Control D vs Cisco Umbrella

Control D9.3Visit Cisco Umbrella8.8Visit

Higher score Control D #2 in DNS Filtering Software 9.3/10 Free plan · 14-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 0 of 4 features Visit Control D

vs

Cisco Umbrella #5 in DNS Filtering Software 8.8/10 Pricing on request · 14-day trial Free trial✓ 0 of 4 features Visit Cisco Umbrella

• Control D fits best

  Affordable, highly configurable DNS filtering

• Cisco Umbrella fits best

  Large organizations using Cisco infrastructure

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Side by side

Feature	Control D 9.3/10 Visit ↗	Cisco Umbrella 8.8/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.3	8.8
Ranking	#2 in DNS Filtering Software	#5 in DNS Filtering Software
Best for	Affordable, highly configurable DNS filtering	Large organizations using Cisco infrastructure
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Paid
Starting price	$2/device/mo	Pricing on request · 14-day trial
Free plan	✓ (best)	—
Free trial	14 days	14 days
Free trial length	14 days · no card needed	14 days
Deployment	Cloud, Desktop, Mobile	Cloud, Mobile
Platforms	Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android	Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
Support	Email, Community, Docs	Tickets, Phone, Docs
Integrations	20 integrations	6 integrations
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Control D 0/4 · Cisco Umbrella 0/4
Category filtering	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Custom domain policies	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Roaming protection	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Activity reports	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Specs
Deployment modes	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Device limit	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Encrypted DNS support	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Custom block, bypass, redirect, and wildcard domain rules Profiles, schedules, Safe Search, and detailed DNS analytics Supports major platforms, browsers, APIs, self-hosting, and routers	Blocks malware, phishing, botnets, ransomware, and unwanted categories Supports identity-based policies, schedules, SafeSearch, and custom lists Connects with Cisco infrastructure plus APIs, exports, and AWS S3
Cons	Personal paid plans cost $3 or $6 per month Traffic redirection requires the Full Control plan SMB billing is based on endpoints rather than a flat fee	Pricing requires contacting sales, with no free plan Umbrella is transitioning toward Cisco Secure Access Scheduling is documented for SIG policies, not necessarily DNS-only policies
Our verdict	Control D is a cloud-based DNS filtering and security platform for individuals, families, businesses, and organizations. It blocks malware, phishing, ads, trackers, unwanted content, and selected services at the DNS level. Users can… Read the review →	Cisco Umbrella is a cloud-delivered security service for organizations that need to control access to malicious or unwanted internet destinations. It combines DNS-layer threat blocking with category-based web filtering, custom allow and… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Control D — where it wins

  • Custom block, bypass, redirect, and wildcard domain rules
  • Profiles, schedules, Safe Search, and detailed DNS analytics
  • Supports major platforms, browsers, APIs, self-hosting, and routers

  Where it doesn't

  • Personal paid plans cost $3 or $6 per month
  • Traffic redirection requires the Full Control plan
  • SMB billing is based on endpoints rather than a flat fee

• Cisco Umbrella — where it wins

  • Blocks malware, phishing, botnets, ransomware, and unwanted categories
  • Supports identity-based policies, schedules, SafeSearch, and custom lists
  • Connects with Cisco infrastructure plus APIs, exports, and AWS S3

  Where it doesn't

  • Pricing requires contacting sales, with no free plan
  • Umbrella is transitioning toward Cisco Secure Access
  • Scheduling is documented for SIG policies, not necessarily DNS-only policies

• Control D9.3/10 · Free plan · 14-day trial

  A broad DNS filtering platform with free access, detailed controls, and flexible deployment.

  Visit Control DFull verdict →
• Cisco Umbrella8.8/10 · Pricing on request · 14-day trial

  Broad DNS, web, identity, and reporting controls for Cisco-centered enterprises.

  Visit Cisco UmbrellaFull verdict →