NextDNS or AdGuard DNS: which private DNS should you choose?

Every time you type a site’s address, an invisible directory translates that name into a technical address. That directory is called DNS, and it therefore sees every site you visit. By default, that role falls to your internet provider, or to Google if your device uses its public DNS. A private DNS takes over that address book and blocks ads and trackers along the way, on all your devices. Two references share the category: NextDNS and AdGuard DNS.

The match in one table

Criterion	NextDNS	AdGuard DNS
Price	Free up to 300,000 queries/month. Pro at €1.99/month (€19.90/year)	Free public DNS. Personal plans from about $2.49/month
Getting started	Intuitive web interface, a few settings	Two minutes, nothing to install
Customization	Custom blocklists, per-device profiles	More limited
Encrypted queries	Yes (DNS-over-HTTPS/TLS)	Yes (DNS-over-HTTPS/TLS)
Family	Built-in parental controls	Family profile
Limits	Not open source server-side, capped free plan	Less configurable, company based in Cyprus

What NextDNS does better

Control. NextDNS lets you compose your own blocklists, create a profile per device and follow in a dashboard exactly what was blocked. Logs are optional and encrypted: you decide whether the service keeps a record of your activity. The built-in parental controls also make it a good tool for protecting the household’s children.

It all works everywhere: browser, apps, games, since filtering happens at the network level. The free version covers 300,000 queries per month. Beyond that, the Pro plan costs €1.99 per month, or €19.90 per year.

What AdGuard DNS does better

Simplicity. You change the DNS on your router or your phone, and that’s it: ads disappear in every app, not just in the browser. Count two minutes, with nothing to install.

Its public DNS is free, and it’s enough for personal use. To go further, personal plans start at about $2.49 per month. Two reservations all the same: the service can’t be tuned as finely as NextDNS, and the company is based in Cyprus, a middling jurisdiction for privacy.

Verdict

Choose AdGuard DNS if you’re discovering private DNS and want an immediate result, with no settings. It’s the starting point I suggest to beginners.

Choose NextDNS if you like to stay in control: custom lists, per-device profiles, parental controls and encrypted logs you turn on or not.

Either way, your queries no longer stream past Google or your internet provider, and ads drop away on all your devices. The detailed profiles: NextDNS and AdGuard DNS, and all the private DNS alternatives.