
Founded
2009
2019
Best For
Power users wanting complete ad-free experience across desktop and mobile apps
Families wanting customizable DNS filtering without hardware setup complexity

Pros & Cons

200 Jobs AI Will Replace
FREE REPORT

200 Jobs AI Will Replace

Is yours on the list? 52% of workers are already worried. Find out where your career stands before it's too late.

We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe anytime.

AdGuard

System-wide ad blocking works across all apps not just browsers
DNS filtering blocks ads at network level without browser extensions needed
Parental control content filtering protects children across all browsers
Stealth Mode aggressively strips all tracking parameters from URLs
No subscription needed for desktop apps; one-time purchase available
Mobile version requires manual VPN profile configuration on some devices
Does not replace full antivirus protection against malware and ransomware

NextDNS

Cloud-based DNS filtering with 300 plus curated blocklists to choose from
Query logs with full device and domain breakdown available in dashboard
No hardware required; works via DNS-over-HTTPS from any device immediately
Free tier allows 300,000 monthly queries before throttling begins
Privacy profiles let you apply different blocking rules per device easily
Free tier query limit reached quickly by households with multiple devices
DNS-level blocking cannot stop first-party tracking on social media platforms

Use Case Analysis

Which is better for Privacy?

Both AdGuard and NextDNS support Privacy workflows. AdGuard has a slight edge with a 4.7 rating and System-level ad blocking across all apps with no per-browser extension required. If Privacy is your primary use case, AdGuard is the safer pick.

Which is better for Antivirus?

Both AdGuard and NextDNS support Antivirus workflows. AdGuard has a slight edge with a 4.7 rating and System-level ad blocking across all apps with no per-browser extension required. If Antivirus is your primary use case, AdGuard is the safer pick.

Which is better for Encryption?

Both AdGuard and NextDNS support Encryption workflows. AdGuard has a slight edge with a 4.7 rating and System-level ad blocking across all apps with no per-browser extension required. If Encryption is your primary use case, AdGuard is the safer pick.

Which is better for Endpoint Security?

Both AdGuard and NextDNS support Endpoint Security workflows. AdGuard has a slight edge with a 4.7 rating and System-level ad blocking across all apps with no per-browser extension required. If Endpoint Security is your primary use case, AdGuard is the safer pick.

Which is better for Two Factor Authentication?

Both AdGuard and NextDNS support Two Factor Authentication workflows. AdGuard has a slight edge with a 4.7 rating and System-level ad blocking across all apps with no per-browser extension required. If Two Factor Authentication is your primary use case, AdGuard is the safer pick.

Verdict

AdGuard edges out NextDNS with a 4.7 vs 4.6 rating. AdGuard's main advantage: System-level ad blocking across all apps with no per-browser extension required. That said, NextDNS may still be the better choice if Families wanting customizable DNS filtering without hardware setup complexity.

Try Them Yourself

The best way to choose is to trial both. See full details on each:

Get AdGuard Free Try Free

Related Comparisons

AdGuard vs Cloudflare AdGuard vs Palo Alto Networks AdGuard vs Fortinet AdGuard vs ESET
200 Jobs AI Will Replace - Is yours on the list? 52% of workers are already worried. Find out where your career stands before it's too late.