NextDNS

VS

Pi-hole

Cybersecurity Comparison

NextDNS vs Pi-hole: Side-by-Side Comparison

NextDNS
Pi-hole
Rating
★★★★★★★★★★
4.6/5
★★★★★★★★★★
4.7/5
Free Tier
Yes
Yes
Trial Days
None
None
Pricing
Free up to 300K queries/month; Pro from $1.99/month
Free (open source)
Company
NextDNS Inc.
Pi-hole LLC
Founded
2019
2014
Best For
Families wanting customizable DNS filtering without hardware setup complexity
Home lab enthusiasts wanting network-level protection for every connected device

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.

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

Pi-hole

Network-wide DNS blocking stops ads and trackers on all connected devices
Completely free and open-source with active community development
Admin dashboard shows detailed query logs and block statistics in real time
Works on smart TVs, gaming consoles, and IoT devices automatically
Runs on Raspberry Pi hardware costing under 50 dollars one-time
Requires Raspberry Pi or server setup which intimidates non-technical users
Breaks some websites and apps that depend on ad network domain resolution

Use Case Analysis

Which is better for Privacy?

Both NextDNS and Pi-hole support Privacy workflows. Pi-hole has a slight edge with a 4.7 rating and Free network-wide DNS ad blocking covering every device without per-device setup. If Privacy is your primary use case, Pi-hole is the safer pick.

Which is better for Encryption?

Both NextDNS and Pi-hole support Encryption workflows. Pi-hole has a slight edge with a 4.7 rating and Free network-wide DNS ad blocking covering every device without per-device setup. If Encryption is your primary use case, Pi-hole is the safer pick.

Which is better for Endpoint Security?

Both NextDNS and Pi-hole support Endpoint Security workflows. Pi-hole has a slight edge with a 4.7 rating and Free network-wide DNS ad blocking covering every device without per-device setup. If Endpoint Security is your primary use case, Pi-hole is the safer pick.

Which is better for Antivirus?

Both NextDNS and Pi-hole support Antivirus workflows. Pi-hole has a slight edge with a 4.7 rating and Free network-wide DNS ad blocking covering every device without per-device setup. If Antivirus is your primary use case, Pi-hole is the safer pick.

Which is better for Two Factor Authentication?

Both NextDNS and Pi-hole support Two Factor Authentication workflows. Pi-hole has a slight edge with a 4.7 rating and Free network-wide DNS ad blocking covering every device without per-device setup. If Two Factor Authentication is your primary use case, Pi-hole is the safer pick.

Verdict

Pi-hole edges out NextDNS with a 4.7 vs 4.6 rating. Pi-hole's main advantage: Free network-wide DNS ad blocking covering every device without per-device setup. 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:

Try Free Explore Free

Related Comparisons

Cloudflare vs NextDNS AdGuard vs NextDNS Burp Suite vs NextDNS Abnormal Security vs NextDNS
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.